LEDs as bulbs on vehicles

[RichardCranium]

I find the use of LEDs instead of incandescent bulbs on vehicles to be a retrograde move.

• They go on and off instantly. This makes it harder to identify their location. Incandescent bulbs take a tiny fraction of a second which allows you time to see which brake lights came on.

It would be nice if a delay could be built into the LED circuit such that they brightened and dimmed in a fraction of a second.

(I know that "The significant improvement in the time taken to light up - perhaps ½s faster than an incandescent bulb - improves safety by giving drivers more time to react. It has been reported that at normal highway speeds this equals one car length increased reaction time for the car behind." but that is no help in heavy traffic where you cannot see who has rear lights only and who has brake lights too.)

• Why are they on A/C circuits? If you are turning your head or looking from one side to the other, you can see these LEDs are flickering. I find that VERY distracting.

Why are they on an A/C circuit in a vehicle fitted with D/C wiring? (Zeity? Any ideas?)

• They tend to be very dazzling when immediately behind the vehicle, but invisible from an angle.

Why aren't they fitted into lenses in front of mirrors to distribute their light better?

• Since there is usually an internal combustion engine with an attached generator cheerfully producing excess voltage in the same vehicle, what is the benefit of installing low-voltage lights?

Wouldn't conventional glass bulbs be more environmentally friendly than LEDs make of plastic and dodgy heavy metals?

• LED life is good unless used in an environment with extremes of temperature, like a car.

Their performance is also dependent upon ambient temperature.

Or is it just me?

[Peoplesoft bloke]

I find the use of LEDs instead of incandescent bulbs on vehicles to be a retrograde move.

• They go on and off instantly. This makes it harder to identify their location. Incandescent bulbs take a tiny fraction of a second which allows you time to see which brake lights came on.

It would be nice if a delay could be built into the LED circuit such that they brightened and dimmed in a fraction of a second.

Don't see the logic of this - as you say (later) the fast response is helpful.

(I know that "The significant improvement in the time taken to light up - perhaps ½s faster than an incandescent bulb - improves safety by giving drivers more time to react. It has been reported that at normal highway speeds this equals one car length increased reaction time for the car behind." but that is no help in heavy traffic where you cannot see who has rear lights only and who has brake lights too.)

• Why are they on A/C circuits? If you are turning your head or looking from one side to the other, you can see these LEDs are flickering. I find that VERY distracting.

Why are they on an A/C circuit in a vehicle fitted with D/C wiring? (Zeity? Any ideas?)

They aren't on an AC circuits.

• They tend to be very dazzling when immediately behind the vehicle, but invisible from an angle.

Why aren't they fitted into lenses in front of mirrors to distribute their light better?

I dunno which ones you've been seeing but most of the ones I've seen have the multiple LEDs arranged in an arc to aid visibilty.

• Since there is usually an internal combustion engine with an attached generator cheerfully producing excess voltage in the same vehicle, what is the benefit of installing low-voltage lights?

The difference in voltage isn't that significant, but there's a reduction in current draw that makes for smaller cable gauge requirement - less raw material required, less switching capcity required, lighter weight.

Wouldn't conventional glass bulbs be more environmentally friendly than LEDs make of plastic and dodgy heavy metals?

Possibly, but they (in spite of your comment below) last a lot longer and they have the additional benefit of containing mulitple units in a cluster so that the failure of a single "bulb" isn't so safety critical.

• LED life is good unless used in an environment with extremes of temperature, like a car.

Their performance is also dependent upon ambient temperature.

Or is it just me?

It's just you.

[d000hg]

RC, have you run out of real things to whinge about? Come on... Brown's still in power, snow is stalling the country, the country's going bust...

[Zippy]

Don't see the logic of this - as you say (later) the fast response is helpful.


They aren't on an AC circuits.



I dunno which ones you've been seeing but most of the ones I've seen have the multiple LEDs arranged in an arc to aid visibilty.


The difference in voltage isn't that significant, but there's a reduction in current draw that makes for smaller cable gauge requirement - less raw material required, less switching capcity required, lighter weight.

Possibly, but they (in spite of your comment below) last a lot longer and they have the additional benefit of containing mulitple units in a cluster so that the failure of a single "bulb" isn't so safety critical.

It's just you.

Peoplesoft bloke is right. Sorry.

[NickFitz]

I hate those new-fangled excessively bright headlights - the ones that look blue when seen from almost any angle other than straight on. I particularly hate the morons who drive with them on full beam on dual carriageways, apparently unconcerned by the fact that they're blinding every other driver on the opposite carriageway

[Board Game Geek]

Apologies for going off topic, but I just wondered if Formula One racing cars have brake lights ?

[Tarquin Farquhar]

Apologies for going off topic, but I just wondered if Formula One racing cars have brake lights ?

and a horn?

[Board Game Geek]

and a horn?

I assume a horn would add unnecessary weight.

However, so too would brake lights, but they are also a safety feature, more so than a horn, hence my original question.

[threaded]

Apologies for going off topic, but I just wondered if Formula One racing cars have brake lights ?

No, but they do have a rear red light lit when the race is declared 'wet' and flashes to indicate the pit lane speed limiter is switched on.

They experiment with them every now and again, but it's F1: could you imagine the carnage that'd ensue playing silly beggars with the brake lights?

[Board Game Geek]

No, but they do have a rear red light lit when the race is declared 'wet' and flashes to indicate the pit lane speed limiter is switched on.

They experiment with them every now and again, but it's F1: could you imagine the carnage that'd ensue playing silly beggars with the brake lights?

Aye, because at those speeds, even by the time they saw a red light, the finely tuned reflexes of an F1 driver would still be too slow, I guess ?

It makes me realise how dangerous that sport must be. I should imagine a lot of the driving is therefore anticipatory ?

Thank you for your reply Mr T.