Brake Lights - anyone done a video of them?

[Babylonfive]

Sounds silly maybe, but I'd like to know what the light patterns are on the tailights for braking, turning, and night driving.

Actually it would be great to know:

no headlights brakes off no blinker * presumably no light
no headlights brakes on no blinker
no headlights brakes off blinker on (full cycle)
no headlights brakes on blinker on (full cycle)

headlights on brakes off no blinker
headlights on brakes on no blinker
headlights on brakes off blinker on (full cycle)
headlights on brakes on blinker on (full cycle)

​

Maybe another 'Cinergi-style' video - wouldn't be a long one... :redface:

 

[cinergi]

It's on my todo list actually. Someone on youtube (unless that was you) asked for a full video review of the lights in all their possible settings.

 

[Babylonfive]

No sir, that was not me.
My reason is to understand the logic involved in creating yellow turn signals.

 

[Ceilidh]

Saw them for the first time a couple nights ago. I didn't take video but I was impressed.

Picture Tron in red, yet classy.

It looked pretty cool. It's big but tasteful and slick when following behind one in the dark.

Of course just MHO.

Cheers

 

[Babylonfive]

Well I need to see how the different red sections react to the turn signals.

 

[charliestyr]

The turn signal flashes the brake-lights, afaik. So, you have the tail lights which are the 'outline' red that goes around:

photo credit, dadaleus

Then you have the brake lights which are just the parts not on the trunk-lid:

Photo credit, vfx

And so, when you put the turn signal on it flashes the entirety of that brake light as shown in the picture above, again afaik. Here is a pic where someone was sitting at a junction with their left turn signal on, and it was blinking off at the time of the photo:

Photo credit, westerndh

So, that's the basic gist of it, but of course another great video from cinergi would clear it all up ;-) for example, indicating with the tail lights on, etc. For the amber signals, I would have thought the easiest thing to do would be to have the "outer ring" as a tail light/brake light combo, gets brighter for braking, and then the "inner ring" as an amber turn signal. If you get what I mean.

Charlie -

 

[mknox]

I would have thought the easiest thing to do would be to have the "outer ring" as a tail light/brake light combo, gets brighter for braking, and then the "inner ring" as an amber turn signal. If you get what I mean.

I don't believe that would work for European-spec cars. My understanding is that the brake light has to be a separate element separate from the running light that goes completely on and off. Could be wrong, but that is my understanding.

 

[charliestyr]

It does sound like that should be the case, although I feel like I have seen Audis that have a similar "outer ring" like the Model S, which gets brighter for braking. Now, I thought at the time that that isn't great, from a safety perspective it is obviously best to have all lights separate... I will have a look if I can find the Audi model out of interest.

Otherwise with regards to Model S, if everything does have to be separate then they can just change the design a bit, I'm sure it's not that difficult, add a third "ring" in between the inner and outer ring that is visible now, and that can be braking or turn signal.

e2a: I can't find any info online of an audi with brake light and tail light as the same thing, perhaps it was just my imagination. They typically have the outer ring, as above, and then that gets brighter on braking but there is also a part of the inner ring that lights up, so I guess maybe that's how it works...

 

[contaygious]

+1 for vid.

And speaking of Audi lights, I was blinded to the point of closing my eyes while stopped at a light last night behind a new a8. I couldn't believe it was legal

 

[charliestyr]

ha, indeed... one problem with "creep" is everyone resting on the brakes at traffic lights, and now with such advanced tail lights they can be blinding. The lights in that A8 pic are the tail lights, (at least in Europe) the brake lights being in the centre of that ring. They look very elegant, but I would indeed imagine that having the brakes a few feet from your eyes at night would be painful.

 

[cinergi]

On it's way: Tesla Model S Exterior Lighting - YouTube

 

[PeterW]

awesome, thank you :smile:

 

[goaliemanshark]

Uh oh. Does your upper brake light bar have an LED out?

 

[Laumb]

Great video - but I am not sure - did you show any rear fog-light(s )?


_____
Tapatalkin' from iTalatut.

 

[sp4rk]

No sir, that was not me.
My reason is to understand the logic involved in creating yellow turn signals.

Ah yes, yellow or amber turn signals at the rear ... something I absolutely INSIST on.

I spent an hour last Saturday at fellow member (forgotten his screen name here), sorry Dave!, and took a GOOD look to see how one could, perhaps modify it.

I could not really tell if the LED is red or what?

For export to Europe, amber is mandated.

Question is, will it be a different wiring harness ... I really doubt it.

LED bulb swap out?

I plan on buying from Tesla the "rear" kit spare part or some such and have it retrofitted. After all, I am sure they have so much time on their hands to deal with it ... rather than perform some kind of ramp up?

Otherwise I'll just sell my S, then buy a UK S, for pounds sterling (dear), ship it back to me, change the steering and end up with LHD amber turn signals.

 

[ToddRLockwood]

On it's way: Tesla Model S Exterior Lighting - YouTube

What is the pulsing I see when only the front running lights are on?

 

[sublimaze1]

What is the pulsing I see when only the front running lights are on?

I have seen this a lot with youtube. I think it is the frame rate of the device used to record the video.

 

[charliestyr]

Indeed, it is something to do with LEDs and digital cameras. I think the AC current frequency business powering the LEDs gets involved with the frame rate of the video recorder... something like that, and it results in that flickering.

 

[brianman]

Indeed, it is something to do with LEDs and digital cameras. I think the AC current frequency business powering the LEDs gets involved with the frame rate of the video recorder... something like that, and it results in that flickering.

I kind of wish it had the pulsing when viewed normally. It's a neat effect.

 

[contaygious]

Great vid! So the LEDs next to the fogs can be turned on and off? Is that part of the drl control? I didn't realize there were so many configurations.