Adaptive cruise almost caused an accident

[GrayBeard]

I think you have some fundamental misunderstanding for these ADAS features. They are never designed to be reliable features. You can call them gimmicky even. What is the point using it if at the end of the day the driver is still fully responsible for any mistake it made?

Speaking from my past professional ADAS experience, a thorough testing is next to impossible. You only guarantee the HW/SW works within its design scope, not outside. I can test my radar behave normal between -40 to 85C, or ACC software faithfully execute its code line by line. But the road has infinite amount of exceptions to handle, even for a small subsystem. Since it never meant to design a fail proof system, the testing coverage is never designed to cover much exceptions on the vehicle level. I think all automakers are aligned in their positions and from what I can see they are all forward enough to inform their customers. The statement is just often getting obscured by all the marketing and sales guys advertising its features. You can’t really blame automakers at all. Even Tesla couldn’t fail proof their basic ACC as we already see in numerous incidents. They ALWAYS tell public that drivers are responsible for the car, no matter how much irresponsible statements Elon Musk gave in the media. That is simply just what it means to be a level 2 vehicle, Toyota or Tesla doesn’t change its role.

The best ADAS system I can see today is Mercedes. They claim to be level 3, which means in limited amount of situations they can actually be hold responsible for accidents. So they will actually test a wider range of scenarios. Although I highly doubt in the event of an accident you can litigate them much. In the event of bad weather their system will probably refuse to take the control anyway. And you can’t never count on them in local road. I am pretty sure they will write down those in a bigger or smaller print somewhere.

Regarding the bad weather, my wife's Volvo disables all of the assist functions (and gives a visual and audible warning of the fact) when there is heavy enough rain to degrade the sensors, FWIW. I'm sure the LC is the same. To be fair, it was in pretty severe driving rain; I wasn't comfortable with using any assists in that weather, but it even affected the auto headlight function which I had left on.

 

[ultane]

I don’t mind the criticism. As we all know, some folks thrive on that, and can’t help going all Foghorn Leghorn. My blame for Toyota comes from them not being a little more forward with the limitations of this system. If they did thorough testing prior to fielding it, I’m sure they are aware of this. Should they let their customers know?

Take me out of the picture. Someone is on adaptive cruise slowing down for a stop and life is good. The kids start fighting in the back seat, and they turn their head to yell at them. Same thing transpires. I use this as an example after my kid got t-boned at 20 MPH by a grandmother coming out of her driveway - facing our vehicle.

Like I said, it’s easy to get lulled into a sense that something is going to perform as expected when it has done so hundreds of times. That’s exactly why I delayed my reaction waiting for it to resume braking.

You’re free to use this system. Or not. Personally, I’d like to know if there’s a potential for something to go sideways.

Overall, adaptive cruise is a good feature. I’m not as impressed with lane centering, and can’t stand constantly fighting the steering assist. That one doesn’t get used at all. Maybe if I lived out in the desert with endless straight highways.

Have you read the owners manual that discusses the system?

You waited, for it to do its job? Just TURN IT OFF. Or continue using it and learn how it actually works.

Miss Daisy doesn’t fight with me.. she makes suggestions, and I either allow, or override her choices. Try it sometime..