A clearer view.
Adaptive Headlights on the BMW M3 Sedan.
Night-time driving on twisting roads? An optional extra in the BMW M3 Sedan, Adaptive Headlights enhance safety considerably. Sensors permanently monitor the speed and steering angle of the front wheels - this data is processed, and electromechanical motors angle the cups of the xenon headlights in the direction which best illuminates the course of the road ahead.
Adaptive Headlights.
Adaptive Headlights ensure that you have the best possible view of the road ahead, even at night. As you enter a curve, the headlight's beam turns to follow the direction of the road. So you always know what's ahead.
Conventional fixed headlights cast their beam straight ahead only. On bends, this means to beam can fall on the oncoming traffic, blinding other drivers while leaving the road ahead in darkness. In contrast, Adaptive Headlights use swivelling headlights that always point in the direction the vehicle is steering. The road ahead is better illuminated and obstacles become visible sooner. This provides significant safety benefits when taking bends at night or whenever visibility is poor.
At the heart of the Adaptive Headlight technology lies the dynamic headlamp control system. Sensors measure speed, steering angle and yaw (degree of rotation around the vertical axis). Based on this information, small electric motors turn the headlights so the beam falls on the road ahead, guiding you into the bend.
This intelligent headlight system is activated whenever the vehicle is moving forwards. When the vehicle is in reverse or if the steering wheel is turned when the vehicle is not moving (such as when leaving a parallel parking space), the headlights do not turn, in order to prevent blinding the drivers of oncoming traffic.
Cornering lights are an additional feature to Adaptive Headlights. They provide an extra source of light when parking or turning sharply at low speeds.
Cornering Lights.
Cornering lights provide additional illumination of the area to the side of the vehicle, making night-time parking and turning safer.
Cornering lights compliment the functionality of Adaptive Headlights. While Adaptive Headlights provide superior illumination of curves when driving a normal driving speeds, cornering lights give you better lighting when carrying out low-speed manoeuvres: parking, turning into a driveway, u-turns and taking extremely winding roads, for example.
To provide this additional light, the fog lamps are fitted with integrated swivelling reflectors; alternatively, the headlights are equipped with an additional lamp. When the indicator is activated at speeds below 40 km/h, these lights illuminate an area to the side of the vehicle, up to 80° of the direction of travel.
After the corner is taken, the cornering lights dim and extinguish automatically. Cornering lights also facilitate safe reversing: when reverse gear is selected, both the left and right lights illuminate the area around the vehicle.