Why indicator/wiper on different sides in some cars?

[sbasak]

I think most Indian cars have indicator stalk on right and wiper on the left. But there are few exceptions (eg. Matiz)

While most (but again not all) cars in Europe has exactly opposite (indicator - left, wiper - right). I don't know about cars in USA.

It is pain when you are running a different car - very often you'll operate the wrong switch.

Why can't there be a single convention?

[gemithomas]

It basically comes like that when the left hand drives are converted to right hand drive for India.

[nitrous]

I guess its too complicated to redesign it for the lazy goras.

[cheap_deal]

i prefer the indicator stalk on whichever side the steering is, that way you can signal easily while downshifting, hell n toeing trying to rev match while changing lanes

[swathyd]

We easily do mistakes when we switch over our vehicles. It happened with me when i ws taking a T.D. of fiesta diesel. Many no: of times i turned on wipers instead of indicators, as i do in my cars(amby and adventure).

And when i later drove my car i was about to put left switch thinking it being indicators.

[rr_zen]

Originally Posted by cheap_deal

i prefer the indicator stalk on whichever side the steering is, that way you can signal easily while downshifting, hell n toeing trying to rev match while changing lanes

Makes a lot of sense.

I too have asked myself this question a lot many times, especially after driving an Esteem in India and moving over to a Honda Civic here in the US. There have been a few occasions when I wanted to switch on the headlights and ended up turning on the wiper. The same when trying to use the signal indicators too. Its been a while and I have got used to the new system. But I will still have trouble unlearning this when I come back to good old motherland. God save me then !!

[theMAG]

Cost cutting - lifting the stalks from the base Euro LHD derivatives

[vivekiny2k]

Originally Posted by nitrous

I guess its too complicated to redesign it for the lazy goras.

apartheid????????????

[Zappo]

I think we have discussed this topic to death on this forum. The reason is simply cost cutting. While they need to relocate the steering column from left to right as part of the homologation that is about where the buck stops. A new location for the stalks will mean some further redesigning, and that translates to some more cost. Stupid reasoning which causes a lot of problems for the drivers IMO. Its not just the location but also the position of the indicator stalk that changes. In a normally right sided stalk you push it down for a right turn and push it up for left. On a left sided stalk it will be exactly opposite. Talk of pain!

[doctorkats]

i wonder what cost is saved by the manufacturer in merely re-positioning switches?
doesn't make much sense...

[Zappo]

Originally Posted by doctorkats

i wonder what cost is saved by the manufacturer in merely re-positioning switches?
doesn't make much sense...

well, most european manufacturers have very exacting standards. The components are either sourced directly from their vendors worldwide or at max manufactured locally by the vendors as per the detailed design and specifications drawings. Changing the positions though sound small, from these manufacturers perspective means getting their designers abroad to redraw the specs and drawings including may be the contact points and wiring diagrams. thereafter they also need to test these new designs allover. now considering the western wages this works out to a tidy sum and some amount of time.

on the contrary just dumping the existing components as it is means no costs or minimal costs at worst.