Actually, I am not convinced the reviewer had Matrix IQ.... just noticed the VW UK brochure offers "high beam assist" as well as "Matrix IQ".
We all know that HBA wasn't very clever (I had it on my Mk7 and it often failed to spot oncoming traffic, particularly on motorways).
Matrix IQ is described as:
t is characterised by interactive lighting control. This makes night driving even more convenient and safe: light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that can be activated individually replace conventional bulbs. Seventy-five LEDs are used for low and high beam. Seven front LEDs (in five reflector chambers) and three indicator LEDs are also available. All of them are activated for various intelligent lighting functions by the car’s electronics. The decisive factors are signals from the front camera, digital map data from the navigation system, GPS signals, steering movement and current speed. The individual LEDs can thus be activated in a fraction of a second with pinpoint accuracy to offer the best lighting for the situation. With “Dynamic Light Assist”, the driver switches on the full beam. The rest – for example dipping the headlights, activating the full beam, city light, optimal motorway lighting or off-road lighting – is carried out by the car itself
Sounds complicated. No wonder its so expensive. However, from what VW have said, the hardware is already there, it just needs enabling.
I guess with Lane Assist being standard equipment, it has the camera - we already know from the Mk7 that this is the key to dynamic lighting. After that it needs the multi component LED's - again, standard. Finally it needs all of the driving data - and the Mk8's all have nav units, so it has that too.
Ultimately then its just a piece of software that reads available data and controls those.
Funny to read then a VW public statement that says:
Democratisation - lighting technology must remain affordable
Over the course of the decades, lighting functions have developed from static lights in the Beetle to highly complex, sometimes interactive lighting systems. And Volkswagen has never made participation in these innovations dependent on the customer’s wallet: the respective Golf generation was always a reflection of technical progress. This also applied to lighting development – and still does. The Golf was fitted with halogen headlights early on, which, as time went on, became increasingly bright. This was followed by the first xenon headlights, LED tail lights, LED daytime driving lights and, with the e-Golf (energy consumption in kWh/100 km: 14.1–13.2 (combined); CO₂ emissions in g/km: 0 (combined); efficiency class: A+.), the first LED headlights. It is also clear that IQ.Light and the subsequent innovative lighting systems will make their way into the Golf and other Volkswagens.
Maybe someone somewhere in VW thinks a piece of software licenced for your car at 1700 quid is a "democratic price".
