Automatic headlights

[iminhell1]

I am 100% against auto headlights.


It's a nanny that makes morons look smart. I'd much prefer to have a visual way to identify ignorant and drivers to avoid (give a wide berth).



The mandatory headlights was pushed by GM in the late 90's and early 00's. There where variations of implementation. Some times the gauge cluster only lit when the physical switch was in the On position. Others the cluster illuminated with the auto feature. Some just the headlights came on but ignored the tail lights.
IIRC the Fed tried to implement a standard. I don't recall the wording but I seem to recall that it wasn't clear enough and every mfg had their own way of testing it.


Dug up and old study,
https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api...ication/811029


The hard truth is that no amount of light, light color, condition in which light should be illuminated will every lead to a zero death roadway. People are just too selfish. Whatever they are doing is only about them. They don't care if you're in the way. They come first.


My personal choice, my lights are always on in anything I drive.

[Frostynorth]

Digital dashes are making this worse. With DRLs and the dash always being lit, drivers don’t know any better.

[smrtypants44]

My Mk6 GTI had the best implementation of a fix for this-

There is a separate light sensor in the cluster and the car would completely turn off cluster backlighting (which was bright during the day and dims at night) when it was nighttime and you didnt have your lights on.

Without the backlighting on at all it made it impossible to see the cluster and made it pretty obvious you needed to turn your lights on.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by smrtypants44

My Mk6 GTI had the best implementation of a fix for this-

There is a separate light sensor in the cluster and the car would completely turn off cluster backlighting (which was bright during the day and dims at night) when it was nighttime and you didnt have your lights on.

Without the backlighting on at all it made it impossible to see the cluster and made it pretty obvious you needed to turn your lights on.

This is what's needed for any car with a backlit dash.

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by smrtypants44

My Mk6 GTI had the best implementation of a fix for this-

There is a separate light sensor in the cluster and the car would completely turn off cluster backlighting (which was bright during the day and dims at night) when it was nighttime and you didnt have your lights on.

Without the backlighting on at all it made it impossible to see the cluster and made it pretty obvious you needed to turn your lights on.

Originally Posted by M_Six

This is what's needed for any car with a backlit dash.

Without a doubt!! And here’s clear proof it can be done and it works!!