brucec59

I noticed that a portion of the each left and right brake lights flashes when the brake is applied, and the left and right seem to flash at different rates. Is that some kind of new "feature?" This video has several examples of what I'm talking about: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMPLoz0Klfo Seems awfully distracting to me.

mstams

Nope. Just looks that way on video. No flickering in real life.

blitz928

The flashing is indicating launch control is engaged, Bugatti and Audi have this, but if I remember correctly it may be European only models.

MJones

What you are seeing on the video is an anomaly of DV & LED's
Watch these 997 tail lamps blink


However:
There is a new safety feature on the Panamera where the brake lights will flash upon rapid braking/deceleration.
What the speed threshold is I do not know, but it is documented in the brochure.

Hamotee

I agree, this is another example of a similar situation with DV http://www.break.com/index/helicopte...op-moving.html

It has to do with the frequency that the object is operating and the rate that the camera takes frames.

hacker-pschorr

Mercedes has flashing brake lights:

http://motorcities.com/vehicle/09F29271508582.html

brucec59

Yeah, I understand the thing about the frame rate of the camera vs the lights (that helicopter one is trippy!). However, on the video in my OP, it is clear that only a portion of the lights are flashing, toward the inner corner, during braking - any braking, not just launch control. It does appear that the left and right lights alternate during launch control. I wish I could RTFM on this one, really I do...

Hamotee

Aren't the tails broken into several sets of lights on the Panamera? One section is the running lights, brake lights, reverse lights etc. If that was the case I could see them being operated independently and at a different frequency (meaning the rate at which the pulse LEDs to dim them)... That could make one side not have the DV anomaly at the same time as the rest of the light. That is my best guess. Check the video around the 3:00 minute mark see what you think.

brucec59

Ah! That is something I had not thought of. That would explain the wierdness. I'm glad our eyes are analog or who knows what we'd be seeing all the time.

DM993tt

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApFPLiX2IW0

Schist4Brainz

At a recent PCA event at Eagles Canyon I saw several newer 997.2s with tail lights that flashed during heavy braking. I did see it with my own analog eyes, not on video. This must be a third party add-on kit designed to mimic F1 tail lights. Did a quick search on the interwebs but didn't find anything. It was very distracting on the track and would be more so on the road. I guess that's the point, to ensure that they are more visible.

BuddyK

Yah I saw some of these flashing tail lights on the Nurburgring last month.

I'm sure I have seen them before as well.

Here is a little clip from my onboard video camera.

This was a 997 Turbo ahead with hard braking.

I think it's adaptive brake lights, and I think they are a great idea on the highway. If you are braking hard in a 911, the cars behind might not be able to stop as quickly. I definitely want these lights on my car.

I have heard of them before, they sense how hard and how fast you are going. So if you make a panic stop or the computer thinks so, the brake lights blink rapidly. Very good.

Hope you can see the video.
Oh crap I can't upload the video.


OK - I upped it to YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI3Yo...ature=youtu.be

TomFromCT

I think I read somewhere that the flashing brake lights kick in when the ABS activates. Not sure if this feature made it to the USA market though.

BuddyK

Yeah, I think that's what I heard too