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It's time to mandate automatic headlights, imo (lemmy.world)

submitted 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Sometimes I have to drive after dark in my city, and it never fails that if I drive any appreciable distance that I always see at least one person (often more) driving with their lights off. I do not need to tell y'all why this is dangerous. We're a community of enthusiasts. We know. Plenty of us are driving older cars that predate the tech.

It's not like they don't mandate lots of shit already. Seatbelts, head restraints, airbags, and backup cameras are some of the most sensible things ever required for cars to have. Why are automatic headlights not on this list? There also needs to exist a mandate whereby the lights turn on if the driver turns on the wipers. Because if you need your wipers, you need your lights too. It's common freaking sense.

Your headlights aren't just for seeing, but for being seen. Ambient light sensors are so cheap that they end up in midrange TVs all the time. I blame the backlit gauges and myriad other interior lights. Ergo, it's time to mandate automatic headlights. There's no reason not to.

I'll get off my soapbox now.

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[–] [email protected] 21 points 11 months ago (2 children)

One thing that has contributed to this problem is daytime running lights. I haven't owned a car with them yet, but I routinely see people driving at night with only the DRL's and no tail lights.

I'm not sure if the dash is illuminated in that situation, but it shouldn't be. There probably needs to be an obnoxious warning chime at the very least.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Spot on. In the Good Old Days (tm) the dashboard was only lit when headlights were on. You got instant feedback if your light weren’t on - you couldn’t see how fast you were driving etc.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

I don't know if there is already some light sensor in the car but on my 2015 VW Polo (which doesn't have automatic headlights) if its too dark outside (even in daytime, due to bad weather or early nights) the lights of the dash are dim (you only see the needle of the speedometer and tacho). So there is still the obvious cue to turn them on. Perhaps its more common in European cars?

[–] [email protected] 7 points 11 months ago

The dash is often much more dim in these situations, or at full brightness. Either way drivers should be looking for a green light indicating their headlights and taillights are properly illuminated. I don’t need cars overcoming this, I need police to do their job and ticket those people and force them back to driving school or to takeaway licenses here in the states.