[Tengocity]

I'm looking at speccing a replacement company car and I can get most of the packages in my allowance should I wish, but not quite all!

Given all the cars have adaptive LED lights as standard I'm thinking I can live without laser lights, but that visibility package also has high beam assist, which I've had on all my cars for the last few years.

As far as I can see thr whole package is the only way to get HBA too. Has anyone else looked in to this?

Seems weird to have adaptive lights but not HBA!

[snusnu]

yes, the same bummer for me.
I had that HBA on my Mondeo and really liked the feature, but it is only available if you buy hi visibility package.

so I bit the bullet and went without the package/assist. With bleeding heart.

[Sussex_G20]

From my manual it shows how adaptive and the full function HBA/Laserlights work. The adaptive LED gives cornering and incline compensation however you need the HBA to get the original dancing lights. I have had the dancing lights on my last few cars and decided that HBA was a must have for me spending most of my time on local A and B roads. To be fair the jury is out on whether the illumination of the the laser lights is better than the LEDs I had last but they do 'dance' more than I have experienced before being much more reactive far less oncoming driers flashing. Visibility is excellent, when I get my dash cam back up running I will try and capture some pictures.

[Tengocity]

Thanks, that's a shame, however I've decided I an do without it, as it means I can pretty much everything else I'd want.

[Carjack]

When I specced my 330i M-Sport laser lights was my biggest most difficult decision I had to make.
Everything else was no problem.
Shall I spend a further £1500 or not?

My problem was that I live in a suburban area of London and now no longer do long motorway runs and all motorways for many miles around London it is rare to be in a situation to use high beam. It is dipped beam only.
So, the decision was made no laser lights which was good really because I was already quite a bit over budget.

However, it must be quite impressive to have laser lights as I understand it cuts in on main beam in addition to the LED lights!
Wow!

[snusnu]

laser lights are only the high beam. It has no influence on regular dipped beam.

[Colwill]

Originally Posted by snusnu

laser lights are only the high beam. It has no influence on regular dipped beam.

As long as you have the hardware on your car (it was on my M340d) you can buy the HBA directly from connected drive for £160. Not cheap but it's a standalone purchase.

[Alanli722]

Originally Posted by Colwill

As long as you have the hardware on your car (it was on my M340d) you can buy the HBA directly from connected drive for £160. Not cheap but it's a standalone purchase.

Was going to say this, not sure if all the cars coming off the production line now have all the gubbins pre built into them now.

Cheaper than speccing the package I guess.

[Osxboy]

I think the bump was because cars without Laserligths built after July 2020 now have the ability to add HBA via connected drive and have the correct stalk/button to ‘control’ it.

[rjwojcik]

Originally Posted by Osxboy

I think the bump was because cars without Laserligths built after July 2020 now have the ability to add HBA via connected drive and have the correct stalk/button to ‘control’ it.

That's useful to know and a lot better. Not really interested in the laserlights but HBA is on my tick list.

[Sussex_G20]

Sorry maybe not getting it, but don't Laserlights always have HBA in UK? When I got mine it was the only way to get HBA was to have LaserLights.

[Osxboy]

Correct but as of July 2020 you can buy HBA without having Laserlights.

[wassap]

Interesting that it’s software upgradeable, hopefully someone will figure out how it can be done via bimmercode or similar

[JNW1]

Originally Posted by Osxboy

Correct but as of July 2020 you can buy HBA without having Laserlights.

Hmm, but on the M340i configurator it says HBA is only available with other optional equipment and if you tick that box it also adds laser lights (so in effect the Visibility Pack). Perhaps you can add HBA separately for some other models in the range but that doesn't seem to be the case for all of them...

[PeteN]

Originally Posted by Soul_Glo

Not sure why you bumped a year old thread but good to know it's available to some even if it might be at a cost. I have laser lights and around me there are many unlit rural roads/country lanes I drive so it's a must have. I think it very much depends on where one lives and uses their car. City slicker? Don't need it. Occasional unlit motorway? No need. Blind corners on country lanes at night? Probably a good idea. If the majority of ones driving is unlit roads then a must have.

It's way better on the G20. The lights use GPS data to predict corners. The camera reacts quicker to oncoming traffic. Whereas in the F30/F32 I'd often get flashed or sworn at when the high beam assist was on.

This. The laser lights punch so far ahead and the HBA with them reacts so quickly. I too used to get flashed all the time on the F31. I just leave the HBA permanently on now and never get flashed so don't even think about oncoming traffic now.
If you can afford it and don't live in the City get the laser lights and HBA , well worth it. Otherwise the HBA software option should react far quicker than on the F30/F31 although won't be as bright as laser lights. A fraction of the cost though!!

[rjwojcik]

Anyone know what features on the G2x can now be activated after purchase. Where can I get a definitive list, pls?

[maughan67]

Originally Posted by Osxboy

Correct but as of July 2020 you can buy HBA without having Laserlights.

I am close to spec’ing a new G20 M340i. I definitely want HBA (I have it on my F30 340i and it is brilliant). Laser lights would be nice but I would be happy with LEDs (and an extra £2k in my pocket) - except that the BMW online configurator only enables HBA with the lasers.

So.... Has anyone here bought a July 2020 (or later) G20 without lasers, and then successfully “upgraded” their LEDs to HBA via the option in Connected Drive? If so, does it all work seamlessly? No glitches or small print catches?

I assume the £160 is a one-off payment for HBA for the life of the car.

Thanks!

Matt

[mofomat]

Originally Posted by maughan67

I am close to spec’ing a new G20 M340i. I definitely want HBA (I have it on my F30 340i and it is brilliant). Laser lights would be nice but I would be happy with LEDs (and an extra £2k in my pocket) - except that the BMW online configurator only enables HBA with the lasers.

So.... Has anyone here bought a July 2020 (or later) G20 without lasers, and then successfully “upgraded” their LEDs to HBA via the option in Connected Drive? If so, does it all work seamlessly? No glitches or small print catches?

I assume the £160 is a one-off payment for HBA for the life of the car.

Thanks!

Matt

I will take delivery of a G21 330e in a few weeks, and presumably mine will be built with the HBA button on the stalk which is non-functional as I didn't spec Laser lights. I'm a bit annoyed they're doing this because I wanted just one button on the stalk which operates the B/C, which makes it easier to use. Now I'll have a button getting in the way which doesn't even do anything.

However, I could pay for the upgrade afterwards and make it functional, but I resent being forced into it in a way.


Oh, not to be too pedantic, but it's not an extra £2K in your pocket. The LASER option is only £1,500 list (and presumably you're getting some kind of discount), minus the £160 you're going to have to pay to get the HBA. So it's more like £1,115 in your pocket (assuming you get a15% discount).

[paulockenden]

I didn't go for Laser on my build because, as I understand it, the LED lights have more flexible beam forming abilities.

It's about the only option I didn't tick!

[Keith_C]

I have the laser lights and the two buttons on the stalk don't affect me as I hardly ever cycle through the B/C, I have it set on music in the display and all other information is on the central screen that I need.

I've said it before, if you want the HBA, then go for the laser lights, as Mofomat as already said, it's 'only' a grand or so over what you'd pay for HBA through connected drive and the laser lights are something else, way better than any LED lights I've had on any other car I've drove and the aesthetics of the lights themselves are a million times better looking than the standard fair.

[drykoke]

Originally Posted by paulockenden

I didn't go for Laser on my build because, as I understand it, the LED lights have more flexible beam forming abilities.

I'm afraid that's not quite right. BMW have created a lot of confusion with the G20 headlights.

Standard adaptive LED can swivel round corners etc. but they don't do Selective Beam (where parts of other drivers' cars are blanked out depending on road conditions). Nor do they do auto High Beam unless a fee is paid for post July 2020 models.

Visibility package for £1500 in the UK gives you:
Full Adaptive LED with BMW Selective Beam
High Beam Assistant
Laser module that comes on above certain speeds to add more firepower to the adaptive LED high beam.

The confusion stems from the fact that different markets get different configurations with the LEDs and the lasers, e,g. Europeans and North Americans.

[OM3RTA]

Originally Posted by Soul_Glo

I disagree with LED flexibility. Laser lights are in a different league. Above and beyond the standard offerings. I think we're not too far from BMW fully taking advantage of the laser lights and turning them into a head up display, essentially projecting MPH on to the road. The clarity. The improvement in vision. Nothing compares to the level lf safety they provide.

As someone who has LL I agree completely.

As for projection lights with Audi leading the way on this and MB recently doing this with the S Class I think the next 7er will have it, which will be odd seeing the Bavarians trailing the other two on this tech as for the past few years it's been BMW & the Ingolstadt boys duking it out with the folk from Baden-Württemberg State being really slow to catch on.