kayjh

I've had my 2021 Cayenne GTS since Monday and tonight was the first time I drove it on the highway to check out the PDLS+ lights. This lighting system is pretty impressive. Not only do the lights dim much more reliably when approaching oncoming cars than on other cars I have driven, but most of the time they don't have to dim at all - even on an undivided two lane highway!

As you drive along a dark highway you can see the white light stretching out in front of you. As an oncoming car approaches in the distance, you can see a shadowed area appear at a distance in front of the car and your eyes are drawn to it a bit as it keeps readjusting itself in position in front of the car and to the left and then moving closer to the road in front of you. It is doing so in response to the light from the approaching car.

We all know what happens when you leave your high beams on too long with a car approaching from the opposite direction; the other driver will dip his high beams to let you know your lights are bothering him. As I drove I waited at the ready for this so I could switch to low beam if I needed to before the suv did it for me but I didn't need to. The high beams stayed on and the shadow moved to the left side of the road and the car passed me without problem.

Of course the lights are creating the appearance of a shadow because the LED lights are shifting their pattern "on the fly" based on what they see coming. The lights are also very good as you approach a car from behind, dropping the light down so they don't light up the car you are following. I can't comment on how far the lights reach on a dark highway with no other cars around so I don't know if they are better than the Xenon or other Porsche light options.

Personally, these lights seem to advance safety. I can't understand why they are approved in Canada and Europe and not in the USA? Does anyone know?

OCNYPORSCHE

It is simply not DOT (Dept of Transportation) approved over here. I guess it may never be for this generation. It probably cost Porsche dollars to do it, so why bother.

OCNYPORSCHE

This was posted on 5/19/21

https://www.autoblog.com/2021/05/19/.../?guccounter=1

chassis

US vehicle lighting requirements were established in the anti-import 70s and 80s to protect American carmakers from competition. Not much has changed in 40+ years.

Remember the Jaguar XJ40 Euro vs "Federal" US headlamps? Wing-mounted front side turn indicators are another example of regional lighting differences.

Tedster

This is but one example of serious problems caused when some people in government work tirelessly to "starve the beast" with a chainsaw regardless of the impact. There is some waste and abuse but often muscle and brains are the first to be cut.

frankchn

There was supposed to be some updates last year, but I guess things got delayed with the transition to a new Administration: https://www.regulations.gov/docket/N...unified-agenda

Mr_Marty

Is it possible that a USA model could have this activated by accident? I swear mine are activated. When I'm on the highway and I come upon a car in front of me I can see the lighting pattern on the road change. This is not auto-dimming high beams, it's a change in the illumination pattern.

chassis

Are you the first owner? If not, possibly the previous owner coded adaptive lights?

icemang

Retrofit adaptive headlights already exist for these cars, I imagine you can or will soon be able to buy them in Canada. You could probably buy and get them installed in a day over the border. If you were so inclined.

Mr_Marty

Yes, I had it delivered directly from port. Still had the protective wrapping on it.