You know what they say: If it ain't broke, it doesn't have enough features.
This is a thoughtful feature, but, from an engineer who occasionally designs user interfaces, this seems to be another case of 'user interface designed by an engineer'. 'On' and 'Off' aren't very descriptive of what's going on here, you turn headlights on and off, but you don't convert them on and off, you convert them from right hand to left hand or some such... and if you've got a fancy digital readout able to show whatever you please, don't make me dig out the manual just to translate 'on' and 'off' to something tangible.
Dilbert's head turned inside out from too much time on a UI designed by an engineer. I try to remember this while I'm working, Audi should do the same.
Um, i'm sorry if this is a repost, but aren't the differences between US and euro code headlights a bit more than that?
as far as i know, euro code headlights have a very distinct horizontal cut-off with a tiny amount of light directed up and to the side to illuminate signs but not blind people.
whereas the US headlights just have the driver's side turned down a bit and a small amount of light is still directed above the car's driving plane to illuminate overhead signs. (not just to the side)
@bradleysoken: Things may have changed with the advent of HID lighting, I don't know. I do know that you are correct about beam patterns on incandescent bulbs and their headlight glass. The European beam pattern is far superior. I replaced my MkII Jetta's wimpy rectangular lights with quad rounds (this is a very common conversion). I went from a total of 120 watts to 400 watts at high beam. Those flamethowers were very useful for dodging deer at highway speeds.
I bet out of all super cars the Audi R8 is loved exceptionally by females compared to other makers. Guys would never read the drivers manual in detail and thus would never have cared about this option.
meh the E39 has little metal handles to flick the beam over, covered with special little clear plastic caps. So much more drama to lift the lid and ceremoniously flick over the lights from left to right. Going in through some ipod menu is soo much less fun.
No disrespect to all the engineers in the house, but this is another example of over-engineering. Other than Europe, where else is this feature useful, and it's only when you cross the channel that it would be useful.
Can we all just have less "technology", and get rid of all the frivolity?
@B1663R: Unlikely you would drive or take your car to Japan or Australia... but I did "drive" my car to the UK (but didn't bother to change the lighting positions.
@B1663R: True, but I think UDMan's point was, where else do people bring their cars for holiday/business? Folks usually don't bring their cars to Oz or Japan when they visit.
@UDMan: I disagree. They've piggybacked it onto another, existing function. And why not? If you've got adaptive headlights, it's trivial to add a few lines of code to the software to allow a function like this.
It's like cruise control on a throttle-by-wire car. Why wouldn't you?
If you enable it only on UK or Euro cars, you will inevitably hear some complaining from other buyers.
Awesome plate, that is. That would be a suitable kind of choice for him, although I imagine he also owns something bigger cruisi-er and plushier to be driven in.
PeterO's writing brings back a critical element that left with the Jalopnik 1.0 staff. I'm glad to have it back.
That said, I'm gonna lean towards a de-badged RS4, on account of the underseat gun-holders for daily driver duty and a G-wagen for Serious Business duty.
I never know what to expect from these posts produced by the Crazy Euro Car Boy. I wonder what his take on the American car scene (once he comes back over the pond that is) will be.
His Oldsmobile piece was interesting, this posting is just plain puzzling. I was only vaguely familiar with Haradinaj, since our news here in America deals with mostly America, but I digress. Add in a little history with a random shot, and, well, ther you have it. Like I said, puzzling.
@UDMan: I plan on heading straight to a LeMons race once I'll have cleared immigration. After stocking up on blueberries, of course. You can't really get blueberries in Hungary.
Oh and do read Langewiesche's piece on Haradinaj. It's mesmerizing.
08/21/09
08/21/09
Who (k)new?
/Syntax nazi
08/21/09
This is a thoughtful feature, but, from an engineer who occasionally designs user interfaces, this seems to be another case of 'user interface designed by an engineer'. 'On' and 'Off' aren't very descriptive of what's going on here, you turn headlights on and off, but you don't convert them on and off, you convert them from right hand to left hand or some such... and if you've got a fancy digital readout able to show whatever you please, don't make me dig out the manual just to translate 'on' and 'off' to something tangible.
Dilbert's head turned inside out from too much time on a UI designed by an engineer. I try to remember this while I'm working, Audi should do the same.
Neat feature though.
08/21/09
as far as i know, euro code headlights have a very distinct horizontal cut-off with a tiny amount of light directed up and to the side to illuminate signs but not blind people.
whereas the US headlights just have the driver's side turned down a bit and a small amount of light is still directed above the car's driving plane to illuminate overhead signs. (not just to the side)
08/21/09
08/21/09
08/21/09
08/21/09
08/21/09
Can we all just have less "technology", and get rid of all the frivolity?
08/21/09
08/21/09
08/21/09
08/21/09
08/21/09
08/21/09
08/21/09
08/21/09
It's like cruise control on a throttle-by-wire car. Why wouldn't you?
If you enable it only on UK or Euro cars, you will inevitably hear some complaining from other buyers.
08/21/09
08/21/09
08/21/09
08/21/09
08/21/09
06/03/09
06/03/09
06/03/09
Awesome plate, that is. That would be a suitable kind of choice for him, although I imagine he also owns something bigger cruisi-er and plushier to be driven in.
06/03/09
That said, I'm gonna lean towards a de-badged RS4, on account of the underseat gun-holders for daily driver duty and a G-wagen for Serious Business duty.
06/03/09
His Oldsmobile piece was interesting, this posting is just plain puzzling. I was only vaguely familiar with Haradinaj, since our news here in America deals with mostly America, but I digress. Add in a little history with a random shot, and, well, ther you have it. Like I said, puzzling.
06/03/09
Oh and do read Langewiesche's piece on Haradinaj. It's mesmerizing.
06/03/09