Do you not need to turn on the low beam at night if you have automatic headlights?
3 Answers
With automatic headlights, there is no need to manually turn on the low beam. When the light control lever is set to automatic headlights, the vehicle will automatically turn the low beam on or off based on the surrounding light conditions. Automatic headlights are a design feature intended to provide convenience for drivers and enhance driving safety. When the light-sensing control system detects that the external light intensity is greater or less than a certain value, the car's headlights will automatically turn on or off. When the lights are set to the AUTO position, there is no need to manually turn on the low beam. The AUTO setting for the headlights means that the lights are automatically controlled based on environmental conditions, turning the low beam and daytime running lights on or off. When the headlights are set to this position, they will not illuminate during the day but will automatically turn on at night. Additionally, in situations such as driving through tunnels, on cloudy days, or in any dimly lit areas, the headlights will automatically turn on. Once you exit the tunnel or when lighting conditions improve, the headlights will automatically turn off.
As a veteran driver with over a decade of experience, I have personal insights. Auto headlights are indeed convenient—they automatically switch on low beams when the environment darkens, which is perfectly adequate for city driving. However, there are two points to note: first, when entering or exiting tunnels, the system might have a delay of a fraction of a second, so manual intervention is advisable; second, during rain or fog, the auto mode might misjudge the light conditions, requiring you to manually turn on fog lights or high beams for better visibility. Last time on a mountain road during heavy rain, the auto headlights reacted a beat slower, but thankfully, my experience helped me compensate with manual lighting promptly. So, the key isn't whether you can use them, but understanding when they might fall short.
After years in the auto repair business, I've noticed many car owners misunderstand automatic headlights. This feature essentially works with a light sensor, similar to a phone's auto-brightness. While you don't need to manually turn on low beams at night, the sensor might malfunction in underground parking lots, rainy days, or shaded road sections. Last week, a customer hit a wall in an underground parking lot thinking their car was broken - turns out the automatic headlights didn't activate. I recommend developing the habit of checking the left steering column stalk; if you don't see the dashboard light indicator, manually turn them on.
