Useful feature I have never seen in a car
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 1,059
Likes: 275
From: California
I admit I only buy used vehicles so am sometimes a bit behind the times on features, but I also rent cars almost every week which gives me exposure to 2017 and 2018 models from various manufacturers. One thing I have never seen is a car that will automatically turn on your lights when it's raining. In the "auto" headlight setting, the lights only come on when it is dark outside. Anyone who has ever been in FL during the summer and driven through one of our daily afternoon thunderstorm monsoons knows there are times when you can't see more than 15-20 feet in front of you - so you really need to have your lights on in order to allow the car behind you to see you. Almost every week since summer started I have been in some type of rain storm where no one on the interstate exceeds 35mph because the rain is that heavy and visibility is so limited. We have rain-sensing windshield wipers - why not a feature that also turns on the headlights when it senses rain for a certain period of time (30 seconds maybe) and then turns them off when the rain stops?
I have to assume this exists- if so, please let me know which manufacturers and models you have seen offer this very simple but helpful and safe feature. It seems like a no-brainer.
I have to assume this exists- if so, please let me know which manufacturers and models you have seen offer this very simple but helpful and safe feature. It seems like a no-brainer.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,080
Likes: 111
From: Southeastern PA
funny you mentions this as it is cali law that your lights have to be on if its raining as of 2017. ( i've never seen it enforced, they dont ticket for this) Maybe this will be added to cali cars as an option? Most cars turn on the wipers automatically when they sense rain.
And sorry, but "most" cars do NOT have rain sensing wipers. Maybe most Lexus models do....
Dysfunctional Veteran
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 8,103
Likes: 319
From: Van Alstyne, TX
I am one of those weird people who, day or night, doesn't matter, If I am in my car(s) and its not in park, my headlights are on. I just turn them off when I get out of the car. Not that hard.
Jeeezus, how did humans function back in the day when we had to shift our own gears, use dial-up internet, and put a key in a door if we wanted to lock or unlock it. Nevermind even further back, when we had a round key for the doors/trunk and a square one for the ignition.
Blows my mind that people have forgotten things like phones that had buttons and cords, or cars without ABS. I am only 33, not that old.
20 years from now, my children will be like "dafuq is an iPod?"
Jeeezus, how did humans function back in the day when we had to shift our own gears, use dial-up internet, and put a key in a door if we wanted to lock or unlock it. Nevermind even further back, when we had a round key for the doors/trunk and a square one for the ignition.
Blows my mind that people have forgotten things like phones that had buttons and cords, or cars without ABS. I am only 33, not that old.
20 years from now, my children will be like "dafuq is an iPod?"
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 1,059
Likes: 275
From: California
I am one of those weird people who, day or night, doesn't matter, If I am in my car(s) and its not in park, my headlights are on. I just turn them off when I get out of the car. Not that hard.
Jeeezus, how did humans function back in the day when we had to shift our own gears, use dial-up internet, and put a key in a door if we wanted to lock or unlock it. Nevermind even further back, when we had a round key for the doors/trunk and a square one for the ignition.
Blows my mind that people have forgotten things like phones that had buttons and cords, or cars without ABS. I am only 33, not that old.
20 years from now, my children will be like "dafuq is an iPod?"
Jeeezus, how did humans function back in the day when we had to shift our own gears, use dial-up internet, and put a key in a door if we wanted to lock or unlock it. Nevermind even further back, when we had a round key for the doors/trunk and a square one for the ignition.
Blows my mind that people have forgotten things like phones that had buttons and cords, or cars without ABS. I am only 33, not that old.
20 years from now, my children will be like "dafuq is an iPod?"
I have an accord, and driving it versus the gs350 is more exercise now lol!
Lexus Champion
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 4,592
Likes: 31
From: TN
Okay so this is an aftermarket ad-on for my truck. Convex rear view mirror, aka the one in the cab. Stock one is way too small, looks like something they put in a basic Yaris or Corolla. Doesn't do **** for rear visibility, hell its so small it doesn't even show the entire rear glass. Go to Advance Auto, get a convex rear view mirror that clips onto the stock one, best $12 I ever spent. You can actually now look in the rear view mirror and see in the left and right lanes behind you. Stuck some of those round circle convex mirrors on the left and right mirrors, now I don't even have to turn my head to change lanes, all the mirrors cover every single blind spot on the truck, best $20 I ever spent.
I know cameras are cool and all that ****(still wish my truck had a backup camera), but seriously just some well placed convex mirrors do the same damn thing as those blind spot cameras on Hondas and that all around view on Infinitis.
I know cameras are cool and all that ****(still wish my truck had a backup camera), but seriously just some well placed convex mirrors do the same damn thing as those blind spot cameras on Hondas and that all around view on Infinitis.
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Lexus Champion
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 4,592
Likes: 31
From: TN
I am one of those weird people who, day or night, doesn't matter, If I am in my car(s) and its not in park, my headlights are on. I just turn them off when I get out of the car. Not that hard.
Jeeezus, how did humans function back in the day when we had to shift our own gears, use dial-up internet, and put a key in a door if we wanted to lock or unlock it. Nevermind even further back, when we had a round key for the doors/trunk and a square one for the ignition.
Blows my mind that people have forgotten things like phones that had buttons and cords, or cars without ABS. I am only 33, not that old.
20 years from now, my children will be like "dafuq is an iPod?"
Jeeezus, how did humans function back in the day when we had to shift our own gears, use dial-up internet, and put a key in a door if we wanted to lock or unlock it. Nevermind even further back, when we had a round key for the doors/trunk and a square one for the ignition.
Blows my mind that people have forgotten things like phones that had buttons and cords, or cars without ABS. I am only 33, not that old.
20 years from now, my children will be like "dafuq is an iPod?"
Its whatever you get used to IMO. I drove only manual transmission for the past 7 years until a couple months ago, never annoyed me in the slightest. Like I said its whatever you are used to.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 94,575
Likes: 265
From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
Thread Starter
Pole Position
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 3,354
Likes: 555
From: fl
First car was an old Buick, then I had a Camaro(that did have keyless entry which was nice), then another old Cadillac. I never realized how damn annoying those two square and round GM keys were until I had a Toyota with one key that worked both ways.
Its whatever you get used to IMO. I drove only manual transmission for the past 7 years until a couple months ago, never annoyed me in the slightest. Like I said its whatever you are used to.
Its whatever you get used to IMO. I drove only manual transmission for the past 7 years until a couple months ago, never annoyed me in the slightest. Like I said its whatever you are used to.
My wife's car is in auto by default, so we leave it at that. Also because if taken out of auto, the DRLs turn off (why haha).
it's the little things. 
get a stick, saved you money on auto
use gas and brakes, saved you money on cruise control or even more on adaptive cruise control
get exercise with manual crank windows and save money too...
and on...
Jeeezus, how did humans function back in the day when we had to shift our own gears, use dial-up internet, and put a key in a door if we wanted to lock or unlock it. Nevermind even further back, when we had a round key for the doors/trunk and a square one for the ignition.
Blows my mind that people have forgotten things like phones that had buttons and cords, or cars without ABS. I am only 33, not that old.
Blows my mind that people have forgotten things like phones that had buttons and cords, or cars without ABS. I am only 33, not that old.
20 years from now, my children will be like "dafuq is an iPod?"
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 68,923
Likes: 4,123
From: Maryland
I would venture to say most cars turn the headlights on when the wipers are on nowadays. Every car I've had since the mid 90s that was NOT a Toyota/Lexus product turned the lights on when the wipers are on.
Its one of the things that really bugs me about Lexus actually, that their products don't turn the headlights on when the wipers come on. My 17 LS460L turns off my adaptive cruise when the auto wipers go to high speed, but it cant turn the headlights on when the wipers come on? Silly.
All the way back to 1995 my dad's 95 Cadillac STS had this feature.
Its one of the things that really bugs me about Lexus actually, that their products don't turn the headlights on when the wipers come on. My 17 LS460L turns off my adaptive cruise when the auto wipers go to high speed, but it cant turn the headlights on when the wipers come on? Silly.
All the way back to 1995 my dad's 95 Cadillac STS had this feature.
Intermediate
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 381
Likes: 2
From: The Plateau
One can change the lights on sensitivity on many cars. It usually darkens some when it's going to rain.
Non Problem solved?
I think a feature cars need and should have had starting 10 years ago is a dash & rear facing camera that records as you're driving.
Non Problem solved?
I think a feature cars need and should have had starting 10 years ago is a dash & rear facing camera that records as you're driving.