I am a .... Dinosaur

[Ubique]

What is lane-departure warning and lane-keep assist? | Carbuyer

One or both of these systems are fitted to most modern cars but what are they and what do they do?

www.carbuyer.co.uk

Generally, LDW requires one forward facing camera, LKA requires stereoscopic forward facing cameras - some manufacturers do it differently but that's the general rule. Gaining and maintaining muscle memory for indicating your lane-change intentions is a good thing to do IMO...

 

[m_c]

Just out of interest, what do these lane assist things do ? Do they just give a warning if you are wandering ? If so, different signal if left or right ? Or do they snatch the steering wheel out of your hands ?

Do they work on roads with no markings ?

Everything is reliable and dependable until it goes wrong, and everything will fail eventually.

I always use indicators whether any one is around or not. Even lane changing. Its easy to get out of the habit, and besides, if someone is around who you don't see for whatever reason, you cannot be blamed for not indicating.

Ubique's link explains the basics.
In the case of my Custom, if it detects that you're drifting towards the edge of the lane, it'll nudge the steering away from the line. It's not a violent nudge, but you're aware the van is trying to correct for you inattentiveness, and you can easily over power it.
Should you actually drift over the line, it'll vibrate the steering.
Should you let go of the steering wheel, it'll bounce between the two lines, and flash up a visual and audio warning not to remove your hands from the steering wheel.

As that article says, it's main aim is to alert distracted drivers, but I think it's far more useful as a way to detect and waken up drivers who're falling asleep.

 

[Craig-SM]

Just out of interest, what do these lane assist things do ? Do they just give a warning if you are wandering ? If so, different signal if left or right ? Or do they snatch the steering wheel out of your hands ?

Do they work on roads with no markings ?

Everything is reliable and dependable until it goes wrong, and everything will fail eventually.

I always use indicators whether any one is around or not. Even lane changing. Its easy to get out of the habit, and besides, if someone is around who you don't see for whatever reason, you cannot be blamed for not indicating.

M_C just about covers it for the Merc on what the lane departure does but adds a few flashing icons on the dash to the whole thing too. Problem is it activates too easily and your sometimes wondering what you’ve missed but in reality you hadn’t so distracting you from driving whilst it falsely activates.
Active braking feels like the brakes have suddenly started dragging. Someone cuts you up on the motorway and it activates. You’ve already eased off the throttle but it’s applying brakes too and the person behind is now giving you unfriendly gestures.

I guess some people need them but then you need to ask should they be driving on public roads and if they’re reliant on such devices to prevent them crashing then what happens when the devices fail.

 

[Smallfry]

I guess some people need them but then you need to ask should they be driving on public roads and if they’re reliant on such devices to prevent them crashing then what happens when the devices fail.

This has always been my argument with a lot of people who claim to be great performance drivers just because they can afford a German turbo nutter coupe.

How good are you if all the traction aids are taken away? Driving on a public road is worlds away from a trackday.

 

[RWD3M]

My Jag has that LDW but easily disabled (an on/off button below the steering wheel) and stays disabled. The only one of these unwanted driver aids I had to get a bit abrupt with was the stop/start. I had to remove a small lead from the BCM for that to stay deactivated

 

[barracuda816]

Just out of interest, what do these lane assist things do ? Do they just give a warning if you are wandering ? If so, different signal if left or right ? Or do they snatch the steering wheel out of your hands ?

Do they work on roads with no markings ?

Everything is reliable and dependable until it goes wrong, and everything will fail eventually.

I always use indicators whether any one is around or not. Even lane changing. Its easy to get out of the habit, and besides, if someone is around who you don't see for whatever reason, you cannot be blamed for not indicating.

No, they warn and steer. A warning would be annoying and distracting but the steering input is what I really hate. I do not want any steering input other then from myself. I don’t get why that should be a bad idea or controversial point of view.

I think there should be a new class of licence to be honest. Like for people who pass with an auto box.

 

[RWD3M]

No, they warn and steer.

Really? Surely not. Mine would vibrate the steering wheel but wouldn't actually steer the car. It can't do, can it?

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

How good are you if all the traction aids are taken away?

My old MR2 had nothing...no abs, traction...not even an airbag. It was "exciting" to drive in the wet/snow.

 

[RWD3M]

My old MR2 had nothing...no abs, traction...not even an airbag. It was "exciting" to drive in the wet/snow.

I've got soething similar except it also has no seat belts or crumple zone (except your face!) and precious little in the way of brakes or accurate steering! That said, it's pretty good in the snow, probably down to the huge 4.50 x 17" crossplies.

 

[Smallfry]

No, they warn and steer. A warning would be annoying and distracting but the steering input is what I really hate. I do not want any steering input other then from myself. I don’t get why that should be a bad idea or controversial point of view.

I think there should be a new class of licence to be honest. Like for people who pass with an auto box.

In the UK, there has always been a different licence for those who have passed on an Auto. I guess this is still the case

I do not like the idea of the car steering itself at all. What if a fault develops and you are steered into something and unable to override it ???

 

[Kayos]

You do know there is a dedicated thread for moaning old farts?

I am sorry but the attitudes to technology are laughable. I agree some of the latest driver aids are a bit pointless but things like hill hold are very useful in big multi storey car parks when it is busy. I remember helping a young lad who fried his Corsa clutch queing to get into one

Auto headlights have transformed driving for me and my wife, we live very rural and without modern lights night driving is made very difficult

Regarding what happens in case of fault on the systems? well speaking from first hand experience, when a system fails it deactivates.

 

[dobbslc]

Regarding what happens in case of fault on the systems? well speaking from first hand experience, when a system fails it deactivates.

Problem is that half the fur coat no knickers brigade can't afford to fix their* car and drive it around until they cause a crash.
*probably not their car but the finance companys...

 

[MetalMonkey]

I am sorry but the attitudes to technology are laughable. I agree some of the latest driver aids are a bit pointless but things like hill hold are very useful in big multi storey car parks when it is busy. I remember helping a young lad who fried his Corsa clutch queing to get into one

No offense to him, but if he can't enter a multi storey without burning out a clutch, he needs more practice or an automatic....
The de-skilling of driving is a real issue. A lot of these driving aids insulate you to what the vehicle is actually doing, which is all fine and good until you exceed the limits of what they can compensate for.
Then things go sideways (often literally) very quickly because no matter how hard they try and make it mimic a playstation, its still two tons of metal at crunch time.

Many of them are just gadgets and distractions.
There have been some genuinely great improvements, but 90% of the "assistance" on vehicles now is fluff and filler and annoyance IMO.

Auto headlights have transformed driving for me and my wife, we live very rural and without modern lights night driving is made very difficult

I've driven a lot of rural roads at night in cars with abysmal headlamps, including one time eight miles by moonlight only when an alternator failed.
Biggest takeaway from that was, if you can't see, you have to slow down.

I'm all for better visibility, but the amount of times I've been blinded by oncoming vehicles is ridiculous and its steadily got worse as lighting has "improved".

Regarding what happens in case of fault on the systems? well speaking from first hand experience, when a system fails it deactivates.

Chap at work had issues with collision detection on his car - it would randomly slam the brakes on when he was driving making it quite dangerous to drive.
Went back to the dealership several times and had thousands spent chasing the fault to no avail.

 

[Craig-SM]

This has always been my argument with a lot of people who claim to be great performance drivers just because they can afford a German turbo nutter coupe.

How good are you if all the traction aids are taken away? Driving on a public road is worlds away from a trackday.

It’s due to some of these driving aids that you have morons using the roads as race tracks pushing way higher speeds than safe and when it goes wrong all the air bags in the world won’t save the occupants from stupid speed to dead stop when they hit a tree. Unfortunately they don’t hit a tree but an innocent family enjoying a day out.

 

[barracuda816]

I couldn't agree more with Craig and metal monkey. I Love a lot of new tech. But I also don't just accept new tech sales pitch, I think we should be free to make up our own mind on what is useful for us.

Sure include all the lane assistance, self driving etc that manufactures want. But don't mandate it unless it is really proven to be a safety improvement, like seatbelts. What I don't think is on is for us not to be able to disable these options without them turning back on for each new journey.


Unfortunately it's just a symptom of a larger problem, much like the right to repair issue that is on going.

 

[m_c]

I'd guess that the fact these driving aids result in a lower NCAP score, that there are statistics that prove they improve safety.

 

[Cobbler]

I’m sure that all these “improvements” are just fitted so the manufacturers can jack up the price! Call me an old cynic if you like, I don’t care

 

[addjunkie]

Quit moaning soon youll be in a self controlled self driving cube!

 

[Ubique]

Really? Surely not. Mine would vibrate the steering wheel but wouldn't actually steer the car. It can't do, can it?

Your Jag has Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keeping Assist does have steering input, but can be overridden / turned off. I have noticed some LKA are a bit 'fierce' - Volvo especially so. LKA & LDW both 'back off' when you put the relevant indicator on.

 

[Ubique]

I’m sure that all these “improvements” are just fitted so the manufacturers can jack up the price! Call me an old cynic if you like, I don’t care

A lot are mandated by the EU, and now the UN are sticking their opinion in, somehow they also get to make 'zee rules'. Trust me, car manufacturers do not want to be pushing a lot of this stuff into their cars.
The 're-enable every ignition cycle' is also mandated, because there is no way of knowing if the same driver is using the vehicle.