I am 100% against auto headlights.
It's a nanny that makes morons look smart. I'd much prefer to have a visual way to identify ignorant and drivers to avoid (give a wide berth).
The mandatory headlights was pushed by GM in the late 90's and early 00's. There where variations of implementation. Some times the gauge cluster only lit when the physical switch was in the On position. Others the cluster illuminated with the auto feature. Some just the headlights came on but ignored the tail lights.
IIRC the Fed tried to implement a standard. I don't recall the wording but I seem to recall that it wasn't clear enough and every mfg had their own way of testing it.
Dug up and old study,
https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api...ication/811029
The hard truth is that no amount of light, light color, condition in which light should be illuminated will every lead to a zero death roadway. People are just too selfish. Whatever they are doing is only about them. They don't care if you're in the way. They come first.
My personal choice, my lights are always on in anything I drive.