Please explain Lane Departure Warning to me
 

I cannot think of a situation where such a "safety" feature is superior to good driving habits. That is, being aware of where one's car is on the road and watching where one is going. I'm guessing its benefit is allowing one to read, watch a movie or text for longer while barreling down the freeway.


Risk compensation anybody?

The theory is crash prevention. The reality is we need a system- wide reset at full level 5 autonomy, but due to a number issues everywhere, it's just not fully feasible.

From the socioeconomic aspects of forcing everyone to abandon their cars and buy new ones, as well as the aspect of who really owns what-do we really need to own the vehicle anymore if it's just a pod? And if not, do we really need as many different brands of pod that currently exist?

There's also a number of legal hurdles currently dealing with "the trolley problem" of computer systems making life and death decisions.

By giving people level 2, 3, or 4 autonomy, automakers entirely sidestep all of the above problems, while also making the driver the responsible party, all while claiming 'progress' at the expense of driver engagement.

I'm not fully convinced i will see level 5 autonomy within my lifespan, simply due to the legal hurdles that are currently solved by making the driver the responsible party.

Ex: if a single 15 year old GM level 5 car has a software glitch and drives through a school, GM would be on the hook for significant damages. Multiply that risk by GM producing hundreds of thousands vehicles every year, and that is a huge liability. This is a scenario where i could more realistically see mfg's making vehicles a subscription or lease format, where vehicle ownership goes away so the mfg has better risk mitigation by only using 1-2 year old models throughout their available fleet.

I thought it just beeped if you went out of your lane?

I discovered lane assist from this clip. Go to 8.00. I have no idea how other cars with lane assist behave.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utrpyyaUWtg[/ame]

Some do, others don't depending on manufacturer, model and trim level within models. AFAIK, none are considered fully autonomous except possibly Tesla and Toyota for example goes to great pains to make it clear in the fine print to not call them for failing to drive safely and attentively.

Toyota has Lane Departure Alert either with or without Steering Assist that reads visible lane markers, provides visual and audible alerts and steering force when lane departure is detected.

Toyota also has Lane Tracing Assist that works about the same when Dynamic Radar Cruise Control is engaged and shakes the steering wheel too.

Friends who have one of the Toyota systems hate them, saying it induces constant weaving even on a straight, flat Interstate and is worse on curvy mountain roads.

The sensitivity can be adjusted and disabled completely but I wonder how long before drivers leaving the pavement and crashing will be blamed for not having all safety nannies engaged?

Like soundman98 in effect said and I agree, the biggest hurdle to autonomous deployment in the US (when it's ready for prime time) is lawyers. Anyone and everyone will pay.

That's not just lane assist, that is almost autonomous for a few seconds.

In reality they are using their current cars to beta test all these functions, while using them to jack up current car prices. The only good one is adaptive cruise control, because it actually provides a useful benefit. The rest are just a waste of weight and money.

Recently, I took a long drive in heavy rain and wind in a 2019 Honda Ridgline with all the lane keeping, radar cruise, etc. activated. The vehicle is quite happy to drive itself on the highway for 30-40 seconds before the algorithms decide that you have to take the wheel. Strong, gusty winds that require constant corrections in an analog vehicle aren't even noticed as the system reacts faster than I could. Momentary hydroplaning resulted in some beeping and a slight slowdown as the cruise kicked off. I was very impressed with the complete system. However...
The vehicle has no soul. IMO, an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle is like a robot dog. Sure it will do all the things a bio dog will do with speed and efficiency but it never tug on its leash or piss on your floor or chase the neighbours cat. I think that is what is so special about our cars and others like them. It shits on your lawn, chews up your shoes and scares the mailman but just when you have had enough, it is waiting there by the door, happy puppy, ready to see what is around the next bend.

It isn't a replacement to good driving habits. It is however an effective way of dealing with those that do not have those habits. It is a sad commentary to say that such things are needed but this is the real world and far too many people have bad habits and no interest in correcting them so the auto makers have to address it.
The whole safety systems built into new cars (lane departure, blind spot monitoring, collision avoidance, etc) are just there because so many actually need such prompts. I remember all the old guys freaking out when antilock brakes came out since "people don't need the car to control braking if they just followed at the right distance".
An argument could be made that some of the features are actually sort of handy even if you are paying attention. I LOVE the adaptive cruise in the wife's car for long trips even though I am still watching the road. The back up movement sensor and blind spot monitoring are also great assists to even a conscientious driver. The one thing that I can not stand and leads me to call the Subaru Eyesight system (and the other makes equivalent) the "Distracted Driving" package is that stupid bloody beep that tells you the car in front has started to move from a stop! The ONLY purpose it can possibly serve is if you are busy doing something else when stopped in traffic and are paying so little attention to what is going on you need to be told when traffic is moving again.

It's a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy though. The more we don't have to pay attention the less we will, driving to where we eventually need systems where we don't have to pay attention at all.

Even GPS is an example of that. I catch myself no longer paying much attention to street signs, etc when going somewhere and the GPS is on. I just blindly drive straight until the GPS tells me otherwise. I used to have much more directional awareness when driving.

That said, within my own family I know several people that would be much safer in a close-to autonomous car.

Oh no doubt! Unfortunately for those of us that enjoy the act of driving the vast majority of the public does not share that pleasure. To those people that consider driving a chore these things are just another tool to be used to lighten the burden. People on forums such as this will never understand that perspective any more than the drivers that would rather have the car do all the work would understand ours.

All these nannies are looking more political than practical to me. Somewhere along the line product planners might have decided that this stuff will be mandated so let's get ahead of the curve and out-autonomy the other brands.

That could be an ad for dating sites vs. sex dolls.


And some insufferable Tesla cultists like my attorney take it to another level since he says he generates income consulting with clients while "driving".

Although there are certainly some politics behind them as I said before it is likely that 80% to 90% of the drivers out there actually WANT and enjoy these things. I must confess that I wouldn't mind a couple of the features myself. As long as I can turn them on and off depending on the driving I am doing! When (not if) they become mandatory and can not be turned off is when we know we have reached the true political aspect.

I'm with you and fight the urge to let the car make decisions for me. Well, maybe a couple, the same features you like, (blind spot monitor, rear cross traffic alert with braking, dynamic radar cruise control, all things I used to mock) but now rely on.

@Dadhawk is spot on, my biggest concern is that my situational awareness may decline.

Toyota CEO Jim Lentz said during an interview earlier this year that Toyota won't be going full autonomous in the US over liability concerns.

The NTSB has started a few studies of lack of driver situational awareness. For drivers that learn with the assists.
The argument is either: should learn with out, or need more to help more.
Parents generally want more to keep their children safe.