Auto lights always coming on ? Hillbilly hack.

[Macadoodle]

Not had enough effect so I have put 2 more small holes in , still not enough. I think I may cut out a piece and leave just the outside "frame" and try that. If it works then stick a piece of clear film over the opening. It's still work in progress.

Yeah, I found even fitting a bit of perspex over the open hole triggered unwanted lights on episodes again.
So I figure bollox to it, it can't be seen unless you peer through the windscreen so I've left it open, I'm sure the sensor can deal with a little dust.
Its pretty good now I find, never comes on in sunlight as before, only when rain is threatening and it's pretty overcast, so fair enough I guess

 

[Diggsy]

Yeah, I found even fitting a bit of perspex over the open hole triggered unwanted lights on episodes again.
So I figure bollox to it, it can't be seen unless you peer through the windscreen so I've left it open, I'm sure the sensor can deal with a little dust.
Its pretty good now I find, never comes on in sunlight as before, only when rain is threatening and it's pretty overcast, so fair enough I guess

Was your Perspex gloss finished? Wondering if it’s maybe too reflective and needs to be lightly frosted / matt finished or similar?

 

[AndyL61]

Yeah, I found even fitting a bit of perspex over the open hole triggered unwanted lights on episodes again.
So I figure bollox to it, it can't be seen unless you peer through the windscreen so I've left it open, I'm sure the sensor can deal with a little dust.
Its pretty good now I find, never comes on in sunlight as before, only when rain is threatening and it's pretty overcast, so fair enough I guess

Yeah I ran mine without the cover and works ok , so I have now cut a big window into the cover . You can only really see it through the windscreen so it doesn't look out of place. Will test it tomorrow.

 

[AndyL61]

Was your Perspex gloss finished? Wondering if it’s maybe too reflective and needs to be lightly frosted / matt finished or similar?

Good point, the original cover looks the same colour as the dash but is in fact opaque to let some light through but it doesn't let enough light through or the sensor requires adjustment. So maybe a shiny clear surface would reflect but I think it is just poor tuning of the light sensor.

 

[siteguru]

Good point, the original cover looks the same colour as the dash but is in fact opaque to let some light through but it doesn't let enough light through or the sensor requires adjustment. So maybe a shiny clear surface would reflect but I think it is just poor tuning of the light sensor.

Translucent ... opaque means no light penetrates.

 

[AndyL61]

Translucent ... opaque means no light penetrates.

Ok well it lets some light light through so my knowledge of English is obviously at fault.

 

[Ian Key]

I know it's a big inconvenience to move a small switch on a steering wheel stork when it gets dark but isn't there a setting that turns auto lights off?

 

[Diggsy]

I know it's a big inconvenience to move a small switch on a steering wheel stork when it gets dark but isn't there a setting that turns auto lights off?

Auto main beam can be turned off, but according to the manual, the auto lights are a default setting…probably another one of those ‘safety’ features that’s enabled by default because no one driving modern cars would be smart enough to use their lights when they need them

 

[Ian Key]

Auto main beam can be turned off, but according to the manual, the auto lights are a default setting…probably another one of those ‘safety’ features that’s enabled by default because no one driving modern cars would be smart enough to use their lights when they need them

I stand corrected. Picking mine up this morning so haven't had a chance to put theory into practice.

 

[Diggsy]

I stand corrected. Picking mine up this morning so haven't had a chance to put theory into practice.

That’s according to the manual anyway, maybe in practice it’s different…enjoy your car when you get it!

 

[tsedge]

Auto main beam can be turned off, but according to the manual, the auto lights are a default setting…probably another one of those ‘safety’ features that’s enabled by default because no one driving modern cars would be smart enough to use their lights when they need them

Auto lights default on, but it is extremely simple to flick the stalk switch to turn them off. It would be better if it were better calibrated and even better if there was a high / med / low sensitivity setting.

 

[AndyL61]

Yeah I ran mine without the cover and works ok , so I have now cut a big window into the cover . You can only really see it through the windscreen so it doesn't look out of place. Will test it tomorrow.

Ok this seems to work, can only see it through the windscreen so not too bad.

 

[tsedge]

Another option might be a torch shining into the sensor and then turn it off when you judge it is dark enough? ?

 

[Macadoodle]

Auto main beam can be turned off, but according to the manual, the auto lights are a default setting…probably another one of those ‘safety’ features that’s enabled by default because no one driving modern cars would be smart enough to use their lights when they need them

That's no doubt the reason. However, when they were writing the code for the sensor would it have killed them to include a virtual slider in the 'convenience' section of the main screen to adjust sensitivity ?
It's these little details that make the difference between making you think ' wow, what a thoughtful and useful addition' or 'Wow, what a stupid annoying piece of half baked crap I'm now having to drill holes in'

 

[tsedge]

That's no doubt the reason. However, when they were writing the code for the sensor would it have killed them to include a virtual slider in the 'convenience' section of the main screen to adjust sensitivity ?
It's these little details that make the difference between making you think ' wow, what a thoughtful and useful addition' or 'Wow, what a stupid annoying piece of half baked crap I'm now having to drill holes in'

I agree but we don't know the pressures the software team are under. I have worked in software teams before where things like this make perfect sense but you are being commanded to focus on fixing other issues elsewhere that are deemed higher priority. Hopefully they will get there.

 

[Macadoodle]

I agree but we don't know the pressures the software team are under. I have worked in software teams before where things like this make perfect sense but you are being commanded to focus on fixing other issues elsewhere that are deemed higher priority. Hopefully they will get there.

True. When you recall the utter Horlicks that the software was on ID3 I suppose things could always be worse.
I still hate the trend for touchscreens replacing physical buttons but I guess they do have the advantage of making problems like these updatable.

 

[tsedge]

I think best of all would be more assignable physical buttons, so a user can map settings changes to their heart's content. The buttons could even be dynamic if containing very small OLED screens.

I guess this is currently cost prohibitive but I think nirvana would be a few real buttons that are context sensitive so all the most useful changes are only a simple press away.

 

[Macadoodle]

I think best of all would be more assignable physical buttons, so a user can map settings changes to their heart's content. The buttons could even be dynamic if containing very small OLED screens.

I guess this is currently cost prohibitive but I think nirvana would be a few real buttons that are context sensitive so all the most useful changes are only a simple press away.

Sooo miss a simple rotary control for heating for example. Stabbing at a poorly responding screen while travelling over the ploughed field type surface of the typical UK road is just miserable

God help us if manufacturers follow manbaby Ellon's latest trend of doing away with column stalks too, indicator buttons on a moving steering wheel ??? They have seriously lost the plot over there.

 

[WonkoTheSaneUK]

I think best of all would be more assignable physical buttons, so a user can map settings changes to their heart's content. The buttons could even be dynamic if containing very small OLED screens.

Like the "Stream Deck" - a range of PC peripherals that have 6, 15 or 32 buttons, each with a programmable function and its own OLED screen.

 

[OJEastwood]

I think best of all would be more assignable physical buttons, so a user can map settings changes to their heart's content. The buttons could even be dynamic if containing very small OLED screens.

I guess this is currently cost prohibitive but I think nirvana would be a few real buttons that are context sensitive so all the most useful changes are only a simple press away.

I think I queried something similar a while ago. With Teslas, you can purchase S3XY Buttons, which are configurable and you can place them anywhere you like. It would be so useful if something similar could be conjured up for the MG4