I've been in apartment buildings state side that kinda have this, but there was always some light. Enough to see the exit at least. I think I'd be scared shitless if it was pitch black because of motion detector failure.
Many older stairwells in Europe (Italy/Spain/Portugal) are like this.
They're pitch dark, but you turn on the first switch which gives you enough light to reach the landing (and they are timed), and then you have to turn on another light, and so on. But if you don't get there quickly enough, it'll be pitch dark.
