In the past we had the legal requirement of fog lights, hi level brake lights introduced.
We have discussed the merits of DRLs on another thread.
However, I am wondering if there are any more legal design or feature changes in the pipeline, not just what the manufacturers are developing but what they will require to put in by law? What will the cars in 5 years time have that current cars dont?
|
What is DRL?
What will cars have in 5 years time that ours don't? A fuel cell maybe? Also to start the car you will probably have to login, so that the government know where and when you were driving the car.
|
"What is DRL?"
Day light/time running lights?
|
What will the cars in 5 years time have that current cars dont?
Mandatory fitment of ESP stability protection, probably.
I think it's already compulsory on new HGVs, hence the chaos in last February's snow when lots of trucks' stability/traction systems threw a wobbler at the first sniff of an incline.
|
It is Dave, and was a huge embarassment to us all as well.
Pat
|
|
I thought that ESP/ABS were already compulsory.
|
|
Think ABS is, but not ESP or whatever your chosen Manufacturer calls it!
Edited by b308 on 07/11/2009 at 08:43
|
|
I think ESP next, then external pedestrian / cyclist air bags? :-)
Edited by Old Navy on 07/11/2009 at 08:56
|
|
Warning triangles, spare bulb kits, hi-vis jackets/bibs, fire extinguishers, first aid kits...all the stuff regular travellers abroad have to carry will become standard once the one EU laws kick in.
Then there is the mandatory first aid course for all new drivers.
Edited by gmac on 07/11/2009 at 19:16
|
Euro VI emissions www.sae.org/mags/aei/7142
New aircon refrigerant www.sae.org/mags/aei/vehic/news/7092
USA Emissions which may come here too: www.sae.org/mags/aei/rgstd/7028
Transmission locks to prevent rollaways in USA, probably EU too: www.sae.org/mags/aei/rgstd/news/6826
|
New aircon refrigerant www.sae.org/mags/aei/vehic/news/7092
R12 hasnt been used in years, its R134 used now... but the article states R1234 as a replacement for R12.... im confused!
|
|
When they first appeared, high level brake lights, I thought, what a good idea now the un-educated will be able to tell when the vehicle in front of the one you are following brakes, they will be able to see its high level brake light through the rear window of the car they are following. So what happened to that good idea?? The designers, in their wisdom, have started to put the "high level" lights at the bottom of the rear screen of some cars and in some instances in the boot lid, practically in line with the rear lights/brake lights. So much for good ideas !
|
|
Centre line, (high level), brake lights were "invented" in the USA so that drivers could tell the difference between brake, rear lights, and red turn indicators as fitted to many US spec cars, particularly difficult at night in urban traffic. I believe they dramatically reduced rear enders.
Edited by Old Navy on 08/11/2009 at 09:29
|
Missed the Edit :-
They only have to be in the middle, not necessarily "high".
|
|
|
|
So what happened to that good idea?? The designers in their wisdom have started to put the "high level" lights at the bottom of the rear screen of some cars and in some instances in the boot lid practically in line with the rear lights/brake lights. So much for good ideas !
So where do you put the third light on a soft top? :-)
>>
How about having rear indicators high up. Now that is a good idea.
Oh! Citroen have already done that by putting them at roof level on a saloon.
What year was the DS godess introduced?
|
|
Anti frosting windsreens on certain 4x4s. ;-)
|
Never driven a car with ESP or ESC. Don't want to except to see what it's like.
It's got to be expensive. It must weigh something. It is guaranteed to take the edge off a car's natural handling. It can't be any more reliable than ABS which, when worn or faulty, can be worse than no ABS in the first place.
Features of this sort should be optional.
Lightness, simplicity and good aerodynamics are highly desirable as NW points out. There is a contradiction between those qualities and some of these ingenious electronically-controlled mechanical safety devices.
As far as I know there is no legal requirement for cars to have dual mass flywheels. Just as well because they AREN'T DRIVERPROOF. Nor are diesel particulate filters which are I believe legally encouraged or enforced. Manufacturers should be compelled to guarantee such items for 250,000 miles or 'for life'.
|
Have to agree with you, Lud.
I take the view that all it means haveing something like ABS is that the wheels are turning when you hit the scenery. It's like building and aircraft that can't be stalled. In that case it means that the airflow is still behaveing nicely over the wing when you run out of airspace, airspeed and ideas.
Simplicate and add lightness.
|
According to a report in last weeks auto express, a law in California states that by 2016 all cars must be able to repel at least 60% heat coming into the car presumably from the sun. To do this they need to develop glass that has metal oxide particles in it which, in turn, will prevent mobile phones and gps working inside the car and will need external aerials!
I assume this is to prevent over use of car air con and all the alleged global warming issues it can cause.
|
How about having rear indicators high up. Now that is a good idea. Oh! Citroen have already done that by putting them at roof level on a saloon. What year was the DS godess introduced?
5th October 1955, apparently.
Aren't the high-up rear light clusters on the Focus, Corsa, Punto etc located at the top to reduce repair costs in rear-end shunts, rather than for visibility reasons?
|
I do not think ABS is actually compulsory on all new vehicles.Although I did believe that to be correct for mass production.
The new Noble M600 does not have it- a fact remarked upon by Autocar recently.
Maybe low level/one offs/component cars do not need it? Does even a new, factory built Caterham/Westfield?
|
ABS is compulsory, except for low volume manufacturers. Not sure what the definition of that is, but certainly Noble, Morgan, Westfield etc all qualify.
Now there's a law with a common sense element for a change!
|
|
ABS is only required on large volume cars - there's a figure for what constitutes 'large' volume, but specialist and kit cars are generally excluded.
|
The oxidised glass will stop GPS working, unless it has an external aerial, but it won't stop the new European Galileo system working ( goes live in 2011 according to the DfT ).
Again according to the DfT, the Galileo signals will be powerful enough to work indoors as well.
|
the Galileo signals will be powerful enought to work indoors
Then we'll have all the people who want wi-fi banned in schools getting worked up about it...
bit.ly/isBhh (Links to DT)
Edited by Dave_TD {P} on 10/11/2009 at 11:18
|
The oxidised glass will stop GPS working unless it has an external aerial but it won't stop the new European Galileo system working ( goes live in 2011 according to the DfT ). Again according to the DfT the Galileo signals will be powerful enough to work indoors as well.
I suspect that working indoors might be a bit different from working inside the oxidised glass. The Tom Tom will just about work indoors, given enough time to sort out a constellation.
|
After the success (?) of high level brake lights, it seems that high level indicator repeaters (i.e. those mounted on the back of door mirrors) are gradually catching on. Mercedes, Honda, VAG, Ford and Renault are following this particular trend and I did see some aftermarket kits on sale at a motor accessory shop some time ago. Obviously no lobbying groups dedicated to promoting these as they are nowhere near as profitable as cats or hi-tech electronic whizzbang braking/suspension/engine management systems.
The orange "side marker lights" seen on coaches and HGVs and some Volvo cars don't seem to be gaining ground: maybe just a passing fad?
Having driven in California this summer, I would like to propose one legal "Must NOT have" - utterly stupid red rear indicators on North American cars. Ban them now! My hired Focus had red tail lights, with the brake lights doubling up as indicators and hazard warning lights. No rear foglights (legal but not compulsory) which was probably a blessing. Driving into San Francisco one rainy evening, all the indicators, brake lights and tail lights (including newer LED ones) and the occasional foglight (other British tourists??) merged into a massive sea of red.
|
The orange "side marker lights" seen on coaches and HGVs and some Volvo cars don't seem to be gaining ground: maybe just a passing fad?
All large vehicles over 6m in length need side marker lights at 2m intervals - see LWB Sprinter / Transit vans compared with the medium and short versions.
The side markers on some cars are, I think, compulsory in N America / Canada and some car manufacturers reduce production costs by fitting them to all markets instead of having to make two different kinds of bumpers (with/without end light fittings).
|
Those side marker's really are quite good, especially on some car designs where from a profile view it's almost impossible to see front or rear lights when turning out of an unlit side road in fog for instance.
Though for HGV purposes i used to prefer split lens red/white lights as side marker's.
Can be disconcerting when overtaking a hgv and you catch a flickering light out of the corner of your eye...was that a side marker flickering or the often identically lensed indicator?
|
|
Stop/Start technology would be my bet
|
Interesting to read about the Californian experience. I hired a Toyota Avalon in LA three years ago. It had amber indicators. I only noted a few cars with red rear indicators when motoring across to Arizona and back. Any one know if the colour is county/state/personal preference?
|
|
|
|
|
