Turn signal - let’s improve it!!

[BrianB]

Let’s fix the blinker by making it louder! While we’re making things louder, the horn needs attention.

Sponsored

 

[iforbes]

I'm 100% with the OP on this one. I find the turn signals utterly frustrating. I'm positive my past vehicles would all turn the signal light off once a lane change was complete, the same way it turns if off after you complete a turn. It feels like the Rivian requires a far more significant turn of the wheels before it's willing to recognize it as a turn that justifies turning off the signal once complete.

I fully agree that you should be able to use the full "stay on" turn signal for a lane change and the vehicle should be able to recognize when the lane change is done and turn the darn thing off!

Fixing it for your specific use case breaks it for others.

if it auto turns off then I could say I don’t want that as I sometimes swits from slow lane to middle, pause the to left. Why should I have to keep putting the blinker on because it shuts off automatically?

blinker always on or three blinks is a great balance. And with the side view video, it is pretty easy to see if it has been left on too long.

This is a nothing burger problem IMO

 

[superfly_snook]

if it auto turns off then I could say I don’t want that as I sometimes swits from slow lane to middle, pause the to left. Why should I have to keep putting the blinker on because it shuts off automatically?

blinker always on or three blinks is a great balance.

Agree with all of this. I think the turn signals are fine and I prefer the sound compared to every other car I have owned.

 

[Enjen]

Fixing it for your specific use case breaks it for others.

if it auto turns off then I could say I don’t want that as I sometimes swits from slow lane to middle, pause the to left. Why should I have to keep putting the blinker on because it shuts off automatically?

blinker always on or three blinks is a great balance. And with the side view video, it is pretty easy to see if it has been left on too long.

This is a nothing burger problem IMO

So because it works for you, others can't complain that it doesn't work for them? I totally respect that some may like it this way, but it definitely seems to function differently than many other vehicles, and it's fair of us to point out and grumble about that.

My argument to your example is this: If you're doing two different lane changes, it seems entirely logical that you should have to activate your turn signal twice. Frankly, that seems the safest and most logical way for the cars around you to know that you actually intend to change lanes a second time. With the blinker permanently staying on, no one knows if you've just accidently left your signal on but are planning to stay where you are (which is the exact annoyance that many of us are complaining about here).

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

No. Let’s improve the heavy machine operator in the driver seat instead. https://rivian.com/support/vehicle-docs

 

[Surferdude]

Odd that so many are railing against those complaining about the stalk. I am also also firmly in the terribly designed turn indicator camp. Never in my life in any vehicle did I have to correct the indicator because I accidentally flipped it to the other direction when resetting it. Three blinks is also inadequate. At least give drivers the option for 5. I like to have mine blink until I complete the lane change. This just seems more courteous and safer. What makes it more annoying is you can't do a soft click of the stalk twice to extend it to 6 blinks. You have to wait until the first 3 complete the cycle then soft click the the stalk once again for another 3. I guess you could precisely hold the perfect amount of pressure on a soft click until you complete the change but that's a ridiculous suggestion. And why aren't there more comments on those 140P resolution 60% covered in dirt videos streams that pop up on the dash when indicating a lane change or turn? I'm pretty sure Rivian did this to reduce the likelihood that anyone can forget an indicator is left on because the video is very distracting and 100% useless as a safety feature. While Rivian works on allowing an option for 5 blinks instead of 3, they should also add a volume option for the indicator. Many here complain it's too soft. And I think it's WAY too loud. Give your owners three volume options - "soft", "normal" and "never forget your blinker is left on". This should not be difficult.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Odd that so many are railing against those complaining about the stalk. I am also also firmly in the terribly designed turn indicator camp. Never in my life in any vehicle did I have to correct the indicator because I accidentally flipped it to the other direction when resetting it. Three blinks is also inadequate. At least give drivers the option for 5. I like to have mine blink until I complete the lane change. This just seems more courteous and safer. What makes it more annoying is you can't do a soft click of the stalk twice to extend it to 6 blinks. You have to wait until the first 3 complete the cycle then soft click the the stalk once again for another 3. I guess you could precisely hold the perfect amount of pressure on a soft click until you complete the change but that's a ridiculous suggestion. And why aren't there more comments on those 140P resolution 60% covered in dirt videos streams that pop up on the dash when indicating a lane change or turn? I'm pretty sure Rivian did this to reduce the likelihood that anyone can forget an indicator is left on because the video is very distracting and 100% useless as a safety feature. While Rivian works on allowing an option for 5 blinks instead of 3, they should also add a volume option for the indicator. Many here complain it's too soft. And I think it's WAY too loud. Give your owners the option. This should not be difficult.

Because it’s basic info documented in Owner Guide, which every responsible owner should skim through at least once. Because it’s a product “flaw” that doesn’t exist. Because it’s a common standard operation/feature that other cars made in the last 10-15 years have. Furthermore, even if stalk is pushed past the click, it's not that hard to cancel the signal.

 

[Surferdude]

Because it’s basic info documented in Owner Guide, which every responsible owner should skim through at least once. Because it’s a product “flaw” that doesn’t exist. Because it’s a common standard operation/feature that other cars made in the last 10-15 years have. Furthermore, even if stalk is pushed past the click, it's not that hard to cancel the signal.

The vehicles you are referencing from 10-15 years ago don't have the same capability that Rivian has where they can, OTA, update their software to give owners options for controls that owners commonly complain about. Other manufacturers provide these user options so why shouldn't Rivian? Even moreso at Rivian's price point, these user options should be expected.

I would also argue that the video stream that pops up on indicator activation is a flaw. No rational person can argue the usefulness of this "feature". Any feature that doesn't provide its intended functionality is inherently a flaw in my eyes. But of course this can be argued, and I'm not here to argue about it. I'm here to voice my opinion as an owner that the video feed should have the option to be turned off should the owner prefer.

I always found it odd that people here complain against having more user selectable options. That those that complain should just suck it up instead of making suggestions that will inevitably improve the user experience. But here we are.

 

[SoCal Rob]

if it auto turns off then I could say I don’t want that as I sometimes swits from slow lane to middle, pause the to left. Why should I have to keep putting the blinker on because it shuts off automatically?

If you leave it on continuously when making multiple lane changes it can be as bad as not signaling at all. People who see the lane change won’t know if you are staying where you are and forgot to cancel the signal or if you’re making multiple consecutive lane changes.

Unless it’s an emergency crash avoidance maneuver, I always signal, change to the next lane, make sure the signal is off, check to make sure nothing changed to prevent a safe lane change while making sure the signal is off long enough that nobody will think it stayed on, signal, change to the next lane, make sure the signal is off, etc.

 

[ElGuano]

On the topic of turn signals, they seem very loud to me, and my kids in the back seat complained about them too. Is the volume adjustable?

 

[emoore]

On the topic of turn signals, they seem very loud to me, and my kids in the back seat complained about them too. Is the volume adjustable?

No

 

[iforbes]

If you leave it on continuously when making multiple lane changes it can be as bad as not signaling at all. People who see the lane change won’t know if you are staying where you are and forgot to cancel the signal or if you’re making multiple consecutive lane changes.

Unless it’s an emergency crash avoidance maneuver, I always signal, change to the next lane, make sure the signal is off, check to make sure nothing changed to prevent a safe lane change while making sure the signal is off long enough that nobody will think it stayed on, signal, change to the next lane, make sure the signal is off, etc.

Yeah, I don’t disagree and to be clear if it is a high traffic flow situation, I will turn signal off between changes. Otherwise will pause, reconfirm the situation and continue.

The overall point is that there is no way to modify for every use case. The options we have, again my opinion, are suffiecnt without being over complicated.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

On the topic of turn signals, they seem very loud to me, and my kids in the back seat complained about them too. Is the volume adjustable?

You all must have bat-like hearing. If I have no music or podcasts playing, it’s background noise to me unless I consciously listen for and dwell on it.

 

[White Shadow]

Does anyone else wish it was 5 blinks instead of 3? Only 3 may not be enough time to signal before initiating a turn or lane change.

Some cars allow this to be configured. My Audi does 3 blinks as default, but you can set it for 4 or 5 blinks. I agree that 3 usually isn't enough, so I have mine set for 4 blinks. It's all personal preference though...

 

[Tim-in-CA]

I find the volume of the blinker sound to be very low and imperceptible with music playing. And the location of the blinker indicator is perfectly covered up by the steering wheel position. Now that we have the turn signal cams, I have a clear indicator that I left the blinker on!!!

Sponsored