[Astraflyr]

Tried to search here, but didn't find anything.

I finally had someone behind me that I could call and have them observe my brake lights. In short, paddle regen activates the brake lights, but "L" regen activates brake lights, also? I was surprised that L would do this. Are brake lights tied to an accelerometer somehow? I was always wary of driving in L with someone behind me in my 2011, but I feel better now about it in my 2017.

 

[Steverino]

Are brake lights tied to an accelerometer somehow?

Yes. By law brakes must come on when the regen deceleration rate meets a certain threshold. L in the Gen 1 cars did not meet this threshold, so no brake lights. Gen 2 and the Bolt can regen more aggressively, hence the brake lights come on as needed.

As far as feeling better, that's all it is, a feeling. You aren't any safer. Most people get rear-ended while stopped or stopping with brake lights on.

 

[Astraflyr]

Ha. Disregard. As soon as I posted, the "similar thread" box lit up with a ton of great info about braking.

 

[ClarksonCote]

Yup, there's actually 3 levels of deceleration defined by law:
1) Some deceleration is minimal to the point that a brake light is not allowed.
2) There's a window of deceleration where a brake light is optional.
3) Finally, there's strong enough deceleration that a brake light is required.

The Gen 1 Volt fits into categories 1 and 2. The Gen 2 Volt includes some deceleration in category 3.

 

[llninja]

Yup, there's actually 3 levels of deceleration defined by law:
1) Some deceleration is minimal to the point that a brake light is not allowed.
2) There's a window of deceleration where a brake light is optional.
3) Finally, there's strong enough deceleration that a brake light is required.

The Gen 1 Volt fits into categories 1 and 2. The Gen 2 Volt includes some deceleration in category 3.

I wonder why there isn't a category 4 where fast panic deceleration causes the brake lights to flash like a strobe light. I've seen accidents on the freeway where cars are approaching stopped traffic where such an attention grabber would have prevented some rear endings.

 

[hellsop]

I wonder why there isn't a category 4 where fast panic deceleration causes the brake lights to flash like a strobe light. I've seen accidents on the freeway where cars are approaching stopped traffic where such an attention grabber would have prevented some rear endings.

EU has that as an optional standard since 2010. Apparently, the US isn't exactly leading the curve here.

 

[Stockholm Volt]

So, to clarify... Do the brake lights come on when I use my Gen 2 Volt regen. steering wheel paddle?

 

[RalphB]

Yes, they come on.

So, to clarify... Do the brake lights come on when I use my Gen 2 Volt regen. steering wheel paddle?

 

[MP81]

Glad someone clarified this - I always wondered. I mean, it's practically like engine braking in a manual, where the brake lights do not come on, so it could go either way in my mind.

My wife was behind me on the way into work today and said they light up. I suppose if they didn't, she'd have run into me by now.

 

[hellsop]

I suppose if they didn't, she'd have run into me by now.

Or she's a competent driver who maintains a sane following distance.

How come boy racers in their hopped up Corollas don't get rear-ended downshifting for every gentle turn? Oh, other drivers know that the car is slowing down by seeing that the car is slowing down.

 

[Slotracer577]

On the bolt I could see the brake lights come on once regen gets high enough. I don't remember the number, but it doesn't go on right away unless you use the paddle. I know on the volt it comes on as soon as you hit the paddle.

 

[Toolworker]

Tried to search here, but didn't find anything.

I finally had someone behind me that I could call and have them observe my brake lights.

See this thread for a test you can do yourself.

 

[Arcanox]

On the bolt I could see the brake lights come on once regen gets high enough. I don't remember the number, but it doesn't go on right away unless you use the paddle. I know on the volt it comes on as soon as you hit the paddle.

It comes on when deceleration hits a certain point; the paddle has a "fade-in" effect so it doesn't come on right away unless you're on a steep hill. When I start braking to turn into my neighborhood at night, it takes about 1 second from pressing the paddle before I see the brake lights light up the signs behind me.

 

[Astraflyr]

I love it. Thank you. 0.09g deceleration . I love numbers.

 

[gdrien]

I wonder why there isn't a category 4 where fast panic deceleration causes the brake lights to flash like a strobe light. I've seen accidents on the freeway where cars are approaching stopped traffic where such an attention grabber would have prevented some rear endings.

Actually, my BMW 135i has this. A panic stop will turn on additional, higher-intensity lights inboard of the normal brake lights.

 

[MP81]

Or she's a competent driver who maintains a sane following distance.

How come boy racers in their hopped up Corollas don't get rear-ended downshifting for every gentle turn? Oh, other drivers know that the car is slowing down by seeing that the car is slowing down.

I think you missed the sarcasm.

 

[hellsop]

I think you missed the sarcasm.

Heh. You'll find that's the kind of thing said WAY TOO OFTEN in cold seriousness. There's a lot of "OMG, don't use low, don't do this, don't do that or you'll get killed being rear-ended on the freeway" that gets said, often involving brake lights but sometimes cruise control or many other things. The fact that rolling rear-end collisions are a vanishingly tiny portion of highway collisions doesn't seem to be a Known Thing, nor that most of the rear-ended vehicles on highways are cop cars or fire trucks with ALL THE LIGHTS ON (which suggests that whether your brake lights are on or not really isn't gonna change anything...)