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Adaptive Brake Lights

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Old 01-08-2009, 02:04 PM
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Does anyone here know exactly what the E60 US Spec (pre-LCI) does during hard braking? What changes during when the 'Active Brake Lights' turn on? Do the LED's get brighter, or does the round portion of the taillight emit full strength?

Anyone know, or better yet, does anyone have a picture or video of this in action?

Thanks!
Old 01-08-2009, 02:08 PM
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http://forums.e60.net/index.php?showtopic=59481


gotta search under "adaptive brake lights"
Old 01-08-2009, 04:02 PM
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This would seem useful if the other driver knew what a BMW brake light looks like in normal braking and in hard braking. Other than those individuals, this all thing sounds a little gimmicky.
Old 01-08-2009, 05:22 PM
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Originally Posted by porsche911targa' post='763126' date='Jan 8 2009, 05:02 PM
This would seem useful if the other driver knew what a BMW brake light looks like in normal braking and in hard braking. Other than those individuals, this all thing sounds a little gimmicky.

I agree, unless it became industry standard, it is a silly feature.

I don't like the look of the circle light anyhow, the lci taillights look SO much better at night with just the LED lights on. Now that I know this bulb has the potential to shine brighter I realize I need a different resistor to eliminate this bulb without errors.
Old 01-08-2009, 06:08 PM
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I agree its stupid, the other person let alone react isnt going to think hey the full light is lit(adaptive function) he must be breaking hard rofl
Old 01-08-2009, 07:28 PM
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so they only illuminate when your ABS kicks in??? now i feel bad for my fiance....i had her standing out in the cold watching my taillamps screaming to her "ANTHING YET??" while i stomped on the brake pedal.... oh well
Old 01-08-2009, 07:47 PM
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Originally Posted by pgetsch' post='763295' date='Jan 8 2009, 10:28 PM
so they only illuminate when your ABS kicks in??? now i feel bad for my fiance....i had her standing out in the cold watching my taillamps screaming to her "ANTHING YET??" while i stomped on the brake pedal.... oh well

Don't Feel bad, she would not have done it if you were married!! Use her while she still let's you get away with it!!
Old 01-08-2009, 07:59 PM
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HAHAHA so f'in true!
Old 01-08-2009, 08:17 PM
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I did the "Honey can you follow me so I can drive my new car and I will jam on my brakes and tell me what you see."
When we did the Bear Mountain run this past year, I witnessed the adaptive brake lights many times on other E60's. It's the addition of the circle lights burning bright.
No matter how hard I hit the brakes while my wife was following me nothing made them go on, but they do go on in real emergency situations.
Old 01-09-2009, 12:46 AM
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Unfortunately guys. you are missing the subtle point of the Adaptive Brake Light. The point is this; the brighter the brake light shines the closer the backend of the E60 seems to the driver in the car behind it, and subconsciously the harder he would brake to avoid crashing in the the back of it.
It is a clever subtle play of deception on the split second judgement of the driver in the car behind the E60 to help him recalibrate his judgement of the braking distance in an emergency braking situation. It is one feature of the E60 that is unwise to remove or temper with. An inherent value (safety) that you get when you buy an E60, l say.


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