New auto safety tech - do you use it?

[RobbieB]

I sure hope you guys that turn off your safety equipment don't get in a wreck.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the defendant admits he (she) turned off the safety features of his (her) automobile that could have prevented this terrible accident"

 

[Music Lover]

I sure hope you guys that turn off your safety equipment don't get in a wreck.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the defendant admits he (she) turned off the safety features of his (her) automobile that could have prevented this terrible accident"

If you're at fault then you are liable regardless of whether or not the safety features were engaged.

 

[MuirWannabe]

Likes:
Backup camera and alert
Adaptive cruise control
Blind spot detection and alert
Lane keep assist (jury still somewhat out on this)

Dislikes:
Road departure mitigation
Collision detection and alert
Idle engine auto stop (I really hate this)

 

[RobbieB]

If you're at fault then you are liable regardless of whether or not the safety features were engaged.

But did you attempt to mitigate or show wanton disregard?

 

[folivier]

Maybe once self driving cars are a proven safe technology I'll consider one. By that time I may only need a self driving golf cart to take me to the back entry of the local strip mall.
Similar to my cameras that have so many auto features they can almost jump out of the backpack and take their own pictures, but I use it on aperture mode 90% of the time, manual 7%, and shutter 3%. I like to do my own creative thinking.
So no I won't buy a vehicle that I can't turn off some of the safety technology features.

 

[Music Lover]

But did you attempt to mitigate or show wanton disregard?

The responsibility for vehicle control belongs to the driver up to the point where technology prevents them from controlling it.

 

[marko]

The prospect of getting all that safety tech to do the driving tasks that I am used to handling on my own, is part of why I haven't bought the new SUV I have been talking about. I will buy the least amount of safety tech possible, but honestly they all have a huge amount of it and I'd rather that it wasn't there.

I went ahead and cut my seat belts off! Who wants those things?!

Just kidding.

My new car has all the cool stuff but the BU camera is the best invention since automatic transmission IMO. Getting older I hurt my back/neck trying to twist around. Also in the 'getting older' side of things I'll take all the help I can get.

In an ironic twist, my one 'super human trick' is that I could parallel park in a phone booth if I had to. DW says it's the only thing I'm good at...but I digress.
My car has autopark which is very, very cool, a bit freaky and frightening at first but I only use it to show it off...I've never needed it.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Don’t you think it is good that less capable drivers than yourself have these safety features to stop them running into the back of you or pulling into your lane as you overtake?

+1.

I love having almost all of the mentioned features on our 2018 car; yes, I can certainly drive without them, and yes, we will always still look behind us and drive defensively, etc., but I expect DH and I to become less capable drivers as we age and I know we will enjoy driving for more years with safer cars.

 

[Music Lover]

Don’t you think it is good that less capable drivers than yourself have these safety features to stop them running into the back of you or pulling into your lane as you overtake?

Sure, but it crosses the line when people with diminished capability trust the car to save them.

One example...if a person has mobility issues and can't turn their head to safely shoulder check, should they still be allowed to drive if they have blind spot monitoring? Does technology give them an out?

 

[CTRetiree]

I have a 2015 Outback with Eyesight. I wish I didn't have it. I'm 69 years old and my driving skills are improving every year. I don't need something that will help me avoid 80% of rear-end collisions. And the flashing light in the mirror when I contemplate switching lanes? Who needs that? Adaptive cruise control - jeez, now I'm using cruise control where there is moderately heavy traffic. Horrible! And it will take my car all the way to a full stop - I hate that part. And don't get me started on backup cameras? Who needs to see a toddler behind you before backing up? And how annoying is a warning that someone is crossing behind you? It's so easy to see them when backing up. So much money, and it's all useless...

When I hear seniors pooh-pooh driving tech that is what I hear. Their loss.

 

[marko]

Sure, but it crosses the line when people with diminished capability trust the car to save them.

It's probably better than people with diminished capability relying solely upon themselves.

Reminds me of my grandmother looking out her passenger side window and telling gramps "ok, go now". This has to be a better option.

 

[Midpack]

Sure, but it crosses the line when people with diminished capability trust the car to save them.

One example...if a person has mobility issues and can't turn their head to safely shoulder check, should they still be allowed to drive if they have blind spot monitoring? Does technology give them an out?

Interesting point. There are (mostly) older drivers who don’t really look on the roads every day and have been for at least 50 years. They just creep backing up, parking, even entering traffic with obstructed view, etc. and rely on other motorists to beep/warn them. I got tapped by a old timer (in a newish Honda CRV) last year who backed into me, never looked, got out and said ‘I don’t see any damage, no problem right?.’ He couldn’t understand why I was upset! It’s wrong, but nothing new.

The driver assistance features on my car have been wrong much more often than right over the past 15 months and they haven’t prevented a single incident/accident - but they might one day. We’ll see.

 

[marko]

Having been rear-ended while stopped at a red light (minor bump) twice in the past 3 months by a kid with their head down texting, I'd like to see them all have the collision avoidance!

They stop for the red light and whip out their phone but the car can still creep up.

 

[Cobra9777]

I have a 2015 Outback with Eyesight. I wish I didn't have it. I'm 69 years old and my driving skills are improving every year. I don't need something that will help me avoid 80% of rear-end collisions. And the flashing light in the mirror when I contemplate switching lanes? Who needs that? Adaptive cruise control - jeez, now I'm using cruise control where there is moderately heavy traffic. Horrible! And it will take my car all the way to a full stop - I hate that part. And don't get me started on backup cameras? Who needs to see a toddler behind you before backing up? And how annoying is a warning that someone is crossing behind you? It's so easy to see them when backing up. So much money, and it's all useless...

When I hear seniors pooh-pooh driving tech that is what I hear. Their loss.

I made it all the way to the toddler part before I realized you were being sarcastic. That's how conditioned I am to the "nanny argument" after reading this thread.

It's probably better than people with diminished capability relying solely upon themselves.

Reminds me of my grandmother looking out her passenger side window and telling gramps "ok, go now". This has to be a better option.

Exactly.

 

[Midpack]

I made it all the way to the toddler part before I realized you were being sarcastic. That's how conditioned I am to the "nanny argument" after reading this thread.

CTRetiree had me going too. There are a few proud Luddites here, a minority it seems.

 

[Spock]

Another angle:
many would (should) not blindly follow your GPS nav instructions
yet trust less mature tech to drive their car for them

 

[Spock]

Sure, but it crosses the line when people with diminished capability trust the car to save them.

One example...if a person has mobility issues and can't turn their head to safely shoulder check, should they still be allowed to drive if they have blind spot monitoring? Does technology give them an out?

Exactly this.
Dad has had 2 parking lot accidents in 6 months totaling $4500 in damage.
Yesterday he finally admitted maybe he shouldn't be driving because he gets dizzy when he turns his head rapidly. If he had tech assisting him (and could remember how to use it) he would keep driving.

Its not a simple "but the tech could help him avoid hurting others while he's still driving". There has to be some hysteresis in the tech curve... it would be great if the tech were ready for full self-driving modes, but until then it helps keep people on the roads who shouldn't be.

 

[Jerry1]

I wouldn’t be without my backup camera and having the sensors is a plus. I also use cruise control. Blind spot indicators are nice, but I don’t really pay attention to them (they’re only in DW’s car) and just check my mirrors the way I normally would before changing lanes. I had a car with adaptive cruise and it was better than normal cruise, but it had one bad feature. Since it slowed down to keep distance between you and the car in front of you, I found too often, I was behind someone and not even doing the speed limit. Took me a while to notice and then I would get around that car and be fine. I wouldn’t pay extra for it.

I hate lane departure. It’s just not ready for prime time and beeps (notifies you) too much. I done my collision avoidance but I hate that you’re too close red light, loud beep notification when you really have everything under control (you just ride peoples ass so the jerks around don’t just fill in the gap so they can get there one car sooner than you.

All in all, I embrace the new tech, but it’s a work in process.

 

[Spock]

... Blind spot indicators are nice, but I don’t really pay attention to them (they’re only in DW’s car) and just check my mirrors the way I normally would before changing lanes...

As a motorcycle rider this is a blind spot collision just waiting to happen.

 

[Bamaman]

My year old Camry has the lane change indicators where the steering wheel tugs and a beep happens whenever a lane marker is changed. I keep it cut off.

The adaptive cruise control slows me to the speed of the car in front of me--until I change lanes and it floors the accelerator. I like old style speed controls.

The automatic braking system didn't help when an old uninsured lady pulled out in front of my wife. I now know a hood is $976 and each headlight is $1000. The brakes did come on--to no avail.

Some electronics are mounted above the rear view mirror. I understand that a windshield replacement is up 3x to about $1,100. My deductible is $50--thank goodness. I still long for the days when cars were simpler--and 1/2 the price.

 

[Jerry1]

As a motorcycle rider this is a blind spot collision just waiting to happen.

Well, I check my mirrors and know how to drive and haven’t hit anyone yet. Not sure why I’m an accident waiting to happen. As described in a different thread, I check my mirrors by leaning forward a bit which changes the angle of the mirrors to eliminate the blind spot. I also look over my shoulder. Works pretty well. Truck also has a blind spot mirror.

As a automobile driver, I would revoke the licenses of most of the crotch rocket motorcycle riders I’ve seen. People driving a two wheeled vehicle well beyond the speed limit, weaving in and out of lanes are an accident waiting to happen.

 

[OldConch]

Adaptive cruise control is wonderful. In addition to the safety benefit of not rear-ending the car in front of you, it greatly reduces fatigue when driving long distances. No more braking when you get stuck behind a slower vehicle, passing, getting back up to speed then resetting the cruise...

+1

Rented a 2019 Nissan Pathfinder while on vacation and couldn't figure out why the cruise control wasn't working. It kept speeding up and slowing down. A real PITA.

Finally, something clicked and I remembered reading about adaptive cruise control. Returning to the airport from Carmel to San Jose, I used cruise control on all the highways and barely touched the brakes and gas the entire trip. It was wonderful and makes the old-school alternative seem positively primitive and unsafe.

I also like the blind spot indicator. Yes, I still lean forward and check, but the indicator works and there's no reason not to have independent confirmation.

I think it's a game changer as far as safety is concerned. My wife loved that unlike me, the adaptive cruise control automatically kept me at a safe distance (1 car length per 10mph) from the car in front of me.

 

[eytonxav]

I like the blind spot indicators and my parking cameras which provide great front end view and 360 top view which comes in very handy pulling into parking spots and my very tight garage. I don't really use the other stuff like lane keep and some of the other advanced features.

 

[GalaxyBoy]

I love love love the tech on my 2017 Ridgeline. I use the backup camera as my primary tool, but I double check by looking before totally committing. OTOH, many times when backing out of a space the camera is the only way to see right or left prior to being halfway out. I also use the camera to verify I'm all the way into the garage as I don't have much room to spare. Of course, as of May of last year backup cameras are mandatory on all new vehicles in the US and I think Canada.

I use the adaptive cruise control all the time. My main complaint is that on the interstate it's too easy to have it gradually reduce speed behind some slowpoke and I don't notice until I begin to wonder why more than the usual number of cars are passing me.

The lane departure is mainly an annoyance, but I can see where it might be useful on very long trips. I get an occasional false alarm from the automatic braking system but haven't had to rely on it to save me from rear-ending anyone (yet!). Each of these features can have its sensitivity adjusted in the settings app on the truck, but I've left them in their default modes so far.

[edit to add] I like the blind spot indicators. They're simply lights so I don't see why anyone would turn them off. If someone is in my blind spot and I turn my signal on, it will beep. I had a "wonder what that beeping noise is?" experience when it was new; the loud horn that soon followed educated me!

 

[GalaxyBoy]

I went ahead and cut my seat belts off! Who wants those things?!

In the early '80s I encountered someone who actually did this and was furious that New York state was implementing a mandatory seat belt law, and what was he supposed to do now? :moron: