Driver assistance features, radar cruise, lane keep, etc.

Thank you NJ what amazes me is that the other Toyota models work just fine.

 

No, it's "Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist."

 

Yes, so yesterday I had the pleasure to drive a 2018 Toyota Camry for a few hours... and I really had a mission to test the ACC/DRCC and the LDA... and actually it wasn't bad - it did steer me back into lane around 2/3 of the time and you did feel the "assist" part of it... it wasn't a proper LKAS of course, but it does seem slightly better than the Prius... Maybe in the 2018 software, they made some changes?

 

Here's a demo from someone else of it working just the way it does on mine.

 

22 days and 64 posts later, any thoughts?

 

This entire thread brings up a good point that seems to be lost on the car makers. Most of them are saying publicly that they will incrementally add safety features as they move towards fully autonomous driving.
The problem, then, for the typical driver is that when you get into one of these safer more modern cars you have no idea what to expect.
It used to be that every car had a gas pedal and brake and a steering wheel and they all worked the same.
Now there are 20 different kinds of cruise control (thankfully most are at least similar) and 10 different kinds of lane keeping, lane departure, steering assist, radar cruise control, hands on autopilot, etc etc.
Drivers used to one system, even if they know another car, may have a lapse in attention because "my other car" doesn't work like that.

The industry needs to standardize a bit at least on the naming and description of what cars will and will not do.
But they won't.

Mike

 

but they still put standard shifters in a lot of hybrids so drivers won't be 'traumatized'.

 

I'm thinking it's the "soft, fuel efficient" electric power steering that makes the difference. The steering isn't really sharp, unlike the new Camry. Maybe the more numb steering in the Prius is the reason the LDA isn't as active compared to other cars, which don't make fuel efficient electric power steering a #1 priority.

 

Here's my take after 1600 miles-

The dynamic cruise control is nice, but you have to be alert. I drive from LI to Westchester for work and get cut off badly by rude drivers multiple times per commute. The cruise control doesn't seem to respond well to people cutting you off, I think you would get into an accident if you didn't break on your own. When you aren't in high traffic situations, the dynamic cruise control is more useful.

 

Does anyone know of an article that compares active technologies such as DRCC/LKAS/LDA across a variety of manufactures such as Toyota, Honda, Ford, etc... I would be interested to know that for example DRCC in Toyotas is "smoother" and "more responsive" than in Hondas. EG: I once read a review that the DRCC in Honda Civic 2016 is "jerky" and doesn't accelerate/slow down smoothly... has anyone got an experience of this or is aware of articles that look into those things? Which manufacturer spent the most time to ensure that their active technologies are least buggy and smooth? Subaru?

 

Please reconcile these two posts. In one, you say that the steering wheel must be firmly gripped. In the other, you say that the LDA won't work if you have your hands on the wheel. These statements are mutually contradictory. I stand by my post that says I have NEVER felt it work. I have tested this by gripping the wheel, I have had my hands lightly resting on the sides of the wheel on a relatively deserted, very straight road. DID NOT WORK. EVER. The service manager confirmed it.
AGAIN, it is an advertised safety feature. There is no way it would prevent a side swiping accident. How is this not false advertising?

 

No, both statements say the same thing.

"...won't do anything if you have your hands on the wheel..."
"This function operates when...Steering wheel is not operated with a steering force level suitable for changing lanes..."

Watch the videos - it does work. The whole idea is for it to keep you in your lane when you are falling asleep on the highway, while the alerts try to wake you up.

Try this - get on a straight stretch of highway, and let go of the wheel. Assuming you drift one way or the other, it will correct.

 

If I just let go of the steering wheel, it pops up a "get your <bleep> hands back on the steering wheel" alert on the MID. I have seen the steering wheel warning light come on occasionally (near where the air bag status lights are), which is supposed to indicate steering assist is active, but I have not been able to detect it actually DOING anything.

 

If it takes a while for you to drift over a lane marker, it might do that first. If you drift over a lane marker first, LDA will activate and then steering assist will activate. You might get the hands on the wheel warning after that.

I've tried it maybe a dozen times on the highway, and it's worked every time. Below 40 or so, I'm not sure if it works.

 

Some of us put "glow powder" inside them to regain that Woodstock effect. See sig.

 

I've had my Premium about 3 weeks.. Used the RADAR cruise control early on... Don't like it. It can't be used really in my commute because traffic can be running at speed and then just stop. I've hit the brake long before the DCC would have (in other words, set to maximum distance, the DCC seems like it would slow down too late for comfort. I don't want to use a system that plays chicken with me.



Also in all tests I've done with the DCC it gets scores lower than I do on the same leg of the route on days where I drove without it.

 

DRCC is better for slow and go than it is for stop and go. I've used it for 100 straight miles where traffic went from 20-75 and it worked exceptionally well. But stop and go isn't a good fit for it.

 

DRCC most likely have saved me from one accident, when on a major highway (55 mph speed zone), the car in front immediately stopped and made a quick right turn to the shopping center. DRCC detected it and reduced the speed just in time, although it took my breathe away. It was too close to comfort and my reaction time was too slow.