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Even the Tesla Cybertruck's Brake Lights Don't Make Sense
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this post was submitted on 26 Oct 2023
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Wow, what a dumb design. It actually looks less like it's braking with the brake lights on.
It's also got the whole brake light and turn signal are the same light thing I hate too. Just keep them separate lights with a yellow light for the turn signal.
I don't get how that's legal in some parts of the world.
American manufacturing don't want to have to change anything in their production lines so most American cars have only a red taillight that flashes the same bulk for brakes and turn signal.
It is lazy and unsafe but it would probably cost a few pennies to have an orange turn signal light so it is more profit not to do it.
Meanwhile every nice car out there has a $1000 LED for branding. It has little to do with cost and more to do with manufacturers using lights for style and branding. Folks are very happy to spend more on nice looking LEDs.
Thankfully it's changing a bit. I've noticed that newer Ford and Dodge full sized pickups use amber turn signals. I assume that these vehicles don't sell very well in places that require amber turn signals (Europe).
Meanwhile, VW, Audi, BMW, Land Rover, and Mercedes all modify their amber European turn signals to red to sell in the US. For some reason, they go out of their way to make 2 parts instead of 1 for many of their models.
I think it's a styling thing rather than a cost thing now. Back when taillights in the US were a single bulb on each side, cost was a driving factor. Now with complex LED taillights, I think it's something else keeping amber out of our indicators.
Older ones do this too, its just this weird range of years where people tried to get clever with their turn signals.
All the more reason it should be illegal! It is in other parts of the world.
I've read that it used to be done on purpose to prevent models meant for US to be sold in other parts of the world, and the other way around.
Conversions are not straightforward since on US models there's a single wire that goes to a single bulb and carries both the brake (steady) and turn (blink) signals, while in other places there's a distinct turn bulb with it's own wire.
Mixed brake and turn signals are not legal in several EU countries.
It's been an issue with imported Jeep Wrangler US models, which run afoul not only of not having separate brake and turn lights but also not meeting spec about minimum surface of brake lights.
Some people were skirting around the regulations by registering them as off-road vehicles but those have to meet specific criteria (such as not being used primarily as a cool ride in the middle of an urban area...)
It would not be in Germany AFAIK. But there's also no chance it'll ever come out over here, and frankly trying to sell a pretty truck is a tall order here. Nevermind something with a design only it's deranged nazi inventor could love, if even that.
I'm not even sure its legal in the US. The mixed brake lights are one thing, but even in the US they cannot be the ONLY form of brake light. And the idea of a "center light" being the normal tail light turning OFF and being replaced with a smaller light doesn't seem like it would meet even the relatively lax US DOT requirements.
I meant the mixed breaklight thing.
The cybertruck is a whole other level of fucking dumb.
It's called mood swings IIRC :-)
$
Is it though? Presumably they're making 2 separate parts. One with red indicators and one with amber. I can't imagine that's somehow cheaper than making one part.
Aren't there US states that require red turn signals to pass inspection?
Specially in say foggy conditions and little bit distance. At which point you won't clearly maybe differentiate individual elements and more like that's the rear and "block of light in middle, left and right". At which point it all little blending one might infact be under impression "the light intensity lowered at the rear, huh, not braking then, did they have they parking break dragging they released or something.... ohhhjj shuiiiiiit no it is braking hard".
My two cents from here north of Europe and land of snow, rain, fog and occasional white out conditions.
I know! Lets make the "brake lights" just be the normal tail lights turning off. It'll look way cooler that way!
It's honestly amazing because a decent amount of work had to go into making the brake lights work like this. The number of people involved who didn't notice or care how bad this is, is baffling...