No flash-to-pass for Cadillac CTS, part 2

We've received an unusually high amount of feedback in response to my piece "The stalk that broke the Cadillac CTS' back" concerning the lack of flash-to-pass feature on some 2008 Cadillac CTS models. Some people's posts were more civilized than others, and evidently, a few hadn't finished reading the piece before (a-hem) pouncing. The common theme was how such a missing "minor feature" could detract from a car that's otherwise very impressive. Thanks to all who wrote. Well, almost all.

To restate: Flash-to-pass is a handy driver-communication tool. It's often used as a courtesy, say, in front of a school entrance, at a four-way stop sign as a "go ahead, after you" statement, or "Please let me pass, thank you" on a freeway. Other uses are to signal to a tractor-trailer truck that just passed you that it's OK to merge back to the right lane.

The feature also has safety implications. Let's say you are on a two-lane highway and a distracted motorist is veering toward you, poised for a head-on collision. Able to get his/her attention with a few high-intensity flashes with a simple pull of the stalk gives you a fighting chance to avoid a disaster. (Sounding the horn is unlikely to help in this instance because of the speed and the direction of the sound waves.) I experienced such a scenario years ago in Arizona. Luckily, flashing my high beams alerted the other driver in time to avert a potential crash.

Some posters/owners have commented that the CTS has flash-to-pass even with the (HID) bi-xenon headlights. It is easy to think that you have it if the headlights are in "Auto" mode and the ambient light is low enough to dictate that the low beams should be on. But there is NO flash-to-pass with the bi-xenon lights. We confirmed this with GM. It only exists on CTS models with the base FE1 suspension equipped with halogen lamps.

All in all, I'm delighted with the discussion the previous post initiated. The issue is being discussed on other forums as well, such as at VW Vortex and GM Inside News. Ultimately, this discussion could benefit all drivers, as well as GM's engineers and designers. It may have even hastened an update to the CTS: The latest word from GM is that the flash-to-pass fix will arrive sooner than 2010, which was the original target date.

Needless to say, we enjoy shedding light on subjects such as these. And value your feedback.

—Gabe Shenhar

Comments

[Michael]

The behavior you're describing is not flashing-to-pass, it's emergency signaling.

And I still can't figure out how blinding someone with high beams is helpful. (Another possible reason "flash-to-pass- petered out over time: headlights became more intense...?)

[Derrick]

Michael,

Regardless of the actual intent, flash-to-pass is an industry standard term for the feature. And since it's intended for daytime use (that is, when the headlight switch is in the OFF position or in the AUTO position when ambient light is enough that the low beams don't automatically come on) I can't imagine how anyone would be blinded.

[Cale]

"Let's say you are on a two-lane highway and a distracted motorist is veering toward you, poised for a head-on collision. Able to get his/her attention with a few high-intensity flashes with a simple pull of the stalk gives you a fighting chance to avoid a disaster."

Or you could use your brakes and pull to the shoulder to increase the distance and room for the wayward driver to complete his pass. In addition to my experience behind the wheel of a car, I've also spent some time on a motorcycle. The motorcycle experience, btw, has given me a unique perspective on traffic and hazards. There is no headlight strong enough to prevent an oncoming vehicle from colliding with a vehicle equipped with flash-to-pass. There's right and there's "dead right". I try not to confuse the two.

I don't disagree that it's a nice communication tool. But safety tool? It's little better than "eye contact".

[Eddie]

Flash-to-Pass is just what its called. Its rarely used to pass in the US but its still popular in Germany. I use flash to pass as a way of communicating at night when no one can see my hand gestures. Such as I car is wanting to switch into my lane I'll blink the high beams so let them know I'm letting them in. I have used it if I'm passing more than one car on a two lane highway just make everyone alert that I'm passing so they won't pull out to pass and cause a collision.

[Franklin Evans]

Headlight usage is in my experience a net detriment to safety on the highways I use in my weekly 300-mile commute to and from work. I have some limited interstate driving experience as well, and have not seen that it is much better outside my area.

"Flash-to-pass" is both courtesy and emergency tactic. Giving the driver of a semi the okay to merge after passing is both courtesy and safety, though at night it is better to use the main headlight switch off-on instead of flashing the highs. Ask long-distance truckers about it. That's how I learned about it.

I come to this blog because I'm actually on a very frustrating search for any discussion at all about the advances in headlight technology and the dangerous uses of it. Specifically, I would like to see an explanation -- backed up by any kind of study or scientific measurement -- on how having headlights on during the day or when ambient light is still sufficient to see makes anyone safer.

My complaint is two-fold: too many people think that because daytime ambient light makes headlights less "visible", they must also put them on high-beam; mostly, I am shocked at the apparent ignorance over the fact that a high-intensity light is able to cause dazzlement and temporary blindness regardless of the ambient light level.

I definitely get that small, colored lights can enhance a driver's perception of another vehicle, or the outlines of a large vehicle, regardless of the ambient light level. What I don't get is that an increase in the use of bright lights is connected to any sort of problem.

[BW]

http://www.swov.nl/rapport/r-97-36.pdf

here is an exerpt from this study on the use of lights during the day.

Research methods and conclusions
In this study the role of perception in accidents and the effects of the
introduction of DRL have been reviewed together with all 24 existing
evaluations of DRL. Additional statistical analysis and new techniques have
been employed to produce the best estimates possible of the full effects of
the introduction of DRL in the EU in terms of the saving of lives and
reducing the costs of the road transport system.
DRL as a road safety measure is often difficult to understand for the road
user because he or she `knows' that with sufficient attention every road user
can be seen in daylight. Nevertheless, the research reviewed shows that
visual perception in daytime traffic is far from perfect and it is worse in
conditions of low ambient illumination. In a striking example 8% of cars in
an open field in broad daylight were not visible from relevant distances
without the use of DRL. On shady roads or those with backgrounds which
mask objects in the foreground the visibility and contrast of cars in popular
colours is greatly reduced.
It is known from in-depth accident studies that failing to see another road
user in time (or at all) is a contributing factor in 50% of all daytime
accidents and for daytime intersection accidents this increases to as much as
80%.
The psychological research reviewed shows that DRL does not only
improve the visibility of motor vehicles in daytime, but also influences the
timely peripheral

[Dave]

I have never seen an automotive feature so MIS-USED!!!!!!

If "Flash-To-Pass" means GO, then why does the other driver use it in place of his HORN??????

I nearly got into a traffic fatality, as I mis-took the flashing of high-beams from someone's vehicle to mean OPPOSITE from what a sounding horn and a middle finger shortly followed.

Honestly, are drivers who use Flash-to-Pass as a horn just too wimpy to use the horn, thinking it's a lil' too brutal of a warning signal? Well, it isn't because they have a wimpy "Neep! Neep!" sounding horn like my HoNdA unfortunately has...

[Captain Correcto]

I use flash to pass all the time, from briefly using my brights just to read a sign to signalling to an approaching driver that their high beams are on.

It would be annoying to own a car lacking this feature.

It's no wonder GM are going under...