RE: (ET) Ralph's LEDs

["Elie, Larry (L.D.)" <lelie ford com>]

Actually, many cars DO have LED tail & flashers.  It's being done partly
because 
the time it take to 'light' is shorter (the time to heat up a filament to
white 
hot is many mili-seconds) and that give the tailgater more time to slow 
his 
car; at 70 mph it may be 40' or more just for this heating delay.  Some of
the 
down sides are that FET drivers are required, and they have been a 
warranty 
issue.  For example, when you see mid '90's T-birds with brake lights that 
look like a light is out every inch or so on the back end, it's probably a 
dead FET driver on a LED tail-light.

Larry Elie
Ford Research and Advanced