Graduated Brake Lighting for Engine Braking

[user 1096]

As someone who spent a lot of time years ago designing a (wireless) helmet-mounted brake light for motorcyclists, I have now begun to worry about the unmarked rapid deceleration of engine braking.

[And for what it's worth, law enforcement usually relies on brake lights to judge if people are jumping a traffic light.]

I'm sure BMW (and others) have considered this, (and for all I know, there may be Joan Claybrook nanny-state regulations saying that brake lights must reflect mechanical braking), but I really wonder about the safety of non-signaled heavy engine braking in multi-lane highways where drivers have their noses and attention buried in phones, iPads etc.

Anyone aware of progress in this area?

 

[Surge]

Hi,

The brake lights actually come on automatically when you lift off the accelerator pedal. Someone on this forum posted an in depth youtube video of how this works.

So no need to worry!

 

[noakey]

Hi,

The brake lights actually come on automatically when you lift off the accelerator pedal. Someone on this forum posted an in depth youtube video of how this works.

So no need to worry!

See my play list. .. the video is on there... See my signature below for link..

 

[user 1096]

Hi,

The brake lights actually come on automatically when you lift off the accelerator pedal. Someone on this forum posted an in depth youtube video of how this works.

So no need to worry!

See my play list. .. the video is on there... See my signature below for link..

This is the operative vid; thx.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXJPf7Lv8Sw&index=3&list=PLt6C30nR-2fWvHbYAGuqOnQBrSWYTy9-Z

I'm surprised that BMW, as safety conscious as they are, doesn't seem to mention that feature. Maybe after mentioning it in in the "tell the Engineers" section of my buyer's survey, they'll pick it up.

Thx. again.

 

[elptex]

Before we even test drove an i3, gandering at it on the sales room floor, our sales guy told us aaaaalllllll about it--including that the brake lights come on when you let off the accelerator. It was then a "duh, of course!" moment.