‘Automatic headlights’ don’t work in fog? Safety Question

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

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u/tarfu51 16d ago

No, they do not. If it’s raining, if there’s fog, if there’s a blizzard, if there’s any particular weather event that’s making it difficult to see, the operator of the vehicle should know to TURN THEIR LIGHTS ON. It’s really not that hard.

Sorry for the rant, but I come across so many people who drive in inclement weather with no lights on who have no goddamn clue.

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u/clynchy97 16d ago

Exactly my thoughts. Mental that 50% of people on the road didnt think “oh it’s foggy I better turn my lights on” but just hoped the car did it for them!

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u/Myopic_Sweater_Vest 16d ago

"Automatic" does not replace common sense. Not to sound like a fuddy duddy, but if it's foggy, drizzly or straight up rainy, turn on your headlights.

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u/HanzG 16d ago

Except the literature that advertises the car suggests the car will replace your need to do it. "Auto" mode in most modern cars doesn't sound like "Well, mostly automatically".

It's another example of technology making people lazy and like you said abandoning common sense. I really wish dash lighting was tied to your headlights again. If it's dark enough you need light to see your dash it's dark enough you need light to see your path.

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u/Wings-N-Beer 16d ago

I see a lot of people who’s car HAS automatic lights with none on at night! They switched or bumped the switch out of auto but somehow don’t notice the lights not on at night???!

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u/Daedalus_304 15d ago

It’s crazy, I like how the headlight switch in my car goes auto - off - park lights - low beams on , so I can just flick the switch all the way left when I turn my lights off manually and they’ll be in auto mode

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u/Ketchup1211 16d ago

Some cars will automatically activate the lights if the wipers are on. Either way, you are 100% correct. We had some deep fog here yesterday and I lost count of how many people didn’t have their lights on.

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u/Guuggel 16d ago

Usually modern cars turn on headlights if you have wipers on for some seconds

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u/topclassladandbanter 16d ago

I just don’t get why lights aren’t required 100% of the time you’re moving on the road or parked along the road given how stupid drivers have proven to be. And there are so many times that lights help you be seen.

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u/sarahenera 15d ago

Any time I’m driving, I have my headlights on. I wish that was standard practice.

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u/louis_xl 16d ago

I can only upvote once, unfortunately...

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u/notlitnez2000 15d ago

Agree. Forgiving your rant. Stupefying of America.
I have a sticker on my car “Equipped with a Millennial Anti-theft device”. (I have three pedals in my daily driver)

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u/Ttamlin 16d ago

Modern cars all have DRLs on them, and many can adjust the brightness level when it switches from DRLs to full-on headlights.

Driving a 2002 car right now? I get it if it slips your mind, though I agree that people should be more careful about it. Anything made in the last 10 years? The driver has to actively turn their lights off in order to end up like those photos in the OP.

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u/Upbeat-Fondant9185 16d ago

I drove four hours and two states today in mostly fog, visibility varied between a quarter mile and a couple hundred feet. I’d say easily 40% of vehicles had no lights of any kind on and continued to drive 15-20mph over the limit.

It had me legitimately scared a couple times. Cars just suddenly appearing out of the fog and vanishing in seconds, running full speed through fairly heavy traffic and construction zones with no concern.

People are insane.

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u/sarahenera 15d ago

I made a comment elsewhere that I turn my lights on any time I’m driving. Literally every day. I don’t know why people don’t just drive with their headlights on all the time.

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u/jarheadatheart 14d ago

Most people are not very smart and as cars think more for us it is going to get worse.