Drive-in theatre Prius Lights

Maybe he wanted to listen to the movie, not make out with a companion.

The old-era theater-provided wired speakers that viewers hung on their side window, are long gone. His theater likely provides the audio via a standard radio channel.

I thought my old Prius in DRL mode (or is it the Subaru??) would start up with DRLs off, and not turn them on until either shifting out of Park or releasing parking brake. But once turned on, the DRLs stayed on until ignition shutoff. That mode would solve his drive-in theater problem while still meeting Canada's DRL requirement while moving, IF Toyota chose to include it on Canadian models too.

I think it is has nothing to do with the Arctic Circle, but instead because they are smarter and more safety conscious than the U.S. Or at least less hostile to gum'nt regulation.

 

GM wants that government regulation; it would save them money on light switches. The NHTSA's response to the lobbying was that there isn't enough evidence that mandatory DRLs would help prevent accidents.

Latitude could be a factor. DRLs have more impact during the dusk lighting of sun rise and set when there are plenty of shadows, yet enough light people may not have headlights on. Those periods are longer the further from the equator you are.

 

Sounds like some GM cheapskate bean counters were pushing back on the financial disadvantage of voluntarily putting in those light switches when some competitors might not.

Numerous lower-latitude areas here are afflicted by considerable seasonal severe- and full-overcast skies that have similar visibility issues.

And I still see a fair number of vehicles driving beyond dusk in full night darkness, with just the front DRLs (reduced power headlight type) and no side or tail lights, though the proliferation of automatic lights does seem to have taken a big bite out of this problem. The newer Canadian requirement for automatic taillights too, would do an even better job of remedying this problem.

DRLs implemented as separate LED lamps without a headlight pattern, seem to be less of a problem.

 

Their cars already had DRLs, so I think it was more about going to a single dash switch for Canada and the US vs having provide one with an off position in the US. Reduction in the parts inventory.

As it was, the US switch had a spring that popped it out of off to auto, so you'd have to switch to off whenever the car was turned on if that was your preference. Owners were defeating that.

I was supposing on why NHTSA is saying why there isn't evidence showing DRLs help.

 

Is there any legal or other good reason to not just adopt the Canada-market switch in the U.S. too? Besides possible push-back from customers or bean counters?

 

My guess is the customer push back is a big par. Which could lead to lost sales to those still offering an off on their switch.

 

I have never been to one. I don’t know how they work. I thought they were a 1950s thing, but there is actually one a few blocks from my home.

There is no off position on the light switch, only an auto position. So I believe the lights will turn on immediately when you turn on the car. My US version also adds a DRL-off position.

 

Sorry we weren't able to quite get you there.

Regarding the lights that won't turn off, are they part of the main headlight array or are they the bottom lights down near the ground? If they're part of the main headlight array, are they claw shaped, round, or a bar? Finally, are they white or amber?

If we can figure out exactly which lights won't shut off(and their proper Toyota name), maybe we can find a workaround.

 

The drive-in transmits the soundtrack of the movie via an FM frequency? Leave the car off, bring along a portable radio? Appreciate it's not the same sound quality, but it'll make it seem more like the fifties drive-in, when you lifted a speaker of a post, hooked it on your window.