Collision Avoidance Systems

[CivicFan]

Originally Posted By: NYSteve
I also wonder how much is also due to increased medical response technology allowing people to survive to the hospital where they would have been DOA 30 years ago.

Good point. It's definitely a big factor. I doubt that there are statistics of "dead at the scene" versus other types of death.

 

[rpn453]

Originally Posted By: CBR.worm
The key, in my mind, to making a system like what Volvo has created acceptible is to have it interfere only in a situation where the driver has waited too long and collision is imminent.


A system like that would be very good, as long as it never messes up. Jack Baruth of TheTruthAboutCars.com was test driving a BMW M3 when the electronics went crazy on pit lane after a hard run.

Quote:
As I enter the pitlane, however, the BMW goes insane, flashing the dashboard and abruptly braking me to a shrieking, clattering halt without my intervention. I radio for help and the car ends up needing to be restarted a few times before deciding to let go of the brakes. This is, frankly, terrifying. What if the brakes had “grabbed” while I was negotiating the infamous Turn Nine?


http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2011/02/review-2012-ford-mustang-boss-302-and-boss-302-laguna-seca/

I found it to be a very spooky feeling when my buddy's S4 applied the brakes to slow me after a high speed pass with the cruise control still engaged. If it were my car, I'd likely find a way to disable any automatic braking. Hopefully that would also eliminate having to hold the stability control button for three seconds every time I start the car in the winter!

 

[Drew99GT]

Originally Posted By: Nick R
Alright so let's make all cars Geo Metros Then. Light, no frills, and deadly if you are hit by anything larger than a bicycle.


Lets not go from one extreme to the other. I'm all for making cars safer with air bags, better crumple zone technology etc. Not mandating electronic gizmos doesn't mean we'll all be driving Geo Metros.

Do we need government mandated computer systems in cars so we don't run into each other??? That's a slippery slope, the end result being essentially cars that drive themselves.

Screw that!

On my brothers S500 Mercedes, I had to turn the stability/traction control off in heavy rain last week because it was kicking in so much it made driving more frightening as I'm used to correcting the situation with my to hands on the wheel and my right foot on the pedals.

 

[d00df00d]

Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
Lets not go from one extreme to the other. I'm all for making cars safer with air bags, better crumple zone technology etc. Not mandating electronic gizmos doesn't mean we'll all be driving Geo Metros.

 

[rpn453]

Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
On my brothers S500 Mercedes, I had to turn the stability/traction control off in heavy rain last week because it was kicking in so much it made driving more frightening as I'm used to correcting the situation with my to hands on the wheel and my right foot on the pedals.


That got me thinking. I posted once about how badly the aforementioned S4 hydroplaned when I drove it in heavy rain with like-new tread depth. I blamed the tires, and even tried to convince my buddy to get some different ones immediately afterwards since they seemed unsafe to me, but maybe the electronics were responsible for the spooky feeling I was getting. It just felt so unnatural, like there were brief moments where I was just a passenger with a steering wheel in front of me. That was shortly after he had gotten the car, and I hadn't given the nannies much thought at that point. Once the snow hit, we quickly discovered that pushing the stability control button only turns off traction control but still doesn't allow the car to be enjoyable to drive; the button has to be held for three seconds to actually turn off stability control.

 

[hattaresguy]

Well Mercedes ESP and ASR system is pretty good, if it was kicking on you either have [censored] tires or are getting on it to fast.

Depending on what year the S500 is, put it in winter mode next time for second gear start if you really can't stay off the loud pedal, that should help.

You also have to remember on any Mercedes the ESP/ASR is never really off, unless you put it in dyno mode. Which turns everything off including the ABS and is a blast.

 

[hattaresguy]

Yeah that was the radar cruise control, its perfected though.

When your on the edge of technology things happen, sometimes embarrassingly, I'm sure the engineer who screwed that up was shot.

Its actually a very nice feature to have in light traffic, although in heavy traffic it wants to keep to much distance so people cut in. But in light traffic its fantastic, car will even stop itself if your distracted for some reason and the guy in front of you slams on the brakes.