[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Twenty years ago I had a Chevy Malibu with DRLs. It was not a different light, the headlights was used as DRL at a lesser brightness. However, as the darkless fell, the DRL would brighten to full brightness, and become regular headlights.

So, I didn't turn on the headlights of that car for the entire 30 months of ownership.

Why can't the modern cars have this technology from the 90s?

Whoa! This is extremely dangerous. Part of the reason why headlights on wipers on is not working as intended.

Headlights are there for you to see. But how do others see you? Tail lamps. The problem with headlights as DRL is that people cannot see your tail lamps since they are off.


as for problem solving? Well many cars now have Auto headlamps. And 30 years ago the reason for the invention was not innovation but its mommy.


EDIT : ON-> OFF

[Durango Dude]

I've had the problem with the City, it's DRL's are so bright, I really dunno whether the head lights are on or not. It's only when I switch on the headlights, that I know. But usually, I do it when I take the car out at night. I don't have auto headlights as its a VX model.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Whoa! This is extremely dangerous. Part of the reason why headlights on wipers on is not working as intended.

Headlights are there for you to see. But how do others see you? Tail lamps. The problem with headlights as DRL is that people cannot see your tail lamps since they are off.

I think you are assuming things here. Let me share the page from the Chevy Malibu 1998 manual which explains the feature.


source

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by Samurai

I think you are assuming things here. Let me share the page from the Chevy Malibu 1998 manual which explains the feature.

Attachment 1920409
source

Oh, so you could never turn of the ALC, this fixes the night problem, but not the rain problem. Your lights should be on when it rains, and this includes (infact its due to) tail lights required in the rain.

So in case of the Malibu,it can be raining, and you can be lulled into thinking that your lights are on since you can see them reflecting on vehicles in front of you. But your tail lights are off and this is now illegal in some states.


Secondly for many vehicles ALC can be turned off eg Jeep Grand Cherokee.
So you can drive at night using just front headlamps on in DRL mode with your tail lights off

[fastturtle10]

This is why I have difficulty trusting the auto-headlamp features.

[driveup]

Whatever advanced technology you implement, there are always few morons who know how not to use it (or how to misuse this). It need no special skill or doctorate to understnd difference between DRL or headlight. These people are so not attentive to realize difference between DRL and headlight, imagine they driving on road with no or less attention. Thing to blame is corrupt RTO where anyone can get license without knowing anything about driving or sign boards. How many drivers (or police) know no one can park at the corner of intersection, that is illegal.

"As per Section 15 of Rules of Road Regulation, 1989, the following rules apply to motorists and 2-wheelers.

The driver of a motor vehicle shall NOT park his vehicle:

So it causes or is likely to cause danger, obstruction or undue inconvenience to other road users
At or near a road crossing
(no mention of parking at least 15 meters away from a road corner, as claimed by the traffic police)
On a footpath or far away from the edge of the footpath
Near a traffic light or pedestrian crossing
Obstructing another parked vehicle or on wrong side of the road
Near a bus stop, school/ hospital entrance, blocking traffic sign or premises entrance or a fire hydrant."

We need to clean the system from top to bottom approach, bottom to top approach does not work in governance.

[narayans80]

In our country, we 'go green' by doing things like not switching on headlights, non-existent tail lights, no indicator. I see at least a dozen of this kind every given day.

So as long as both sides work, bright DRLs are OK by me. I don't need to do guess work with shadows.

[VWAllstar]

Don't you guys feel the DRLs on MS cars are too bright for the driver of the car on the other side?

I have had difficult patches where I felt blinded because of Baleno's and Ciaz's DRL. If you see the other brands like Honda and Hyundai, they have a bit subdued ones and do not really create issues for the upcoming car.

[vashisth]

I think we are sometimes more negligent. Usually the brightness of the illuminated instrument cluster is non-adjustable if the headlights are not on and in the dark this brightness prompts the driver to switch on the headlights. Therefore in most of the cases the drivers intentionally do not switch on the lights ignoring their safety.

[Maverick0986]

Another one. Another driver completely in oblivion or probably will fully ignorant about not having the headlamps ON.

[King_pin09]

It all started in India when BMW's were seen with the ‘Angel Eyes’, which carried a snob value at that point of time. Progressively, other manufactures started imitating as a fancy feature albeit with different designs. Today DRL’s are the new style statement and many cars, even the budget ones have them. Some manufactures provide them even at the cost of few essential safety features such as Airbags, ESP, et-al. As many forum members here have already expressed their concern that these DRLs are so bright that some motorists tend to use them instead as alternatives to head lamps.

Having said that, in the Indian scenario where may four wheeled vehicles including trucks, cars, etc run during night hours with one bulb conked off (which usually turns out to be the right side one of the driver) deceiving the vehicles from opposite side into believing it to be a two wheeler. I find DRL’s as a life saver instead.

[SS-Traveller]

Curious - is there any clause in the Indian MV Act which debars motorists from driving without headlights and running lights, and can penalize them for not turning on lights when it is dark?

[herculesksp]

Originally Posted by VWAllstar

Don't you guys feel the DRLs on MS cars are too bright for the driver of the car on the other side?

I have had difficult patches where I felt blinded because of Baleno's and Ciaz's DRL. If you see the other brands like Honda and Hyundai, they have a bit subdued ones and do not really create issues for the upcoming car.

Which is why they should be used as DRLs and not NRLs. The DRLs will dim down when the HLs turn on. In my Baleno it does.

The LEDs typically are more blinding as well as due to the fact that it is not directionally pointed down. The head lamps are pointed down and hence it won't blind as much - there is still such a thing as a very bright headlamp.

[gopi_rm]

When I bought Philips DRLs from MGA, I monitored and specifically instructed the electrician to install it as per installation manual so that when headlight is switched on, DRLs turn off automatically. I have been irritated on multiple instances where people drive only with DRLs (even in TVS XL) in the dark.

[saisree]

So this white XUV5OO (TN14Bxxxx) with faded LTD sticker left of the hatch door was supposed to be part of the TBHP sightings thread but ended up here for the reasons you all can understand.

Mate, you were driving with your headlights off and having your DRL’s and fog lights on near Velachery. I spotted you at the Kaiveli junction. Please don’t drive with headlights off. They are there for a reason.