Adaptive Cruise Control & Collision Warning System

[acdii]

It's the cars way of saying, Holy S*** Brake now stupid! :) :hysterical3: :hysterical:

[expresspotato]

There was a top gear episode where the tried to crash a mazda 6 and couldn't, that's how good the radar based collision system was.

 

To me the ACC and lane keeping aid are mediocre at best.

 

- The lane keeping aid won't even turn on and will turn off under 60 KM/h which is pretty fast already

- The lane keeping aid will let you go all the way over then correct but only so to center you in, then will let you wander right off to the other side...

- The adaptive cruise control won't work under 20 KM/h which is pretty brutal in stop and go traffic and when coming to a stop will click off with just a few feet to stop in a real bummer

[Eddie Sessum]

There us a light pole around the corner from my house my car always beep at every time i go past it. I think it had a bad run in with that pole on a past life. Its the only place ive seen it do it other than for actual cars.

[MaineFusion]

There us a light pole around the corner from my house my car always beep at every time i go past it. I think it had a bad run in with that pole on a past life. Its the only place ive seen it do it other than for actual cars.

Mine likes to go off for a curved road arrow on my daily commute. For about six months it never triggered for the sign and then a couple weeks ago it decided it just didn't like the arrow any more. The first time it ever went off about made my heart stop. Now I'm kind of desensitized to it.

Edited September 14, 2013 by MaineFusion

[Howie411]

Havent seen the cool LED lights go on yet in my car yet other then when I start it up. Though maybe its a good thing I dont see it.

[Sleddog]

I've had the ACC on and the collision warning go off because of a car slowing and turning right. The combination of the two will slow you down VERY FAST! I override it by pressing on the go pedal. The car wants to hesitate a little but the pedal does override the ACC and collision warning system. I think since the collsion system charges the brake and the ACC system uses them to slow you if needed, it causing the car to slow down very fast.

Edited November 14, 2013 by Sleddog

[B25Nut]

I've had the ACC on and the collision warning go off because of a car slowing and turning right. The combination of the two will slow you down VERY FAST! I override it by pressing on the go pedal. The car wants to hesitate a little but the pedal does override the ACC and collision warning system. I think since the collsion system charges the brake and the ACC system uses them to slow you if needed, it causing the car to slow down very fast.

 

Besides putting me over my budget, this is exactly why I didn't want these options on my FFH. I only want my car to do what I command it to do.

[Toz]

I only want my car to do what I command it to do.

Right up until I command it to do something stupid :sos:

[acdii]

Wait until you really have to use it. It will put you in the windshield when you hit the brake pedal when those red lights are flashing. The car can stop before the dime when its active.

[Riggo]

I've noticed a few cars like the Mazda 6 and I think the Chevy impala (I forget which Chevy) that can come to a complete stop if needed. I was wondering if that could be something Ford could do for our Fusions with a software upgrade. I mean it can already slow itself down to 15 mph or less, why not just have it stop completely in a possible rear end situation.

[Eddie Sessum]

They can but not here.. After I found out it couldn't I kinda wished I would have checked out the 328d. May still in a year or 2.

[acdii]

The Focus sold in Australia has the auto stop tech, but only works at speeds under 30 MPH.

 

 

One side effect of these gadgets, it makes people complacent and more likely to ignore driving thinking, hey the car will stop, or it will keep me from running off the road. Then they get use to this tech, get in a car that doesnt have it and wind up crashing. So there is good and bad for all of these features.

[Sleddog]

B25Nut, it's these system that are bringing the automobile into the high tech world. Just think what flying a fighter would be like without some of the systems that have been in use for well over 30 years (stall, low level warnings and so on).

 

Will they make some folks complacent? Sure, will they save lives? Hopefully. It's all about situational awareness, and the more the better.

Edited November 16, 2013 by Sleddog

[acdii]

Big difference between someone who flies jets, especially fighters, and your average yoho behind the wheel. These are great advances to automotive technology, but take your average person who texts and talks on the phone while driving, add in these systems and they will be even more distracted thinking the car will save them. A competent driver will use these to their best advantage. I like the lane keeping, but only use it if on a long road trip.

[Sleddog]

Sure there's a big difference. The point was to give B25Nut something to compare it against since he is an aviation enthusiast. He also has some design experience. Have you every flown a fighter? I did for over 20 years. The comparison is the advancement of technology. The auto industry is just starting to add in advancements that have been around for years in aviation. Antilock(called antiskid in aircraft) brakes have been in aircraft for well over 50 years. But they only became common in cars in the last 15 years or so. Heads up displays, again, they have been around for years in aircraft, they are now finding there way into cars and trucks.

 

These are safety systems. Anything that can be done to improve the yohos (as you call them) situational awareness helps. One thing I never had to worry about when flying was the person in front of me slamming on their brakes because they dropped a cell phone or a cup of coffee. I also never had to worry the person next to me drifting into my lane because they were texting. The government is going to regulate what safety features are to be included with a car. Just like they did with the TPS system. The BLISS systems and traction control are next. I feel they are needed because people spend too much time doing other things (eating, texting, putting on make-up, talking to others in the car, talking on cell phones held by hand) to have enough situational awareness to drive safely.

 

One thing I did have to worry about was target fixation and loss of situational awareness during IFR conditions. That's why when flying, instrument scans and looking outside the cockpit is very important. Just like checking your gauges and scanning the traffic and traffic situations outside the car is equally important.

 

Here's a good example for you. I was number 2 for landing at an AFB and had a C-5 land gear up in front of me. Conditions, clear and a million. Cause, pilot and IP error, loss of situational awareness. The pilot was on a check ride, the IP was throwing failures and simulated failures at the crew. One of the things the IP did was to pull the landing gear warning circuit breaker. The crew lost situational awareness while dealing with the failures. The AT controller gave them a check wheels down, cleared to land call, and the crew acknowledged it. The pilot and crew short cut the landing checklist, and they along with the IP, missed the gear was up. With the gear warning breaker open, the aircraft was allowed to land with the gear up. If the gear warning horn went off, they could have gone around. But they ended up attempting a scrape and go that ended up as a gear up, scrape and full stop.

 

So, if you loose situation awareness in your car, these system may help. Otherwise you may end up hurting not only yourself, but someone else.

Edited November 19, 2013 by Sleddog

[MaineFusion]

On my trip last week from Maine to Williamsburg VA and back I saw so many instances of drivers without situational awareness that I couldn't have kept count if I tried. I also passed at least three multi-vehicle accidents, which were no doubt caused by inattentive drivers.

 

I especially loved the people who just tried to merge into me from on ramps without looking or using turn signals. With trucks to my left, my only choice was to hit the brakes to let them in. Had they accelerated even a slight bit faster they could have merged in front of me with no issues.

 

Manufacturers can't bring fully autonomous cars to market fast enough for my liking. In the short run, I'd like to see the combining of BLIS with lane keeping such that audible warnings and steering wheel resistance warn drivers if they try to shift lanes into a spot that is already occupied. On this, I really wish my FFH had an audible warning if I tried to shift lanes with someone in my blind spot. Even the best drivers can use a little extra driver assistance.

 

As far as distracted driving goes, there should be points added to driving records for texting while driving. Fines alone is not sufficient.

[acdii]

 

 

As far as distracted driving goes, there should be points added to driving records for texting while driving. Fines alone is not sufficient.

I would prefer revoking their license over points. Drive on a revoked license and get caught, next stop is a sit at the county jail. Of course when a license is revoked, so should the plates on the car, they should be turned in to the DMZ until the license is reinstated. What people really fail to understand, Driving is a privilege, not a right. No one has the right to drive a vehicle, they earn the privilege by obtaining a license, which I feel is given out too freely too. Since I hold a CDL I know what it took to obtain it, and I believe everyone should go through at least a few of the training sessions I did to obtain it. During the test, if you touch a tire to a curb, you fail. Doesnt matter if you are turning or backing into a slot. I also did skid pad training, and in an 18 wheeler, it can leave skid marks, and not on the road.

 

They also need to see first hand what the after effects of a wreck are. Nothing sets your ass straighter than seeing what a 6 month old looks like after flying through a windshield when they arent strapped in and the driver slams into the back of another car. Or what can happen when you cut off an 18 wheeler with a small car like an Escort and slam on your brakes. The aftermath of that can be the truck on top of the car killing everyone inside and their blood running out mixing with the antifreeze, oil and fuel from the car and truck. Or watching in real time as a biker flies down the tollway at 150+MPH and slams into the back of a car driving 65 MPH, then seeing the person fly through the air and get cut in half by the light pole.

 

Believe me when I say, you see that happen, and you never forget.

 

Then again, you cant fix stupid or teach common sense.

[terryb]

I wonder if they still show the "blood on the highway" style movies that grossed us out in high school in the sixties? Or has it been decreed that the little darlings of today are too sensitive for the gore that could shock them into taking a little care?

[acdii]

Have you seen today's video games? I dont think there is anything left to shock them......

[hybridbear]

Will the collision warning alert and beep if the Adaptive Cruise is turned off? I know I've had the warning lights flash when I'm driving with Adaptive Cruise turned on but driving with my foot and not using the cruise to control speed. But I can't recall ever seeing the lights flash when the cruise isn't turned on and ready to activate. Thanks.

[Easy Rider]

Will the collision warning alert and beep if the Adaptive Cruise is turned off? I know I've had the warning lights flash when I'm driving with Adaptive Cruise turned on but driving with my foot and not using the cruise to control speed. But I can't recall ever seeing the lights flash when the cruise isn't turned on and ready to activate. Thanks.

 

Mine does. In my first two months, it has gone off 4 times.

 

Two were mostly legit......as I have a somewhat bad habit of not slowing down as much as I should when the car in front turns right.

As I approached the corner of his bumper going around the turn, the alarm went off.

The other two times involved going around a rather sharp curve in the road with heavy traffic present.

I assumed the dynamics were similar to the turning car senerio.

 

After all that, I visited the settings and turned it back to "normal" instead of the higher one.

The alarm upsets my wife......especially if she is napping at the time !!! ;)

 

 

[acdii]

What I found is that in the MKT, it will go off even if you are applying brakes, where the Fusion and Flex did not. If you are on the brakes it will not go off. Had the Flex done this, I most likely would have not hit the car as hard, or avoided it completely.

[Waldo]

What I found is that in the MKT, it will go off even if you are applying brakes, where the Fusion and Flex did not. If you are on the brakes it will not go off. Had the Flex done this, I most likely would have not hit the car as hard, or avoided it completely.

 

I don't think that's true, I think all Ford systems will go off when you are on the brakes. In your situation, it may just not have seen the car in front, or the car in front was already stopped, so it wouldn't pick it up. It will only set off the alert in reference to moving objects, not stopped ones.

[acdii]

Not true, there were many times where I was on the brakes in the MKT when it went off as I was approaching a stopped car that it deemed I was approaching too fast, while in the Fusion it never ever went off when the brakes were applied, even in the same situations. I will have to see if the settings are different in the MKT, just thought of that now. Since I didn't buy it new, those settings may have been changed b the previous owner. If the sensitivity is set higher in the MKT, that would explain it. I do know that the one in the MKT works! I had some idiot driver slam on their brakes at the front of a line of cars all going 55 MPH, then pull off to the side, nearly causing a pile up, I was already on the brakes, and when everyone slammed them on, the alarm went off and that pedal got stiff and the car STOPPED! If only the Flex had done that, it may not have been totaled.

[Waldo]

Could be related to the sensitivity settings, but the systems are all the same in all Ford vehicles.