this post was submitted on 14 Jul 2024
194 points (87.6% liked)

Showerthoughts

29533 readers
829 users here now

A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. The best ones are thoughts that many people can relate to and they find something funny or interesting in regular stuff.

Rules

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] [email protected] 21 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Because deceleration is not braking and conflating the two is extremely dangerous.

Think for more than 2 seconds plz

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

The issue is with regenerative braking and single pedal operation of EVs. Many vehicles today will essentially brake if you aren't on the accelerator.

Personally, I think it's a gap in design/regulation. But not as simple as brake pedals.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I am honestly flabbergasted that people think this is a good idea. This would basically mean that the brake light would stay on almost all the time that you weren't actively accelerating.

There would be so many more highway accidents. I heavily rely on the brake lights of the cars in front of me to drive defensively. They tell me when I should expect to put my brake on.

If brake lights turn on just because some took their foot off the gas, I can't tell the difference between a gradual slowdown and an intent to stop, so it would make it way more likely that I wouldn't brake in time to avoid a collision in a sudden stop of traffic.

Brake lights should only ever indicate that a driver has their foot on the brake. I absolutely must have this information delivered to me reliably. If the meaning of brake lights changed as recommended here, I would be legitimately scared of highway driving.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

This would basically mean that the brake light would stay on almost all the time that you weren't actively accelerating.

As I understand the idea of "single pedal operation", taking your foot off the accelerator pedal initiates regenerative braking. If your foot is not on the accelerator, you are braking, and the brake lights should be illuminated. But the brake lights are normally controlled by the brake pedal. You are braking without touching that brake pedal; the lights will not come on.

OP is trying to solve that.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

I suppose the main bulk of people misinterpreting op is due to how most people don't think of EVs as the default and as someone who lives in a part of the US where EVs are pretty rare I assumed Regen braking was activated by pressing the brakes but hey I guess that goes to show my lack of ev experience and motivation to think about how driving one works due to how rarely I come across them and have the opportunity to even consider buying one