Amber rear turn signals?

[vfx]

I'm not going so far ask to ask Telsa try to institute new regulations for light convention (i.e. amber for "I'm slowing, but only a little bit") — I'm just asking them to take advantage of what US law already allows for better safety, and what most of the rest of the world already requires, and what many other US cars already have.

Who are you in contact with? I'd like to reinforce the thought.

[S-2000 Roadster]

Is anyone familiar with the actual federal regulations for turn signals? I would not be surprised to learn that there was once a requirement that they be red, and only recently has that been relaxed or refined.

Federal automotive regulations are often brain-dead, as the required chemical explosives aimed at passengers' faces should make clear. A few decapitated children later, and they realize the mistake...

[Lloyd]

Wikepedia:
Turn signal colour



Until the early 1960s, most front turn signals worldwide emitted white light and most rear turn signals emitted red. Amber front turn signals were voluntarily adopted by the auto industry in the USA for most vehicles beginning in the 1963 model year, though front turn signals were still permitted to emit white light until FMVSS 108 took effect for the 1968 model year, whereupon amber became the only permissible colour for front turn signals. Presently, almost all countries outside North America require that all front, side and rear turn signals produce amber light. In North America the rear signals may be amber or red. International proponents of amber rear signals say they are more easily discernible as turn signals. U.S. studies in the early 1990s demonstrated improvements in the speed and accuracy of following drivers' reaction to stop lamps when the turn signals were amber rather than red.[37][38][39][40][41] American regulators and other proponents of red rear turn signals have historically asserted there is no proven benefit to amber signals. However, a 2008 U.S. study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) suggests vehicles with amber rear signals rather than red ones are up to 28% less likely to be involved in certain kinds of collisions,[42] and a 2009 NHTSA study determined there is a significant overall safety benefit to amber rather than red rear turn signals.[43]

There is some evidence that turn signals with colourless clear lenses and amber bulbs may be less conspicuous in bright sunlight than those with amber lenses and colourless bulbs.[44]

[vfx]

... (NHTSA) suggests vehicles with amber rear signals rather than red ones are up to 28% less likely to be involved in certain kinds of collisions,...

Another reason the Model S could be the safest car on the road.

[Stuart]

Who are you in contact with? I'd like to reinforce the thought.

I was talking with Alex, manager of the Santana Row showroom, who, like all Tesla employees, has been super-helpful and very nice. You are free to contact him directly as well, but I'm not sure it would achieve anything extra at this stage. He already knows about this discussion thread, and has passed it onto other Tesla management and designers, who are interested in our opinions on this subject. I think open public discussion of the topic (as on this forum) is more compelling than a few private emails.

[strider]

The lens can be clear. A monochromatic LED doesn't have show its color until it's illuminated.

Model S already has this - the inner white part of the tail light glows red when you hit the brakes or turn signals. I assume it's white when reversing.

[TEG]

Off vs On:

Hmmm... Maybe it does have that big round LED assembly behind there?

[TEG]

...I assume it's white when reversing.

FYI, I think the backup lights are separate, here:

[TEG]

By the way, I still don't know the purpose of cars with these different kind of (seemingly temporary) tail lights, but someone was obviously doing something with amber turn signals in some sort of prototype test:

[Mycroft]

Amber this, amber that; can someone please explain why this is so critical? If someone is slowing for a turn, why does it matter what color the rear turn signal lamp (if it's even being used) is?

I mean, it's nice to know that the *reason* someone is slowing down is because they're turning, but it's not necessary to keep me from running up their tailpipe.

Seriously, what am I missing?