IT’S a fair bet that when the all-new Audi TT arrives in October its headlights won’t be the first subject of conversation – but they are pretty special.
The new TT will boast the matrix LED headlights first seen on the latest Audi A8, and according to their creators these lights are a serious safety boost. Audi says that compared with conventional halogen lamps they’re “like the difference between a manual typewriter and a high-speed computer”.
Matrix LED lights centre around an electronic anti-glare main-beam system, which means the driver enjoys maximum night-time vision, but other road users are not blinded as a result.
In the Matrix system the LED light cone is divided into 12 segments. These automatically switch off individually as necessary when a forward-facing onboard camera detects other vehicles, cyclists or pedestrians ahead or approaching from the opposite direction.
The matrix LED lamps are electronically rather than mechanically controlled for greater reliability, and are even linked to the navigation system so that they can anticipate when the car is leaving built-up areas for country roads or approaching a corner.
