[franzli72]

ECO PRO mode knows when there is a turn or a roundabout or a change of speed limit and warns you for that.

Why the same features are not used for the other functions like ACC?

ACC is a great feature, especially when you have to drive after a car in front of you at a moderate speed.

When you approach a roundabout, the car breaks, following the car in front of you, but when the other car enters the roundabout is not visible anymore by the radar and therefore it starts accelerating stupidly.

I believe there is a lot BMW could do to improve these systems.

[metrickid]

Stay closer to the car in front!

I never use mine on roads that have roundabouts, it is mostly highway driving or if it is stop n go traffic on smaller roads so I have never been in a situation where I had your "problem".

[jdong]

Using GPS data for self-driving decisions is a bit risky. Then your slightly out-of-date maps will lead to the car doing something crazy.


Indeed, the current ACC behavior (where the car only assumes you are driving in a straight line) is sub-optimal, which is why cars like the new S class have a stereoscopic camera and a central decision making that integrates all the info from the sensors. I'm sure this is going to come down to the 3 series too, it's just a matter of time. What you're noticing is simply that ACC is not designed to be auto-throttle for city driving.

[BavarianFanatic]

Please don't wish for cars to have even more technology that lets people do everything but actually drive.

[Dog Face Pony Soldier]

Originally Posted by BavarianFanatic

Please don't wish for cars to have even more technology that lets people do everything but actually drive.

Maybe we are wishing the car can help make us all safer while people do everything but actually drive!

[stormlv]

Originally Posted by franzli72

ECO PRO mode knows when there is a turn or a roundabout or a change of speed limit and warns you for that.

Why the same features are not used for the other functions like ACC?

ACC is a great feature, especially when you have to drive after a car in front of you at a moderate speed.

When you approach a roundabout, the car breaks, following the car in front of you, but when the other car enters the roundabout is not visible anymore by the radar and therefore it starts accelerating stupidly.

I believe there is a lot BMW could do to improve these systems.

Does it keep accelerating while you're in the roundabout?

I would understand why it would accelerate while you're entering the roundabout (since for the ACC, you're not turning yet and there's no longer a car in front of you) - but not while you're actually turning.

The ACC in my Volvo would not accelerate while you're in a turn...

That said, I would not use the ACC in a scenario like this. IMO ACC is designed to be used mainly on a highway, or traffic jam situation - not somewhere you'd actually have to stop & yield to other cars...

[Vitoco]

The ACC will not accelerate if the wheels is turned past a point, and some smaller round abouts make you turn this much.

As Rossi said, stay closer to him so the radar sees him even though you are both in the turn. He doesn´t have to be right in front of you, but the radar will see him if your wheels are turned and your trajectory is bent towards his ass.

I often use it in cty driving and in round abouts, cause its fun and I´m very impressed with how it works and I have learnt to anticipate when the car will disappear from the the radars "reading area" (Imagine a triangle in front of you with the top edge eminating from the radar). In highway driving this system is the bomb, works so good even in curves and with traffic cause the car calculates your path depending on how the wheels are turned and where the other cars are. No problem even with oncoming traffic and multiple lanes.

[bcl0328]

Originally Posted by BavarianFanatic

Please don't wish for cars to have even more technology that lets people do everything but actually drive.

uh, why not? people are terrible drivers. most accidents are caused by people not paying attention or not reacting fast enough. the day cars can drive themselves will be glorious.

50% of young deaths are from auto accidents. people suck at driving, period.

[reprod]

Originally Posted by bcl0328

uh, why not? people are terrible drivers. most accidents are caused by people not paying attention or not reacting fast enough. the day cars can drive themselves will be glorious.

50% of young deaths are from auto accidents. people suck at driving, period.

Because if we continue the trend, we will end up not being able to drive at all. At this point, cars like BMW, Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini, etc. become irrelevant since you will no longer experience driving pleasure. At this point, I will get a Toyota or Honda and call it a day.

We are simply placing more systems around people trying to address their faults but not working on the people trying to address our faults. This can only lead to a cyclical pattern where people will stop using their brains and instead, rely on technology to manage their lives.

[raleedy]

Originally Posted by reprod

Because if we continue the trend, we will end up not being able to drive at all. At this point, cars like BMW, Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini, etc. become irrelevant since you will no longer experience driving pleasure. At this point, I will get a Toyota or Honda and call it a day.

We are simply placing more systems around people trying to address their faults but not working on the people trying to address our faults. This can only lead to a cyclical pattern where people will stop using their brains and instead, rely on technology to manage their lives.

Yeah -- what we need is a sharp spear protruding from the steering wheel hub, pointed at the driver's heart.

[stormlv]

Some tech can actually be very useful...



It probably saved me from a fender bender...

I was at a roundabout with a car in front of me. As the car in front of me started going into the roundabout, I decided I had time as well to go in so I started looking left to make sure I'm safe, while I started advancing as well.
For some unknown reason, the car in front of me braked and stopped half way into the roundabout (I was still looking left, thinking the other car already got through the roundabout).
As I turned around to look straight, I saw the car stopped, heard the car warning, pressed the brakes, but the car had already done that for me...
I probably would have had time to brake in time myself, but it definitely would have been later.

[BavarianFanatic]

Originally Posted by stormlv

Some tech can actually be very useful...



It probably saved me from a fender bender...

I was at a roundabout with a car in front of me. As the car in front of me started going into the roundabout, I decided I had time as well to go in so I started looking left to make sure I'm safe, while I started advancing as well.
For some unknown reason, the car in front of me braked and stopped half way into the roundabout (I was still looking left, thinking the other car already got through the roundabout).
As I turned around to look straight, I saw the car stopped, heard the car warning, pressed the brakes, but the car had already done that for me...
I probably would have had time to brake in time myself, but it definitely would have been later.

See post #9 above.

[stormlv]

Originally Posted by BavarianFanatic

See post #9 above.

Yeah...let's just agree to disagree

[reprod]

Originally Posted by stormlv

Yeah...let's just agree to disagree

I hear what you are saying. This system in particular can save lives and/or alot of money. The fault still lies with the thought process of the driver in front of you.

Many drivers do not think about the consequences of what they do anymore, if they see the smallest thing they may slam on the brakes with total disregard and lack of thought of the time it takes the human mind to react to a situation and process an action (i.e. moving the foot to the brake pedal). It's a sad reality.

So long as we can drive freely, I am happy.

[BavarianFanatic]

Originally Posted by reprod

I hear what you are saying. This system in particular can save lives and/or alot of money. The fault still lies with the thought process of the driver in front of you.

Many drivers do not think about the consequences of what they do anymore, if they see the smallest thing they may slam on the brakes with total disregard and lack of thought of the time it takes the human mind to react to a situation and process an action (i.e. moving the foot to the brake pedal). It's a sad reality.

So long as we can drive freely, I am happy.

I concur that the tech will improve safety. I contest the statement in bold. Not to poke anyone in the eye, but the responsibility lies with EVERY driver to make sure they are aware and in control at all times. I made the comment I did because of this statement:

"I decided I had time as well to go in so I started looking left to make sure I'm safe, while I started advancing as well."

This is where things went wrong. You never keep rolling forward when behind another vehicle while looking in another direction. Never assume that the other drivers will be acting as you expect them to. In this scenario, another car up ahead could have stopped. Someone could have stepped off the curb. Anything could have happened. But it really doesn't matter. If there wasn't brake assist and he did hit the car in front of him, it would have been his fault 100%. Not the leading driver.

New tech that increases safety is great. But it's akin to dumbing down the system to support the lowest common denominator. The more safety nets we have, the less motivation there will be do do things properly without a nanny to save your bacon.

Moral of the story - PAY ATTENTION and don't ASSUME that everyone else on the road will do what you would in a given situation...

[dvk92]

Anyone ever thought that if we removed the 'tech' from the cars - mobile, nav, touch screens, etc and just went back to driving (and focusing), we wouldn't need all this 'life/money saving' technology.

Just focus on driving, stay alert - that'll save lives....and money.

Just sayin'

[stormlv]

I'm perfectly aware that it would have been my fault, but that's not the issue here.
I was trying to show how some tech does improve safety.
Like the introduction of ESP as a standard feature on cars, dramatically lowered the number of crashes, so I argue, could a feature like this.

Originally Posted by dvk92

Anyone ever thought that if we removed the 'tech' from the cars - mobile, nav, touch screens, etc and just went back to driving (and focusing), we wouldn't need all this 'life/money saving' technology.

Just focus on driving, stay alert - that'll save lives....and money.

Just sayin'

I agree that there is a lot more that can distract you in a car nowadays, but I still think that this kid of tech would be needed (or welcomed) even if we didn't have these distractions in the car. Accidents were happening since the invention of the car - as long as there are humans behind the wheel there will be accidents.

[snowghost]

Originally Posted by dvk92

Anyone ever thought that if we removed the 'tech' from the cars - mobile, nav, touch screens, etc and just went back to driving (and focusing), we wouldn't need all this 'life/money saving' technology.

Just focus on driving, stay alert - that'll save lives....and money.

Just sayin'

My buddy rips on me because our cars have that Auto Hill Hold delay. He claims I'll become so used to it that when I drive one of his cars I'll roll back into somebody. I never had a problem with hills anyway--don't use the handbrake.

It's nice to use the technology, but just don't become an "Asiana pilot".

[BavarianFanatic]

Originally Posted by snowghost

It's nice to use the technology, but just don't become an "Asiana pilot".

Best analogy ever.

[OC40]

Originally Posted by BavarianFanatic

Moral of the story - PAY ATTENTION and don't ASSUME that everyone else on the road will do what you would in a given situation...

I agree 100%. Most drivers are too busy yapping on phones without paying attention, eating MacD's, putting on make up or yelling at you because you stayed in the correct lane on a two lane left turn.

[Vervain]

Originally Posted by stormlv

Some tech can actually be very useful...



It probably saved me from a fender bender...

I was at a roundabout with a car in front of me. As the car in front of me started going into the roundabout, I decided I had time as well to go in so I started looking left to make sure I'm safe, while I started advancing as well.
For some unknown reason, the car in front of me braked and stopped half way into the roundabout (I was still looking left, thinking the other car already got through the roundabout).
As I turned around to look straight, I saw the car stopped, heard the car warning, pressed the brakes, but the car had already done that for me...
I probably would have had time to brake in time myself, but it definitely would have been later.

Does BMW offer this sort of tech on the 3 series?

[SimonB]

Originally Posted by Anodite10

Does BMW offer this sort of tech on the 3 series?

Yes, but I'm not about to try it out. I was on the freeway the other day, trying out Advanced Cruise Control and the traffic ahead slowed suddenly. A double chine went off, something flashed red somewhere (HUD or dash. I can't remember) and I went for the breaks, errrr, brakes (sorry, couldn't resist).

With the ACC, I believe the system would have applied the breaks, errrr, brakes itself until the vehicle was stopped, even if ACC wasn't active.

But, as I said, that's as close as I want to get to trying it!