You Can Hack Polestar 2 Headlights To Enable Pixel Lights in the US, but It Won't Last

Adaptive headlights are among the most impressive technologies the automotive industry has invented. They first appeared in luxury vehicles in Europe more than a decade ago, and at first, they featured mechanical contraptions to alter the light beam. By selectively blocking the light with metal pins, the headlights could obscure oncoming vehicles so that the high beams could be used continuously without blinding other drivers. This offered improved visibility at night, enhancing safety.

The more advanced adaptive headlights can twist the light beam to illuminate side areas and adjust it depending on the speed, type of road, and weather conditions. However, it wasn't until the LEDs started their automotive career that the adaptive headlights shined, so to speak. By turning individual LEDs on and off, you could achieve better results without using mechanical parts.

Soon, the number of individual LEDs increased, and the headlights started using LED matrices. The latest IQ.Light HD matrix headlights Volkswagen developed for the Touareg feature 19,216 micro LEDs for each headlight, enabling unprecedented light control. However sophisticated these headlights are, sadly, US customers have not been able to use them. Although the NHTSA changed the regulations in 2022 to allow the new tech, the US standard is incompatible with the one used in Europe.

That's why the testing procedure for manufacturer compliance is not yet finalized, so US customers will have to wait until adaptive headlights officially enter the market. Many carmakers already deliver their vehicles with LED matrix headlights. Still, the adaptive feature is not yet supported by software. The owners of several car models have figured out ways to enable the adaptive headlights using software hacks. Because these headlights are allowed in Canada, it's relatively simple to enable them in the US as well.

Polestar 2 owners have discovered a way to activate the Pixel Lights (Polestar's commercial name for adaptive LED-matrix headlights) and have shared it on the Polestar forum. The method was discovered by the user aHolyDuck last August and has been polished since then with a more straightforward procedure. Initially, it used VIDA, which stands for Vehicle Information and Diagnostics for Aftersales, to extract PINs for the Central Electronics Module (CEM) and Vehicle Connectivity Module (VGM).

These PINs are then used with another software called OrBit to reprogram the CEM to activate region-locked features like the Pixel Lights. That is, assuming the vehicle is already fitted with the necessary hardware. Since then, the OrBit developer has offered a "PIN retrieval service," so owners don't have to mess with the VIDA software. While enabling the adaptive headlights on the US-spec Polestar 2 is relatively easy, there's no guarantee that the new setting will stick.

As the OrBit developer explained, software updates could overwrite the CEM configuration at any time. Per his observations, Volvo updates the software for the corresponding module about twice a year. Restoring the features is straightforward, though, as OrBit software remembers the previous configuration. However, the carmaker can blacklist your car's VIN if it finds it uses modified software, and that is a lot more annoying. To unblock it, you'll have to schedule a visit to the dealer, so it's best to avoid the situation.