Does the 2015 RX350 have this feature?

 

Please elaborate. Are you asking auto-dim headlights with on coming traffic? Some features are included in certain packages.

Salim

 

Auto High Beam? It's optional. Though very nice. Wife's RX has it and my NX does not. I'm envious.

 

May I ask why? Do you drive with high beams on? I as a habit drive with low beams [+ fogs to get the sideways spread] and only use high beams to flash.

Salim

 

I've had several rental vehicles in the last year with this feature, and when traveling interstates late at night (and county roads), it's a very nice feature which let's you maximize your visibility without being obnoxious to oncoming traffic.

 

High beams do serve a purpose, but if the lights are adjusted properly, imho high beams are not needed. I asked this question when I went for my eye exam ,,, how do the optometrist find the right number as I can have the desire to magnify the things that 'normal' eye can not focus on. Opetometrists always dial back

Salim

 

Personally, I find high beams very, very helpful, and I always drive "on high beams" as long as there is minimal oncoming traffic (even in my neighborhood where it is not uncommon to come across coyotes and deer running around between the houses). A lot of the remote locations I travel in are full of wildlife who love to cross the road right as you're going by at night, and being able to get a wider view of things from a longer distance can help avoid collisions with large animals.

 

The Intelligent High Beam option was available on 2010-2012 Lexus RX450h's
They discontinued that option in 2013.

I think you'd have a pretty hard time finding that option anyways though. Options like the Intelligent High Beams, Heads-Up Display, Pre-Collision System, and Luxury Package are really more for advertising. I know people do have them, but what percentage of the 3rd gen. RX350's have even one of those features? I'm guessing less than 1%.

With that said, I think the Intelligent High Beams can be a very useful feature.
As mentioned, it really depends on where you drive.

 

I thought I had it when I bought the car but didn't when checking by driving at night. In my hood that is a really a useful feature as there are no street lights here. However, the system response has to be quick - otherwise, a delayed action to switch back to low beam against an oncoming traffic may end up blinding the other driver (this was the case with some of the Acura/Honda products and most people end up turning it off). On the Mercedes, it's quite sensitive and turns it off as soon as there is a tiny speck of light coming towards you in your field of vision. Heck, it will turn off when there a good house light in the field of vision.

 

That's the main reasons I decided against buying a new car (besides $ of course haha).
There new safety technology is awesome, but it is going to take some time before it is fully perfected...
The Auto High Beams work as you just described.
The Lane Assist can feel like you're being bounced like a ping-pong ball... back and forth... between lines
The Pre-Collision System can slam on the brakes for no reason, or not apply brakes hard enough to stop the car fully.

Each car manufacturer varies in how well these features currently work, and some definitely have perfected them more than others. Personally though, I'd rather wait until I'm sure all the kinks are worked out, being such a big purchase in all.

 

The vehicles I've driven with the auto feature (XC60 and QX80) have been exceptionally responsive. In fact, they have even responded to nothing more than an upcoming interstate high-bay light which just happens to be lower in the field of view.

 

When I drive wife's RX, I do leave HB on. I absolutely enjoy how they sense oncoming traffic lights and reflections, and switch down to regular lights. Small delay, surely, but it's so techy. I like techy stuff.

 

If I was to understand your reasoning, if you had more light option, you will turn them on too. [see my remark on 20/20 vision]

Salim

 

Salim, it has nothing to do with 20/20 vision. It's all about how much periphery and distance the individual driver personally wants lit up when driving. The automated headlight function is just a convenience issue. The issue of "wanting" to drive with the high beams on is simply one of personal preference.

As for the optometrist, they know the right standard (20/20), but they also know that the patient can lie about what is clear or not and can therefore "sneak away" with a stronger prescription than is generally made available. It's an issue of trust. If you're going to an optometrist who says they always "dial back" the prescription strength out of not trusting the patient's feedback... I would suggest that you find somewhere else to get your eyes examined by someone whom you can trust to do what they are supposed to do.

 

I never intended my comments to be taken at 'personal level' or having my example turned back to me at personal level.

Let me try again:

It is human tendency to keep looking for more and not stop at adequate. Defining adequate is yet another undefined entity.
In terms of light, I guess daylight would be the upper end, and hence my assertion that given an option to have more light (without compromising safety), folks will keep asking for more light. There is no end to it. I am trying to urge folks to introspect and train themselves to a lower (yet safe) level and keep the night as night (least light pollution). That includes driving a tad slower based on visibility.

The auto-dim feature may be critical for those who drive with high beams and for me it is useless. Each to his/her own.

Salim