High Beam Assist - does it work and is it worth it?
Yes it works and it is worth it
42%
42%
[20]
No it doesn't and it isn't
6%
6%
[3]
Sometimes but not enough to be useful
29%
29%
[14]
It drives me nuts and the idea is the spawn of the Devil
6%
6%
[3]
I can think for myself AND operate the lever unaided
14%
14%
[7]
Total Votes: 47
steveraspberry
Member Since: 18 Sep 2011
Location: Nr Sevenoaks,Kent
Posts: 2081
High Beam Assist - does it work and is it worth it?
Just a quick poll to see what we think of HBA My17 Volvo XC90 Inscription
MY15 Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian
RGK Tiga Fx Wheelchair,
Large Alsation called Abbs
Medium blue Staffie called Piglet
Medium Alsation called Bailey
19th Oct 2011 9:43 am
steveraspberry
Member Since: 18 Sep 2011
Location: Nr Sevenoaks,Kent
Posts: 2081
So not an overwhelming success then. I was using it this evening and again, it seemed to perform flawlessly. Maybe I'm just one of the lucky ones or maybe it's all just the way you perceive it.
Interesting results nonetheless My17 Volvo XC90 Inscription
MY15 Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian
RGK Tiga Fx Wheelchair,
Large Alsation called Abbs
Medium blue Staffie called Piglet
Medium Alsation called Bailey
Ok, I'm going to switch it on again for the first time in 2 years and see if it has somehow 'magically' improved.
You never know, there may have been software mods during the services that have been carried out in the interim.
20th Oct 2011 11:01 pm
BBDisco3
Member Since: 23 Nov 2008
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 3640
It always seems I have to turn main beam off sooner than the auto system wants to. It then turns main beam off when there are no cars in sight but when it sees the reflection of my lights in road signs stc.
My finger just seems to hover over the stalk as I just can't rely on it turning off.
20th Oct 2011 11:31 pm
WOODY179
Member Since: 01 Jun 2005
Location: Chesterfield
Posts: 3634
Everytime I have used the HBA it has performed flawlessly.
21st Oct 2011 3:24 pm
doubledoom
Member Since: 09 Jul 2010
Location: Lowestoft
Posts: 132
I commented on the other thread....
Shallow S bends or long slow bends confuse it (probably as sensor is pointing in a different direction to oncoming traffic). Dual carriageways where the two sides are on different levels or move apart so the oncoming traffic is too far to the side for the sensor but not for the driver can cause failure to drop.
I want it to work. I love it when it does. However, I get frustrated at the number of times I end up flashing the car in front as the beam drops late and I decide to intervene at the same time. Every time I have turned it back on it works 7 or 8 times and then it doesnt and its that one time that frustrates.
I think your location may depend on where you think it works. If you are very rural then it will be great. If you are city then you will rarely use it. Where you are semi rural and see one car oncoming every few minutes and the roads twist and turn then the chances of more frequent fail are higher.
As a free option its fine. I wouldnt buy it though.
25th Oct 2011 10:17 pm
WOODY179
Member Since: 01 Jun 2005
Location: Chesterfield
Posts: 3634
Well I can say that my HBA has been used in rural, semi rural and in the city with flawless results, however in the city as there are more cars around, unless your on a very quite road it is not used very much at all.
26th Oct 2011 10:45 am
Reginald Molehusband
Member Since: 17 Nov 2009
Location: West Calder
Posts: 632
I concur with Mr doubledoom.
I persevered for a few months having got one of the first D4s off the line in Nov2009 so it was good and wintry = dark 16 hours a day here in Scotland.
It was good when it worked but having the only D4 in the district I was concerned at getting a reputation for dazzling all the locals on our curvy A-roads around here where the HBA was so often late to react.
So I turned it off and it hasn't been back on since.
Shame really.
BTW, same goes for the surround cameras. Waste of cash. Had I known that the rear camera came as standard anyway I would not have bothered.
On the other hand, the heated steering wheel option which I got as a bit of a joke, is the best £150 or whatever it was that I ever spent.2016 D4 Landmark SDV6 (Euro6), Zanzibar (late run D4)
2009 D4 HSE TDV6, Bali blue (first run D4)
2007 RRS TDV8 HSE, some blue
.
Member Since: 18 Sep 2011
Location: Nr Sevenoaks,Kent
Posts: 2081
[quote=
BTW, same goes for the surround cameras. Waste of cash. Had I known that the rear camera came as standard anyway I would not have bothered.
[/quote]
Massive disagree!! I find them very useful indeed! My17 Volvo XC90 Inscription
MY15 Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian
RGK Tiga Fx Wheelchair,
Large Alsation called Abbs
Medium blue Staffie called Piglet
Medium Alsation called Bailey
26th Oct 2011 9:16 pm
pjgraham86
Member Since: 18 May 2009
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 225
I agree with Steve.
We have the surround cameras on our XS and think they are well worth the money. My wife uses them when towing and finds them invaluable. I suppose it depends how much use you can make of them.
Mind you, there's now no excuse whatsoever for kerbing the alloys when the side cameras can be used...!!
26th Oct 2011 9:33 pm
lespes
Member Since: 17 Sep 2009
Location: Sitting Down
Posts: 2232
Have found that HBA seems to work better if closer to the middle white line than if travelling closer to the kerbside, would seem to react much quicker in all situationsD4 Landmark MY16 Santorini Black THE LAST
D4 HSE MY12 Marmais Teal: Gone. Missed a lot!
Freelander 2 SD HSE MY11 Silver:Thankfully gone.
D4 HSE MY11 Silver: Gone missed !
Range Rover Sport MY06 HSE Buck Blue: Gone missed!
Discovery D2 TD5 Facelift MY Red Gone Missed!
Discovery D2 TD5 Cobalt Blue: Gone Missed!
Discovery D1 Auto Oxford Blue Not missed at all!
Discovery D1 Avalon Blue First LR! missed!
Now demoted to a VW
26th Oct 2011 11:52 pm
Reginald Molehusband
Member Since: 17 Nov 2009
Location: West Calder
Posts: 632
what is your missus looking at in the cams when she is towing? (apart from the rear one obviously, but this is standard kit, I am talking about 4 for which I paid extra sponz)
Maybe it is my lack of imagination but I can't think of a purpose for them except maybe protecting alloys on curb/rocks with the wing cams.
But the "Junction View" using the front bumper cams in the number plate recess has no wide angle possible so is useless at junctions.
Maybe I should start a new thread "what do you use your surround cams for?"2016 D4 Landmark SDV6 (Euro6), Zanzibar (late run D4)
2009 D4 HSE TDV6, Bali blue (first run D4)
2007 RRS TDV8 HSE, some blue
.
Member Since: 09 Jan 2007
Location: Cambridgeshire
Posts: 338
Can HBA be switched on by a FaultMate wizard or does it need further hardware? (MY2012 HSE).D4 HSE MY2015
8 Speed
Causeway Grey
Towpack
Surround cameras (joke!)
Vision assist
Extended roof rails
Rear Ladder
Remote heat
Prospeed sliders with steps
2nd Nov 2011 10:12 am
MHP
Member Since: 31 Dec 2011
Location: lydd
Posts: 2776
From what i've seen on dads MY12, it works well apart from reacting to street lamps. I think it's 100% worth it
10th Jan 2012 9:16 pm
Smarticus
Member Since: 01 Jan 2005
Location: Northumberland
Posts: 655
Where is the HBA sensor that picks up the light from the approaching vehicle ? I assume (like the cameras) that to work well it needs to be kept clean. Perhaps those that find their HBA doesn't have sufficent sensitivity have a dirty sensor so only part of the light filters through the grime ?Disco 4 TDV6HSE
Defender 200TDi CSW
RR Evoque
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