‘Automatic headlights’ don’t work in fog?

[u/clynchy97]

About 40-50% of the cars we passed on the road today had no headlights on or only had the dim side lights. Do automatic lights not work in fog for these modern cars? Seems super sketchy

[u/Moist_Barracuda_2014]

No, they work off ambient light levels and during the day even in heavy fog there is enough light that they won’t come on.

Same in heavy rain.

[u/Demache → u/Moist_Barracuda_2014]

I think one of the smartest things Ford ever did, was that if your wipers are on, your headlights/taillights come on. Day or night. It's one of simplest things, and I'm sure other manufacturers do this too. I'm still surprised it just isn't universal. Of course, that still requires drivers to not be morons and actually have their headlights set to auto and not off.

For some reason, it never occurs to anyone that lights are also for other people to see you.

[u/Funny_Tea5735 → u/Demache]

I had never noticed that on my nissan qashqai, the lights turn on when the wipers are used until now. I just searched it up and apparently they do. That is so cool. Although, I had never noticed because as soon as I detect fog or rain, I enable front and rear fog lights, which turns on all lights anyway!!