# Have any car manufacturers included automatic turn signals on their cars? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 20, 2015, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-car-manufacturers-included-automatic-turn-signals-on-their-cars/732015 "2015-09-20T22:34:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2015, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-car-manufacturers-included-automatic-turn-signals-on-their-cars/732015/21 "2015-09-21T14:19:01Z")
And in fact brake lights would be more useful if they behaved differently under gentle, typical, hard, and max effort braking. Then following drivers would get valuable info about what their reaction ought to be. The problem is there’d need to be absolute standardization on the different signals. If each manufacturers’ marketing department got to choose which lamps or flash speeds or movement patterns represented each braking level then much chaos would ensue. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2015, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-car-manufacturers-included-automatic-turn-signals-on-their-cars/732015/22 "2015-09-21T14:31:41Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > \*\*And in fact brake lights would be more useful if they behaved differently under gentle, typical, hard, and max effort braking. > > \*\* > > Then following drivers would get valuable info about what their reaction ought to be. > > The problem is there’d need to be absolute standardization on the different signals. If each manufacturers’ marketing department got to choose which lamps or flash speeds or movement patterns represented each braking level then much chaos would ensue. Back in the 80s, I had an aftermarket brakelight on my motorcycle that did exactly that. With increasing braking force, the light would flash faster, brighter and the flashes would be shorter in duration and closer together. it also adjusted for ambient light levels. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2015, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-car-manufacturers-included-automatic-turn-signals-on-their-cars/732015/23 "2015-09-21T15:33:35Z")
One you reach a certain age, it is acceptable to turn on the signal when you leave the driveway she leaves it on until you reach the destination. > [@LSLGuy](#): > > And in fact brake lights would be more useful if they behaved differently under gentle, typical, hard, and max effort braking. I’ve always thought that would be a good idea. Also, if we’re asking Santa Clause in this thread, I want a light on the front that says “I’m not turning, I’m going straight” for use at 4 way stop signs. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2015, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-car-manufacturers-included-automatic-turn-signals-on-their-cars/732015/24 "2015-09-21T16:56:12Z")
One possibility I’ve contemplated is that the car would still allow you to turn without signalling first, but if you did it, it would chime an annoying alarm. You could still take evasive action in an emergency, but drivers would hopefully be trained to use their signals properly. That would probably only come from government regulation, though, because no manufacturer would want to be the only one with that “feature”. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2015, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-car-manufacturers-included-automatic-turn-signals-on-their-cars/732015/25 "2015-09-21T19:04:35Z")
Also, there are situations where you are turning the wheel without making a turn that would require a signal. Like when you’re driving on windy roads. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2015, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-car-manufacturers-included-automatic-turn-signals-on-their-cars/732015/26 "2015-09-21T19:11:48Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > One possibility I’ve contemplated is that the car would still allow you to turn without signalling first, but if you did it, it would chime an annoying alarm. You could still take evasive action in an emergency, but drivers would hopefully be trained to use their signals properly. That would probably only come from government regulation, though, because no manufacturer would want to be the only one with that “feature”. Good idea. And if Warner Bros had any input into how it worked, a boxing glove on a pantograph would emerge from the instrument cluster to deliver a stern reminder to the piggish driver. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2015, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-car-manufacturers-included-automatic-turn-signals-on-their-cars/732015/27 "2015-09-21T19:17:54Z")
> [@Fubaya](#): > > Also, if we’re asking Santa Clause in this thread The Sanity Clause says that if your driving is insane, we can lift your license. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2015, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-car-manufacturers-included-automatic-turn-signals-on-their-cars/732015/28 "2015-09-21T19:37:25Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > And in fact brake lights would be more useful if they behaved differently under gentle, typical, hard, and max effort braking. > > Then following drivers would get valuable info about what their reaction ought to be. > > The problem is there’d need to be absolute standardization on the different signals. If each manufacturers’ marketing department got to choose which lamps or flash speeds or movement patterns represented each braking level then much chaos would ensue. Agree with both points. On the first point, good drivers already deal with this. If you’re barreling along at freeway speeds and traffic suddenly comes to a complete stop because of some event up ahead, a good driver briefly turns on the four-ways as a warning to the following traffic. And if I’m coming up on such an event, I tend to brake in rapid bursts if possible to make the brake lights flash. On the latter point, see the thread about the different meanings of flashing green traffic lights – I’m astounded that such a discrepancy could exist just because of jurisdictional whims. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2015, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-car-manufacturers-included-automatic-turn-signals-on-their-cars/732015/29 "2015-09-21T21:05:15Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > Also, there are situations where you are turning the wheel without making a turn that would require a signal. Like when you’re driving on windy roads. A common situation for me is when there are turns and an available lane to change lanes into at the same time. E.g., two left turn lanes at an intersection onto a four lane road. If you are in the rightmost turn lane and making the turn, having the turn signal come on _during_ the turn might cause drivers to think you are about to switch to the left lane when you are not. While if the signal was on before the turn they might think that was just the original turn and nothing more. Another ambiguous situation is an exit-only ramp that goes right. No need to signal. But if your signal comes on it might suggest you are having a problem and need to move onto the shoulder. Automatic signals would seem to merely increase the number of these unclear situations. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2015, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-car-manufacturers-included-automatic-turn-signals-on-their-cars/732015/30 "2015-09-21T21:39:06Z")
> [@dofe](#): > > Indeed. I believe Mercedes holds a patent on an early brake light activation system that will activate the brake lights **before** the driver even touches the brake pedal (based on the proximity and closing rate to the car in front and relying on radar info). I don’t know if this has been actually implemented into their cars, however. There’s more to it than that. They have radar-guided cruise control that will actually _brake_ the car for you. The early brake warning system is available on non-US models. > [@LSLGuy](#): > > And in fact brake lights would be more useful if they behaved differently under gentle, typical, hard, and max effort braking. Mercedes’ S-Class (and now, the E-Class I think) flash their brakelights under heavy braking, and signal deceleration before the driver touches the pedal. Unfortunately, the NHTSA hasn’t approved them for the US market. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2015, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-car-manufacturers-included-automatic-turn-signals-on-their-cars/732015/31 "2015-09-21T22:13:11Z")
There’s something to be said for giving drivers something to do occasionally (slight bend in the road, signal a lane change, etc.) simply to help them avoid drifting off into zombie land. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2015, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-car-manufacturers-included-automatic-turn-signals-on-their-cars/732015/32 "2015-09-22T00:10:16Z")
Driver’s Ed, 1966: WATCH THE FRONT WHEEL It will be your first indication that the car is turning. No ‘cloud’ or supernatural being required. (insert ‘jeeze’ emoticon here) ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2015, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-car-manufacturers-included-automatic-turn-signals-on-their-cars/732015/33 "2015-09-22T02:37:07Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > …the whole point of the signal is to inform other drivers of what you’re planning, not what you’re already doing. Please come to Washington, D.C., and tell that to all the drivers here. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2015, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-car-manufacturers-included-automatic-turn-signals-on-their-cars/732015/34 "2015-09-22T06:52:51Z")
> [@usedtobe](#): > > Driver’s Ed, 1966: > > WATCH THE FRONT WHEEL > > It will be your first indication that the car is turning. > > No ‘cloud’ or supernatural being required. > > (insert ‘jeeze’ emoticon here) Yeah, but student drivers in those days weren’t taught to drive with the Common Core Driving Curriculum. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2015, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-car-manufacturers-included-automatic-turn-signals-on-their-cars/732015/35 "2015-09-22T09:20:20Z")
Upcoming cars will have automatic lane changing–you tap the signal, and the car uses its cameras, radar, and ultrasonics to determine when it’s safe to change lanes, and then does so. Makes it easier and safer all around, and guarantees that the signal will be used properly. It’s a small first step toward truly autonomous cars. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2015, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-car-manufacturers-included-automatic-turn-signals-on-their-cars/732015/36 "2015-09-22T14:36:52Z")
> [@usedtobe](#): > > Driver’s Ed, 1966: > > WATCH THE FRONT WHEEL > > It will be your first indication that the car is turning. > > No ‘cloud’ or supernatural being required. > > (insert ‘jeeze’ emoticon here) And it was pitifully stupid advice then and is even worse today. The time you need to know somebody is thinking of turning is a few hundred feet before they do so, not a millisecond before their car changes course. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2015, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-car-manufacturers-included-automatic-turn-signals-on-their-cars/732015/37 "2015-09-22T15:02:03Z")
The car will change course contemporaneously with any noticeable change in the wheel angle, so you don’t even get a millisecond. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2015, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-car-manufacturers-included-automatic-turn-signals-on-their-cars/732015/38 "2015-09-22T15:49:31Z")
Agreed. The only way that advice makes sense is if you see a car stopped but with wheels cocked. That’s a clue that when it does move at some indeterminate time in the future it’ll probably be turning in the direction the wheels point. Unless the driver has dropped into reverse, in which case it’ll still turn the \*way \*you expect, but not \*how \*you expect. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2015, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-car-manufacturers-included-automatic-turn-signals-on-their-cars/732015/39 "2015-09-22T23:05:57Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > And it was pitifully stupid advice then and is even worse today. The time you need to know somebody is thinking of turning is a few hundred feet before they do so, not a millisecond before their car changes course. Agree. If your brake lights come on before your turn signal, you’re doing it wrong. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2015, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-car-manufacturers-included-automatic-turn-signals-on-their-cars/732015/40 "2015-09-23T01:13:50Z")
Short of telepathy, how am I to know when the idiot is going to turn? Yes, a blinking light a few seconds before the turn would be nice, and the ‘we’ll all be saved by the cloud’ is a guaranteed post in any thread re driving. But, for now, how else are you going to know the idiot is going to turn? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-car-manufacturers-included-automatic-turn-signals-on-their-cars/732015.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-car-manufacturers-included-automatic-turn-signals-on-their-cars/732015.md?page=3)