Is Radar Cruise Control Safe?

Tesla and Toyota both clearly state that these features don't replace vigilant human beings. I use DRCC regularly. And I always pay attention. But it's nice to not have to make constant adjustments to the car's speed. I have many times overriden the DRCC because I could see traffic was slowing ahead.

In this video, the truck is to the side. Radar could easily miss that. But we don't know for certain that the autopilot was on. Even the video says that. Regardless, Tesla has said often that autopilot is to help the driver not replace them.

I feel like people need to take responsibility. It's not fair to hold Tesla responsible for something they didn't claim it could do.

No, I have not had any times when I thought that my DRCC malfunctioned. I have only adjusted it when I felt I knew better.


iPhone ?

 

Once the PCS engaged for a moment without an obvious trigger. The driver in the attached video was a spectator, not a participant. Inattentive driving (for any reason) will eventually result in a collision.

From a plaque in a bar: When I die, I want to go peacefully like my grandfather did–in his sleep. Not yelling and screaming like the passengers in his car.

 

TP is right in saying an aircraft autopilot can control some if not all the plane's controls, the pilot still always has to monitor it is performing correctly throughout. Controlled flight into terrain is rare (thankfully), but not unheard of!

 

All this auto pilot, self parking , safety blind side detection, going to produce lots of real bad drivers on the road on top of everything else! so more time texting, talking etc etc. Not driving defensively ! and having no idea how to drive. Next we going have auto pilot race cars see who have the best tech car!

 

Make that a driver fail. Too many drivers' expectations are getting ahead of the technology. We do not yet have self-driving cars on the consumer market, those are still at least four years away.

 

Ya....that's why I didn't go for parking or safety features and got a plain 3. I don't need to feel any less responsibility for moving a 3k lb object at 60 mph. Driving is supposed to take concentration.

Safety technology can be integrated without making people feel less responsible for their actions. Like air bags increase safety but you don't drive more carelessly just because they're there. But the way these automated driving safety features are being marketed, I definitely think people are being allowed to feel less responsibility.

 

"I wouldn't trust it as far as I could throw it!"

"They can keep it!!!"

(Thanks, dad)

 

No, I think you're wrong. All of this will mean no one drives. In five years, fully autonomous cars will be rolling off assembly lines. In ten years, most people will ride in autonomous cars. In twenty years people will wonder why anyone actually ever drove. In time, driving a car will be as antiquated as riding a horse. Some people will do it recreationally, but only in certain areas or on special occasions.

And thank goodness because the vast majority of people are amazingly bad at driving.

 

I've been one to use technology when it arrived in cars. When I first read about cruise control, I had to have it in the late '60s - sadly 'twas 2006 before I owned a car with it fitted, though had used it prior. And I used it ALL THE TIME. I maintain it's a tool which can be used to improve driving.

By that stage, I'd read about RADAR cruise, and couldn't wait till I could have a car with it - they were $$too much$$ till this present car. Again, I use it all the time, haven't used standard Cruise Control, but always the DRCC, I love it. I think it has it's limitations and drive within them.

Driving asleep or whatever the TELSA crash drivers were doing will result in less than ideal outcomes - at least at this stage. Eventually, there'll be more autonomy, but for the foreseeable future we may still need to "take-off" and "land" manually, and keep alert the rest of the time.

 

Radar cruise in Pearl S is better than I am at being "attentive". It's not distracted by other things, doesn't get tired, isn't blinded by bright sunlight. In my experience it's more "conservative" than -I- think it should be, and that's a good thing.
As far as vehicles slightly to the side, the radar cruise detects them even when they are just crowding their side of the lane line.

I have PCS turned off currently. I may turn it on one day.

I suspect that accident with the Tesla was not using the systems, or at least not using them properly.

 

i have had 2 incidents where the DRRC didn't work or it appeared that it wasn't going to work. Once getting off the highway on the off ramp at 45mpg and if cars are partially in your lane then it sometimes might not work? Autopilot on an aircraft is much different since it works on GPS waypoints, headings and there is multiple redundancies with the satellites... Two very different technologies...

 

Ouch! Really? Not sure what aircraft auto pilot you're referring to, so not wishing to be a mathen I'll simply point out that GPS and waypoints are relevant to navigating a path from one location to another. An autopilot monitors various control inputs to follow a desired procedure. This may include one or more ( or all ) of the following: heading, speed, pitch, roll, altitude and even occasionally, navigation.

All of these things are monitored by the front seat occupants even when George, the autopilot is flying the plane.... and that's the point of my comment. A responsible driver must always monitor his automatic driving aids.

Sorry, think I jumped on my soapbox there.

 

I have been using DRCC on my long commute over the past two weeks. I found it to be quite reliable, and sometimes on a more conservative side. Once a vehicle in front of me changed to the service lane and slow down --- it slowed down with it even though that vehicle was already in a different lane, then picked up speed when it was sure it's safe.
BUT, like many said, it's an *assist* not *substitute* I use it as a means to reduce the stress having to regulating the speed, and my right foot is always ready to intervene in case of any unexpected behavior.

 

the products are generally safe, but some of the people using them are scary.

 

When did commercial aircraft autopilots start using GPS? In the past, it wasn't considered reliable enough in part because the DoD reserved the power to degrade or shut it down without notice.

 

Respectfully, the DRCC is not meant to be used once you are exiting the freeway. Perhaps I'm misunderstanding what you're talking about. But it sounds like you should have turned off the DRCC and taken full control of the vehicle if you were getting off the freeway.

If I'm misinterpreting what you're saying, I apologize.

 

I generally don't use it on most exits - as I said, landings and take-offs are best done manually. Maybe if it's dead straight with not much traffic.

With vehicles partially in your lane, it's always best to be ready to intervene, in case DRCC isn't locked on. The Manual specifically warns about this.

 

Few years ago a jumbo jet coming into land San Francisco didn't quite make runway, hit tail end, spun out. Heard Auto throttle system played a part. Pilots failed to react, airspeed too slow on final. Needed more throttle (power) to maintain airspeed, stay on glide slope.

I've a couple hundred hours in light planes. Bro in law an airline captain and mentioned some overseas pilots rely too heavily on Autopilot, don't fly as much hands on.

Autopilot, radar cruise control, etc .. not a ticket to sit back and read paper, iPhone, 17" info screen in car.