but that said making RHD cars does cost more money and absolutely does put some car manufacturers off and is likely one reason why some cars are sold in other markets but not in the UK. (the obvious examples being Tesla model S/X as well as now Jaguars at the moment (whilst they transition) and a number of Chinese cars which never made it over here (i really fancied an xpeng P7 back when i was looking for a new car)
Neither of which are especially cheap.
But there are hundreds of car models that the UK doesn't get, just as with plenty of other countries. The US has loads of models that no other country gets, yet are similarly upset that they don't get what we have. VAG are a particular bone of contention for them, especialy Škoda models and diesel engines.
That's just the way it goes...
but that said... i think the main issue would be..... take my car with its zonal auto directing full beam LED headlights........ Whilst i have voiced my concerns about them in terms of costs if they fail (I am crossing everything that they dont fail) imagine a scenario where my ipace was sold in Europe with these very impressive headlights....... but then for the uk market we instead for bog standard halfords £20 halogen bulbs.
If it works safely, it's not a problem, is it.....!!
You can still have your car with a billion lumens blasting out the front, so long as the alignment does not blind the surrounding traffic. The problem is with cars that are misaligned out the factory, or that go out of alignment and the owners/MoT centres don't know to correct them.
But instead imagine the scenario where your iPace lights are so bright that they blind an oncoming car. That driver cannot see the left side of the road any more, bounces off the nearside and straight into your path - Your wife and children later die in hospital and you're left to remember them for the rest of your paralysed life.
As much as you say the majority of people who responded to a poll may have complained about being dazzled at night (to which i would consider buying a set of night time driving glasses) but i think that number would be a drop in the bucket compared to the uproar if
You're talking about almost 70% of people (RAC survey said 89%). Why should they all have to go get glasses just so you can have stupidly bright lights?
If you really need
that amount of light for driving, you're the one who should have gone to Specsavers....!
1) we started getting crappy halogen headlights in our cars when our neighbours across the pond were getting far superior lights in their cars of the same model.
We wouldn't be, though. Everyone would be getting properly aligned lights that don't blind others.
Both my recent VAGs have old style Xenons and they're more than bright enough, without needing portable sun levels of light.
2) i think the outrage would be immense if cars had a forced recall which went in with their up to £5000 expensive optional extra headlights and came back with halogens.
If your billion lumen lights are a proven safety risk, you'll find getting insurance for the car more problematic.
personally i don't think 1) will happen and as for 2) i would bet money that wont happen. if in the unlikely event new cars had their lights gimped, i stand by what i said where imo it would be like car seatbelts where if fitted you have to use them but if not then you don't have to install them,
I'll take that bet....
The UN is currently drafting new legislation to make auto-levelling a requirement around 2027.
GM already recalled 750,000 vehicles (models from 2010-2017) due to overly bright headlights in 2022. Porsche has recalled 3,000 Macans for the same reason. Hyundai recalled 230,000 and Mercedes recalled 34,000. You already lost the bet.... and no-one is outraged, because the manufacturers are picking up the bill.
(or in a different market where rules changed.............. home heating gas back boilers (and hopefully soon gas boilers in general) where if you have them already you can keep using them but the sale of them in new builds is or will be restricted)
Plenty of places have lost the ability to use open fire fuels entirely. All those people with period homes and coal fires or ranges, doesn't matter how old the period is or how long they've had them, they're prohibited if they don't comply with the modern regs.
www.anwb.nl
