Instructions for installing and configuring the FLA (high beam assistant) on the MQB auto platform using an example Volkswagen Passat B8

Good day, VAGdrivers!

Front Light Assist serves to automatically turn on or off high beam car. In order for the high beam to turn on automatically, you need to switch the lighting to Auto mode and turn on the high beam by moving the lever away from you. While the car is stationary, only the dipped beam will work for you, but if you accelerate to a speed above 60 km / h in the dark, then in the absence of oncoming traffic, the FLA system will automatically turn on the high beam. A camera on the rearview mirror monitors the traffic flow. With its help, the system recognizes oncoming and moving vehicles ahead in the same direction and automatically switches back to the dipped beam.

To install the FLA system on VAG car, built on the MQB platform, you need to purchase:

1) Frameless auto-dimming rear view mirror with built-in camera 3G0 857 511AE

2) Mirror bracket pads

3) Wiring harness for connecting to the CAN bus

Additionally you will need:

• Screwdriver Set
• Wedge for dismantling plastic parts
• Screwdriver Torx T20
• Cloth electrical tape
• Plastic ties

With the tools and parts available, the installation can begin.

1) The first thing to do is to remove the native original rearview mirror:

• To do this, it is worth arming yourself with plastic pullers and using them to unfasten both decorative trims of the rear-view mirror support;

• After the caps are removed, you can remove the mirror itself. It is removed by turning counterclockwise about the point of its attachment to the windshield;

• When the mirror is in your hands, you can disconnect the power connector from it and set aside your own mirror (we will no longer need it).

2) Now you can do the wiring. You need to sequentially repin the connector for the mirror and stretch a new wire from the mirror to the gateway:

• In the wiring connector that connects to the mirror, you need to repin. Namely, you need to remove the white wire from the connector from the connector and rearrange it in accordance with the photos below, and also add two CAN bus wires to the connector;

• Now you need to extend the CAN bus wires to the connection point. To make it easier, we will be soldering to the CAN bus in the wiring connector area, which is located to the left of the left footrest. In order to stretch the wire, we have to remove the trim of the left pillar windshield and secure the new wire in place with the other wires that run there.

• In order to get to the wiring connectors, you need to remove the cover of the left threshold and pull the black connector out of the mount (as shown in the photo);

• There are two orange CAN-bus wires going to this connector, which must be stripped and connected to the wires that we extended from the new mirror with the FLA function;

3) Now that the wiring is routed and connected, you can assemble everything neatly back and secure the wires with plastic zip ties, and install the new mirror in its rightful place. It is put in the same way as the old one was removed, only it snaps into place clockwise.

Fine! Now that mechanical part installation is completed, you can connect VASYA diagnostician and perform the final coding of the FLA function. To do this, open Vasya diagnostician and go to the choice of control unit:

1) Go to block 19(Data bus diagnostic interface) CAN-Gateway => equipment list => block 20(High beam assistant) => tick => save (coding accepted)
2) Go to block 20(High beam assistant) => long coding => there are zeros, and we need to register everything from the beginning:

• 0 bytes(dipped beam) - set 04 for LED headlights (for other headlights, select the appropriate other code);
• 1 byte(high beam) - set 04 for LED headlights (for other headlights, select the appropriate other code);
• 2 bytes(steering wheel location) - leave 00, since y is on the left steering wheel;
• 3 bytes(determining the height of the camera position) - set EC for Passat B8 (for example, on Skoda Octavia a7, will be already E5);
• Then we leave zeros and get the following encoding: 04 04 00 EC 00 00 00 00 00 00 00(14 zeros).

3) We go back to block 9, but now we go to the "closed area" (password 31347) and go to the "Adaptation" section and set there:

• _Erweiterte_Fernlichtsteuerung - _Basis, FLA
• _Menuesteuerung Fernlichtassistent - _available
• _Menuesteuerung Fernlichtassistent Werkseinstellung - _available

The main thing to remember is that the coding of the mirror itself is done purely for the configuration of the car! That is, another car may have a different part of the encoding (due to different headlights, for example).

Now that the coding is done, we need to go to the menu on the head unit => settings => lighting => high beam assistant => check the box. And we check the functionality of the function: we switch the lighting to Auto mode and once the high beam switch lever is pressed “away from you” - on dashboard the high beam icon with the letter A should light up.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed the FLA system on your car! =) We wish you good luck in your plans and remember that nothing is impossible!

Check out other systems/helpers Volkswagen Group possible in a separate

The high beam control system is designed to improve visibility at night by automatically turning on the high beam headlights. At the same time, the system allows you to drive with high beam headlights for the maximum possible time, prevents dazzling of other road users, facilitates driving, and thereby increases traffic safety.

The high beam control system is implemented depending on the type of headlights:

• halogen headlights– by automatically switching on (off) the main beam of the headlights (e.g. Light assist);
• xenon headlights– due to the automatic rotation of the lamp module in the vertical and horizontal plane, while the main beam of the headlights does not turn off (for example, the system Dynamic Light Assist).

The automatic high beam system includes a light switch, video camera, the control unit, the high beam lamp (lamp module), as well as the indicator lamp on the instrument panel.

The high beam control system is activated by the light switch when it is moved to a certain position.

The system uses a black-and-white video camera that captures the situation in front of the car. The coverage area of ​​the video camera is about 1000 m. The video camera together with the control unit are located in the housing rear view mirrors.

Along with information from the video camera, the system uses input signals wheel speed sensors (for estimating vehicle speed), light sensor ( to assess the level of illumination).

The control unit processes the video camera image and sensor signals, on the basis of which the situation on the road is assessed:

• visibility conditions:
• trajectory of movement;
• illumination level;
• power of the oncoming light stream.

Depending on the specific situation, the high beam headlights are turned on / off (turning the lamp module).

The control lamp on the instrument panel indicates the inclusion of the system and the nature of its work.

How the system works

The high-beam assistant automatically turns on the high beam headlights when the following conditions are met simultaneously:

• low level of illumination;
• operation of the low beam headlights;
• the movement of the car at a certain speed;
• the absence of ahead or oncoming vehicles (cars, motorcycles);
• movement outside the settlements.

To prevent dazzling other road users, the high beam headlights are automatically turned off when there are oncoming or ahead vehicles. The switch is made when vehicle within the coverage area of ​​the system and at a certain distance from the vehicle (the main beam must not reach the vehicle). When passing (overtaking) with a vehicle, the high beam automatically turns on.

When driving through a built-up area, the system is triggered depending on the assessment of the level of illumination. If the ambient light is judged to be sufficient, the headlights are automatically switched to dipped beam. Otherwise, the movement of the car through the settlement is carried out with high beam headlights.

Light Assist is automatic system high beam control (high beam assistant). This auxiliary system increases the level of safety and helps the driver when driving at night. The essence of its work is to automatically switch the high beam to the low beam. We will tell you more about the device and features of work in the article.

Purpose of Light Assist

The system is designed to improve illumination at night. This task is realized by automatic switching of the main beam. The driver moves with the high beam on as far as possible. If there is a danger of dazzling other drivers, Auto Light Assist will switch to near or change the angle light beam.

How Light Assist works

The operating conditions of the complex will depend on the type of headlights installed. If the headlights are halogen, then there is an automatic switching between near and far, depending on the situation on the road. With xenon headlights, the reflective element automatically rotates in different planes in the headlight, changing the direction of the light. Such a system is called Dynamic Light Assistant.

The main components of the device are:

• Control block;
• interior lighting mode switch;
• black and white video camera;
• headlight module (reflective element);
• light sensors;
• dynamic control sensors (wheel speed).

To activate the system, you must first turn on the dipped beam, then turn the switch to automatic mode.

The black-and-white video camera and the control unit are located in the rear-view mirror. The camera analyzes the traffic situation in front of the car at a distance of up to 1,000 meters. It recognizes light sources and then transmits graphic information to the control unit. This means that the source (an oncoming vehicle) is recognized before it is blinded. The length of the high beam light beam usually does not exceed 300-400 meters. High beam automatically turns off when an oncoming vehicle enters this area.

Also, information to the control unit comes from light sensors and wheel speed sensors. Thus, the control unit receives the following information:

• the level of illumination on the road;
• speed and trajectory of movement;
• the presence of a counter flow of light and its power.

Depending on the traffic situation going on automatic switch on or turn off high beam. The operation of the system is indicated by the indicator lamp on .

Prerequisites for activation

Auto high beam will work under the following conditions:

• dipped headlights on;
• low level of illumination;
• the car moves at a certain speed (from 50-60 km / h), this speed is perceived as movement along the highway;
• there are no oncoming cars or other obstacles ahead;
• the car moves outside the settlements.

If oncoming vehicles are fixed, the high beam will automatically go out or the angle of inclination of the reflective headlight module will change.

The first to introduce this technology Volkswagen(Dynamic Light Assist). The use of a video camera and different sensors opened up new possibilities.

Leading competitors in this area are Valeo, Hella, All Automotive Lighting.

Such technologies are called Adaptive Front lighting System (AFS). Valeo introduces the BeamAtic system. The principle of all devices is similar, but may differ in additional functions, among which may be:

• city ​​traffic (works at speeds up to 55-60 km / h);
• country road (speed 55-100 km/h, characterized by asymmetric lighting);
• motorway traffic (over 100 km/h);
• high beam (Light assist, automatic switching);
• cornering lighting in motion (depending on the configuration, the module rotates up to 15° when the steering wheel is turned);
• turn on the lighting in bad weather.

Advantages and disadvantages of Light Assist systems

Such technologies have received recognition from drivers. Reviews show that the system works clearly and without failures. Even when overtaking a vehicle in front on an unlit road, the high beam headlights do not blind into the rear-view mirrors. In this case, the high beam remains working. An example is Dynamic Light Assist from Volkswagen. No particular cons were identified.

Technologies such as Light Assist do a great job. Thanks to them driving modern cars becomes safer and more comfortable.

Another auxiliary system, designed to facilitate the work of the driver and improve driving safety, is called Light Assistant. This system automatically controls the switching between low beam and high beam of the vehicle. Its main task is to give the driver the opportunity to drive as long as possible in the best light conditions.

Depending on which headlights are used on the machine, the principle of operation of the system changes. If the headlights are halogen, the high beams are switched on and off automatically depending on road conditions. With xenon headlights, the high beam does not turn off, and dazzling oncoming drivers is prevented by the fact that the lamp module automatically rotates vertically or horizontally.

How Light Assistant Works

The main components of the system are a black-and-white video camera that monitors traffic conditions and a control unit. In addition, the ECU receives information from the wheel speed and light sensors. Based on the analysis of all incoming information, the control unit determines the visibility conditions, the trajectory of the machine, the degree of illumination and the strength of the oncoming light flux.

For the Light Assistant to switch on the high beam, the following conditions must be met:

• dipped beam on;
• there is insufficient illumination;
• the car is moving at a certain speed;
• there are no oncoming or passing vehicles in front of the car;
• driving outside the village.

It is also possible to manually enable or disable this function.

As soon as an oncoming or passing car appears in the camera's field of view, the control unit calculates the distance to it, and upon reaching the threshold value, while the light beam has not yet reached another vehicle, it switches the high beam to the low beam, or moves the lamp modules.

V settlements additionally, the level of illumination is assessed. If it is high enough, only the near one is turned on, otherwise the far one is turned on.


Thus, thanks to automatic control headlights, there is no longer a need to independently change the lighting mode and ensure that the driver of oncoming traffic is not blinded.