All Cars, All the Time

Mercedes to Flash American Motorists





...With NHTSA's approval! Mercedes introduced a technology that flashes the brakes lights when the brake pedal is used in a panic stop.

Research by Mercedes engineers showed that driver reaction times are shortened by up to 0.2 seconds if a flashing red warning signal is used, instead of a conventional brake light during emergency braking.

However, selling this new development on the Americans proved to be a hard sell. Proving that persistence pays off, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will allow Mercedes, over the next two years, to sell as many as 5,000 vehicles with brake lights that flash during emergency stops. Presumably data from the 5,000 vehicles on American roads will help MB to make the case for a permanent rule change.