new DRL laws

[Malks]

I think this is a great change that should have been done at the same time that motorcycles were mandated to have the lights activated when the ignition is on.

My 2016 Mazda CX-3 has an "auto" setting for the lights and it works great. There's even a sensor that will automatically dim the high beams when there is an approaching vehicle. But the thing that surprised me is if the headlights are in the "On" position and I turn off the car, the lights go out. There is no way to accidentally leave the lights on and run down the battery. I still typically use the "auto" setting, but will turn on the full headlight system in low light, fog or snowy conditions.

 

[FullMotoJacket]

The article is raging against a non-issue. No road vehicle sold in Canada since 1990 has truly had an "off" position on the headlamp switch. Even if marked as "off", it really meant "daytime running lights on but everything else off".

Problem with that is the times when it's 1pm the street lights are on, you're almost aquaplaning, and your wipers are on high. Rear lights should be on with auto in that situation. I can see mine switch over in those situations in my truck when set to auto (the dash lights change intensity)

 

[Baggsy]

I think spending $500 to have the car turn the lights on for you is a poor investment.

People should develop the muscle memory to adjust the mirrors, seat & steering wheel, then turn the lights on & release the parking brake.

Even better would be to check the tires, oil, gas & lights, but that might be going too far for most people's ability.

 

[GreyGhost]

I think spending $500 to have the car turn the lights on for you is a poor investment.

People should develop the muscle memory to adjust the mirrors, seat & steering wheel, then turn the lights on & release the parking brake.

Even better would be to check the tires, oil, gas & lights, but that might be going too far for most people's ability.

$500? I'm thinking more like a few dollars. You need a sensor and a wire, most cars are already using a computer to control the lights.

 

[Baggsy]

$500? I'm thinking more like a few dollars. You need a sensor and a wire, most cars are already using a computer to control the lights.

Never bought accessories from a automobile manufacturer before?

If they want to make it auto, just wire it in the on position and remove the switch.

 

[Maniac]

I think spending $500 to have the car turn the lights on for you is a poor investment.

People should develop the muscle memory to adjust the mirrors, seat & steering wheel, then turn the lights on & release the parking brake.

Even better would be to check the tires, oil, gas & lights, but that might be going too far for most people's ability.

Are you a Mennonite or something?

 

[Baggsy]

Are you a Mennonite or something?

Luddite.

 

[Brian P]

Implementing this change costs ZERO on the production line. (Aftermarket retrofits aren't what this is applicable to.)

Every modern car or truck in this market has the lights controlled through a body-control module, which is a little computer that takes in all the signals and does logic to them and switches on or off its outputs accordingly. Implementing this change involves rewriting a few lines of code in the program for that computer. And only for the manufacturers that had it wrong (I'm looking at you, Toyota, Honda, Subaru, Hyundai - although there are others.)

If the vehicle didn't already have an ambient-light sensor (most do), the program change simply involves switching the taillights and running lights on whenever the engine is running and the parking brake isn't set (or something similar), regardless of headlamp switch position.

 

[SunnY S]

People should develop the muscle memory to adjust the mirrors, seat & steering wheel, then turn the lights on & release the parking brake.

.

How we supposed to do all that with a cell phone, coffee, lunch, newspaper and razor in our hands at the same time?

 

[Wingboy]

How we supposed to do all that with a cell phone, coffee, lunch, newspaper and razor in our hands at the same time?

You forgot salad.

 

[Baggsy]

You forgot salad.

Toothbrush, makeup & comb.

I'd like to see them change the high middle brake light positions on some vehicles, and ban dark tinted windows in the back and front.

 

[FullMotoJacket]

Never bought accessories from a automobile manufacturer before?

$72 USD for a 2GB SD card with Garmin maps on it from Mercedes……that you can DL for free elsewhere.

 

[FullMotoJacket]

You forgot salad.

I have seen someone eating a bowl of noodles steering with her knee.

If you guessed Brampton, you are correct. Bonus points for narrowing it down to Bramalea.

 

[Maniac]

$72 USD for a 2GB SD card with Garmin maps on it from Mercedes……that you can DL for free elsewhere.

You are paying for the map data, not the SD card.

 

[FullMotoJacket]

You are paying for the map data, not the SD card.

Only a fool pays for Garmin map data.

 

[Baggsy]

Implementing this change costs ZERO on the production line. (Aftermarket retrofits aren't what this is applicable to.)

Every modern car or truck in this market has the lights controlled through a body-control module, which is a little computer that takes in all the signals and does logic to them and switches on or off its outputs accordingly. Implementing this change involves rewriting a few lines of code in the program for that computer. And only for the manufacturers that had it wrong (I'm looking at you, Toyota, Honda, Subaru, Hyundai - although there are others.)

If the vehicle didn't already have an ambient-light sensor (most do), the program change simply involves switching the taillights and running lights on whenever the engine is running and the parking brake isn't set (or something similar), regardless of headlamp switch position.

My Subaru had it fine. Two positions, off which turned everything off, and on which turned everything on when the car was on. If you left it in the on position, it would turn off after the car was turned off.

 

[Maniac]

Only a fool pays for Garmin map data.

Only fool openly admits that he thinks that stealing is OK.

 

[voyageur]

Wow...I never thought auto-headlights would be such a big deal lol. I think technology is making people more forgetful and lazy. I'm all for useful technology but stuff like the blind spot indicators that light up on the side mirrors have made people lazy to move their heads and check over their shoulders. My pov is that if a person doesn't know how to switch between low/high beams or if they don't know the basic functionalities of a vehicle, they shouldn't be driving. Similarly, if they forget to turn off their headlights while exiting the car, they will learn soon enough that they should check.

Not talking about how much it costs to add the feature in, but I feel that people have too many aids these days that they're relying on technology for even small things like turning a knob which is sad. #endofrant

 

[bitzz]

Only fool openly admits that he thinks that stealing is OK.

Garmin maps are free
... not like free speech, like free beer.

 

[GateKeeper]

we've always been behind. AFAIK we don't even get laser headlights here. not sure if our laws prohibit or it's just due to the Americans DOT.

doesn't matter how great your lights are if you forget to turn them on. just had someone this morning in a subaru crosstrek, no lights, flashed them a few times and just gave up. 80kph country road, in the dark.

my last truck that had no auto headlights, would keep the dash dark if you had only DRLs on, very noticeable if you forgot at night.
But even then, I've seen people driving with zero dash lights on and had to tell them your lights aren't on (cue the fumbling with highbeam then back to headlights). You really have to make things idiot proof these days.

We have cars here with laser lighting, BMW M8