"Bruce" wrote in message
news

The incidence of people driving without lights at night has increased
ever since some cars were supplied with instrument panel lighting that
is illuminated with the ignition on, regardless of whether the
sidelights or headlights are switched on. Being unable to see the
speedometer and other instruments at night is quite a powerful
reminder to switch on sidelights or headlights. ;-)

Don't an increasing number of cars come with automatic headlights? I've
got so used to them that I'd probably forget to switch the lights on in
a vehicle without them. Ditto with the auto-dipping rear view mirrors.

I gather that future cars will be even smarter, with the headlights
controlled by 3D GPS systems that fine-tune the beams, taking into
account curves and gradients ahead. Some cars already automatically
modify the high beam shape when they see cars coming the other way, and
many cars steer the beams with the front wheels.