Tesla Autopilot, fatal crash into side of truck 6

[JNieman]

On my truck, and many other vehicles, the 'daytime running lights' that stay on, even at night, are quite dim, and at least on my truck - are simply the amber lights at the corners, also used as turn signals. It's a 2003 Silverado.

To share a random eBay pic, here's a similar switch, below. There are three settings. Auto, off, on.

I wasn't aware that there were vehicles where it was simply IMPOSSIBLE to turn off headlights when it was dark. That seems really crappy, to me. There are times I want the truck turned on, but don't want the lights on, yet. I always thought it polite to turn off the lights when pulling into a parking spot if your lights were going to be shining through a window into someone's face, or if you're wanting to NOT blind people as you pull up toward them in a parking lot or other off-road place.

No wonder some people are being acclimated to the idea that their cars should be responsible for them, instead of the other way around!

 

[MacGyverS2000]

When it comes time to drive through the Christmas lights in the area (paid presentation, slow drive through a park), the people with cars that do not allow the headlights to be turned off get nasty sneers aimed in their direction.

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[JNieman]

Oh yes, and in fast food drive-thru as well... it's always nice to not flood the low-sitting car in front of you, if you drive a full sized truck. Even just the reflection in the mirrors can be annoying to people.

Hence my surprise that some vehicles don't allow it /at all/. I wonder how hard it is to 'fix' that, if my next vehicle comes that way. Not enough to sway the purchasing decision, but it would annoy me.

 

[JohnRBaker]

I think you will find, at least on newer GM products, that the 'Auto/Off/On' switch only controls whether the full headlight/taillight mode comes on either automatically at dusk (and off at dawn) or whether it's controlled manually. The status of the 'daytime running lights' are not affected by the setting of this switch.

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
EX-Product 'Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
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[JohnRBaker]

I'm surprised that it took them this long to weight in on this issue:

Consumer Reports calls on Tesla to disable Autopilot function

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/co...esla-to-disable-autopilot-function-2016-07-14

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
EX-Product 'Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

 

[GregLocock]

Here's the sort of letter from nhtsa that you never want.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/07/12/business/document-NHTSA-letter-to-Tesla.html

Cheers

Greg Locock


New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376

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[IRstuff]

One thing that makes it harder to know what's going on with newer headlights is the fact that in older cars, driving at night required you to at least actively turn on lights, because the dashboard lights were linked with the running lights, but newer cars with plasma or LED displays are always lit, and there's no indication that the headlights are off.

TTFN
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!
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[Spartan5]

Since this has devolved into a discussion about headlights, which isn't too much at all analogous to a semi-guided missile hurtling down the highway, I thought I'd weigh in. My '02 GM (I'm a miser), automatically turns on the headlights when it gets dark. I can switch the main lamps off, but the /corner/parking/tail lights (yellow and reds) stay on. Under no circumstances can I make the car completely dark at night, nor can I ever turn the tail lamps off. All other times I have daytime running lights (unless in park during the day, then I'm dark) or if I actively turn the headlamps to on during the day. If I drive into a tunnel or sit under an overpass for more than a few seconds, the headlights come on. Seems like a pretty straightforward, simple setup.

Until an active cruise/autopilot/autonomous car is better than a human, yes, it should require the driver to still be engaged with the system. It is an assist for a driver (like passive cruise control), not a replacement. I'm all for hand/eye monitoring/tracking to keep the systems engaged.

And yes, if the system detects the driver has disengaged, it should pull to the shoulder, stop, and put the hazards on. And absent a safe pull off area, it should proceed to the next available safe location. If it's good enough to drive the car without hands on the wheel, it should be good enough to accomplish these things. And if it's not good enough for that, just have it disengage as well and roll out of the gas.

 

[waross]

That pic from E-bay is interesting.
My 01 Sierra has a similar switch. There is no off position. In Canada, the positions are Automatic, ParkLights, and Headlights on Override.
In my cars with LED indicators, the illumination level of the LEDs drops when the headlights automatically turn on.
If I am unsure whether the headlights are on, I flick the dimmer switch. Daytime running lights do not have a high beam indicator.

Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter

 

[JohnRBaker]

On my 2013 GMC Terrain, it has the navigation package displayed on an LED panel which, when the actual headlights come on, irrespective as to how that was triggered, automatically goes into 'nighttime' mode where the map's background goes from light to dark and where the brightness level drops significantly, so there's no question that you're now in full headlight/taillight mode.

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
EX-Product 'Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

 

[1gibson]

Clearly a problem with the seat to steering wheel interface.

 

[BUGGAR]

".......irrespective as to how that was triggered............."

 

[JohnRBaker]

I was alluding to the fact that the headlights can be turned-on by either the 'dusk' event or by manually turning the headlight switch to 'ON'.

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
EX-Product 'Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

 

[cranky108]

This may be a dumb question, as I only drive older trucks because of the annoying new features, but if your headlights come on when you turn on the windshield wipers, to they also come on when you wash the windshield?

Also I don't believe the drivers tests ask if people can identify hand signs like from a bike rider might offer.

Also as far as self driving cars, be aware that it is possible for a car to slow down without using the brakes. I have shown that to many tailgaters, as they believe my brake lights will warn them (But I only do this when taping down the cruse control does not annoy them enough).

Brian I believe you misunderstood my reference to the railroads dead man detection system, not to the PTC they are now installing.

 

[JohnRBaker]

No, the headlights don't turn on because it's raining, but rather because YOU turned on the wipers. In other words, there isn't a 'rain' sensor controlling this (although I've heard that they're working on this sort of thing).

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
EX-Product 'Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

 

[GregLocock]

Automatic wipers are fitted to some cars. They have been around since 1998 at least. They aren't 100% foolproof.

Cheers

Greg Locock


New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376

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[IRstuff]

"Also I don't believe the drivers tests ask if people can identify hand signs like from a bike rider might offer."

Certainly, the bikers I've seen recently haven't learned or have forgotten the correct hand sign for a left turn maneuver. They're all doing this sort of left, downward wave thing, which is usually done concurrently with the merge into the carpool lane from the carpool lane boundary. It's basically a BS thing to prevent the CHP for citing them for incorrect lane change, even though they're already violating the between-car threading rules.

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

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[btrueblood]

I thought the between-cars thing was legal in California (first time I ever saw it was there).

 

[itsmoked]

I thought the between-cars thing was legal in California (first time I ever saw it was there).

It is. But I believe the rules are they must not exceed 5MPH faster than the cars they're passing.

Two weeks ago in Oakland I watched in fascination as a guy on a Harley swerved thru multiple lanes going around cars, constantly changing which lanes he was splitting at about 35MPH, while we were stuck at about 2MPH. I'm sure he's probably dead now.

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[SomptingGuy]

My last bike accident was a somersault over the bonnet of a car being let across two lanes of stationary traffic I was filtering through. Not technically my fault, but I could have prevented it with better behaviour. It wrecked my bike and could so easily have wrecked me. It changed my attitude. Whenever I see a bike fast filtering past me these days, my heart sinks and I feel myself internally chanting "organ donor, organ donor".

Steve