I wonder how this is going to work in a performance driving situation. Will you be able to turn it off? I’ve been in vehicles with this tech but never looked to see if there was an “off” option.
No time frame announced but here are the makes:
… Audi, BMW, Ford, General Motors, Mazda, Mercedes Benz, Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo…
This technology has been shown to reduce insurance injury claims by as much as 35 percent, according to an IIHS study. The 10 manufacturers that committed to this change represented 57% of vehicle sales in 2014. Equipping a large majority of new vehicles with this standard feature, will create safer roads for everyone. It also raises the bar for other car makers to match this standard feature — all without government regulations — and helps prime the market for autonomous vehicles.
…uses a combination of radars, cameras, lasers, and sensors (depending on the manufacturer) to track the distance of a vehicle traveling ahead of it.
How much do you think that adds to the cost of the vehicle? Not to mention how much the sevice department will pull in maintaining it. No wonder the government didn’t need to mandate it to get manufactures on board.
We reached out to Volvo for answers about what went wrong here, and the company’s response was also a bit disturbing. Volvo spokesperson Johan Larsson explained that the video is mislabeled. He said the car is not attempting to self-park. “It seems they are trying to demonstrate pedestrian detection and auto-braking,” said Larsson by email. “Unfortunately, there were some issues in the way the test was conducted.”
The main issue, said Larsson, is that it appears that the people who bought this Volvo did not pay for the “Pedestrian detection functionality,” which is a feature that costs more money.
“The Volvo XC60 comes with City Safety as a standard feature however this does not include the Pedestrian detection functionality,” said Larsson. The “City Safety system” kicks in when someone is in stop-and-go traffic, helping the driver avoid rear ending another car while driving slowly, or under 30 mph.
This is a pretty cool technology. Volvo braking system failure but the test engineers forgot to enable the system on their prototype vehicle.
fifth gear
for the last 3 weeks I spent every day driving my work van to rochester and back. averaging 3:45 behind the wheel every day 6 days a week for 3 weeks. This is on top of my normal work day. I am completely on board for auto pilot. I FUCKING HATE driving on I-90 with my cruise set 1/4 of a mph faster than whatever car I caught up to or passing a car 20 fucking times because they don’t use their cruise control and don’t like it when I pass them so they speed up. Highway driving sucks donkey dick and anyone that says otherwise has not had to do it often. I towed my track car 11 hours to road america then to mid ohio and then back to buffalo. Again if I had a option to sit behind the wheel and relax and let a computer drive for me I would get better fuel economy because I would not get impatient and speed and I would be less tired when I got where I needed to be. Driving a van with a 18ft trailer wears on you.
I wonder how this is going to work in a performance driving situation. Will you be able to turn it off? I’ve been in vehicles with this tech but never looked to see if there was an “off” option
I don’t see this being an issue at all. You should never have a closing speed on another vehicle on track that would be read as an impending collision. Even if you were to look at a pro race serise. I don’t imagine there is ever a delta between racing vehicles so great that those systems would intervene. Assuming you are all driving the same direction. Crashes or spinouts that cut visibility where a radar system might be able to see thorough might save your bacon at a lapping day. You would be a fool to be at race speed blasting through a massive dust cloud at a HPDE anyway. Volvo does not let you disable safety systems but there are always fuses you can remove.
Edit:
A thought on system costs. The radar sensors can be used to manage adaptive cruise control, and the cameras could be used at dash cams which could be integrated into the media interface to prevent insurance scams or like the new Z06 for track day stuff. The laser sensors in the mirror are used on many vehicles already for rain sensing wipers.
I own a car that has all this shit. The only thing it doesn’t do is steer itself. I really wish it would steer itself, at least in heavy traffic or thruway driving. I probably use adaptive cruise control 95% of the time while driving, and will never own a car that doesn’t have it.
I wonder how this fairs in winter driving. No matter how advanced these radar systems are, I imagine in the snow with ice etc. it will be a problem. There have been plenty of times that I got out of situations because I could actually feel and control both the braking and acceleration, and if you’re driving along and the system just brakes on ice? It should be like cruise control, every car should have it, but it shouldn’t be engaged at all times.
I think you are missing how this system works. It only activates as a last resort to prevent or reduce damage from a impact about to happen. It does not regulate your following distance like a nanny. It activates full brake moments before impact. Watch some of the videos I posted on the subject.
Right, I am missing something. What is “last resort”? I can imagine times that it engaging automatically would be worse than if it hadn’t. I’m all for it except if it is like Traction Control in some cars, you can’t turn it off. I was wondering in general though, how do these automation systems work in winter/snow conditions. I can see where there could be issues. Having said that, I’m sure with machine learning etc. after a few years of millions of cars data constantly being added to the servers, all of that will improve and AI adapt.
on a side note, cars in the USA already have/make too many warning signals, beeps, noises and flashes for every little thing. Those dash warnings in the videos are awfully annoying, kinda like your wife when she yells “watch out” and causes you to almost crash not because you weren’t paying attention to the road but because she shocks you into looking for a threat.
So if a computer slams on the brakes at a last second taking in speed sensor data from each wheel you’re more worried vs some human slamming them at the last sec?
Did you watch the videos? It’s very clear what last resort is if you actually watch them. Once you do you’ll realize everything you posted is pointless. This system engages only when you’re about to crash. In several of their tests even the 100% braking it applied wasn’t enough to prevent the crash, just greatly reduce the damage. There is no, “maybe the human could have done better” by the time the system jams the brakes. The system only kicks on because the human had his head up his ass.
The point is I want to have the opt out option. You’re saying that the system only engages right when I’m about to crash, it may sound stupid but I wouldn’t want that control taken away from me. It irritates the control freak in me. And I did watch those videos. Maybe I don’t get it because I’ve never been in a situation exactly like that, looking at something and then smashing into something in front of me. I see how that makes sense. I still can’t shake the feeling however, of it turning into more of an autopilot type of deal incrementally in the name of public safety
you can opt out. don’t buy a car with it or pull the fuse for the systems that control it… I am not saying that the system kicks in before a crash. That is just how it works. As far as your question about snow goes. If your speed delta is high enough to trigger a emergency braking system in a low traction environment you better reach for the fucking ejection seats because you are fucked.
In heavy snow I have to imagine these systems just don’t work. I know my W12 would disable radar cruise if the radar sensor built up a bunch of snow or ice on the front from driving though slop. I am glad you have not been in a situation where one of these systems could be used. I have never rear ended anyone either (knock on wood*) I have always liked Volvo’s audible warning and flashing light feature though. It is basically a WAKE THE FUCK UP alarm. I don’t own a volvo but I feel like it is a legit safety feature.
