Cage Innovation - Mercedes M Class

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sunnyCBR

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Not sure if anyone else has seen this in person yet, coming down the DVP Friday I was coming along a 2012 Mercedes M class and noticed a weird light on the side mirror. It changes between a few colours as people come in/out of your blind spot. Definitely noticeable on the bike since you're so aware of everything going on.

Its nice to see that some companies realize drivers are more distracted than they should be/or just a bad driver and give another warning sign to help protect others around them. Its also useful for us on the bikes, as you can see from their mirror that they wont see you unless they are a proper driver and shoulder check while that lights on. So it helped remind me to not stay in that position.

Anyways, hopefully more technology like that gets integrated to other vehicles. Some drivers may use it to get lazy, but I am of the thought that the more of this stuff there is the better! Anyone else seen this/or the commercials for it yet?
 
The sooner the electronics can take over the horrible driving skill we find on our roads, the better.
 
mikbusa said:
The sooner the electronics can take over the horrible driving skill we find on our roads, the better.
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i totally disagree with that...my train of thought behind it are people that get too used to electronic assists and then they operate a car that doesn't have them and then wonder why they were in an accident when their car doesn't beep or boop at them...
 
GayManLoveIsOK said:
i totally disagree with that...my train of thought behind it are people that get too used to electronic assists and then they operate a car that doesn't have them and then wonder why they were in an accident when their car doesn't beep or boop at them...
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It's not working though, as a group, driving has only gotten worse over time. I'm all for the car taking over and not allowing them to cream somebody in a blind spot, or rear end a stopped vehicle.
 
The new gen e class had them first. I think it's brilliant but what happens of the system fails. If I had that regardless of the light being on or off I would still check over my shoulder in my cage or bike. But still all cars should be equiped with them
 
mikbusa said:
It's not working though, as a group, driving has only gotten worse over time. I'm all for the car taking over and not allowing them to cream somebody in a blind spot, or rear end a stopped vehicle.
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+1 I'm all for a Minority Report style system where in major cities, you don't get to touch the controls, but once you get out to where it doesn't make sense to build that kind of infrastructure, THEN you're allowed to drive. Either make licensing a lot more restrictive (unlikely) or just automate it - computers will be not only be able to reduce or eliminate accidents, but optimize traffic flow so EVERYONE gets where they're going faster.
 
Volvo's had this stuff back in 2004......like 7 years ago lol.
 
I'm all for electronics that help prevent crashes. But some gizmos aren't necessary. Like the one that parallel parks the car itself. If people can't even parallel park a car, they shouldn't be driving.
 
flameboy182 said:
Does it actually move the tank back into the original lane for the driver if they are drifting over?
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Not sure, I think there are some systems like that which detect 'drifting of lanes'. It was the first time I'd actively seen it on the road so that's why I commented. There might be other companies with similar technologies!
 
There are a few different systems in play here that operate separately (and therein lies another problem - not every car will have the same system or do the same thing in response to detecting a driver's error, and they're not fully idiot proof)

"Blind spot detection" - camera / sensor is detecting whether there is an object in the driver's blind spot and then does something in response
"Lane departure warning" - camera / sensor is detecting whether the driver is leaving the lane he is in without signalling that he intends to do so, and then does something in response.

By "something" - the car could do any combination of: Flash a light, give an audible alarm, vibrate the driver's seat (simulating rumble strips), create a vibration in the steering wheel, or actively generate a feedback in the steering in the opposite direction. There is no industry standard on what to do in these situations. Result is that various cars will act differently, then what happens if the driver goes to another car that either has a different response or doesn't have such a system.

Some collision detection systems will take over partial control of the car, slamming on the brakes if it detects an impending collision up front or if the driver attempts to drive out and the system is detecting cross traffic ...

Lane departure systems that operate using optical cameras (most of them) don't work if the lane markings are obscured, and I'd love to see what will happen in construction zones where there are multiple sets of lane markings, some of which have been partially erased ...
 
Brian P said:
Lane departure systems that operate using optical cameras (most of them) don't work if the lane markings are obscured, and I'd love to see what will happen in construction zones where there are multiple sets of lane markings, some of which have been partially erased ...
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Your car simply doesn't let you drive. It stops and cuts the ignition and calls home for help! haha
 
In general, most people trash MB's because of the amount of electronic intervention in the driving experience. The car rarely does what you're wanting it to do after it goes through 25 CPU's...
 
I'm still waiting for the self steering car.
 
sunnyCBR said:
Not sure, I think there are some systems like that which detect 'drifting of lanes'. It was the first time I'd actively seen it on the road so that's why I commented. There might be other companies with similar technologies!
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I think there were one out there that gives an audible alarm when u drift out of your lane, ie. if u are falling asleep at the wheel.

SeaBreez said:
I'm still waiting for the self steering car.
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They are working on that
 
invictus43 said:
In general, most people trash MB's because of the amount of electronic intervention in the driving experience. The car rarely does what you're wanting it to do after it goes through 25 CPU's...
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Yeah, mine goes wherever it wants.
 
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