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Modern cars that turn off headlights when to doors lock/etc have an extra setting on the light switch. On all my vehicles with this feature it is a turn from off to the left (counter clock wise). The vehicles still also have the traditional "Off -> Parking/Running -> All On" positions if you turn the *** to the right.
I have always assumed the reason for this is that somewhere federal code dictated the basic required functions of the switch. I figured the only way car makers to could get automatic in there was to add a new position to the switch. I could be wrong.
I also would have concerns about not being able to force my headlights on even without the FOB. A car accident where you have gone off the road at night is a great example of a situation where you probably wouldn't want other things keeping your from signalling for help.
Perhaps.
I'm sure there is some reasonable rationale.
One piece of anecdotal information that leans a different direction is that one of my other vehicles is a 1994 Toyota Land Cruiser which has headlights that turn off when you open the door after turning the ignition off. You can manually cycle the light switch (to off then back on) to turn the headlights back back on (with the vehicle off) if you wish. So, US delivery Land Cruisers of that era were capable of the functionality to avoid draining the battery with headlights. And Land Crusiers aren't know for cutting edge designs.
