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Comment by misnome | Hacker News Reader

This is what I _hate_ about the Audi striping indicators. Yes, they are actually useful when you see them when they are indicating.

However, when they have the hazard lights on, they still stripe. So if it's still and you can't see the left indicator, it feels like a very strong statement that they are trying to move out.

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I'm still confused how they made it through regulation. Image you're a security-engineer and read "On average the indicator light runs at only 50% because we think it looks cool."

Besides the fact that they're blinking lights so only on 50% of the time by design, consider the fact that regulations specify the minimum luminous output which these cars obviously pass. Add to that the fact that you're using modern high power LED lights and that the human eye perceives light in a logarithmic manner, it wouldn't surprise me if these indicators will be more noticeable on their "minimum" output than their old incandescent bulb counterparts.

The average regular indicator is also only on for 50% of the time. You know the joke: works, doesn't work, works, doesn't work

Yes, but this one is 50% of that 50%.

You're right. I imagined that the light would start to fill up immediately after turning off but it looks like thats not how it works, it really is completely off for some time.

Have you measeured their area? Betcha they're at least twice as big as the smallest ones on the market -- whichever vehicle those are on -- so 50% of these is still more visible lit-up area than 100% of those.

I don't have a problem with those. If you can only see half the car, hazards that blink normally still look like a turn signal blinking too. Yeah, the motion calls extra attention, but paying extra attention to a car with its hazards on seems fine.

Do you mean this indicator? https://youtu.be/r9Fin7pyzDc

Honestly, seems pretty good to me compared to the Mini one (which for some reason is RED instead of amber?! Plus an arrow in the opposite direction!)

Is there no law which makes amber coloured turn lights mandatory on cars (in the US)?

These types of laws aren't set at a Federal level in the US, but rather, state-by-state. As far as I know, they all allow red or amber. Most US cars have red turn signals.

The red comes from the fact that combined red turn signal+brake lights with white reverse was the standard for a very long time, from at least the 1940s.

Federal law can override and has done so in cases like seatbelts. But they’ve not bothered for turn signals.

If it were to happen CA would likely be the first and then the rest of the country could follow.

Federal law (FMVSS 108) permits red rear turn signals, either combined with the brake lamp or a separate turn signal lamp. Interestingly enough, they require amber color front turn signals because the white ones were difficult to see when the headlamps were illuminated. It's too bad they didn't use the same reasoning for the rear turn signals compared to the stop lamps.

There would be a huge backlash if they tried. Standard trailer connectors combine the brake light with the turn signal. (the brake like turns on both turn signals 100%) Many trucks just send enough wires (which are expensive these days) to run the trailer and tie the taillights off of those.

Thus to require amber to the rear means the standard trailer connector needs to be replaced, then some sort of grade period for old trailers, and - well I doubt I could think of all the complex factors required. In 30 years we might be able to do it.

If they did mandate it, then it would only apply to new vehicles and trailers.

And a diode on the old trailers would let them work with new.

You still have to deal with people with old trailers and new trucks, or new trucks and old trailers.

Trucks and trailers are each their own entity with their own papers in Germany. Perhaps this would solve the problem in the US too? When you have a new truck but an old trailer, you'd just show both papers when being questioned about it => everything is fine.

The paperwork isn't the problem, it is all the adapters needed.

Any state vehicle law pertaining to vehicle lighting has been superceded by FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard) 108.

Interesting, thank you. Since I've never been to NA I just took the yellow turn lights for granted. I just looked it up for Germany, and apparently turn light have to be yellow for every newly registered car after 1970.

No, no law. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1lZ9n2bxWA

Of course you are absolutely right, as is the author of the column.

These unfortunate design decisions violate the most basic principles of design and safety, 'common sense' and 'function over form'.

They look terrible IMO.

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