2016 Lexus RX Models Sold in USA to Miss Out on Latest Lighting Technology

Posted by Michael on September 9th, 2015

One of the new features of the 2016 Lexus RX are progressive turn signal indicators on both the headlights and taillights — instead of a traditional flashing blinker, this new design lights up in a row:

Lexus RX Progressive Blinkers

Unfortunately, no Lexus vehicle in the USA will have this feature due to federal regulations — Jalopnik explains:

[According to existing regulations], all turn signals must be at least 2,200 square millimeters in size.

So how does the RX’s turn signal not qualify? Well, according to the Lexus people, the problem is this: the 2,200 square millimeter measurement doesn’t apply to the turn signal as a whole, but rather every single little bulb that lights up in a row.

This explains why vehicles like the Ford Mustang have similar lighting technology available in the USA — each segment of the turn signal is larger than 2,200 square millimeters.

This may be bad news for America, but customers in other markets will have these indicators to look forward to. Of course, standards around automotive lighting are being challenged, anything is possible!

Lexus RX: Fourth GenerationTechUSA
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Comments
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  • H
    Hamed Al Sayes
  • September 9, 2015
BEST BRAND #Lexus . And one question! When the (Art Gallery By Lexus) is going to open in Dubai?
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    Lexus Cohen
  • September 9, 2015
"Lovely" America. That's really cool though.
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    james_m300
  • September 9, 2015
thats really annoying... a signal turn lighting law? how is that going to hurt someone obviously they look like turn signals so people should not have a problem with it.
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    BOSS
  • September 9, 2015
Wow, they might as well ban people with tinted tail lights! cuz that is annoying and hardly visible!!! ridiculous.
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    DDas
  • September 9, 2015
That's so dumb. Honestly, fire trucks have that type of lighting technology and they're allowed (and fire trucks' turn signal lights are small circles with an arrow that lights up like the RX's). That one video of an RX spotted in China (I believe) on the highway with an X5 behind it looked good with these turn signals! I thought it was clear to see them! America is whack.
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    Joe
  • September 10, 2015
Weird regulation. If I am not mistaken, the same issue exists for Audi top models in the U.S.
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Here is my thought... Some halogens take a while to light up the minimum required surface area. By that time, the LEDs will have already lit up the minimum required surface area. If that is not the case, Lexus can perhaps speed things up a bit. Perhaps, Lexus should join forces with Audi whose A8 has this outside the US as well.
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    rayaans
  • September 10, 2015
Its an easy fix! Instead of making 1 light up, make 2 segments light up together!
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    ANDY
  • September 10, 2015
sigh.. time to spend extra money and outsource jdm tail lights after the rx is released in america. whos going to stop me now? the police? feds? traffic cops?
L
Yeah its kind of ironic that the best safety is this method but because of outdated laws we can't get it here, thus making the car potentially less safe.

Ford seems to have found a good way around this with their Mustang. Not sure of the exact loophole, maybe b/c its 3 seperate lights?
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    B__
  • September 10, 2015
I wonder how hard it will be to source a Euro-market body computer (or whatever computer controls the logic of those LED's) and just swap it into a U.S. market car? Only time will tell - I'm sure someone will get around to it.
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    Andyl
  • September 10, 2015
How about Canadian market? Are we seeing these new turn signals in RX and LX?

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