How can I install flashing/strobing brake lights ?

[timshon111]

Hi Fam

I have 2022 Tesla model 3 and I was interested in installing flashing/strobing brake lights because I was rear-ended 3 times within last 2 years. I figure that more people are distracted on the road and I wanted to see if I can have some kind of warning system to drivers behind me. Can I just change the LED flashing bulbs, if not what other options do I have ?
Thanks in advance and Happy Holidays

 

[ThomasD]

Check with your DMV to see if it is legal first

 

[RayK]

It apparently is legal in CA as long as it flashes no more than 4 times in 4 seconds.

 

[timshon111]

Thanks guys,

Now that legal issue is taken care of, anyone has any idea about how to replace the light bulb on tesla or is it something that can be done?

 

[gearchruncher]

Now that legal issue is taken care of, anyone has any idea about how to replace the light bulb on tesla or is it something that can be done?

Anything can be done, but there are no "bulbs" on a Tesla. These are all arrays of LEDs that are integrated in a housing. You'd need to find a whole replacement module that does what you want.

Just be aware that while possibly legal in CA, these are illegal under federal and many state laws, which is why no OEM car does this. This behavior is common in Europe, and Tesla even has it on EU cars: Blog - Tesla Rolls Out Dynamic Brake Lights for European Model 3

 

[timshon111]

Anything can be done, but there are no "bulbs" on a Tesla. These are all arrays of LEDs that are integrated in a housing. You'd need to find a whole replacement module that does what you want.

Just be aware that while possibly legal in CA, these are illegal under federal and many state laws, which is why no OEM car does this. This behavior is common in Europe, and Tesla even has it on EU cars: Blog - Tesla Rolls Out Dynamic Brake Lights for European Model 3

Thanks

So verdict is that you need a whole tail light unit replaced instead of 'light bulb"
Understood

 

[RayK]

Unfortunately the best opportunity for getting a strobe stoplight for US cars would probably be for Tesla to implement it in software. The car's OS would be the best determinate for deciding when to implement it. How hard you're braking, the speed at which you're traveling, maybe even the distance of whatever is in front of you, etc., is known by the car and it is the best source for strobing your brake lights or just keeping with the standard illumination. You probably do NOT want the strobe effect every single time the car brakes. And that especially includes any time you may be feathering the throttle when slowing down for a stop and using regen braking.

I don't know if EU cars have a different stoplight assembly which supports the strobe lighting but I kinda doubt it. I believe that the difference with EU versions is that they have yellow/amber turn signals. I think @gearchruncher meant that it's not as simple as unscrewing a bulb since the tail light assembly consists of multiple LEDs and if you can't have the software have the intelligence to the strobes, then you're left with replacing the entire tail light with something that has the strobe circuitry built in.

 

[dasn]

I believe from 2022.40.4 onwards if you brake hard and suddenly the brake lights will flash quickly:

2022.40.4 release notes:
If you are driving over 50 km/h (31 mph) and brake forcefully, the brake lights will now flash quickly to warn other drivers that your car is rapidly slowing down. If your car stops completely, the hazard warning lights will flash until you press the accelerator or manually press the hazard warning lights button to turn them off.

 

[RayK]

I believe from 2022.40.4 onwards if you brake hard and suddenly the brake lights will flash quickly:

Also in the release notes: Not relevant in the United States

 

[gearchruncher]

Unfortunately the best opportunity for getting a strobe stoplight for US cars would probably be for Tesla to implement it in software.

Like I said. Already exists in software, because it already does this in Europe. It's illegal here though, so it isn't going to happen. This has nothing to do with amber turn signals. Clearly Tesla has full control of all lights in the car in any way they want, that's how they do the various holiday light shows.

It took the USA 20+ years to allow matrix headlights. Maybe in another 5 they'll allow dynamic brake lights.

 

[rpiotro]

You can put something like this in-line. Not Sure if it would work on the Tesla but it should. For the high mounted stop light.

https://www.amazon.com/HUIQIAODS-Strobe-Controller-Flasher-GS-100A/dp/B07GTHB262/ref=sr_1_15?keywords=flashing+stop+light&qid=1671715355&sr=8-15

I installed the GOMIMNIGO flasher on my last four cars but I see the site doesn't offer it anymore.

 

[BigNick]

Just be aware that while possibly legal in CA, these are illegal under federal and many state laws, which is why no OEM car does this. This behavior is common in Europe, and Tesla even has it on EU cars: Blog - Tesla Rolls Out Dynamic Brake Lights for European Model 3

Another example of US regs being behind the times (along with still allowing red rear turn signals and not mandating amber ones.)

 

[AdamVIP]

Pease don't. The blinking brake lights are awful.

 

[Radlaw]

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evannex.com

 

[UncertainTimes]

Just slap on a cyclist taillight on the back of the car

 

[heavyD]

I'm not sure if a few extra flashes from brake lights are going to make a big difference unless the weather conditions are poor. Distracted drivers are rear ending you because they are looking at their phones, not the road, which means it's not likely a little extra flashing is going to catch their eye. It's just the sad reality of today's drivers.

 

[gearchruncher]

Distracted drivers are rear ending you because they are looking at their phones, not the road, which means it's not likely a little extra flashing is going to catch their eye. It's just the sad reality of today's drivers.

Got any data that rear end accidents are up statistically in correlation with cell phone use?

Here's a 2007 NHTSA study on enhanced brake lights for you to peruse:

https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/analyses20of20rear-end20crashes20and20near-crashes20dot20hs2081020846.pdf

It includes such gems as:

Approximately 87 percent of rear-end crashes in which the driver struck the lead vehicle included some form or degree of driver distraction;

Data suggest that a successful rear-signaling system will work to redirect driver visual attention to the forward roadway, particularly under cases of prolonged driver visual distraction (eyes-off-road time greater than 2 s). Evaluation of enhanced rear-signaling systems, therefore, should focus on the system’s ability to draw the drivers’ attention to the forward roadway, particularly in cases where eyes-off-road time exceeds 2 s (these are relatively rare situations).

Approximately 40 percent of crash-involved drivers had their gaze directed out the front windshield at the time of lead-vehicle braking onset.

Despite that being 2007, before the iPhone was even introduced.

 

[gearchruncher]

Pease don't. The blinking brake lights are awful.

Importantly, the EU version only blinks under harder than normal braking, and this is what NHTSA suggests too.
Given the way actual humans work, having every car blink every time would just be visual noise and may actually increase rear end accidents as people get desensitized. You want the flashing to be a rare event, and indicative of an abnormal situation.

 

[heavyD]

Got any data that rear end accidents are up statistically in correlation with cell phone use?

Here's a 2007 NHTSA study on enhanced brake lights for you to peruse:

https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/analyses20of20rear-end20crashes20and20near-crashes20dot20hs2081020846.pdf

It includes such gems as:



Despite that being 2007, before the iPhone was even introduced.

Why ask me? It's pretty easy to find if you want to educate yourself.

How to Reduce the Risks of Phone Use While Driving

Using a phone in any way while driving can be dangerous, but at times it’s necessary. The right tools can help you reduce the risks.

www.nytimes.com

“Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds,” the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says. “At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed.” Similarly, a 2018 study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety (PDF) found that any “visual-manual cell phone interaction” nearly doubles the odds of a crash, triples the odds of driving off the road, and increases the odds of rear-ending another vehicle by more than seven times. Interestingly, it also found that simply having a cell phone conversation didn’t result in any significantly higher risk than when driving normally.

You aren't one of those people that thinks you are special and can operate your phone and drive at the same time safely are you?

 

[jkdman123]

I had a license plate frame on my old car that had an accelerometer and LED light assembly with a battery that would strobe if you braked hard. I'm fairly convinced it helped prevent someone rear ending me once or twice over the years. When I got my M3 in 2019 I looked high and low for one of those to put on the new car and couldn't find it anywhere. I guess the federal regs killed them off.

Looked into some of the units you splice into the wiring and decided not to monkey with it as well as disliking the fact that it would strobe the brake light every time it engaged which would probably get you shot in stop-and-go traffic like we have in SoCal.