Your thoughts on modern cars "safety" aids?

[foxOneFive]

For the last 4 months I have been driving a lovely new works car and myself and colleagues are very impressed with it. Its got 2 annoying safety features that we all agree we turn them off every time we start engine (annoyingly they default to "on" each time you start up) Firstly "lane assist" We have all had instances of overtaking a pushbike and it tries to pull you towards the bike obviously the camera detects you going over centre lines. Many other examples that are similar and just makes you feel out of control. The other one: "front assist" sensor below number plate, has on numerous times "braked" for me thinking I'm about to hit something when perfectly safe. As said great car, Seat Ibiza mk5, thinking of buying one myself. Just wish the default was "off" as if you are stop/start 50 times a day it's a pain in the buttress. I've heard and maybe wrong? that these features are/will be law soon on all new cars? I don't see it making the roads safer, maybe less so? Interested to hear others thoughts and experiences.

 

[fourteen2two]

Our 23 Hyundai has the lane assist which you have to turn off each time if you don't like it ( we don't! )
Our last Hyundai had it but the default was off. It has the front assist too but I haven't had any issues with it.
We have a 22 Mini which doesn't have any of that but has stop start which we have got used to. Hyundai is a hybrid so just goes into EV mode instead.

 

[foxOneFive]

Yep. Stop/start. thanks, another annoying button that gets pushed every time

 

[Downsizer]

I don't mind the lane assist or the Stop/Start to be honest.

 

[Spearmint]

I just use my Beemer in Sport Mode as I prefer the responsiveness. Difference in MPG is negligible if I don't drive it like I stole it but the main thing is no Stop Start in that mode.

Volvo's active radar distance bollocks gave me a near heart attack the other week (work hire car). It decided to accelerate up to 74 because I had it set to that on the motorway and had just turned off following another car. The car in front disappeared over the hump back bridge so the car thought, 'Open road, LET'S FUCKING GO!'

I swear I thought the gearbox was about to drop off with the crash I made landing back down!

 

[busby1971]

Annoying, puts itself in park when you open a door, so no manoeuvres at slow speed in tight spaces. Also came with super smart gps cruise, slowed down on the tighter bends and near joining junctions, unfortunately if roadwork speed limiter signs were too far spaced apart it would start to speed up before the next one (not good in the average speed area) so now off.

Love - adaptive cruise, and a gentle beep when the car in front moves forward in traffic.

I don’t think the lane assist auto on is a legal thing, but is a part of the NCAP rating score, luckily I have a press and hold button on the steering wheel to turn it off.

 

[kawoloki]

Luckily I drive an 8yr old Skoda so can turn off most of the features. I never even use cruise control so I doubt I'd like lane assist etc...

One of the things stopping me from buying a new motor is the drive so many of them have had to remove physical buttons and put everything on the screen. My radio has an issue that it doesn't start straight away and it can be up to 15 - 30mins before it kicks into life. Not an issue for me as I'm not going to pay £££ to have it replaced and I can drive in silence / without map if I need to. Same issue on new cars would mean I couldn't heat seats / alter airflow / temperature etc etc..

 

[Fu Fu Valve]

Stop / start gets turned off and so does the Driver Monitoring stuff, I've had the dash light up telling me I need to pull over and rest due to fatigue after 20 minutes driving.
I did pull over but only to find the right menu to turn it off.

 

[rebbonk]

I don't know if it's still done, but you could at one time get main dealers (or gifted amateurs) to turn off unwanted features. Obviously, this won't apply to safety-critical things.

 

[fourteen2two]

I like the parking sensors and reversing cameras which both our cars have.

 

[FootTapper]

We have all had instances of overtaking a pushbike and it tries to pull you towards the bike obviously the camera detects you going over centre lines.

Top tip - use the little stalk thingy to turn on the flashing orange light jobbies before crossing the white line to perform an overtake.

Then the lane assist knows what you're doing and won't try to interfere.

 

[Cornish_Pikey]

Top tip - use the little stalk thingy to turn on the flashing orange light jobbies before crossing the white line to perform an overtake.

Then the lane assist knows what you're doing and won't try to interfere.

But it's a BMW, it'll explode!!

 

[foxOneFive]

Top tip - use the little stalk thingy to turn on the flashing orange light jobbies before crossing the white line to perform an overtake.

Then the lane assist knows what you're doing and won't try to interfere.

lol love it I do realise that. I'll give you another example where the BMW optional extra stalky thing is not required: Skinny road just enough space for 2 cars to get past each other. Tractor coming from opposite direction, as we meet and pass each other, good ole lane assist tries to pull me away from tractor and into the edge full of potholes ffs

 

[Barch]

But it's a BMW, it'll explode!!

That only happens if you overfill the blinker fluid.