Front Brake Lights Could Drastically Diminish Road Accident Rates
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Heads up, it’s actually keyboard and chair, not keyboard and computer
schrieb am 5. Juni 2025, 15:23 zuletzt editiert vonDang it, sometimes I just type stuff and dont think about what I typed (the irony of what I was writing out)
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Every couple weeks or so I seem to find myself behind someone that’s always either accelerating, or braking, with the brake lights repeatedly flashing on momentarily for no apparent reason.
In many EVs and Hybrids the "letting off the accelerator" engages the regeneration drag which slows the car. A number of vehicle makers with particularly aggressive drag (which gets higher regen rates) automatically illuminate the brake lights. So if you're behind one of these it will look like they are braking when they may have no foot on any pedal (brake or accelerator).
schrieb am 5. Juni 2025, 15:24 zuletzt editiert vonI just got a Chevy Volt and when I let up off the accelerator it will start the regen and significantly decrease my speed. I assume that my brake lights are coming on because so far no one has rear-ended me or yelled at me for not having brake lights. I wish there was a good way to tell for sure though. I think it's Hyundai that does not engage the brake lights for situations like this, as I've about hit one before.
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Like someone said in the hnews comments, this might work for auto transmission but with manual gearing you've got people using engine braking on hills.
Also like stated in the article the colouring is going to be an issue and trying to see some green lights whilst the headlights are on (full beam fog lights perhaps too?) doesn't seem practicable to me.
schrieb am 5. Juni 2025, 15:25 zuletzt editiert vonLast I heard something like 98% of new cars/trucks sold in America have automatic.
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Please allow me this opportunity to jump in and complain about the minority, but not insignificant number, of people that don't seem to be aware that that is even an option (just taking your foot off of the gas/accelerator to slowly decelerate).
Every couple weeks or so I seem to find myself behind someone that's always either accelerating, or braking, with the brake lights repeatedly flashing on momentarily for no apparent reason. It's like they realize that they're going just a little faster than they want, and definitely don't want to accelerate any more, so the only thing they know to do is hit the brake, instead of just taking their foot off of the accelerator. So they've hit the brake and now they're going too slow, so foot moves off the brake and back to the accelerator. Rinse, lather, repeat.
End rant. Thank you for this opportunity to vent.
schrieb am 5. Juni 2025, 15:25 zuletzt editiert vonPlease allow me this opportunity to jump in and complain about the minority, but not insignificant number, of people that don't seem to be aware that that is even an option (just taking your foot off of the gas/accelerator to slowly decelerate).
I feel your pain -
Like someone said in the hnews comments, this might work for auto transmission but with manual gearing you've got people using engine braking on hills.
Also like stated in the article the colouring is going to be an issue and trying to see some green lights whilst the headlights are on (full beam fog lights perhaps too?) doesn't seem practicable to me.
schrieb am 5. Juni 2025, 15:25 zuletzt editiert vonAutomatics also allow for engine braking. From a quick search, it sounds like a toss-up as to whether that triggers brake lights. Regardless, the article mentions the benefit is not only from cars slowing down, but also from indicating that a car is preparing to stop or "that a stationary vehicle might initiate movement". Neither of those can be done by an engine brake, so front brake lights would still have a benefit even with a driver that likes engine braking.
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Possibly, and I'd be interested in some sort of 360° LED on top of a vehicle to indicate to pedestrians and other drivers alike of its (de)acceleration.
But jamming some non standard colours in what is a long term understanding on the front of a vehicle I can't really get with and would like to see the impact to people with partial / colour blindness with using such a system.
Like, does the average pedestrian know what the green and red lights mean on an aircraft? I bet not.
schrieb am 5. Juni 2025, 15:25 zuletzt editiert vonfair point about color blindness, but surely there is some 4th color that would work well with red/amber/white.
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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.bestiver.se/post/424410
Study from TU Graz Reveals Front Brake Lights Could Drastically Diminish
The concept of a front brake light has been floating around the automotive industry for some time now. However, no vehicle manufacturer has yet embraced the idea and turned it into a reality on the roads. Recently, a research team led by Ernst Tomasch from the Institute of Vehicle Safety at Graz University of
BIOENGINEER.ORG (bioengineer.org)
schrieb am 5. Juni 2025, 15:26 zuletzt editiert von snoons@lemmy.ca 6. Juni 2025, 06:45It would also help to know whether or not I'm going to get smushed.
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Every couple weeks or so I seem to find myself behind someone that’s always either accelerating, or braking, with the brake lights repeatedly flashing on momentarily for no apparent reason.
In many EVs and Hybrids the "letting off the accelerator" engages the regeneration drag which slows the car. A number of vehicle makers with particularly aggressive drag (which gets higher regen rates) automatically illuminate the brake lights. So if you're behind one of these it will look like they are braking when they may have no foot on any pedal (brake or accelerator).
schrieb am 5. Juni 2025, 15:28 zuletzt editiert vonthanks for this information. Next time i see this I won't be confused
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Possibly, and I'd be interested in some sort of 360° LED on top of a vehicle to indicate to pedestrians and other drivers alike of its (de)acceleration.
But jamming some non standard colours in what is a long term understanding on the front of a vehicle I can't really get with and would like to see the impact to people with partial / colour blindness with using such a system.
Like, does the average pedestrian know what the green and red lights mean on an aircraft? I bet not.
schrieb am 5. Juni 2025, 15:30 zuletzt editiert von schmidtgenetics@lemmy.world 6. Mai 2025, 17:32Well you should educate yourself on the rules of the method of travel no matter.
If you were to go up in the air and you didn’t educate yourself on what the lights mean, you’re going to ruin everyone else’s day in your incredibly dangerous ignorance.
You don’t take a paddle boat onto the water without understanding some basic principles of water navigation… why would roads in this specific cause be any different? We already do with most land methods, this one is gonna be hinge? Nah. Ignorance isn’t an excuse.
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Theres a saying in computer stuff that applies nicely here. PEBKAC, problem exists between keyboard and computer...turn signals have to be turned on, no amount of engineering can fix bad driving.
schrieb am 5. Juni 2025, 15:31 zuletzt editiert vonI've always heard it as "PICNIC"
Problem In Chair, Not In Computer
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and on the opposite side don’t turn on your emergency lights while driving in bad weather. you’re only causing confusion by making it seem like you have turn signals on if i can’t see both blinkers.
schrieb am 5. Juni 2025, 15:31 zuletzt editiert von unmagical@lemmy.ml 6. Mai 2025, 17:32The hazards also override your turn signals so I now have no idea when you are going to attempt lane change.
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How would you do that so it isn’t ugly as hell
same way we do with lights now, design them attractively. It is not always successful and that's on the manufacturers.
and isn’t prone to misunderstanding?
what about it is confusing? green = not coming at you so it's okay to turn left (or whatever).
schrieb am 5. Juni 2025, 15:39 zuletzt editiert vonThis wouldn’t really be helpful to those who are colorblind.
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Personally I just want front turn signals to be visible from the opposite side again
Not sure if I read that correctly, but I don't think this has ever been the case?
schrieb am 5. Juni 2025, 15:41 zuletzt editiert vonI think what he wants is the front turn signal to wrap around the front, so I can see the left signal from the right quarter.
I'm not aware that this is not the case, but I don't know that I would have noticed if it was not.
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And also like, used at all.
schrieb am 5. Juni 2025, 15:41 zuletzt editiert vonHere's an idea. How about we zap the drivers after they make a turn if they didn't use a turn signal beforehand?
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This wouldn’t really be helpful to those who are colorblind.
schrieb am 5. Juni 2025, 15:42 zuletzt editiert von trashboat@lemmy.blahaj.zone 6. Mai 2025, 17:43Somebody better tell traffic light designers
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I'd rather see mandatory rear running lights. The amount of people who can't be arsed to turn on their lights in bad visibility conditions is too damn high.
schrieb am 5. Juni 2025, 15:43 zuletzt editiert vonIt used to be mandatory with always on rear lights in Sweden (you couldn't even turn them off). But an adaptation to EU rules removed that requirement.
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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.bestiver.se/post/424410
Study from TU Graz Reveals Front Brake Lights Could Drastically Diminish
The concept of a front brake light has been floating around the automotive industry for some time now. However, no vehicle manufacturer has yet embraced the idea and turned it into a reality on the roads. Recently, a research team led by Ernst Tomasch from the Institute of Vehicle Safety at Graz University of
BIOENGINEER.ORG (bioengineer.org)
schrieb am 5. Juni 2025, 15:44 zuletzt editiert vonI don't understand this at all. Why do I, as a person in front of a vehicle, care whether or not it's braking?
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The hazards also override your turn signals so I now have no idea when you are going to attempt lane change.
schrieb am 5. Juni 2025, 15:46 zuletzt editiert von prettybunnys@sh.itjust.works 6. Mai 2025, 17:47The hazards are to indicate you are stopped and now a hazard.
Only when you are stopped and now a hazard. Your car becomes a blinking light. We have road rules for blinking lights, so it SHOULD be saying one specific thing.
Thank you for coming to this road safety talk.
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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.bestiver.se/post/424410
Study from TU Graz Reveals Front Brake Lights Could Drastically Diminish
The concept of a front brake light has been floating around the automotive industry for some time now. However, no vehicle manufacturer has yet embraced the idea and turned it into a reality on the roads. Recently, a research team led by Ernst Tomasch from the Institute of Vehicle Safety at Graz University of
BIOENGINEER.ORG (bioengineer.org)
schrieb am 5. Juni 2025, 15:48 zuletzt editiert vonThis will lead to people braking momentarily to slow down, and others turning in front of slowing down traffic.
Little benefit, but the cost of adding front brake lights would be passed on to the car buyers.
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Here's an idea. How about we zap the drivers after they make a turn if they didn't use a turn signal beforehand?
schrieb am 5. Juni 2025, 15:48 zuletzt editiert vonCouldn't we just use the point system from 5th element? The car noticed you did something illegal and dedicated from your point pool.
