This is why Tesla cars don't have red seatbelt buttons

As a result, the Tesla Model 3 may need a bit of spray paint when it eventually makes its way to South Africa.
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huh? No SA generally gets EU spec cars rather than US spec. e.g. Find a car with xenon lights and check the top cut-off of the light its throwing (non-brights only)...if its sharp then its EU spec, if it fades then its US spec.

Only weird US thing I can recall is some of the BMWs having software loaded that keeps yellow front running lights on. That is California spec if I'm not mistaken & not technically legal in SA afaik.

SA side the legislation is silent on a lot of these things though...so they just roll with whatever is on the EU spec cars. e.g. On modern EU cars if you nail the brakes brake lights flash. Don't think there is any provision under SA law allowing that & the SA ones def do that too.
 
HavocXphere said:
huh? No SA generally gets EU spec cars rather than US spec. e.g. Find a car with xenon lights and check the top cut-off of the light its throwing (non-brights only)...if its sharp then its EU spec, if it fades then its US spec.

Only weird US thing I can recall is some of the BMWs having software loaded that keeps yellow front running lights on. That is California spec if I'm not mistaken & not technically legal in SA afaik.

SA side the legislation is silent on a lot of these things though...so they just roll with whatever is on the EU spec cars. e.g. On modern EU cars if you nail the brakes brake lights flash. Don't think there is any provision under SA law allowing that & the SA ones def do that too.
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Typically, (for the aviation industry, at least) we follow a larger regulatory body's regulations, like the FAA, and if we can show that we comply with those regulations, the local body (the CAA) okay's it. This saves the local body the costly exercise of drawing up its own regulations.

I wouldn't be surprised if, while we follow EU regulations, a US regulations vehicle would still be completely legal here.
 
Avatar said:
Typically, (for the aviation industry, at least) we follow a larger regulatory body's regulations, like the FAA, and if we can show that we comply with those regulations, the local body (the CAA) okay's it. This saves the local body the costly exercise of drawing up its own regulations.

I wouldn't be surprised if, while we follow EU regulations, a US regulations vehicle would still be completely legal here.
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Nope. SA rules do cover the basics - but even on that level it'll catch the US ones. So stuff like front indicators being permanently on (US spec) won't fly. In SA the front indicators need to be off unless they're indicating or they're being used as emergencies.
 
HavocXphere said:
Nope. SA rules do cover the basics - but even on that level it'll catch the US ones. So stuff like front indicators being permanently on (US spec) won't fly. In SA the front indicators need to be off unless they're indicating or they're being used as emergencies.
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And then there is that issue of US cars having their steering wheel on the wrong side. That is why the cars are mostly automatic. It's hard leaning over to reach the clutch while driving and playing Pokemon GO at the same time.
 
Mister 44 said:
And then there is that issue of US cars having their steering wheel on the wrong side.
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That too. Though they're designed from the ground up with that in mind so its less of a barrier than it seems at first glance. Ze Germans are quite aware of the fact that London drives on the other side.
 
HavocXphere said:
That too. Though they're designed from the ground up with that in mind so its less of a barrier than it seems at first glance. Ze Germans are quite aware of the fact that London drives on the other side.
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True that, didn't think about the European continent.
Here's a thought: How many members of the EU drives left, passes right? When GBR leaves, Euro standards won't apply. Sure the Germans, Italians, French will still export to Britain, but they no longer need to apply all the EU laws to the the GBR exports, except for right-hand-drive.
We need the RHD cars, but don't we also subscribe to EU safety laws? Mostly?
 
HavocXphere said:
Nope. SA rules do cover the basics - but even on that level it'll catch the US ones. So stuff like front indicators being permanently on (US spec) won't fly. In SA the front indicators need to be off unless they're indicating or they're being used as emergencies.
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I think what you're referring to are daytime running lights, these are separate from the indicators. (You can tell by them not going on-off-on-off-on-off..... :p) They sometimes have a yellow-orange masking, like the BMW's, but are separate units. Lately, LED DRL's have become the fashion. In SA it's completely legal to have DRL's.

Mister 44 said:
True that, didn't think about the European continent.
Here's a thought: How many members of the EU drives left, passes right? When GBR leaves, Euro standards won't apply. Sure the Germans, Italians, French will still export to Britain, but they no longer need to apply all the EU laws to the the GBR exports, except for right-hand-drive.
We need the RHD cars, but don't we also subscribe to EU safety laws? Mostly?
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-_and_left-hand_traffic

It has pictures for you :p
 
Avatar said:
I think what you're referring to are daytime running lights, these are separate from the indicators. (You can tell by them not going on-off-on-off-on-off..... :p) They sometimes have a yellow-orange masking, like the BMW's, but are separate units. Lately, LED DRL's have become the fashion. In SA it's completely legal to have DRL's.
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No not the DRLs...the orange light that is used for indicators...that thing is permanently on for US specs (well the California ones...not sure rest). And switches from continuously on to flashing when indicating.
 
HavocXphere said:
No not the DRLs...the orange light that is used for indicators...that thing is permanently on for US specs (well the California ones...not sure rest). And switches from continuously on to flashing when indicating.
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Well TIL. The lights you refer to are DRL's, but it seems the BMW's use the same unit for indicators and DRL's. Either way, there's nothing that I can find in SA regulations that prevents the use of that system.
 
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