Friday 4th March 2005

Citroen seat-rumbling wins award

Don't change lane, says the new C4

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As an indication of the future direction of automotive technology, Citroën's Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS) received an Innovation Award at the Geneva Motor Show, beating competition from Audi, BMW and Volvo. The system is currently installed in the company's new C4, C5 and upcoming C6 models.

"Innovation through technology has always been a Citroën hallmark, and in the case of LDWS the benefit is potentially life saving. This Award recognises the strides we have made in promoting greater safety in our vehicles," said Citroën UK's boss Alain Favey.

Justification comes from research conducted at Loughborough Sleep Research Centre, which reported that driver fatigue is a major contributory factor in some 25 per cent of all road accidents that result in death or serious injury. With LDWS, said Citroën, whenever the car unintentionally drifts across a lane at speeds above 50mph, the system vibrates the driver’s seat in a similar way to the rumble strips that run alongside motorways, alerting the driver to possible danger.

Other recent innovations on Citroën vehicles include directional headlamps for improved night time visibility, laminated glass for greater safety and security and programmable speed limiters to help drivers avoid speeding in controlled areas such as motorway roadworks.

[d3ano]

I can only imagine a load of these new Citroen's wandering across lanes as the lonely house wife drives the car

>>> Edited by d3ano on Friday 4th March 10:57

[JagLover]

James May was driving one and he mentioned that going through roadworks as you pass all the old lines it continually rumbles-a bit of a design flaw if you cannot take it off.

[FourWheelDrift]

That must be why they stay in the middle lane and never move back.

[Vee-X]

JagLover said:

James May was driving one and he mentioned that going through roadworks as you pass all the old lines it continually rumbles-a bit of a design flaw if you cannot take it off.

motorway road works with the speed limit set higher than 50mph??!!??

most round here set at 40 so would be no problem at all unless other lack of attention moments are occuring... ;-)

[crbox]

Imagine sleepy Citroen driver, on a dual carriageway, 56 mph, instintively pulls out to avoid drunken cyclist, seat rumbles, quickly moves back over, drives over cyclist without realising.
Cyclist spends rest of days, wondering why he has two chevrons embosed in his forehead.
Citroen driver has feelings of guilt, but doesn't quite know why.

[jamiet]

How does it actually work? It says it kicks in when you 'inadvertantly' change lanes over 50mph. Perhaps it doesnt activate if the indicator is on, thus presuming you intend to change lanes?

[manek]

That would make some sense, since it would train drivers to use their indicators or get a rumble up the bottom. As it were.

[Pesmo]

Now if only BMW were to fit this indicator linked seat rumbling thingy

[dinkel]

Surely, there must be an off-button?

[djmojo]

The lane departure warning system only operates when you are travelling at more than 50 mph and you change lanes without indicating. Also, if you indicate to pull out and overtake it isn't necessary to turn on the left indicator to return to the left lane cos the car knows that you generally pull back into the original lane after overtaking. (you do need to indicate if you don't return to the original lane within a set time period of which I'm not sure)

There's also an 'off' button if you don't want to use the system.
It actually works surprisingly well. Go test drive a C4 or C5 and see!

[MarkoTVR]

Is there a button to stop it changing into a dancing robot, or does that only occur in empty car parks on sunny days?

I wouldn't fancy being inside when that happens.......

[dinkel]

Airbags all around ya . . .

[djmojo]

MarkoTVR said:

Is there a button to stop it changing into a dancing robot, or does that only occur in empty car parks on sunny days? I wouldn't fancy being inside when that happens.......

If you work in a Citroen showroom, that comment about the dancing car gets very old, very, very quickly! I hate having to laugh as though the customer was the first and only person to have said it!
Don't be surprised if a Citroen salesman rips your throat out when you casually ask him if the car can really dance!!

[citloon]

Force feedback cars, getting more like video games every day, mind you if my cit could take itself apart like the one in the ad I could get at that coolant pipe on the back of the motor easily