Useless automotive "innovations"

[Rupert]

I do hate wet windowsills.

[Raza]

You know, there used to be a simple solution to this: If the lights weren't on, the dashboard was dark too. Since modern instruments are generally electro-something or other that by definition are always lit, this one simple piece of feedback has been forgotten.

Every time I see some dumb fuck driving with only DRLs at night or even full on no lights, I see a lit up dashboard in their face.  How is that not illegal?

[68_427]

It probably is.  In NY it's illegal to have no lights on in inclement whether or low visibility situations but more than 50% of drivers keep their lights off anyways.

[2o6]

Every time I see some dumb fuck driving with only DRLs at night or even full on no lights, I see a lit up dashboard in their face.  How is that not illegal?

The DRL's on my car are just as bright as the headlights.

[Soup DeVille]

The DRL's on my car are just as bright as the headlights.

But you've no tail lights.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

It probably is.  In NY it's illegal to have no lights on in inclement whether or low visibility situations but more than 50% of drivers keep their lights off anyways.

Same here in Ohio but no one enforces it! But if your radio is too loud................

[CALL_911]

The DRL's on my car are just as bright as the headlights.

My DRLs are my fucking HIDs. I would love to disable the feature altogether, or switch my DRLs to my amber signals or something

[Raza]

It probably is.  In NY it's illegal to have no lights on in inclement whether or low visibility situations but more than 50% of drivers keep their lights off anyways.

I meant "how are constantly lit dashboards not illegal?"

[AltinD]

Every time I see some dumb fuck driving with only DRLs at night or even full on no lights, I see a lit up dashboard in their face.  How is that not illegal?

Yes, I hate it too

[Soup DeVille]

I meant "how are constantly lit dashboards not illegal?"

Digital and modern electroluminescent gauges by definition are always lit. Most of them are set to dim at night.

One solution might be having different colors for day and night operation; but in the end there's only so much you can do to grab the attention of inattentive drivers.

[AltinD]

My 2008 model gauges are no different from 2014 ones (in function: analog gauges with physical needles and digital numbers for metrics), yet they are not litted in the day and are clearly visible. I don't know why the Japanese cars (the ghost cars are always Japanese) would do that.