Switch added to accelerator pedal to activate rear lights.

[pjmmk]

most of the time we are unaware its happening

There's no reason they couldn't have a graphic showing brake light activity on the main screen. It would be helpful, to alert drivers at least. Tesla does it!

 

[Archev]

I think that one of the reasons the ardent ICE divers and anti EV brigade hate is the fact that when following our brake lights can be flashing on/off when we are feathering the throttle and letting it run beyond the -7% limit. I know it annoys me ,and I know the reason for it. They could see this as bad driving, arrogant brake checking, stupidity. Add on that most of the time we are unaware its happening , or if we are, there is not much we can do without altering the cars configuration they might see us as an ignorant portion of the population without having the gumption to research and learn why this is going on for themselves.
Maybe its time for another 1970s government backed information / education film . "Engine braking versus re-gen braking. Learn the facts Wally! " Jeremy Clarkson seems to have been missing from our screens recently.

If only we could have a split light. One that almost never lights up saying “I’m braking to stop. The other saying “ i’mjust lifting off the power to manufacture more smug fuel which you icers can’t ever do” OK that needs a bit of work to enable most of them to read it quickly enough to slow down in time.
How about harsh red lights as ever when we hit the brake pedal but an eerie mysterious magical green glow when simply lifting off and regening.

 

[MG Clive]

If only we could have a split light. One that almost never lights up saying “I’m braking to stop. The other saying “ i’mjust lifting off the power to manufacture more smug fuel which you icers can’t ever do” OK that needs a bit of work to enable most of them to read it quickly enough to slow down in time.

It could be wired up to one of these > LED light bar

 

[salty]

It could be wired up to one of these > LED light bar

Programmable for other messages. Particularly if other drivers, annoy you.
Use your imagination for that one.

 

[Archev]

It could be wired up to one of these > LED light bar

We’d probably need two versions of these.

Argumentatev and Selfriteice

 

[DBedford]

Jeremy Clarkson seems to have been missing from our screens recently.

He's too busy being a farmer and publican

 

[MG Clive]

Programmable for other messages. Particularly if other drivers, annoy you.
Use your imagination for that one.

Oh what fun we could have.

 

[ReintjeWA]

Just as illegal in most countries is to lightly press the brake pedal to illuminate the brake lights if you 'think' they are too close to the rear of your vehicle. I'm sure modifying the braking system without declaring it to your insurance company (who no doubt will refuse policy cover) will invalidate the policy and quite rightly so. Good luck with an unmarked police car behind you, who will pull you over, check your insurance and look for that modification. Not on the documents? Then they'll contact the insurance company who will then most probably cancel the policy and you'll have to declare being refused insurance on any new policy.

I think you may overestimate how much time police officers have... the amount of absolute wrecks I see on the road make me think police have no time at all to check for road worthiness.

Here in (Western) Australia if your vehicle is found to be unroadworthy it gets "yellow stickered". Quite literally a yellow notice sticker on the windscreen, and your car needs to clear the inspection pits to re-validate the registration. If I was a cop with time I'd go through a book of those sticker every shift no doubt.

 

[slmorgan42]

Quite a cool bit of work but as someone mentioned the break lights come on when the Regen hits -7. I did have someone follow me once to confirm this as I was curious if it actually work as they said. The only thing interesting is the brake lights stay on when using auto hold braking at the lights.

 

[ReintjeWA]

I think that one of the reasons the ardent ICE divers and anti EV brigade hate is the fact that when following our brake lights can be flashing on/off when we are feathering the throttle and letting it run beyond the -7% limit. I know it annoys me ,and I know the reason for it. They could see this as bad driving, arrogant brake checking, stupidity.

Yeah I always worry people think I'm brake-checking them when I slot into a line of cars and the ACC decides to slow down hard because the car in front is too close. Often I just turn the cruise control off when it get's too busy on the road.

 

[Tuareg]

I think you may overestimate how much time police officers have... the amount of absolute wrecks I see on the road make me think police have no time at all to check for road worthiness.

Here in (Western) Australia if your vehicle is found to be unroadworthy it gets "yellow stickered". Quite literally a yellow notice sticker on the windscreen, and your car needs to clear the inspection pits to re-validate the registration. If I was a cop with time I'd go through a book of those sticker every shift no doubt.

The insurance companies do the checking after a collision or wreck.

Yeah I always worry people think I'm brake-checking them when I slot into a line of cars and the ACC decides to slow down hard because the car in front is too close. Often I just turn the cruise control off when it get's too busy on the road.

Who cares about cars behind, they should be keeping their distance and braking isn't illegal, not keeping enough distance to the car in front most certainly is.

 

[ReintjeWA]

The insurance companies do the checking after a collision or wreck.


Who cares about cars behind, they should be keeping their distance and braking isn't illegal, not keeping enough distance to the car in front most certainly is.

You talked about unmarked police cars pulling you over and checking. And most people care about cars behind, especially if they think you are being aggressive towards them by brake checking, they might return the favour. The world is a better place when people are considerate toward each other.

 

[Tuareg]

Yes and 'brake checking' isn't considerate at all, that's just a sure way to inflame any road rage. Just ignore who's behind you or let them by.

 

[ReintjeWA]

Yes and 'brake checking' isn't considerate at all, that's just a sure way to inflame any road rage. Just ignore who's behind you or let them by.

I think something is getting lost in translation perhaps, because that is exactly the point I’m making. So the car’s brake lights lighting up under regen after slotting into a line of cars may be misinterpreted as a brake check. I’m not saying I actually brake check people…

 

[OriginalBigAl]

I think something is getting lost in translation perhaps, because that is exactly the point I’m making. So the car’s brake lights lighting up under regen after slotting into a line of cars may be misinterpreted as a brake check. I’m not saying I actually brake check people…

Its all about perception, if the car driver behind only understands that brake lights come on when the pedal is physically pressed then their perception is that you are doing it on purpose . Education, education, education. Unfortunately there is a percentage of every population ( fill in your own figure) that will never get it.

 

[Joningy]

Hello MGEV peeps

Just letting everyone know that I have added a switch to the accelerator pedal on my MG4 which activates the load space red lights within the tail lamps. The system is powered by fuse 45 in the passenger fuse box compartment via a relay. It's set up so that whenever I release the accelerator pedal, power is sent to the load space lamps on each side which are just below the brakes lamps within the tail light assembly.

I did this as I always noticed cars behind get very close to me whenever I release the accelerator pedal and regenerative braking kicks in. The roadways on my country are quite congested so I did this as a precaution to reduce the chances of getting rear ended.

I have been working in the automotive industry for many years doing vehicle restorations so I am quite capable of designing electrical systems as upgrades to vintage cars. Most importantly I had a copy of the MG4 electrical workshop manual which is a major asset in helping me to quickly figure out the wiring. The brackets on the accelerator pedal for the switch which I fabricated did not need any new holes for installation as it was designed to bolt on the existing fastener for the same pedal.

The brake lights still illuminate when I step on the brake pedal so essentially I have 2 sets of brake light that illuminate in stages.

Hope this is useful to some of you!

Ed

I'm pretty sure UK MG4 brake lights come on when you lift the accelerator and the regen braking cuts in and the high level brake lights, but not if you ease off the power slowly.
I thoroughly dislike following cars whose drivers keep touching the brake pedal in unnecessary conditions and locations.
So it may stop people from tailgating you, but tailgating in the UK isn't so common in my experience, but we still have idiots driving too close

 

[siteguru]

I can categorically state that the brake lights do come on, when the regen %age shown is about 7 or 8% or higher. Once the retardation rate exceeds 1.3 m/s^2 then by law the lights must come on.

 

[DixieTGS]

I'm pretty sure UK MG4 brake lights come on when you lift the accelerator and the regen braking cuts in and the high level brake lights, but not if you ease off the power slowly.

I can categorically state that the brake lights do come on, when the regen %age shown is about 7 or 8% or higher.

I would expect that the level of regen would need to drop below 3 or 4 % (not 7 or 8%) before the lights turn off again. This is to stop the lights from flashing when the regen is hovering around the 6 to 8% region for a period.

This may explain @Joningy 's comment - if the initial lift off the accelerator is a bit sudden, the regen may go over 7 or 8% for a fraction of a second before staying at a lower level, but the lights would remain on throughout.