6 ms·

"Cruise vehicles are only authorized to drive from 10PM to 6AM, which obviously makes headlights pretty important." So why rely on the automatic headlights at

by cdot2 4y ago

"Cruise vehicles are only authorized to drive from 10PM to 6AM, which obviously makes headlights pretty important." So why rely on the automatic headlights at all? Why not just set the headlights on manually?

mobilio 4y ago
In EU there is a law that you should drive with headlight all time. Old cars drive with low beam, new cars comes with daytime running lights (DRLs). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daytime_running_lamp#European_Union https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daytime_running_lamp#European_...
- cdot2 4y ago
  The US has this law for motorcycles. Maybe we should apply it to driverless cars as well
  - mobilio 4y ago
    That's an good idea. Actually few LED lights didn't require too much power and maintenance.
  - unnah 4y ago
    Yes, every self-driving car should have a row of LED lights at the front. Also, they should indicate that the AI is actively scanning its environment by switching the LEDs on and off in a regular left-to-right pattern.
    - ajsnigrutin 4y ago
      And those lights should be in a vertical row of 8 red lights, going left-to right. And when the car speaks to the driver and the surroundings, there should be three vertical bar graphs made of red leds to indicate the speech. There is a good controller for those kinds of lights, named "knight industry two thousand", but i think there is and upgrade to 'three tousand' available too.
    - KptMarchewa 4y ago
      And a guy with the flag running in front of the vehicle.
      - deleted 4y ago
        [deleted]
  - BuildTheRobots 4y ago
    I feel the need to point out that whilst permanent headlights make vehicles more visible most of the time, in the most dangerous scenario, they actually make you less visible. Low sun behind the vehicle, especially if it's a motorbike, makes it very hard to see. If the bike isn't lit up at the front you stand a fighting chance. If it's got the front headlight on then you don't even see the silhouette, you just see bright light surrounding and bright light from the middle. Motorcycle Action Group in the UK has had to run a handful of "repeal this safety law because it actually makes things more dangerous" campaigns in the last 20 years.
- Symbiote 4y ago
  No, as you have cited, there is a law saying vehicles must be equipped with these lights, but it's up to national regulations on when they must be used. See https://trip.studentnews.eu/s/4086/77033-Car-travel-in-Europe.htm https://trip.studentnews.eu/s/4086/77033-Car-travel-in-Europ... for a list (incomplete, Denmark requires daytime lights.)
  - mobilio 4y ago
    Nordic countries are different because even their "days" they sun can be seen 2-3-4 hours.
    - bryanrasmussen 4y ago
      unless it's summer in which case it can be seen about 19 hours.
      - mobilio 4y ago
        But even on 19 hours day it's good with daylights. It's easier to see what vehicle is running/driving or not.
    - Ekaros 4y ago
      During winter at mid-day my lights automatically turned on... Just in simple overcast weather. So it does get bit gloomy at times.
- usrusr 4y ago
  EU has a regulation requiring new cars to be equipped with DRL capability, that's all. Laws requiring the use of lights in daytime that exist in some countries are completely unrelated to EU.
  - mobilio 4y ago
    Actually this is interesting because manufacturers should make same car but equip it with different parts. Other example is turn signals. On EU they're orange. And when you drive after US imported car here drivers are confused because their turn signals are red. So driver behind don't know does front driver going to stop? DRL - is few bucks, but it's great improvement of road safety.
    - usrusr 4y ago
      > DRL - is few bucks, but it's great improvement of road safety. Only if you ignore all participants in traffic that don't burn through so much energy that a few watts extra aren't an issue. When drivers get everything they feel they need to see conveniently highlighted, attention will inevitably drop to compensate. They certainly know they need to see more than just cars, but the subconscious level only really cares for threats.
- paulcole 4y ago
  If a law says you should do something, it’s not a law it’s a suggestion.

by cdot2 4y ago

mobilio 4y ago

In EU there is a law that you should drive with headlight all time. Old cars drive with low beam, new cars comes with daytime running lights (DRLs). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daytime_running_lamp#European_Union https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daytime_running_lamp#European_...

cdot2 4y ago
The US has this law for motorcycles. Maybe we should apply it to driverless cars as well
- mobilio 4y ago
  That's an good idea. Actually few LED lights didn't require too much power and maintenance.
- unnah 4y ago
  Yes, every self-driving car should have a row of LED lights at the front. Also, they should indicate that the AI is actively scanning its environment by switching the LEDs on and off in a regular left-to-right pattern.
  - ajsnigrutin 4y ago
    And those lights should be in a vertical row of 8 red lights, going left-to right. And when the car speaks to the driver and the surroundings, there should be three vertical bar graphs made of red leds to indicate the speech. There is a good controller for those kinds of lights, named "knight industry two thousand", but i think there is and upgrade to 'three tousand' available too.
  - KptMarchewa 4y ago
    And a guy with the flag running in front of the vehicle.
    - deleted 4y ago
      [deleted]
- BuildTheRobots 4y ago
  I feel the need to point out that whilst permanent headlights make vehicles more visible most of the time, in the most dangerous scenario, they actually make you less visible. Low sun behind the vehicle, especially if it's a motorbike, makes it very hard to see. If the bike isn't lit up at the front you stand a fighting chance. If it's got the front headlight on then you don't even see the silhouette, you just see bright light surrounding and bright light from the middle. Motorcycle Action Group in the UK has had to run a handful of "repeal this safety law because it actually makes things more dangerous" campaigns in the last 20 years.
Symbiote 4y ago
No, as you have cited, there is a law saying vehicles must be equipped with these lights, but it's up to national regulations on when they must be used. See https://trip.studentnews.eu/s/4086/77033-Car-travel-in-Europe.htm https://trip.studentnews.eu/s/4086/77033-Car-travel-in-Europ... for a list (incomplete, Denmark requires daytime lights.)
- mobilio 4y ago
  Nordic countries are different because even their "days" they sun can be seen 2-3-4 hours.
  - bryanrasmussen 4y ago
    unless it's summer in which case it can be seen about 19 hours.
    - mobilio 4y ago
      But even on 19 hours day it's good with daylights. It's easier to see what vehicle is running/driving or not.
  - Ekaros 4y ago
    During winter at mid-day my lights automatically turned on... Just in simple overcast weather. So it does get bit gloomy at times.
usrusr 4y ago
EU has a regulation requiring new cars to be equipped with DRL capability, that's all. Laws requiring the use of lights in daytime that exist in some countries are completely unrelated to EU.
- mobilio 4y ago
  Actually this is interesting because manufacturers should make same car but equip it with different parts. Other example is turn signals. On EU they're orange. And when you drive after US imported car here drivers are confused because their turn signals are red. So driver behind don't know does front driver going to stop? DRL - is few bucks, but it's great improvement of road safety.
  - usrusr 4y ago
    > DRL - is few bucks, but it's great improvement of road safety. Only if you ignore all participants in traffic that don't burn through so much energy that a few watts extra aren't an issue. When drivers get everything they feel they need to see conveniently highlighted, attention will inevitably drop to compensate. They certainly know they need to see more than just cars, but the subconscious level only really cares for threats.
paulcole 4y ago
If a law says you should do something, it’s not a law it’s a suggestion.