Nothing flows there are curves, smooth lines, dials and then sharp edged screens.

 

Why useless? The laser was an addition to the LED for high beam only.

 

Because they provided no real noticeable benefits over matrix LED's. Here in the States it's even more of a moot point since adaptive high beams like matrix LED's and lasers were basically outlawed until very recently. What lasers we did have were no better than standard high beams because of these regulations.

 

The matrix LEDs were outlawed, but lasers are a separate function all together, it is an additional high beam with ridiculously long throw. They are relatively useless as there is no way to manually activate them, they only activate in auto high beam mode above certain speed and when there are no other cars ahead or oncoming, as not to cause glare, and so realistically they are only useful in deserted rural areas. I've only had them activate briefly on my X6M when driving very late at night, it creates a "tunnel" of light that's like a mile long, it almost feels surreal.

 

Besides that, the split headlights on the new X7 are downright ugly.

 

I just expect every newer BMW to be uglier than the previous model it replaces nowadays.

 

There's a long thread on laser light legality on Bimmerpost. Basically, it's a feature that's locked away like matrix LED's because both are essentially meant to be used as permanently-on high beams. Their output is reduced to a standard LED and they don't serve any purpose other than being a more expensive high beam.

Outside of the U.S. where they are legal, the lasers aren't really brighter than a good set of matrix LED's. They're also limited in their use (can't activate below 60 kph) and so expensive to make that it makes no sense to keep making them.

 

I've watched this video before, he did the test wrong and never had the laser activate. Many people confuse the LED matrix with laser, and for whatever it's worth, manufacturers provide no relevant information to help consumers understand how the tech functions, and whatever few videos on youtube are often wrong.

The laser does not replace the LED high beam, it adds another beam that is much narrower but throws the light a lot further. It can be severely blinding to other vehicles, and therefore it only activates in auto high beam mode, only above certain speeds, and only when the cameras detect that there are no oncoming car or cars ahead of you. It is very rare for it to actually activate as manufacturers are very cautious not to potentially blind other cars, so it reality it is limited to completely dark rural roads, with no other cars and no road lights. The laser will not activate when the headlights are manually set to high beams.

The matrix LED is a much more useful feature, but it is locked away in the US on existing cars, hopefully now with the new laws the manufacturers will update the software to have this tech activated as a lot of cars already have all the necessary hardware.

 

Ah good point, it will force me to say, I only have a lowly M50i, I need to upgrade to the M60i!

I didn’t notice the square corners of the screen, that looks terrible and really has a tacked on look.

 

 

lol

 

Those lights are awful. I miss those angel eye lights and the joystick controller on the inside. I also miss how conservative the kidney grilles were. All grilles today are atrocious, except I do like Acura's.

 

Frighteningly...I think it MIGHT be growing on me...

 

I wouldn't call them useless but they are not very practical. One needs to drive really fast (faster than most US speed limits) to really see the advantage. But I do like the look vs. the standard light with one dummy housing. In any case, IMO their assisted high beam is wonderful. I just don't want to "accidentally" high beam a wrong person ahead.
Yep same goes with 40i, 50i 350, 450, 560,... so on and so on.

 

Yep like those tails on the RR. Lol Same goes with people, you see some ugly/nice pictures of the same ones. How a picture is taken and where the camera's eye is make huge difference. The light could be larger, but the Alpina shot does not look as bad. And this step up design is not even that new. Definitely need to see and feel in person.