Audi & VW LED "pulsing" indicator design influence on Volvo

[Whippy]

Anything that makes people more aware is a good idea. End of.

[T5R92011]

I don't like the use of LEDs in things like brake lights/indicators etc, because when they fail, the dealer will want to replace the entire unit for a high cost.

My S40's entire brake lights are LEDS, and when one unit failed I had to split the lamp cluster apart with a heat gun and solder a new component onto the circuit board to fix it.

For someone who didn't know how to fix this, you're going to get ripped off.

Can't argue against the visual aspect though... it does draw huge emphasis on the drivers intentions.

[green van man]

Never mind the pusing indicators can we have bigger rear indicators.
Followed a vw last week, the indicators were tiny and placed just below the brake light, could not see the indicators against the brake light untill less than 5m away from him at the junction. Similarly audi A3 and their rear indicators surounded by brake light.

At least volvo have retained the big separate indicator so those following can see my intention. My landrover has 2 indicators each side so those following know when I intend turning.


Paul.

[DaveNP]

Originally Posted by T5R92011

I don't like the use of LEDs in things like brake lights/indicators etc, because when they fail, the dealer will want to replace the entire unit for a high cost.
...

I'd agree that led units are more expensive than bulbs especially the all in one moulded units that the car manufacturers will want to fit. In contrast, where I work we have led units in the trailers and bulbs in the tractor units, in ten years I'll have driven over 2000 shifts, each shift will involve a tractor unit or occasionally two and a trailer but quite often two or even four, so more trailers than units, in all of that time I've known one trailer light failure due to the led unit but hundreds of dead light bulbs, I'd guesstimate 500 but too many to remember them all, if a bulb costs £1 that's £500 to spend on the led unit, the trailer ones cost a lot less than that complete and have individual modules for each light -indicator, stop and tail, reversing, and fog.

[DaveNP]

Originally Posted by green van man

... My landrover has 2 indicators each side so those following know when I intend turning.
Paul.

You can have the best of both worlds Paul-
ebay

[djbeck]

Bring back semaphore turn indicators I say. Illuminated Thor's hammer shaped versions of these popping out from my XC60 would definitely get noticed.

[volvocat]

Originally Posted by djbeck

Bring back semaphore turn indicators I say. Illuminated Thor's hammer shaped versions of these popping out from my XC60 would definitely get noticed.

Yay! ‘Trafficators’ - old school!

[volvocat]

Originally Posted by green van man

Never mind the pusing indicators can we have bigger rear indicators.
Followed a vw last week, the indicators were tiny and placed just below the brake light, could not see the indicators against the brake light untill less than 5m away from him at the junction. Similarly audi A3 and their rear indicators surounded by brake light.

At least volvo have retained the big separate indicator so those following can see my intention. My landrover has 2 indicators each side so those following know when I intend turning.


Paul.

Couldn’t agree more.
Reading through this thread, exactly this occurred to me just as I got to your post - I also have had a couple of near misses with VWs etc for exactly this reason, although perhaps I should be grateful that they were actually using their indicators at all...
What on earth were VAG thinking with such a terrible designs?!

[steadvex]

I really don't like the moving indicator trend

I really dislike the sidelight off and indicator on flash approach, I'm sure the newer Volvo's do this but I can't recall off hand if they do.

However as much as I dislike the pulse indicator, I've been curious, when the hazards are on do they light up the whole led cluster in one instead of suggesting a left or right movement, if so I think that's a great design if all cars do it as you can see if someone is parked with hazards on or indicating to pull out. It pains me to say it but I think if that was done universally I could be a good idea. Doesn't mean I like it tho!

[GusGecko]

There's quite a few manufacturers that have pulsing indicators now, even trucks / lorry's do. I *think* Volvo trucks do.