I’m just back from five days riding a motorbike around Spain. The Spanish are ‘enthusiastic’ drivers and equally nuts in a car. However, they are particularly bad at dipping their headlights at night, which is annoying and dangerous if you are the oncoming motorcyclist.
What Spain needs is more XC60s. Why? Well, Car Couture’s test car is fitted with a system called Driver Support Pack. It’s a £1900 extra but probably the most advanced lighting system I’ve ever used.
The XC60 has sensors that continually monitor for blind spots and oncoming traffic, then adjust the headlights accordingly. Lots of other cars have this type of system but the Volvo one is so advanced, it’s constantly changing the headlight beam projection with the movement of the vehicle.
My favourite is when you follow a car and the Volvo system cleverly dims the lighting area that would have otherwise blinded the motorist in front. The main beam stays active on both sides of the car in front.
Does it work? Yes it does but Driver Support Pack takes some getting used to. My eyes started following the beam, rather than the road on several occasions. Clever but whether it is worth you hard-earned £1900 might be another issue…