IQ.Light – LED matrix headlight
For the third Touareg generation, one of the world’s best headlight systems was developed: the optional IQ.Light LED matrix headlight. It impresses with an intelligent light control that makes night driving more comfortable and safer. The LED headlights use a matrix made of light spots – individual LEDs that can be activated. The matrix of the dipped beam is made up of a printed circuit with 48 LEDs while the circuit board of the main beam is fitted with 27 LEDs. The LEDs in the dipped and main beam module are arranged similar to a chessboard. There are various other LEDs in addition to the total of 75 LEDs in the dipped and main beam. Including the surround lighting as well as the so-called signal functions (daytime running light and elevated side light as well as animated turn signal), there are a total of 128 LEDs per headlight. The Touareg therefore uses the illuminating power of a total of 256 LEDs in the various segments of the left and right headlights at the front to make the night safer and perhaps even as bright as day.
Various intelligent light functions in the Touareg are activated using the 75 LEDs of the dipped and main beam as well as seven front end LEDs (in five reflection chambers) and three cornering light LEDs. The corresponding computer uses signals from the front camera, the digital data of the navigation system, the GPS signals, the steering wheel angle as well as the current speed to precisely activate the individual LEDS for the best light in a split second. The driver switches on the main beam headlight using Dynamic Light Assist. The Touareg manages the rest itself – dim, turn up, city lighting, optimum motorway light or off-road light. As the new matrix headlights operate with the highest light output, people, objects, other vehicles and animals are made visible that would be less recognisable and less visible with conventional headlight systems at night. The increase in light output and optimised illumination is clearly noticeable. Indeed in a comparison between the already very good xenon headlights of the predecessor and the new Touareg’s LED system there is a range increase of more than 100 metres for the IQ.Light – LED matrix headlights’ main beam. The interactive headlights already operate in a similar way to those in a car with an autonomous driving mode. For example, the front camera registers brightly illuminated areas as “residential”. In this case the Touareg automatically switches from main beam to dipped or ‘low’ beam. Details of the light functions of the IQ.Light – LED matrix headlight:
- City lighting: A particularly wide light beam with a focus on the sides; active up to 50 km/h
- Dipped headlight: Dipped beam with wide light distribution in the direction of the kerbside
- Dynamic Light Assist: Permanent main beam on country roads without blinding other road users
- Motorway dipped beam: Narrower light beam focussed on a wide reach for high speeds
- Motorway light: Narrower light beam focussed on a wide reach for high speeds if no other road users are blinded
- Overtaking light: Precise main beam for overtaking procedures without blinding road users. The system recognises that the Touareg pulls out to the side. This side area is now illuminated more intensely
- Side light: Correct lane accentuation for Dynamic Light Assist and oncoming traffic. The view is thereby directed more to the driver's own lane
- Main beam: Manually activated main beam to deliberately use all 75 LEDs of the headlight for maximum illumination. In contrast to the motorway light, the light beam is wider
- Poor weather light: Reduces glare for the driver and other road users on wet roads. The annoying reflections of the headlight on the wet, reflective road surface directly in front of the driver are reduced by the IQ.Light cutting illumination intensity in this area. In addition, the road is illuminated more broadly. The function can be activated and deactivated by the driver
- Sign glare control: Precise dimming of the main beam on signs so that the reflected light of the headlight does not blind the driver
- Offroad light: A particularly powerful static dipped beam distributed over a 90-degree width to be able to recognise obstacles on terrain
- Spotlight (for “Night Vision”): Focussed illumination of people detected by “Night Vision” (infrared camera) without dazzling to make them easier to see for the driver
- Sequential cornering light: Enables an optimum light distribution width to be generated in many of the above-mentioned light distributions by selective switching on, switching off and various dimming levels. In addition, the light is quickly "fanned out" and slowly "fanned in" again when cornering