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Honda Crash Detection System
MImeKillEr writes "MSNBC is reporting that Honda Motor Co. unveiled an early crash-detection system for one of their vehicles. The system is unique in working even before the driver responds. A radar in the front of the car stashed behind the Honda logo detects vehicles within a range of about 300 feet ahead. It then taps the brake and tightens the seatbelt. A buzzer goes off and a light on the dash is illuminated. If the driver responds, the braking power is boosted. If the driver fails to respond, the system kicks in and brakes more while also tightening the seat belt. Unfortunately, Japanese regulations don't allow for the system to fully stop the vehicle."
Can I get one for Windows XP?? I'll need 2 secs to hit Save!
If you keep throwing chairs, one day you'll break windows....
I bought my C70 a couple of years ago based on Volvo's safety features. At the time, it was the safest sports car out there - whiplash protection seats, airbags all over the place, stability control, great brakes, etc. Today, the safety advances you hear aren't from Volvo - they're things like Mercedes-Benz brakes that dry themselves off in the wet, laser-based cruise control from Lexus, and now this radar-based braking from Honda. C'mon, Volvo. Get back in the race and make me proud.
What's your damage, Heather?
The key is proper following distance and good use of space. Anticipate those cloggy ramps/exits. Give yourself a car length for every 10 mph. Yes! That's 60-70 feet or more between you and the "asshat" ahead of you.
Two lane freeway, 10 cars spaced approximately every 70 feet travelling at a rate of 60 mph. You have your cruise set at 65mph. Person in right lane changes in the back of the line, and proceeds at 61mph to pass those cars.
Tell me how you do that without adjusting your cruise control.
Chances are you are following too close.
Dacels Jewelers can't be trusted.
You obviously don't drive on the NJ Turnpike to often...
Opinionated Law Student Strikes Again!
And you obviously don't drive I-80 from Penn. to CA much. :)
Here's what I hate:
Relatively straight and flat interstate, cruise control set at 70, I slowly start to overtake a vehicle going 69 or 68mph. I switch to the left lane, pass the vehicle, and move back to the right lane once I'm far enough ahead. I never touch the accelerator or brakes, just steady cc'd speed of 70. Now the nimrod in the vehicle I just passed starts to speed up a little, passes me, pulls in front... AND SLOWS BACK DOWN TO 68 MPH! Lather, rinse, repeat.
Keep in mind I haven't changed my rate of speed at all through the whole process, and the guy in the other car is looking at me like I'm some kind of retard. Ugh.
I take drugs seriously.
You're trying to find the pathological case, so you might just refine it to make it impossible, but my solution would be to note that the car at the back of the line is going faster than the other left-lane traffic, realize that he is going to have to pass them, and accelerate above 65mph long enough to pass him before he makes his move. I do this sort of thing routinely.
No, I drive in Oregon and this happens constantly. I'm not making anything pathological, I'm just saying in a lot of circumstances it's bullshit to be able to drive using your cruise control without adjusting.
You have to think ahead, not just react to the current situation. Predicting other drivers' behaviour is actually very easy with enough experience.
In a two lane freeway, you will run into the pigeon hole principle very quickly. It is impossible, no matter how accurately you can predict other drivers, to not have to adjust your speed.
Dacels Jewelers can't be trusted.
It would detect impending blue screens of death; and warn the user to shut down IMMEDIATELY.
Why would anyone want to do that?
Opinionated Law Student Strikes Again!
What we really need is a device to detect use of a cellphone in a moving car, and steer well clear of it...
In luxury vehicles it could also fire an EMP pulse thus burning out the phone.
What? Your commute doesn't take three days?