RE: BMW launches latest ActiveAssist tech

[aka_kerrly]

rijmij99 said:

We have lots of automated technology that still needs qualified human oversight so I wouldn't worry just yet.

Now when we automate everything and have no need for humans at all, that's when you worry

when humans become a power source for robots.... it's all starting to become a bit too like the Matrix.

[soad]

Ali_T said:

BMW: The Ultimate Nanny Machine?

"The ultimate self driving machine"

[ClarkyboyS]

I think I will stick to my partially connected drive 1 handed method me thinks :-)


Untitled by clarkyboySE, on Flickr

it works fine for me.

on a serious note, yet another bit of electronic bullcrap to encourage crap drivers and... I fear that could go seriously wrong too!

I'd be quite up for the challenge on beating the machine with it turned on and off ;-)

[Pistachio]

The funny thing is what happens when Autonomous Cars are goaded by normal cars driven by idiots that the Autonomous Cars was designed for ?
There will be some interesting incidents of autonomous cars steering away from someone who is deliberatly provoking the robot car hmmmm robot wars anyone.

Personally I dont like the thought of a computer driving me as I enjoy driving end of.
If I dont want to drive I get a cab or a bus or train.simplezzz

[gofasterrosssco]

Surely Chris Harris will love this - think how much easier it will be when filming the latest BMW video..

[SuperchargedVR6]

If it could refuel itself & go in and pay for it on my behalf, and maybe put the shopping in the boot for me as well, I might be interested.

renorti said:

may be useful for those Russian type "crash" videos we see on you tube, but would need to be retro fitted to all those Lada's that seem to crash out there.

If I had a Lada, I would turn into a HGV on purpose as well

[jon-]

Applying auto opposite lock is likely to break a few thumbs / wrists if it doesn't uncouple the steering wheel.

Scary though, steering left and the car turning the wheels right.

[Captain Muppet]

Yet another thing I don't want but I want everyone else to have.

[mrmr96]

Kawasicki said:

No thanks

Why not? Motorway driving is boring. I'd happily take a system which I would drive manually from home to the motorway, then engage. I could relax whilst it got me to my exit, then when I reach the offramp the system deactivates and I can drive myself to the office.

Of course I still want to be able to drive for pleasure on country roads and the like, but on motorways there's no fun to be had from driving, AT ALL. So a system to do that for me would be very welcome.

However this system seems to be a bit different from that. If I've understood the article it's a safety system which intervenes if you've lost control. So like we now take ABS for granted (interferes with the brakes), and TC (interferes with power) and ESP (interferes with brakes) is coming in, this new system can also interfere with the steering to help you regain control if you've lost it. Pretty much all cars with TC/ESP can turn the system off if you want to, so I don't see why this kind of system would be a bad thing? Turn it off on trackdays, but leave it on for the commute - If you hit black ice and it might just save you. Can't understand the hate?

[daytona111r]

JohnT993 said:

impressive technology... could result in either zero fun for the driver (driverless), or a lot more fun if it can be used to make over steer safe and easy for to normal ham fisted driver!

anyone who wants to oversteer wants to do it themselves, not be on a fairground ride!

[silverous]

The hands look like a dummy's hands to me (that isn't a statement about the driver's intelligence) - I think it would be quite uncomfortable to look ahead and put your hands like that?!

[cptsideways]

This type of PR is very misleading for the average numpty, many will now assume all BMW's have this.


I wonder if you set the dial to Drift King mode & have mahoosive fun though

[daytona111r]

mrmr96 said:

Kawasicki said:

No thanks

Why not? Motorway driving is boring. I'd happily take a system which I would drive manually from home to the motorway, then engage. I could relax whilst it got me to my exit, then when I reach the offramp the system deactivates and I can drive myself to the office.

Of course I still want to be able to drive for pleasure on country roads and the like, but on motorways there's no fun to be had from driving, AT ALL. So a system to do that for me would be very welcome.

However this system seems to be a bit different from that. If I've understood the article it's a safety system which intervenes if you've lost control. So like we now take ABS for granted (interferes with the brakes), and TC (interferes with power) and ESP (interferes with brakes) is coming in, this new system can also interfere with the steering to help you regain control if you've lost it. Pretty much all cars with TC/ESP can turn the system off if you want to, so I don't see why this kind of system would be a bad thing? Turn it off on trackdays, but leave it on for the commute - If you hit black ice and it might just save you. Can't understand the hate?

I think many people are being very naive here, thinking perfect I can put my feet up on the commute and let the car take over. This will not mean more leisure time, it will mean more time you can be productive ie work. Incidentally, I enjoy driving on the motorway and so do many others, even in something not designed to go anywhere near one.

Eventually driving a car will be like being chauffeured around. And the net result will be that cars will be designed more to chauffeuring it's passengers around than to the whims of the few keen drivers left. Self driving will eventually take over 95%+ of all driving. Sure you will still get track and track orientated cars, but why would a car manufacturer care about steering feel, throttle response, etc if it simply is no longer relevant?

But then if in 20 years time your car's speed is monitored / restricted on every piece of public road, self-driving cars would even make sense to someone like me, simply because there would be no enjoyment left in driving. And when there is no enjoyment left in driving, there is absolutely nothing sexy or exciting about it, that's when cars will become more like white goods than the emotional purchases they still are now.

Sad times ahead.

Edited by daytona111r on Tuesday 7th January 15:58

[DodoRacing]

As an engineer, I'm hugely impressed with autonomous driving (whatever the brand).

As a driver, I can see it being handy in stop-and-go traffic etc. and this ActiveAssist saving lives in critical situations.

What I would hate to see is unskilled idiots going even faster relying purely on this technology.

[powerstroke]

Wow !!! instant boredom at the touch of a switch

[daytona111r]

daytona111r said:

mrmr96 said:

Kawasicki said:

No thanks

Why not? Motorway driving is boring. I'd happily take a system which I would drive manually from home to the motorway, then engage. I could relax whilst it got me to my exit, then when I reach the offramp the system deactivates and I can drive myself to the office.

Of course I still want to be able to drive for pleasure on country roads and the like, but on motorways there's no fun to be had from driving, AT ALL. So a system to do that for me would be very welcome.

However this system seems to be a bit different from that. If I've understood the article it's a safety system which intervenes if you've lost control. So like we now take ABS for granted (interferes with the brakes), and TC (interferes with power) and ESP (interferes with brakes) is coming in, this new system can also interfere with the steering to help you regain control if you've lost it. Pretty much all cars with TC/ESP can turn the system off if you want to, so I don't see why this kind of system would be a bad thing? Turn it off on trackdays, but leave it on for the commute - If you hit black ice and it might just save you. Can't understand the hate?

I think many people are being very naive here, thinking perfect I can put my feet up on the commute and let the car take over. This will not mean more leisure time, it will mean more time you can be productive ie work. Incidentally, I enjoy driving on the motorway and so do many others, even in something not designed to go anywhere near one.

Eventually driving a car will be like being chauffeured around. And the net result will be that cars will be designed more to chauffeuring it's passengers around than to the whims of the few keen drivers left. Self driving will eventually take over 95%+ of all driving. Sure you will still get track and track orientated cars, but why would a car manufacturer care about steering feel, throttle response, etc if it simply is no longer relevant?

But then if in 20 years time your car's speed is monitored / restricted on every piece of public road, self-driving cars would even make sense to someone like me, simply because there would be no enjoyment left in driving. And when there is no enjoyment left in driving, there is absolutely nothing sexy or exciting about it, that's when cars will become more like white goods than the emotional purchases they still are now.

Sad times ahead.

Edited by daytona111r on Tuesday 7th January 15:58

I actually think car manufacturers are digging their own graves with tech like this. But if they don't do it, Google will anyway.

[danielj58]

vescaegg said:

This tech is pretty incredible really but the idea is pretty silly no? How often do people find themselves in an oversteer situation that they dont want to be in? Cant be that often surely? Is it even possible with modern stability control systems?

So you bury your foot and the car will 'drift' itself if it has to? How does it 'end'? Can it overrule your pedal input?

That was quite a lot of questions

Edited by vescaegg on Tuesday 7th January 13:33

Snow, black ice, crap tyres + wet surface? Who knows, apparently it's enough of issue for BMW to do something about it though! I guess it's to replace current stability control systems though. Reading the article would seem to suggest it overrules ALL of your inputs (it counter steers/reduces lock). It's a good idea - my grudge with current stability control systems is that they're far too assertive, quite easy to find yourself suddenly over correcting after the computer has done it's thing. What happens if its 'corrections' and predetermined course lead you into someone/thing else though?

Autonomous cars are a good while off though, governments are far too slow at legislating.

[B17NNS]

mrmr96 said:

Why not? Motorway driving is boring. I'd happily take a system which I would drive manually from home to the motorway, then engage. I could relax whilst it got me to my exit, then when I reach the offramp the system deactivates and I can drive myself to the office.

Makes sense. Pilots only really do take offs and landings manually presumably partially because they enjoy them. The bit in the middle must be pretty boring for them.

[arkenphel]

B17NNS said:

Makes sense. Pilots only really do take offs and landings manually presumably partially because they enjoy them. The bit in the middle must be pretty boring for them.

I thought that was what stewardesses were for

[matsoc]

Some years ago there was similar skepticism about ESP, now who wants to switch it off for road driving? An active assist will be just a more intrusive active security feature, preventing crashes, not chaffeuring people around, at least at the beginning.

By the way I am not against an idea of personal mobility without driving but the infrastructure and car designs should change to really exploit it. Motorways reserved for "online" vehicles, low drag cofficients cars, high speed with high efficiency exploiting car convoys, etc.