Why haven't car manufacturers standardized automatic brake lights when a built in accelerometer detects deceleration?
Why haven't car manufacturers standardized automatic brake lights when a built in accelerometer detects deceleration?
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That's a fairly complicated system to replace what is just an ultra simple switch at the pedal. The latter is even pretty likely to last the life of the car.
The problem is with electric cars that can be driven with one pedal most of the time
I was thinking about this last time I drove an ev (ioniq 5). It will really decelerate quite hard when you lift off, and it's configurable by the driver.
I don't think they need to do it with an accelerometer, but if the regeneration system is applying more braking force than it would take to turn on the light with the brake pedal, it should turn the light on.
Either that or they should require the brake pedal to be used beyond that point.
Edit: actually it just occurred to me that it might be no worse than downshifting in a normal car. Maybe it's not a big deal.
Most EVs do put on the brake lights when you lift off the pedal and the regen system kicks in.
An accelerometer isn't a good idea; but if the car's systems are responding to a command from the driver to slow down, be that a press of the brake pedal, lifting off the accelerator in a car designed for 1-foot driving, etc. it should illuminate the stop lamps.
The i5 does turn on the brake lights when you use regen modes. They did have a firmware update to make the logic a bit better earlier this year though.
They sell something like this for motorcycles because engine braking is so common. If I recall it is like a 3-4 wire install and ~$100.