Truck rear-enders could be a thing of the past

[richydraper]

this is the kind of technology that warms my heart.

being an ex-Volvo employee, currently working for a large haulage firm and knowing the damage that can be caused by fatigue and/or lack of attention this is another notch on Volvos bed post for pioneering life saving tech

http://www.welldonestuff.com/2013/01/volvo-emergency-braking-technology.html

 

[PuntoHowTo]

saw this a week or two ago doing the rounds on Facebook, its clearly impressive stuff and i'm sure has the potential to save many lives

i can't help but feel it has its limitations with regards to weather conditions but then so do most of these kinds of technologies.

I think its another positive step towards cars which can drive them selves, i did however think the other day if every vehicle was fitted with some sort of Radar then what will happen to cancer rates?

 

[StevenRB45]

They've already started giving insurance discounts to cars with auto brake systems as it cuts out one of the big causes of accidents, I.e. inattentive driving at stuck in traffic speeds.

Looks impressive on the truck though noticed in the live car example he floored it to help system out otherwise he would have been wearing the estate as radiator decoration..

Edit looked again and maybe not...was the impression I got on 1st watch

 

[maddogmorg]

They've already started giving insurance discounts to cars with auto brake systems as it cuts out one of the big causes of accidents, I.e. inattentive driving at stuck in traffic speeds.

Those scare me. I can't help thinking that people will rely on them rather than as an aid. So that when they'll get into a car without one, or the system fails they'll drive into the back of someone.

 

[Honeymonster]

I did however think the other day if every vehicle was fitted with some sort of Radar then what will happen to cancer rates?

Surely these operate on Non-ionizing radiation at radio frequencys? Pretty much every automatic door you walk through is operated by a doppler radar, I don't know if that's comforting or worrying now. lol

As for the technology I'm all for it but have to agree that it may promote a false sense of security leading to complacency. Pretty much everytime I'm seen a similar technology demonstrated on cars someone forgets to turn it on and you end up with scrap metal. If it saves even a few lives I guess it's worth every penny, but It will be sad if the whole automotive industry ends up like a glorified scalextrix set...

 

[Ziggy122]

Well i have to give it 10 out of 10 for getting the wagon stopped pretty darn well!

it beats there last Auto-brake system



Ziggy

 

[jatkinson]

That must of been soooo close to that volo car, im sure he aids the brakeing by jumping on them even harder

 

[The Beard]

Having driven wagons before the advent of ABS, in most cars, let alone trucks and coaches, I can't do other than applaud Volvo's move here. At least it will cut down on the number of times you look in your rear view mirror and see the word ovloV writ large.

However, just like when Mr. Smug tells you his BMW 3-Series, (and the like) will stop in a ridiculously short distance, and then he gets hit from behind by a 20 year old Transit full of scrap metal with a driver on the phone, so when the brake system cuts in on the Volvo what happens to the 20 year old coach full of schoolkids behind?

It would of course be nice if drivers didn't tailgate the wagon in front, however, as I'm sure richy can testify, there are plenty of reasons why they do; almost none of them caused by the bloke/bird behind the wheel.

 

[Ziggy122]

Having driven wagons before the advent of ABS, in most cars, let alone trucks and coaches, I can't do other than applaud Volvo's move here. At least it will cut down on the number of times you look in your rear view mirror and see the word ovloV writ large.

However, just like when Mr. Smug tells you his BMW 3-Series, (and the like) will stop in a ridiculously short distance, and then he gets hit from behind by a 20 year old Transit full of scrap metal with a driver on the phone, so when the brake system cuts in on the Volvo what happens to the 20 year old coach full of schoolkids behind?

It would of course be nice if drivers didn't tailgate the wagon in front, however, as I'm sure richy can testify, there are plenty of reasons why they do; almost none of them caused by the bloke/bird behind the wheel.

you know what - thats spot on

What about that other truck who's brakes are a little tired, the tread borderline 1mm (legal for trucks) and he's got no idea - that wagon will hit the one infront - good bye mr.car thats infront of the volvo lorry

I do like the alarm feature tho - i think all cars should have it as standard - infact cars with front parking sensor probably been easily changed to accomodate such feature

Ziggy

 

[The Beard]

you know what - thats spot on

What about that other truck who's brakes are a little tired, the tread borderline 1mm (legal for trucks) and he's got no idea - that wagon will hit the one infront - good bye mr.car thats infront of the volvo lorry

I do like the alarm feature tho - i think all cars should have it as standard - infact cars with front parking sensor probably been easily changed to accomodate such feature

Ziggy

Although I do tend to term myself as a bit of a Luddite, I am actually quite a fan of new technology and welcome anything that will make the roads safer. But, I'm also a fan of the human being and would rather people improved their driving to avoid the situation in the first place rather than relying on technology to get them out of the crap.

I also can't help thinking that we are made lazy and complacent by all these safety devices. Instead of drivers saying (for example) I have ABS so I'll use that to increase my safety, what they seem to do is drive closer, thereby negating any safety benefit.

As a (lapsed) Driving Instructor I still try and keep up with developments in the industry and recently read an editorial by one of their contributors who seemed to be taking most of the credit for cutting road deaths on behalf of ADIs everywhere, when in fairness, seat belts, airbags, stronger structures and lower speeds brought on by congestion are probably more influential.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

I do like the alarm feature tho - i think all cars should have it as standard - infact cars with front parking sensor probably been easily changed to accomodate such feature

I doubt it front parking sensor tech is miles behind radar tech.

Although the kit on the mk4 Panda is a cheap option imho at one a few hundred pounds.

They've already started giving insurance discounts to cars with auto brake systems as it cuts out one of the big causes of accidents, I.e. inattentive driving at stuck in traffic speeds.

Do they in the UK? Which companies for which vehicles

 

[PuntoHowTo]

I do like the alarm feature tho - i think all cars should have it as standard - infact cars with front parking sensor probably been easily changed to accomodate such feature

Parking sensors are ultrasonic and only any use over a maximum of a few feet in this situation by the time front sensors have seen an obstacle and alarmed you'll have already hit it

 

[StevenRB45]

I doubt it front parking sensor tech is miles behind radar tech.

Although the kit on the mk4 Panda is a cheap option imho at one a few hundred pounds.



Do they in the UK? Which companies for which vehicles

I had read back in august they would be implementing it market wide from December however nothing has been said since.

Also on the topic of the first part of your post note this golf with parking sensors in the bumper and active stop/cruise under the bumper. It's a big difference...

Tbf I it looks ridiculous also there is literally an expensive sensor or light in every possible vulnerable position on this car...wheel arch flairs, mirror tips, bumpers, any minor scrape, or even a flicked up stone is gonna be big bucks

 

[sludgeguts]

If all vehicles had at least some sort of klaxon to alert drivers they are travelling too close, it might see an end to the road trains we see everyday on motorways.
60, 70, 80 mph+ and they sit three feet away from the vehicle in front:tosser:

With most vehicles incorporating CPUs these days, I can't see that it would be difficult to have a system that detects when you are breaking the 2 second rule & use the car's management system to back off the throttle until you are a safe distance.

 

[Ziggy122]

If all vehicles had at least some sort of klaxon to alert drivers they are travelling too close, it might see an end to the road trains we see everyday on motorways.
60, 70, 80 mph+ and they sit three feet away from the vehicle in front:tosser:

With most vehicles incorporating CPUs these days, I can't see that it would be difficult to have a system that detects when you are breaking the 2 second rule & use the car's management system to back off the throttle until you are a safe distance.

That too
So an alarm and a Auto backoff system would be good

But i wonder how many time you go to overtake - cause it see's you've gained, it cuts the throttle and your overtake is cancelled....

Ziggy

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

But i wonder how many time you go to overtake - cause it see's you've gained, it cuts the throttle and your overtake is cancelled....

Would soon teach the prick in their reps car to drive properly then wouldn't it

 

[sludgeguts]

But that's all for the bods to work out.

If you're going to overtake then you should be pulling out in plenty of time anyway, the system should be able to detect this lane change - the white lines moving across the front of the vehicle, the obstruction ahead moving away to the side plus the increased rpm & need for power.
I'm thinking that the main story behind the invention is more to do with stopping the road trains and detecting the vehicle ahead has stopped whereas you are still going, in this scenario one hopes you wouldn't be piling on the power, merely continuing with the power/rev/speed requirement.

Just a thought.