Coding Anti-Dazzle and Variable Light Distribution

[gtgoff]

Howdy, all! I just picked up a '19 REx here in the US and am also looking to code in anti-dazzle/VLD. I've tried setting some of the changes mentioned in one of the link outs above but they didn't seem to do the trick. Have any of you had success yet?

 

[websterize]

I picked up a 2020 about a month ago with High Beam Assist. Activating this dormant headlight feature only available in 2019+ i3 models is on the list!

For starters, it seems as if you have to remove 5AP and 8S4 from the Vehicle Order (VO) coding, which requires E-sys software. Apparently, they disable the anti-dazzle and VLD decoding mandated by NHTSA that is otherwise available in the rest of the world. In addition, activation might also require FDL coding of several modules, such as BDC_Body and KAFAS, and who knows what else. (I think FDL coding is what BimmerCode does.)

But ... U.S. law lighting laws recently changed, allowing this supercool high-beam magic available in the rest of the world. But I haven't heard of any campaigns from BMWNA authorizing dealers to activate it.

 

[frictioncircle]

websterize –

Glad to hear you've gotten an upgraded i3 and are still looking into coding the matrix high beams!

I've read through this Bimmerpost thread regarding iX matrix lighting:
https://bmwi.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1897955

On page three, one of the posters has a copy of their build sheet and one of the items is "5AP Decoding for no-dazzle high beam assistance". I get the impression that means that the matrix hardware is there but it has expressly been disabled in software.

Just curious if you got a copy of your build sheet, websterize, and if it has 5AP listed?

 

[alohart]

Just curious if you got a copy of your build sheet, websterize, and if it has 5AP listed?

Our 2019 U.S. Giga i3 with the Tech Package has options

• 5AP Decoding Anti-Glare High-Beam Assistant
• 5A4 LED Headlight With Extended Scopes
• 5AC High-Beam Assistant
• 5AT Driving Assistant Plus

none of which is included on a friend's 2019 U.S. Tera i3 without the Tech Package. Why would BMW include more expensive anti-dazzle headlights only to disable them in the U.S.? Might they be necessary for High-Beam Assistant or Driving Assistant Plus?

If the anti-dazzle and variable light distribution features could be enabled, would this jeopardize passing a state safety inspection in which the aim of the headlights is checked? If not, sign me up!

 

[SSi3]

I've been trying to figure this out on my 2019 i3s as well... I poked around in Bimmercode based on some of the older forum posts for non-i3 models but none of those lined up with the coding in the i3. I would love to activate this!

 

[websterize]

Just curious if you got a copy of your build sheet, websterize, and if it has 5AP listed?

Here is its build sheet, which includes 5AP and 8S4 (highlighted).

 

[websterize]

… Why would BMW include more expensive anti-dazzle headlights only to disable them in the U.S.? Might they be necessary for High-Beam Assistant or Driving Assistant Plus?

Because, until recently, VLD violated NHTSA's archaic lighting laws.

 

[alohart]

… Why would BMW include more expensive anti-dazzle headlights only to disable them in the U.S.? Might they be necessary for High-Beam Assistant or Driving Assistant Plus?

Because, until recently, VLD violated NHTSA's archaic lighting laws.

It appears that late model i3's without the Tech Package must have simpler LED headlights that don't implement anti-dazzle and variable light distribution features because they don't have to be disabled with option 5AP. My question is, why would BMW include the more expensive anti-dazzle and variable light distribution headlights with the Tech Package only to disable these features when they could instead have installed the basic headlights that don't have these features?

 

[websterize]

The lighting variations, by technology, packages, software, and laws by market, feel as complicated as tax law. I would guess the lighting team at BMW is vast!

I think the answer to your question has to do with the adaptive, or “cornering” headlights, which became available in the North American i3 for the 2019 model year along with High Beam Assist — all in the Tech package. To have the cornering lights it touted, BMW needed more advanced LED headlights that included movable lighting elements.

Because your friend’s 2019 didn't have the Tech package, they got the LEDs with static lighting elements, which were the only kind available in U.S. i3s before the 2019 model year. (I’d guess they don't have High Beam Assist either?)

With the anti-dazzle and variable light distribution functionality, all four lighting elements in each headlight do a lot more than just illuminate corners. On the i3, these types of headlights are emblazoned “BMW Adaptive” inside the housing. The software changes discussed here unlock the full functionality of the lighting, which was hamstrung by U.S. government lighting laws until recently.

 

[alohart]

I think the answer to your question has to do with the adaptive, or “cornering” headlights, which became available in the North American i3 for the 2019 model year along with High Beam Assist — all in the Tech package. To have the cornering lights it touted, BMW needed more advanced LED headlights that included movable lighting elements.

I'll have to pay more attention to the corning lights on our i3. I assumed that they are fixed LED's that illuminate only when cornering. I haven't noticed any motion when they illuminate. However, your description suggests that they are elements of the headlights normally aimed forward that move to the side when cornering. That would explain why the more complex headlights would be included with the Tech Package.

Because your friend’s 2019 didn't have the Tech package, they got the LEDs with static lighting elements, which were the only kind available in U.S. i3s before the 2019 model year. (I’d guess they don't have High Beam Assist either?)

True

With the anti-dazzle and variable light distribution functionality, all four lighting elements in each headlight do a lot more than just illuminate corners. On the i3, these types of headlights are emblazoned “BMW Adaptive” inside the housing. The software changes discussed here unlock the full functionality of the lighting, which was hamstrung by U.S. government lighting laws until recently.

The LED headlights on our 2014 i3 had something like "BMW Adaptive" written inside their housings even though their aim only moved vertically to compensate for a heavy load in the cargo area, for example. Their aim moved up when they were turned on which was obvious when parked facing a wall. I believe the adaptive LED headlights on European i3's were more adaptive, maybe moving horizontally as the steering wheel is turned, or maybe there was a control inside the cabin that allowed the driver to adjust their aim.

 

[gtgoff]

Good news - I got some components of Glare Free High Beam working last night - specifically, the high beam LEDs are now operating in brightness stages when coming up behind other cars (ie, they’re dimming to half brightness) and then sometimes fully deactivating for oncoming cars that get closer. They’re not yet using lighting zones (ie, turning on or off individual high beam LEDs) but I’m still hopeful on that one too if I can find the right things to enable.

Has anyone else had some success yet?

 

[tongsli]

Good news - I got some components of Glare Free High Beam working last night - specifically, the high beam LEDs are now operating in brightness stages when coming up behind other cars (ie, they’re dimming to half brightness) and then sometimes fully deactivating for oncoming cars that get closer. They’re not yet using lighting zones (ie, turning on or off individual high beam LEDs) but I’m still hopeful on that one too if I can find the right things to enable.

Has anyone else had some success yet?

Did you code your vehicle to activate? can you bring the rest of us up to date? I have not read the other forum posts yet.

https://www.bimmer-tech.net/bmw-idrive-coding/. Anti Dazzle headlight coding for $125.00

"Want to keep your high beams on when driving at night without the risk of blinding other drivers? Our anti-dazzle BMW coding will make it possible! A 15-minute remote coding session with our technician is all it takes to turn your LEDs into intelligent light distribution sensors.

With this option your vehicle will recognize cars approaching from behind or in front of you and turn on and off certain beams to maintain your high visibility while avoiding releasing a beam of light into the trajectory of other cars."

https://youtu.be/G4uWDX6XGK0

https://youtu.be/ITx6bev6P8E

shows coding using Bimmercode

https://www.2addicts.com/forums/showpost.php?s=14eb32f210369e10861b5ad5c30e3ac4&p=27116977&postcount=5

 

[frictioncircle]

"Want to keep your high beams on when driving at night without the risk of blinding other drivers? Our anti-dazzle BMW coding will make it possible! A 15-minute remote coding session with our technician is all it takes to turn your LEDs into intelligent light distribution sensors.

What a future we live in – they can remotely turn my light-emitting diodes into sensors!

I only shake my head in wonder at these times. :lol:

 

[alohart]

shows coding using Bimmercode
https://www.2addicts.com/forums/showpost.php?s=14eb32f210369e10861b5ad5c30e3ac4&p=27116977&postcount=5

Ours is a 2019 U.S. i3 with the Technology + Driving Assistant package which includes 5AC High-Beam Assistant and 5A4 LED Headlights with Extended Scopes. It also includes options 5AP Decoding Anti-Glare High-Beam Assistant and 8S4 Decoding Variable Light Distribution which disables advanced headlight features standard in other markets like being able to turn off some of the 4 individual LED's in each high-beam headlight to reduce glare rather than switching to low beams. If your i3 doesn't have these options, it apparently has LED headlights that don't implement these advanced features so they cannot be activated by coding.

I rarely drive at night on dark roads at highway speeds, so I rarely use the high beams. However, I would like to activate the advanced headlight technologies that the headlights on our i3 apparently implement. It isn't worth paying someone to do this remotely, so I'd like to try doing it myself.

I've never owned a BMW vehicle other than an i3 and am not really familiar with various types of coding. The computer scientist in me concludes that VO (Vehicle Order) coding is top-level coding that could change the values of multiple coding parameters in multiple modules, something that BimmerCode cannot do. VO coding is required to cancel options 5AP and 8S4 directly. However, BimmerCode might be able to change the values of coding parameters that options 5AP and 8S4 set.

The post at the above URL claims that options 5AP and 8S4 change the values of 3 coding parameters in the FEM Body module which doesn't exist in an i3. I found these coding parameters in the Body Domain Controller (BDC) module. These are the changes that I made using BimmerCode in Expert Mode:

Body Domain Controller (BDC)

Enable Enable Variable Light Distribution (VLD)
    3073 LaMaster1->C_AFS_ENA: set to I001_enable (0x01)
    3073 LaMaster1->LUT_FLC_FORWARDLIGHTING_Y: set to I001_mit_AFS (0x9C 0x9C 0x9C)

Enable Glare-Free High Beams (GFHB)
    3073 LaMaster1->C_HBA_ENA: set to I001_enable (0x01)

There seem to be several choices for values of each of these parameters. However, if you look at the numeric values, there are only 2 values for each parameter. BimmerCode lists several textual descriptions of these values that appear to reference various BMW vehicles. Before I paid attention to the numeric values, I chose values whose textual descriptions begin with "I001", the i3 model. I then noticed that changing the "I001" value also changed the values of the textual descriptions beginning with "F015", "F045", "F056", and "M013".

I made these coding changes and verified that the headlights still function correctly However, in about 2 weeks, I'll be storing our i3 for 3 months while we travel internationally, so I probably won't be able to test these changes at night on a dark road at highway speeds with some traffic. If you'd like to activate this advanced headlight functionality and your i3 has the necessary adaptive LED headlights, please report your experience.

 

[websterize]

Thanks for, uh, shedding some light on this puzzle. I'll edit those three lines of the BDC_body module and post if anything changes.

One question: Did you see the headlights pan after your coding, as someone wrote at the bottom of that 2addicts post?

How do I know if the coding worked?

To verify that VLD is enabled:
Start your car's engine and turn on headlights using the automatic setting
Put your car in drive, you should see your left beam pan to the left
Put your car in reverse, you should see your left beam pan toward the right

On my 2020 with the Adaptive headlights, as coded from the factory, when I follow the procedure above, the headlights move down and slowly up (leveling check maybe?), but there is no panning side to side. I wonder if yours now pan.

 

[mojo]

On my 2020 with the Adaptive headlights, as coded from the factory, when I follow the procedure above, the headlights move down and slowly up (leveling check maybe?), but there is no panning side to side. I wonder if yours now pan.

Based on what my car does (2021 vehicle, UK spec, with Adaptive Headlights - options S552, S5AC, S5AT) I don't think "pan" is the right word to use here.

If I follow the suggested procedure (put into Reverse, then into Drive), the headlights do *not* pan as such. All that happens is that when in reverse, the leftmost of the headlamp's four elements lights up more brightly. When back in drive, that element goes dim again.

I haven't yet seen any evidence that full-spec adaptive headlights are able to steer left and right on the i3.

 

[websterize]

I haven't yet seen any evidence that full-spec adaptive headlights are able to steer left and right on the i3.

You might be right.

OK, Art, I coded the three lines you posted above and the high beams still work. Will see how things shake out on some silent country roads this evening. More to come.

 

[websterize]

Good news - I got some components of Glare Free High Beam working last night - specifically, the high beam LEDs are now operating in brightness stages when coming up behind other cars (ie, they’re dimming to half brightness) and then sometimes fully deactivating for oncoming cars that get closer. They’re not yet using lighting zones (ie, turning on or off individual high beam LEDs) but I’m still hopeful on that one too if I can find the right things to enable.

Has anyone else had some success yet?

What settings, please?

 

[alohart]

On my 2020 with the Adaptive headlights, as coded from the factory, when I follow the procedure above, the headlights move down and slowly up (leveling check maybe?), but there is no panning side to side. I wonder if yours now pan.

No panning on mine. However, I wonder whether this panning behavior occurs with BMW adaptive headlights that are different from those in an i3. BMW seems to have installed several different adaptive headlights over the years.

I look forward to your report about driving at night. Try to find a dark road on which you could drive over 40 mph. I've read descriptions of adaptive headlights not being adaptive in brighter conditions and at slower speeds.

 

[mojo]

I've read descriptions of adaptive headlights not being adaptive in brighter conditions and at slower speeds.

That's certainly true of mine - if I drive into an area with streetlights then the main beams automatically turn off - and then turn back on again automatically when the ambient light level drops.