Auto Headlights Setting = Daytime Running Lights?

[Philly Brian]

I am confused by the "Auto" setting on the lighting control dial (2020 model year). On my prior vehicle (2004 Saturn Vue) I'd set it to "auto" and forget about it. It always displayed DRLs and, when dark outside, switched on the headlights. Never had to touch it. On the Fusion, I can't tell what is happening. I thought that, when I originally bot the car and the setting was on auto, that there was always a green icon (light) on the dash. I took this to mean that I had DRLs burning and that they were on. Now I rarely see any icon/light on the dash and I am questioning whether I was always seeing it after all. What I CAN conclude is that, when set to auto, the headlights WILL light when I go into a tunnel or into my garage. Otherwise, they are off.  I was driving today and it was dark(ish) and raining. The lights did not come on automatically. I have been pondering this for a while and have noticed that many other cars seem to not have lighted headlights during the day. I am asking myself whether the laws have changed and that DRLs are no longer required. (I recall an editorial in Car & Driver written way back when DRLs were a new thing. The author noted that studies in Europe (where it started years earlier) showed that DRLs had NO EFFECT in preventing accidents. None!) Another thought I had is that, maybe, something is interfering with the sensor that communicates with the computer/module/whatever that controls the lights. 

 

Not a big thing really. But I guess my question is "Is my auto setting working as intended?  Thanks. 

[theterminator93]

When the headlights are left on auto, DRLs will be on but there is no icon on the dash. The only way to verify is to go out and look at the car or observe the reflection of them in the paint of a car in front of you when stopped in traffic. When the headlights are on, then the green icon will illuminate on the dash. The auto setting is one click to right of on. One click to the right of off is parking lamps, and two clicks right is headlights on. On some cars having the wipers on turns on the headlights, but I can't recall if these have that function/feature. My old Mark VIII does that.

 

Last time I looked it up, DRL is not required in the US but it is in Canada. All the same, many auto manufacturers are including some flavor of "accent trim" around their headlights for styling purposes but that also meet the regulatory requirements of nations that require DRL. By doing this, they reduce manufacturing costs slightly and that seems to be the name of the game these days.

Edited January 28, 2024 at 11:35 PM by theterminator93