Red lines in the car: nostalgia or safety in modern traffic?

Red lines in the car: nostalgia or safety in modern traffic?

What's new in the world of vehicles? A look at modern cars shows that they are now equipped with sophisticated displays, head-up projections and digital speedometers. These developments have drastically changed the way we perceive and manage speed. But what about the classic analogue speedometers that many of us are still familiar with? Northern Courier reports that fewer and fewer cars are equipped with these older models as modern alternatives become increasingly popular.

Analog speedometers, especially those with distinctive red lines at 30 km/h and 50 km/h, are now often viewed as relics from times past. These red lines are not just an optical gimmick, but also fulfill an important function. They serve as landmarks for drivers and indicate speed limits, such as in residential and school areas. These markings shorten the response time, especially with coarsely scaled speedometers. What is surprising is that these red lines are not required by law, but are used voluntarily by manufacturers.

The speedometer through the ages

The speedometer itself is an interesting device that measures and displays the speed of land vehicles. The earliest variants, such as the mechanical tachometer, were based on centrifugal force and were patented by Diedrich Uhlhorn in 1817. Different types of speedometers have evolved over the years, from analog displays and bar graphs to digital displays. Many modern vehicles use sensors on each wheel to precisely measure speed, which significantly improves accuracy. This is a clear departure from the initial technology, in which a speedometer cable transmitted the speed and was prone to wear and tear Wikipedia explained.

The relevance of the speedometer goes beyond just recording speed. At the same time, the measurement of mileage, often referred to as a hodometer, is also associated with this. This means that the units can not only reliably display the speed, but also precisely record the route traveled. The measurement is carried out by pulses within a certain time interval, with deviations in the speed display of a maximum of 10% upwards being permitted, which means that the speedometer must never fall below the actual speed.

Red lines and modern technology

The red lines that can still be found in some vehicles remind us of the importance of simple visual accents. These can be crucial for safety and orientation in road traffic. However, due to the triumph of digital advertisements, their use is becoming increasingly rare, so that they are disappearing more and more from the street scene. Some car brands stick to these markings, while others forego them.

In a time when speed limits are automatically recognized and acoustically reported not only by the driver themselves, but also by modern technologies, it is not surprising that analogue views are losing importance. This shows us that drivers' needs are also evolving - from the need for immediate visual feedback to more comprehensive automation of the driving process.

Whether we will miss the old analog speedometers or not remains to be seen. The fact is that the road is very different today - and advances in technology bring both new challenges and solutions.