Panoramic roof with Variable Light Control (VLC) Pictures

[W1NGE]

We used the Honda turbo F1 engine from 1984 to 1987.
I spent a lot of time at Honda getting the heat rejection and water and oil flow rates I needed to properly design the cooling system (they had never measured flow rates or heat rejection and the original engine was a nasty surprise when we did)
They had a window between a meeting room and the dyno with this technology so they could decide whether people in the meeting room could see into the dyno or not.

I was bowled over by it, in fact it was one of the most impressive bits of technology there at the beginning!

Amazing. I remember some offices had this glass in HR departments in '90s for various meeting rooms.

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[EJM22]

No, there isn't a slider. Four options.

It does have a slide option. On the PCM just slider ur finger from top to bottom I think. However you can’t go opposite direction.

 

[Clod Reed]

https://carbuzz.com/news/porsche-re...light-control-available-on-the-porsche-taycan

 

[AyTifosi]

It does have a slide option. On the PCM just slider ur finger from top to bottom I think. However you can’t go opposite direction.

Actually you're right! On the PCM graphic of the roof, the little white circle is movable. If I touch and hold it, I can slide my finger from front to rear. It only works on Matte.

I venture to say it's backward. You'd think that I might want to tint the back and leave the front clear as the rear seats are more exposed to the roof.

 

[Archimedes]

So the slider determines the location on the matte, not the level of light passing through?

Doesn’t the name ‘variable light control’ kinda imply the ability to vary the light level?

 

[Andy0565]

Yes

Doesn't the slider on the roof picture let you partially matte the roof (e.g. only the rear part)? I don't have one, nor did I spec it, but I seem to recall a demo/advertisement showing individual segments filling from back to front.

Yes, you can shade the roof from front to back or back to front as well as the pre-set patterns.

The best thing though, is that it defaults to opaque when parked and I’m sure it’ll help with heat control in the summer.

It’s a really fancy option which I can’t help but show-off each time someone new rides in my car but, after that, it’s largely forgotten

Definitely, nice to have but don’t compromise on something you really want to have it.

 

[Andy0565]

Actually you're right! On the PCM graphic of the roof, the little white circle is movable. If I touch and hold it, I can slide my finger from front to rear. It only works on Matte.

I venture to say it's backward. You'd think that I might want to tint the back and leave the front clear as the rear seats are more exposed to the roof.

You can slide from back to front too so I’m sure you can have the back opaque and the front clear too.

 

[EJM22]

You can slide from back to front too so I’m sure you can have the back opaque and the front clear too.

I haven’t found a way to have it clear in front and opaque in back. It’s slides from back to front but just clear-back and matte-front. Not sure if I’m saying that clearly

 

[Andy0565]

I haven’t found a way to have it clear in front and opaque in back. It’s slides from back to front but just clear-back and matte-front. Not sure if I’m saying that clearly

Yep, you’re right. I’ve just sat in my car and I can only make it opaque from the front backwards. There are two ways of adjusting it (front to back and back to front) but it switches depending on whether you’re starting from opaque or clear, so it’s the same difference. Sorry for my mis-direction

 

[SergeyIndy]

Originally optioned due to the fact that direct sun was bothersome on a drive in a loaner. However, when I tested it on a GTS at the dealer in direct sun, decided not to go with it as it does not block direct sun as I thought it would. Therefore, if you want to really test it, then compare pictures with the roof panels off and on looking into the sun. I think the right tint is a better way to go.

 

[whitex]

Does VLC include (or maybe exclude) thermal and sound insulation?

 

[W1NGE]

Does VLC include (or maybe exclude) thermal and sound insulation?

Both roofs do (include).

This is precisely why you need insulated glass all round if you want to reduce heat build up from the sun otherwise all other windows won't be effective in doing so.

 

[whitex]

Both roofs do (include).

This is precisely why you need insulated glass all round if you want to reduce heat build up from the sun otherwise all other windows won't be effective in doing so.

Has anyone done any Visible/IR/UV measurements on standard roof vs. VLC clear vs. VLC opaque? I presume tint shops have such meters, something like this, sells for ~$450). I use the non-split version of this meter (LS162), works well for some personal project I've been doing, plus I plan to use it to determine what tint I will need for the Taycan given that the thermally & noise insulated glass is supposedly already a little darker, so will want to compensate for that when choosing tint film.

 

[W1NGE]

Has anyone done any Visible/IR/UV measurements on standard roof vs. VLC clear vs. VLC opaque? I presume tint shops have such meters, something like this, sells for ~$450). I use the non-split version of this meter (LS162), works well for some personal project I've been doing, plus I plan to use it to determine what tint I will need for the Taycan given that the thermally & noise insulated glass is supposedly already a little darker, so will want to compensate for that when choosing tint film.

I think there was a YouTube video on this topic but could be wrong.

We tend not to get too hung up on these things in UK.

Don't expect high percentage benefits - single digit is more likely.

 

[whitex]

I think there was a YouTube video on this topic but could be wrong.

We tend not to get too hung up on these things in UK.

Don't expect high percentage benefits - single digit is more likely.

It's always nice to know the number when making a choice to spend money on such options, especially if you were to find out it actually makes heat rejection worse rather than better. Personally I passed on that option for a few reasons, but to me it looks like the matte setting doesn't really block visible light, but rather diffuses it, so it's more like a privacy glass than light/heat rejection, but I don't have the numbers (nor have ever seen VLC in person).

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