Hi I noticed this awhile ago, and recently experienced it again.
When waiting in traffic or at a red light at night, some of these new vehicles have LED brake lights which are almost piercing in brightness to the eye during the evening. It is so much brighter than the older brake-light brightness.
Anyone else agree? I think the car companies just expect our eyes to adapt to the new brightness but I am finding the jump quite extreme.
I just think they could have added an extra step of brightness in between so our eyes had more time to adjust.
They are very bright, I’m glad someone else has noticed it too. And those halogen headlights are quite annoying too, sometimes I wonder if they are legal at all.
Halogen's are sooooo old school tech….
Wait till you approach a car with laser lights
https://www.motoring.com.au/bmw-spreads-laser-light-tech-484…
or at least matrix LED … then you realise what very bright is.
I too have noticed
I think late model mercs are the worst offenders here, but people who are retrofitting HID/Xenon into the old halogen reflector headlights is much more of an issue!
Is there any law or regulations that limit the brightness of led/xenon headlights? The retrofitted ones are wayyyy too bright to be legal.
Yes, there are laws that govern the brightness and colour of vehicle lights. A lot of the time, the ones that have after market conversion globes installed are, for the most part, illegal.
Brake lights are designed to attract attention. Just try not to stare at it like a zombie when you're sitting behind.
I do my best to look away from it (keep myself aware of surroundings) but at night it’s like trying to avoid looking at the sun.
If you find it hard to not look into the sun, you've got more serious issues.
Poor wording on my part, …it’s like looking at the sun through the windscreen, when you pull down the visor and it still gets in your eyes.
They’re brighter and also higher so previously the lights would be below your eyeline but now they’re much closer to it
Yes thanks for that info. Most likely the reason the brightness is more difficult to ignore.
Also people who don't know the difference between running day lights and headlights!
Headlights in the day has been encouraged by the Government, no issue if thy are low beams.
I am talking about people who have their running day lights on at night instead of their headlights. This makes their brake lights a lot brighter (plus not illuminated when they are not pressing on their brakes).
Most cars with DRLs have auto headlights don't they?
Yes and also headlights, those freaking xenon bulbs on SUVs an absolute menace on the road as they shine straight into the eyes of drivers in normal cars, they should be banned or the brightness should be regulated.
normal cars,
SUV have been outselling passenger vehicles for years. SUV and Ute are what's now considered normal.
https://www.caradvice.com.au/753296/vfacts-april-2019-new-ca…
There should be a poll with the following options
1. I have astigmatism
2. Perfect eyes
My inferior genetics saw it fit that I should see light as radiating balls of glowing matter but with the marvel of modern science (astigmatism corrective lenses), these lights you speak of aren't an issue.
When I wear the glasses without the astigmatism correction I can completely relate to all the comments above.
Having it very subtly blue tinted, polarised and corrective for distance and astigmatism makes me completely immune… until someone forgets to turn off their actual high beams.
Just wait until those rear lights start flashing (based on certain circumstances) like they do in Europe.
The newer styles of solid LED lines are much more aesthethically pleasing that the old light bulk behind red plastic.
The German cars and a few other companies are now using sweeping / sequential / dynamic turn and brake lights, which look very cool — https://youtu.be/r9Fin7pyzDc?t=11
Is that what you were referring to ?
The jury is out on whether they are safer or easier to see, and they don't yet pass compliance in many countries, but once that changes, we'll likely see most new cars using them.
I'm glad there are others who've noticed. They are ridiculously bright and blinding! Not sure how it's OK.
Does anyone else get annoyed at the indicator lights that light up gradually from one side to the other? It's like you don't know they're indicating until 1 second after they indicate which can be very dangerous when they already start swerving into your lane. 1 second may seem negligible but I think all indicator lights should light up immediately not gradually like these fancy ones do.
I agree, given that many drivers only indicate for a millisecond anyway
I believe in America they've legislated that a certain amount of indicator lights must be immediately lit for every blink. Australia should legislate something similar, otherwise I can imagine car manufacturers having indicator lights that do a fuking 30 second dance for each blink.
Yes I have seen just a few of these, and it seems these are efforts by car companies to make their models ‘stand-out’ (you can see it a lot in car design these days with overly sporty and exaggerated designs).
I think those animated indicators can potentially be distracting and therefore dangerous. What works works, and what dances dances.
Doesn't matter, in a few years all these cars will be driving around with one or both brake lights out, anyway. I cannot understand how mankind can put persons on the moon but cannot put rear lamp failure warning lights on the dashboard. Do a count of inoperative brake lights next time you drive……
Yes very annoying. I am also sensitive to the LEDs that pulsate at 400Hz or so. Not a big issue but distracting when your vision glances across the lights.
Regarding those high powered headlights that point slightly downward correctly, but have a very wide and bright dispersion, do they not notice that the car in front of them has their cabin lit up like a Christmas tree? It's like an alien abduction scene from the movies.
I haven't noticed brake lights being overtly bright. I do notice when people turn their fog lights on and, as a result, have their dazzling rear fog light blinding everyone.
I do notice that a lot of idiots drive around with their daytime running lights on, and as a result they do not have their tail lights on while cruising along.
I tell people this after flashing my lights at them and coming to a stop at the traffic lights, but they just blankly say 'but my headlights are on!'
Dealerships need to explain these things in detail, lights are regularly used on vehicles (more than wipers and windows etc) so their use, function and relation to safety should be properly explained.
Or maybe buyers are just having between ear tunnel syndrome.
I agree but I put it down to me getting old, not new tech :)