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What happened to the proposal that all new cars should be fitted with daytime running lights? I thought legislation was going to be brought in to make them compulsory. I seem to remember that motorcyclists objected to the idea.
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IIRC it was a voluntary agreement between ACEA and the EU that by a certain date all new cars would be capable of having daytime running lights. Note "capable" and not "would definitely have." It never came into legislation, but I am willing to be corrected there.
However there was something in the agreement, relating to MG Rover I think, which meant that after a particular date, now long gone, that the agreement would be annulled if something or other wasn't agreed.
Sorry to be so vague, don't have the time to look up the details right now.
Hope that helps and someone else can provide the links.
FiF
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My previous car was a Volvo 440, which had dim dipped lights whenever the ignition was on (I never did find the fuse!) I became accustomed to the lights being there all the time and I didn't need to think about them. I think that it is an excellent feature. Now that I have a different car I keep the sidelights switched on all the time. The lighting system is designed such that switching off the ignition puts out the lights anyhow and I don't need to worry about draining the battery. Nor am I likely to get warning flashes from other drivers. I used to get lots of those at during daylight from people unaccustomed to Volvos.
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IIRC also covered the removal of bull bars and the introduction ABS, with 90% of cars requiring this by 6/04 and new crash test standards to be applied from the end of the decade (see the Europa website at www.europa.eu.int ), and was originally created by the ACEA in attempt to avoid more stringent regulations being forced upon them.
This agreement is in force - however the DRL requirement (which would have come into force by late 2003) was dropped in 2002due to lobbying by certain groups such as motorcycle groups, I think due to concerns over 'vulnerable' road users being masked by cars with bright DRL's.
Interestingly enough, though, the new Audi A6 does have DRL's - but they are not traditional Volvo-style (i.e. dipped headlights), but rather LEDs, and these are to be fitted to UK spec cars - indeed confirmed on Audi's website and on the specs part of this website.
I have seen articles alluding to possible widespread introduction but I am unable to find anything to back that up - www.unece.org/trans/main/welcwp29.htm may help for those interested.
As an aside - I've lived in the US for 6 months, where side marker lights (the orange lights Volvo fits in the UK on the wings) have been standard for, I guess the last 30 odd years - and they certainly help at night when changing lanes on freeways. The above website (the ECE sets standards in Europe) also contains info on that.
Steve
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