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Comment by praptak | Hacker News Reader

Brake lights that show intensity: check. I have read of at least 2 proof-of-concept implementations - one is two red bars plus a white bar (white bar should be instantly recognizable as "reverse") another goes circle->triangle (warning) -> large hexagon (stop!)

Update: I believe that some Mercedes models actually have brake lights that flash during strong braking. Google "adaptive brake lights" for more info.

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Many recent european cars automatically flash warnings when braking strongly.

I'd be astonished if blinking braking lights were allowed in a country like Germany. I once read that a truck driver was fined in Germany because he had a small illuminated Christmas tree in his cockpit, by which he was breaking the specific part of their traffic laws that regulates vehicle lights. That must truly have felt like the most wonderful time of the year for that poor guy.

In Europe braking lights and turning lights are distinct and of different color (red vs orange). Many cars now flash the warnings (both turning lights together) when strongly braking, following a common usage among european motorists.

Yeah, at least here in Italy it's pretty common that if you have to slow down suddenly because the road is blocked (due to a traffic jam or whatever), you turn on the emergency blinking lights so the people behind you will be aware of the need to slow down and stop.

It's the same here in Slovenia and pretty much every other European country I've ever driven in.

Not so here in Norway. I've observed this behavior on several occasions when visiting Spain though.

I do this (Ontario, Canada), but I don't know if I've ever actually seen it done by anyone else. Our 400-series highways tend to have very good forward visibility, though—there isn't really such thing as a jam just over the crest of a hill.

I do this in Ontario too, someone saved my life by doing this as I was entering the fog from around a corner and didn't have time to adjust my speed.

401 exits can backfill right on to the actual highway though.

Well, it's even in France's law: if there is a strong slow down, you _must_ turn on blinking lights until the car following you does the same.

Strong braking normally == hazard lights + brake lights on new cars.

If I remember correctly BMWs have a high intensity brake light under emergency braking.

My '05 BMW has 2 stage rear brake lights for regular braking and when ABS is triggered from hard braking or slippery conditions.

And will switch on their emergency blinkers after any sudden stops > 50 km / h to < 10.

I've had a similar idea to the brakes, but in my version the intensity of light was linked to the intensity of the braking. That way if you're just cutting a few mph off your speed, it doesn't really matter and the light is pretty dim. If you're braking moderately, the light comes on bright enough to indicate that you're braking, but if you slam on the brakes then the light illuminates strongly and brightly.

Some braking strength indication standard should be established and mandated on new cars. This sort of thing is definitely needed in Houston. The frequency with which I have to panic stop in the middle of the freeway or other kind of high speed limited-access road is startling.

I first saw motorcycle brake lights that flashed faster with the amount of braking at least 20 years ago in the US aftermarket.

I've seen them on the road maybe 20 times.

Why wouldn't a series of lights be the best/simplest pattern to implement this idea: [O O O ] == medium breaking intensity. etc..

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