I do not understand these brake lights

I know other cars (minis for example) have similar setups but I always think their brake lights are malfunctioning. 
 

Am I the only one?

Fairly sure those brake lights are malfunctioning. 

Are you speaking of the Korean habit of moving the brake lights down to the bumper?  I've seen some Japanese models doing that, and find it universally stupid.  

I see it's moved to Germany.

OHSCrifle said:

Fairly sure those brake lights are malfunctioning. 

Agree.  Why may raise another issue.

One feature I remember from my i3, which had a similar tail light layout, was that the lower lights would only come on with the hatch open, which removed the normal lighting from view.

So, maybe some change the switching associated with that is broken, or the rear hatch isn't entirely closed.

OHSCrifle said:

Fairly sure those brake lights are malfunctioning. 

They are not. 

Blame stupid US laws. If the lights are in a moveable body panel, like a hatch, they cannot be brake lights by law. So in the ROW those ARE the brake lights, here they are turned off and the bumper lights are used. See the Mini and a ton of others.

In reply to Javelin (Forum Supporter) :

My goodness, that sure does explain things.  There is a government agency involved.

I mean, you do frequently see vehicles driving home from Lowes Depot with the hatch open and lumber sticking out.. it does make sense from that perspective.

Javelin (Forum Supporter) said:

OHSCrifle said:

Fairly sure those brake lights are malfunctioning. 

They are not. 

Blame stupid US laws. If the lights are in a moveable body panel, like a hatch, they cannot be brake lights by law. So in the ROW those ARE the brake lights, here they are turned off and the bumper lights are used. See the Mini and a ton of others.

That is really interesting and explains a lot.  Including why our Odyssey minivan brake lights are only on half of the taillights - the part not on the door. 
 

Javelin (Forum Supporter) said:

OHSCrifle said:

Fairly sure those brake lights are malfunctioning. 

They are not. 

Blame stupid US laws. If the lights are in a moveable body panel, like a hatch, they cannot be brake lights by law. So in the ROW those ARE the brake lights, here they are turned off and the bumper lights are used. See the Mini and a ton of others.

I thought it was because of european law? Something about if the hatch/tailgate/trunk is up and open that there still have to be visible brake lights on the car? I vaguely remember some weird euro car having brake lights inside the hatch, like in the jamb.

Brake lights with the trunk open?  Park lights, yes.  Brake, I'd bet there is a rule about driving with your trunk open.

This is definitely a TIL topic. (In fact, Almost a yesterday I learned)

Here's the text of the regulations, for those curious.

be securely mounted on a rigid part of the vehicle, other than glazing, that is not designed to be removed except for repair, within the mounting location and height limits as specified in Table I, and in a location where it complies with all applicable photometric requirements, effective projected luminous lens area requirements, and visibility requirements with all obstructions considered. 

 

S6.1.3.2 When multiple lamp arrangements for rear turn signal lamps, stop lamps, or taillamps are used, with only a portion of the lamps installed on a fixed part of the vehicle, the lamp or lamps that are installed to the non-fixed part of the vehicle will be considered auxiliary lamps.

From federal motor vehicle safety standard 108.

A lot of US vehicle lighting regulations are pretty terrible.  Item number one being combined brake lights and turn signals.  That should never have been legal and doesn't fly elsewhere in the world.  I'm not a fan of red rear turn signals in general, even if separate. 

Honestly, I've come to like cars that separate the tail lights and brake lights (either by only using some of the tail lights as brake lights or by having separate brake lights).  I feel like the shape change to the light you're seeing is more visible than just a brightness change under some conditions.