Idle musings on car safety.

[redsturgeon]

The only times my autobraking has activated have all been false positives. It has been really annoying and I have switched it off.

John

[AF62]

The only times my autobraking has activated have all been false positives. It has been really annoying and I have switched it off.

I suppose it depends on how good the manufacturers system is, and possibly the style of driving.

Mine has only occasionally given a 'false positive' and that has been at 20-30mph urban speeds when the car in front is slowing to turn left and I know that it will have turned off the main road before I reach it so can continue at the same speed, but my car doesn't know the one in front is turning left it gets concerned about the closing gap. However easy to override by simply braking. accelerating, or steering slightly to show the car you know what you are doing, and it has only occurred only two or three times in the last year anyway.

As for turning off a safety system - suffering the odd inconvenience compared to saving you when you need it - sounds a bit like the old argument for not wearing a seat belt.

[redsturgeon]

The only times my autobraking has activated have all been false positives. It has been really annoying and I have switched it off.

I suppose it depends on how good the manufacturers system is, and possibly the style of driving.

Mine has only occasionally given a 'false positive' and that has been at 20-30mph urban speeds when the car in front is slowing to turn left and I know that it will have turned off the main road before I reach it so can continue at the same speed, but my car doesn't know the one in front is turning left it gets concerned about the closing gap. However easy to override by simply braking. accelerating, or steering slightly to show the car you know what you are doing, and it has only occurred only two or three times in the last year anyway.

As for turning off a safety system - suffering the odd inconvenience compared to saving you when you need it - sounds a bit like the old argument for not wearing a seat belt.

It depends what you mean by activation of the system. I am not talking about the prewarning beeping but the full activation of emergency stop mode.

The few times that happened to me it definitely caused a more dangerous situation than the one it was trying to avoid...I can do without a safety feature that does that!

The most annoying thing was though when the road outside my house was resurfaced and the yellow lines repainted. Because of the angle of my drop kerb and the brightness of the yellow lines, the car reads them as an obstacle and actually was preventing me exiting my drive! So either I switch the system off every time I want to leave my house and switch it on when I have exited my drive (which requires a fairly deep delve into the menu system) or I switch it off all the time. Since I have managed OK for 45 years without the device, I did a quick personal risk assessment and decided to take the risk and switch it off.

John

[AF62]

It depends what you mean by activation of the system. I am not talking about the prewarning beeping but the full activation of emergency stop mode.

The few times that happened to me it definitely caused a more dangerous situation than the one it was trying to avoid...I can do without a safety feature that does that!

The most annoying thing was though when the road outside my house was resurfaced and the yellow lines repainted. Because of the angle of my drop kerb and the brightness of the yellow lines, the car reads them as an obstacle and actually was preventing me exiting my drive! So either I switch the system off every time I want to leave my house and switch it on when I have exited my drive (which requires a fairly deep delve into the menu system) or I switch it off all the time. Since I have managed OK for 45 years without the device, I did a quick personal risk assessment and decided to take the risk and switch it off.

John

Well as I mentioned I suppose it depends on how good the manufacturers system is - the version on your car seems, umm, interesting.

The system on my car uses radar not a visual system to identify any issues, so yellow lines would be irrelevant to it.

It also provides an appropriate response to the issue.

So for 35 mph and faster driving it provides a tiered response -
- Distance warning - it gives a small visual warning if you are too close to the car in front
- Advance warning - gaining too fast and it will give a large visual and audio warning of a risk of collision, but drivers actions will dismiss this
- Urgent warning - if you ignore the 'Advance warning' it will tap the brakes to wake you up
- Automatic braking - if you ignore the 'Urgent warning' it will brake for you
- Braking assistance - if you are braking but the car doesn't think you are braking hard enough it will increase the braking force

Whereas in town between 3 and 30 mph the 'City emergency braking' will flash up a warning to a possible collision and if you don't react it will brake for you and and bring you to a stop.

None of those systems would stop you driving across some painted yellow lines, but do help prevent lots of the more common accidents - traffic suddenly slowing on the motorway, car in front pulling out onto a roundabout suddenly stopping, etc.

[redsturgeon]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvVGPNGwpZE

This is my system.

It seems mine is radar too so not sure why the yellow line stop it but they do!

John

[JohnB]

A problem with emergency braking crashes is that it always the fault of the car behind, as they are expected to drive such that they can stop in the distance the can see is clear, though no-one does on crowded roads, as we all assumie we get the benefit of the other driver's braking distance. And then there's the issue of false whiplash claims.

[kiloran]

Well as I mentioned I suppose it depends on how good the manufacturers system is - the version on your car seems, umm, interesting.

The system on my car uses radar not a visual system to identify any issues, so yellow lines would be irrelevant to it.

It also provides an appropriate response to the issue.

So for 35 mph and faster driving it provides a tiered response -
- Distance warning - it gives a small visual warning if you are too close to the car in front
- Advance warning - gaining too fast and it will give a large visual and audio warning of a risk of collision, but drivers actions will dismiss this
- Urgent warning - if you ignore the 'Advance warning' it will tap the brakes to wake you up
- Automatic braking - if you ignore the 'Urgent warning' it will brake for you
- Braking assistance - if you are braking but the car doesn't think you are braking hard enough it will increase the braking force

Whereas in town between 3 and 30 mph the 'City emergency braking' will flash up a warning to a possible collision and if you don't react it will brake for you and and bring you to a stop.

None of those systems would stop you driving across some painted yellow lines, but do help prevent lots of the more common accidents - traffic suddenly slowing on the motorway, car in front pulling out onto a roundabout suddenly stopping, etc.

That's pretty much how my B-class works. I get the odd beep when I'm closing on a car in front which is turning left, but otherwise it's totally unobtrusive. I'v never had the automatic braking actually kick into action.

--kiloran

[AF62]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvVGPNGwpZE

This is my system.

It seems mine is radar too so not sure why the yellow line stop it but they do!

John

Same system as mine, so I would suggest yours has a fault.

That's pretty much how my B-class works. I get the odd beep when I'm closing on a car in front which is turning left, but otherwise it's totally unobtrusive.

Yep.

I'v never had the automatic braking actually kick into action.

But as I found out on Sunday, when it does you will be damn glad your car has it and will likely be shocked at how well it works!

A problem with emergency braking crashes is that it always the fault of the car behind, as they are expected to drive such that they can stop in the distance the can see is clear, though no-one does on crowded roads, as we all assumie we get the benefit of the other driver's braking distance.

Well if you drive on the car in front's back bumper you get what you deserve. And if I get a tailgater I simply increase the gap between myself and the car in front.

[Lootman]

A problem with emergency braking crashes is that it always the fault of the car behind, as they are expected to drive such that they can stop in the distance the can see is clear, though no-one does on crowded roads, as we all assumie we get the benefit of the other driver's braking distance. And then there's the issue of false whiplash claims.

The fact that the driver who rear ends you is deemed at fault isn't really the point. You are still involved in an accident which could mean injury, delay, damage and maybe the hassle of having to be towed.

I don't even want one case of my brakes being slammed on when there is no danger. And given the variety of experiences being related here, it seems clear that the technology is not perfect, as if any technology ever is.

[kiloran]

And given the variety of experiences being related here, it seems clear that the technology is not perfect, as if any technology ever is.

Humans also have their limitations, of course, though we are often blind to them.

--kiloran