I’ve had a physical switch, can’t remember which car mind, though it’ll probably come back to me, it was a little lever just behind each front light unit. The last Tiguan we had which had LED lights had a setting to change from LHD to RHD which for some reason the manual said not to use for extended periods. Seems to have worked because I was never flashed . The manual for our latest car says the clever LED lights work it out for themselves, it would appear 
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The old Saab (9-5 2005) had a lever according to the owners manual, never found it.
The Mazda has no adjustment, nor marks on the headlights to show where the beams can be blocked (auto levelling and the fact that they turn with the steering would probably defeat an attempt to block the beams anyway); beam “benders” have worked well enough previously though.
The S3 has matrix headlights, thus no where to really put a Fresnel lens (which would only confuse the system). I’m bringing the car over in September but doubt I’ll be driving at a time of day when I need headlights.
If only !!
This thread got me thinking about the opposite situation for me, with my RAV4 when driving in the UK/Eire (which I have done more recently in the past 2 years). The question gets asked regularly on brand owner’s forums, and it seems that the manufacturers tend to shy away from actually writing it down in their end user manuals. Even dealerships can be uncertain, unless pushed, as to whether or not a deflector is required, but, pssst, you didn’t hear it from me 
Turns out that my RAV4 has a flat beam system, adapted for driving on both sides of the road 
The right product is two triangles of sticky tape with a horizontal pattern like that matters and a bargain at £6-8 
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I had seriously skinned knuckles trying to find this mythical lever on my 9-5 Aero. I ended up replacing the internal shutters that shape the beam, which required a level of dexterity that I doubt I would have today.
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provided it does whatever is necessary to pass controls done by CT examiners and/or “the Law officers of the roads” if driving in France … 
Convertors/adaptors on modern headlamps only diffuse the dipped beam kick-up or flare and they cannot alter the beam in any other way. Beware of using an adhesive backed tape which may cause damage to plastic lens.
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I think (I hope) @Corona is joking…
I have never bothered with any device to change the dip direction, and none of the international hauliers I worked for did either.
Never had a complaint from a gendarme or anyone else. Also my English Saxo passed no less than 2 CTs with the headlights obviously dipped to the left on the garage walls.
The only reason I changed them in the end myself was because I found driving on country lanes at night too difficult.
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I dont agree, putting a bit of fancy sticky tape isnt diffusing its merely blocking a section if you get it in the correct position which on modern headlamps is even less likely so they are just a token jesture. At least a fresnel lens could change the shape somewhat if again you could get the exact posistion correct which is very difficult indeed. At least fresnel lenses dont diminish light output unlike sticky tape.
Before fitting deflectors, looking for levers or programming info on changing beam direction, I suggest that one asks their dealer to check what is required - many cars now have ‘flat beams’ that are universal and do not need changing…Adding sticky tape to these will decrease performance…
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I spent a very long time some years back investigating commercially available converters including a visit to a ‘manufacturer’s’ premises.
Commercially available adaptors/convertors are semi-transparent plastic film with a silver pattern of lines . They cannot adapt of modify the light beam and only partially obscure the part of the beam it covers.
What is described as a ‘fresnel’ lens stuck to the curved surface of a headlamp will not correct the kick-up. Modern headlamp beams cannot be modified by sticking bits of plastic tape to the surface.
All of this is easily confirmed by observing the headlamp beam on a wall before and after any modification.
Headlamps with a flat top kick-up do not need converters and many cars have that printed in the driver’s handbook.
Surely flat beam lights don’t have a kick up - isn’t that their raison d’être?
Is a fresnel lens, that put down is very tabloid way of speaking.
I do agree that the chances of placing any of said items correctly to achieve anything would be impossible without putting the headlamps on when dark against a wall. Thats why I laugh at the ferry ports when people try in daylight with no reference point at all.
Which do nowt but act as a compliance tick. The semi transparent is questionable, certainly the ones on sale I looked at were not. The silver pattern being on the outside has nothing but a fuzzy feeling for those purchasing, pretty much you would need an old car to have any effect.
Indeed. In the old days of all cars being fitted with Lucas-style circular headlights, it was possible to make beam deflectors that worked pretty well. With cars today having such a variety of shapes and technologies, I suspect every model would need a bespoke design to produce something that does any good.
Agree - though at least with a LED or halogen “projector” a beam bender which covers the area of the beam’s exit from the headlamp should help by pulling the beam over to the right. No, it won’t change the left hand “kick up” for headlights which are set up to have one, but it can at least make sure it is not aimed at an oncoming driver’s eye line.
“Beam benders” aren’t Fresnel lenses though are they?
They are similar, of course, but they just sweep light left or right rather than focus it (which they would do if actually a lens).
Any previous use of mine of the term “Fresnel lens” in this thread has been for brevity, obviously 
ah… that takes me back…
Lucas, the Prince of Darkness…
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They contain the elements of the fresnel design, using the prisms they “bend” the light somewhat so they should alter the pattern of the beam. That said and I dont believe any of us dispute on a modern car the chances of puting anything in the exact spot to actually achieve anything is highly unlikely. I may have a play later tonight as I think there may still be a packet in my glove box.