Daytime Running Light change?

[Eco Capitalist]

Maybe I'm losing my mind, but hear me out:

When I first got my Model S, the headlight indicator was always on. I believe I read somewhere here that his was because of the daytime running lights, Tesla hadn't implemented them, so they just used the headlights in Canada.

A few weeks ago I was in the southern US visiting a friend, so my car was finally connected to Wi Fi. It pulled down the latest update at the time (2018.24 I believe) followed by the maps update. I noticed (while still in the US) that the headlight indicator was no longer on. At first I though the car was doing some kind of geo-locating thing and not using the DRL because it was in the US. When I returned home, the headlight indicator still wasn't coming on (unless the headlights were actually on).

Today I saw my reflection in the car ahead and noticed that only the bottom of the eyebrow lights appears to be illuminated now (unless it gets dark, then the full lights come on).

So, did Tesla finally implement DRL for Canada?

 

[insaini]

a couple of months back - not sure what update it was exactly - but Tesla got rid of the headlight indicator when DRL is on.

On mine, I believe two or three of the LED's are on for the DRL compared to all of them on at night.

Have you set your lights to Auto? (move light stick away from you ... opposite of high beam)

 

[mknox]

Pre-facelift Model S cars had two level accent lights (some call the eyebrow light) and on high setting it could serve as a DRL. Newer Model S and all Model X cars have a single level accent light which necessitates that the main headlights be used for DRLs.

Model S used to show the green headlight indicator 24/7 but AFAIK the Model X did not (my Model X never did). As has been mentioned, I think a software tweak adjusted the indicator on the Model S so that it now only comes on when the full lighting system is on.

As an aside, my Model X does something that it shouldn't be allowed to do in Canada: I can manually turn the lights Off, then put them in Parking Light mode and drive that way.Legally, it should go back into full DRL mode once the car is put in Drive. I don't expect that to last long.

 

[wayner]

This is a bit OT but I often wonder about DRLs as you still see a significant number of cars driving during the day without any DRLs. I believe they have been required since 1990 so this seems weird to me, and it isn't just visiting Americans who don't have DRLs. Maybe some folks have disabled them for some reason. And I don't understand why the US doesn't require DRLs as well - it makes a lot of sense and saves lives.

 

[Eco Capitalist]

a couple of months back - not sure what update it was exactly - but Tesla got rid of the headlight indicator when DRL is on.

Have you set your lights to Auto? (move light stick away from you ... opposite of high beam)

Yep, mine are on auto. So it did change, I'm just late to the party.

 

[Eco Capitalist]

As an aside, my Model X does something that it shouldn't be allowed to do in Canada: I can manually turn the lights Off, then put them in Parking Light mode and drive that way.Legally, it should go back into full DRL mode once the car is put in Drive. I don't expect that to last long.

Have you pointed out the light behaviour to Tesla? If not, it might last longer than you think; it doesn't sound like a scenario they would test for.

 

[Eco Capitalist]

This is a bit OT but I often wonder about DRLs as you still see a significant number of cars driving during the day without any DRLs. I believe they have been required since 1990 so this seems weird to me, and it isn't just visiting Americans who don't have DRLs. Maybe some folks have disabled them for some reason. And I don't understand why the US doesn't require DRLs as well - it makes a lot of sense and saves lives.

I've often wondered about that, especially on newer looking vehicles. I see it a lot, so there can't be much enforcement.

 

[mknox]

This is a bit OT but I often wonder about DRLs as you still see a significant number of cars driving during the day without any DRLs. I believe they have been required since 1990 so this seems weird to me, and it isn't just visiting Americans who don't have DRLs. Maybe some folks have disabled them for some reason. And I don't understand why the US doesn't require DRLs as well - it makes a lot of sense and saves lives.

I've often wondered about that, especially on newer looking vehicles. I see it a lot, so there can't be much enforcement.

AFAIK, there is no legal requirement to actually use DRLs, they just have to be installed on all new cars since 1990. I believe, at least in Ontario, the Highway Traffic Act just talks about the full headlight system being required from 1 hour before sunset to 1 hour after sunrise or when certain other conditions exist.

What bugs me is how some automakers implement them, and Honda is notorious here. They run reduced voltage high beams (or some other mechanism) with no tail lights as DRLs (which is fine) but because their cars have dashboards that are backlit all the time, and there is no automatic mechanism to turn on all the other lights at dusk, I see sooooo many cars driving around at night with weak-ass headlights and no tail lights. The federal government is preparing to require all cars run their full lighting system all the time to address this, which I think is a shame. Just install automatic controls.

 

[Birdman325]

That used to happen in my house all the time. Dash lights are on, so driver doesn’t think twice about the fact that when they started driving it was light out and the “low” DRLs are on. As dusk and evening approaches, the lit dash results in the driver not realizing their full headlights (and perhaps more importantly, rear tail lights) are not on! In our older Hyundai Santa Fe which my girls now drive, I just tell them to keep the headlights on all the time. Lights turn off when you shut off the car so it works out.
One of the “best” inventions are the auto headlamps. Go on in the dark and go off in the light. (Unless of course someone switches the stalk from Auto to some other setting...)

 

[Struja]

I would have killed many motorcycle riders if not for DRL.

 

[noicepls]

AFAIK, there is no legal requirement to actually use DRLs, they just have to be installed on all new cars since 1990. I believe, at least in Ontario, the Highway Traffic Act just talks about the full headlight system being required from 1 hour before sunset to 1 hour after sunrise or when certain other conditions exist..

DRL-equipped cars in Ontario do not pass Safety Inspection certification unless the lights are functional.

 

[mknox]

DRL-equipped cars in Ontario do not pass Safety Inspection certification unless the lights are functional.

I had my Model S Safety Inspected back in March prior to selling. I just took a peak at my report and it only mentions "Required Lamps", "Reflex Reflector", "Instrument Panel Lamp" and "Headlight Aim". Maybe it's considered under "Required Lamps" but there was no specific callout for DRLs.

Also, cars manufactured prior to 1990 did not have DRLs and there is no retro-fit requirement (although it was discussed at one point).

 

[Eco Capitalist]

Exercising some quick Google-fu, we learn that Canada requires all vehicles made or imported after December 1, 1989 to have automatic daytime running lights. Vehicles that are older than 15 years that are imported in to Canada are exempt. The Ontario Highway Safety Act does NOT require that you use DRL. Nova Scotia is the only province in Canada that REQUIRES you have lights on while you drive (DRL if the car has them, otherwise low beams). This applies to out of province vehicles that are visiting as well. And yes, I mean during the daytime. Obviously if it is dark or the weather is bad, all provinces require that you have your lights on.

Another fine example of different levels of government working together.