yellow brake caution light for b mode

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verobel

Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2014
Messages
13
Location
Wellington, Ontario, Canada
I think that Nissan should add an extra yellow 'intermediate brake' light on both sides in the back that would come on when B mode regeneration is actively slowing the car. This will avoid rear end collisions from other drivers that may not detect the deceleration without regular brake lights coming on.
 
It would be illegal under DOT rules. Some EVs (like the Tesla) simply illuminate the brake lights during heavy regeneration.

verobel said:
I think that Nissan should add an extra yellow 'intermediate brake' light on both sides in the back that would come on when B mode regeneration is actively slowing the car. This will avoid rear end collisions from other drivers that may not detect the deceleration without regular brake lights coming on.
 
Well... in that case, perhaps they should make the brake lights come on with low intensity, after all the car is decelerating. I think we will see accidents (rear enders) sooner or later when drivers following Leafs in B mode regeneration, suddenly see a car slowing down with no brake lights applied. Best to nip the problem in the bud, before anyone gets hurt. Right now 'B mode on' is like a care with brake lights not functioning.(which is illegal)
 
verobel said:
Well... in that case, perhaps they should make the brake lights come on with low intensity, after all the car is decelerating. I think we will see accidents (rear enders) sooner or later when drivers following Leafs in B mode regeneration, suddenly see a car slowing down with no brake lights applied. Best to nip the problem in the bud, before anyone gets hurt. Right now 'B mode on' is like a care with brake lights not functioning.(which is illegal)
What about when driving at night? :roll:
 
Given that engine braking can produce similar if not faster deceleration without brake lights, You'd have thought there would have been a swathe of manual-transmission rear-enders by now if this were a significant risk.
 
I've considered the risk of getting rear ended, too. This city is infested with tailgators. So my answer was to install a rear facing DVR to record the wreck when it gets hit. This new one has built in GPS that records speed in the video to show it wasn't a "brake check" like they will claim.
 
+1

And even automatics downshifting to lower gears for braking (which is more common theses days with the manual shift mode that is on virtually every modern automatic).

EvansvilleLeaf said:
Given that engine braking can produce similar if not faster deceleration without brake lights, You'd have thought there would have been a swathe of manual-transmission rear-enders by now if this were a significant risk.
 
verobel said:
Well... in that case, perhaps they should make the brake lights come on with low intensity, after all the car is decelerating. I think we will see accidents (rear enders) sooner or later when drivers following Leafs in B mode regeneration, suddenly see a car slowing down with no brake lights applied. Best to nip the problem in the bud, before anyone gets hurt. Right now 'B mode on' is like a care with brake lights not functioning.(which is illegal)
it is also like the many cars and trucks with manual transmissions that the operators use engine braking to slow the vehicle down. while some sort of deceleration warning could be good the rate of deceleration of the LEAF in B mode isn't all that dramatic
 
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