I think you may have confused me.
Is this not how they are suppose to work? 
No instrument lights when its daylight as its light. When it sensors the dark, ie tunnel then it switches them on. 
Yes, that is right and only then do the instrument lights come on.
However, it is not always easy to read the instruments when in 'head light auto mode' and when the sensor has not switched on the lights due to the dark light levels outside.
This is quite a hopeless situation and I will have to go to VW and have my instrument lights switched on
all of the time.
PS: What is so weird is that all was well until 2 days ago when this problem did not exist!