My car is a GT-Line S and it has the European matrix lights.

I would say that when on simple dipped beam, the lights are not the best.

However, If I just leave the auto full beam setting on, everything gets way better. The matrix function doesn’t look as granular as a Mercedes E Class Coupe I had recently but it’s actually much better to use in practice. I never get flashed by oncoming cars and I’m using it a lot. Driving around with full beam on all the time is great and even with the lights flicking around to avoid dazzling other road users, they still light everything up really well.

I didn’t use the Mercedes matrix function too much because I was always getting flashed.

 

Want bad headlights? try a 2015 RAM I have no issue with the headlights

 

I see your 2015 RAM and call a 2014 Expedition. I had its high beams on while on a road up to a ski resort. I mumbled that the lighting was poor and I can't see far down the road and my front passenger asked why aren't I using the high beams and I said, I was.

 

You guys are part of the headlight brightness escalation problem, yes?

Seriously, I wish the governments would regulate the max brightness and color temperature for OEM and aftermarket headlights. There are times when I can't even see the road in front of me because of the solar flares coming at me in the opposite lane.

 

That’s a different issue. IIHS will test for glare.

But I think LEDs need the same headlight levelling that HIDs were required to have. Also, headlight washers aren’t a bad idea.

 

Headlight leveling and washers to reduce glare falls firmly in what is called "accidental complexity." That is, you have to add complexity to solve issues that you created when trying to do something unrelated. Namely - you want to see well as a driver at night, without blinding other drivers. So do you a) simply pick a reasonable balance point for intensity and color or b) add massive amounts of cost and complexity and need for calibration and installation processes to eke out more brightness.

I would want to see just how many vehicle incidents really are the result of poor visibility for the driver, compared to incidents resulting to being blinded by oncoming traffic. I have a theory, but I haven't looked at the data.

 

I definitely fall into category b.

My first cars were much less complex but also much more crap.

 

Based on my personal observations while driving my vehicle at night, IMHO I think the issue is that the headlights simply do not put out enough brightness to the road--i.e., it's not that the headlights themselves aren't bright, but much of that brightness is being wasted. Heck, on a recent rainy night I flipped the headlight switch between Off (DRLs lit) and Auto (headlights lit)--the difference between the two settings as far as the amount of light being put to the road directly in front of me was not drastically different...and yes I did crank the headlight height about half an inch a while back.

 

Interesting about “ the light being wasted”…hmmm, yes, their just isn’t enough, spread out. I had the service dept. raise them, and that helped, but, I agree with other posters. It’s not like I’m a “student
driver”…I’ve been driving for 50 years, some 100 cars, and, there is NOTHING wrong with my eyesight. This is a different experience for me. That’s all, different.

 

Bambozzled no more! Piaa for the Kia. Finally finished this project.

 

Did you do a write up of this wiring anywhere?

 

IIHS - pre September headlights rated as POOR.
This explains why folks with the newer cars think they are good. Much less range!!!

Did the headlight design change or are they aimed higher now? I am definitely in the camp that thinks these headlights are crap but have not tried adjusting them…

2022 Kia EV6 4-door SUV

2022 Kia EV6 4-door SUV - small SUV

www.iihs.org

Edit: Just found that this has already been posted elsewhere. Not sure why the search did not find it.

 

Hi, I have EU spec "matrix" headlamps in my EV6. I feel it as Biscuit112 it's a scrap comparing to Audi, BMW or Mercedes or VW. Very late reaction, than dimming whole road not just necessary area... it's really shitty. I'm also concidering taking it to the service and than recalibrate the system or so... mybe there was any service action on it... But I also feel KIA set these lights insanely low. At the moment I have levelled the lights according to the homologation and now getting it a bit higher and higher checking if other drivers are reacting dazzeled. You have to remember our lights are fixed, there's no active levelling, so when you change tyre pressure or travelling with full load (passengers and / or baggage) it my affects this issue. I'm not sure if there's any driver's available switch/range regulation...

 

If you have the matrix lights, I believe there should be leveling. @kyle11111’s how-to for retrofitting US cars certainly includes installing a leveling sensor.

 

Yeah, our headlights really are inferior to most cars in this price range. It's one of my only complaints with our EV6.
I've taken hour-long drives the last two nights and tried leaving the brights on the whole time. Not a single car flashed their lights at me.

 

If I accidentally turn off auto high-beam, I get flashed all the time if I don't turn high-beam off.
I usually leave it on auto and am never flashed.
I find the matrix LED very good, much better than those in my other cars, including one which had lights which physically swivelled with the steering.