This is the correct answer. When my car starts up, my lights lower and then rise again to adjust, although I didn't know this also happens when driving over a hill.
It does not happen when driving over a hill. There are two different levelling functions. What you describe is the "homing" procedure for the stepper motors (typically) that do the levelling.
Static levelling is mandatory for HID headlamps, and that adjusts the headlamp level according to load, etc, for example based on suspension level sensors. As the name says, it is static, so it doesn't do anything while the vehicle is moving.
Dynamic levelling compensates for driver braking and acceleration, but I have not seen a production system that works for hills (how could it without information about where the crest is?). Typically, the systems work to ONLY react to the driver doing something, not road features like speed bumps or inclines.
Neither levelling procedure works to actively reduce glare for other drivers when in turns or going over a hill.
Re:BMW's Laser Headlights
by JohnTHaller on Saturday January 11, 2014 @01:28PM
(#7043262)
That makes more sense. My dad's car has dynamic leveling with braking and acceleration. I noticed it in conjunction with hills for that reason.
The problem is that aftermarket kits are used to install HID lights into standard headlight enclosures. This is base-level idiocy on the part of tinkerers to 'improve' their cars and make them look more modern. There may be a corresponding 'Type R' badge on the back to make the car go faster as well. These will throw a TON of light at your rear view and blind you. These are illegal in most states and I wish this law were enforced without exception everywhere in the world.