Ford System Will Warn, Correct Lane-Drifting Drivers

PolygamousRanchKid writes "Ford says its new Fusion, which will debut at the North American International Auto Show in a couple weeks, will be the first mainstream midsize sedan in North America to offer a lane departure system. Lane departure systems are aimed at warning drivers, especially drowsy ones, if their vehicles wander out of their lane. A digital camera mounted on the windshield ahead of the rear-view mirror keeps a watch. The system not only causes the steering wheel to vibrate if it senses an unintentional lane departure, it will also steer the car back into the right lane. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 100,000 police-reported crashes occur every year as a result of drowsy drivers, leading to 1,500 deaths, 71,000 injuries and $12.5 billion in monetary losses." I'd just like to know how hard the AI will fight if it misinterprets a driver's intentional lane change.

Comments

Turn signals are a good thing

[EngrBohn]

Personally, I'd guess that a turn signal will convince the AI to allow an intentional lane change.

Re:Turn signals are a good thing

[Anonymous Coward]

re: indicators, I welcome anything that even gently enforces their use.

As do I. All these nut bags that refuse to use their signals are a danger on the road.

Re:Turn signals are a good thing

[phantomfive]

I came here to say the exact same thing, the post is written in the window waiting for a submit button-press,

Then I realized that in some emergency situations, a lane change is absolutely required. Vibrating the steering wheel is ok, but if it's forcing you to move back to your lane, then this could cause accidents.

Re:Turn signals are a good thing

[EdIII]

I assume your talking about those assholes that speed up to block you the moment you put on your turn signal. I hate those mfckers.

Which is why this system would prevent my patented "drunk man behind the wheel" maneuver. Asshole does not want to respond your signal and let you in? Just start drifting over a little, correct, and then drift back more forcefully.

If they think you are lucid, they become aggressive. If they think you are having problems it is amazing how much distance they give you right away.

Of course, when I had a F350 raised up, everybody gave me room right away. I miss that beast.

P.S - Yes. I fully acknowledge that I am psychopath on the road, but then I view it as warfare just like the poster you replied to.

Re:Turn signals are a good thing

[zippthorne]

You haven't driven in the boston area, then.

If you want to get anywhere inside of route 495, you have to throw out almost everything know about safe driving. That knowledge is useless to you. You are in a battle. It is as important to move forward as it is to survive.

If you decide to visit boston, if it is your first visit, and it is raining or snowing or (especially) foggy, don't get on the roads.

Re:Turn signals are a good thing

[dr2chase]

"Some emergency situations" occur how often? No doubt, for every safety feature on a car there is some fringe case that it makes worse, but the net is (usually) better. What if you *needed* to lock up your brakes and slam the car into a skid, and the ABS prevented it? But overall, ABS is a good thing. We (humans) seem easily distracted by "fault", "intent", and "blame", when it would make a lot more sense to just try to minimize the body count.

Re:Turn signals are a good thing

[robi5]

so if there are no cars that could use my signal than I will not turn it on.

You should also signal to those drivers you're not aware of. Maybe traffic code says things for a reason. But if it's "invent your own traffic rules" day, then I guess anything goes :-)

Re:Turn signals are a good thing

[Anonymous Coward]

if there are no cars that could use my signal than I will not turn it on.

Ok, so what if there are cars that you don't see? Or maybe you see other cars but you think they don't care about your signal. What gives you the right to decide for them whether or not they want to see your turn signal?

The most important reason to ALWAYS use your turn signal -- even if nobody is around -- is just to form a solid habit. So much so that it should feel strange to turn or change lanes without using your turn signal. If you have this solid habit of using your turn signals every time, you don't need to worry about analyzing every situation to determine who may or may not need to see your turn signals (and sometimes be wrong) and concentrate on the parts of driving that actually do need your brainpower. Just do it.

If you're worried about leaving the signal on afterwards, maybe you should be paying more attention to your driving.

Re:Turn signals are a good thing

[cbiltcliffe]

Or, perhaps, you dumbAsses(tm) could just *slow down* and merge BEHIND whoever you think isn't "letting you in".

Then it'd just be the next car back that wasn't "letting them in."

This situation actually happens. Don't discount it just because you live somewhere where drivers have at least half a clue.

Re:Turn signals are a good thing

[gumpish]

if there are no cars that could use my signal than I will not turn it on.

You know why motorcycles are dangerous? It's because of people who assume they know what's in (or not in) their blind spot and can't be bothered to signal, let alone actually do a head check.

How about checking your pretense to omniscience at the door and just fucking signalling?

Thanks.

Re:More Crapware by Software "Engineers"

[TheGratefulNet]

but none of the responsibility or liability.

sort of like, ohhh, I don't know - maybe posting as an AC ??

you'd be the expert on that, then.

Buick

[Fnord666]

You would think Buick would be the first to come out with this in the US, given their customer demographic.

Re:More of a distractionary feature.

[Trepidity]

"Proper, US-sized engine blocks" aren't selling well, and when you consider the cost savings they'd forego if they didn't share parts between their US, European, and Asian lines, are even less cost-effective to sell.

Re:Winter

[tipo159]

Then the camera won't be able to see the lines, now will it?

Do you spend much time driving in winter conditions? Sometimes two lanes in the direction of travel end up effectively reduced to one with the painted lane divider line clearly visible in the middle of the lane. Around curves, the position of the painted lane divider line will shift relative to the track of the lane of travel.

I can't imagine that there won't be a disable button for this feature for stuff like winter driving.

smart cars lead to dumb drivers

[pbjones]

smart cars lead to dumb drivers. On good roads people drive faster, not better. In smart cars people will drive thinking they are safer and will take more risks. As nice as the idea is, the people that this system targets should not be driving.

No effing way I'm trusting my life to this...

[EmagGeek]

How long will it be before someone dies because a bug in the software caused their car to steer unexpectedly into something, or causing the driver to overcompensate (telling the computer "NO!"), causing a crash?

This has disaster written all over it.

Re:`why not stop the car?

[Delarth799]

You fail to realize a great number of things and assume some really crazy ones. Your assuming the AI will take complete control of the steering and apply massive force not allowing for change. When in reality it will be almost certainly be a very gentle steer since it doesn't take much to correct some drifting. Also when you drift your not using your steering wheel to do it. Cars without perfectly aligned wheels drift one way or the other and slight curves in the road and other factors will also cause slight drifts as well, that's why you keep a hand on the wheel at all times. When you INTEND or NEED to change lanes you actually use the steering wheel so the people who designed this, which most people here seem to think are complete morons, probably were smart enough to design the AI so an application of a certain amount of turning power to one degree or another will stop it from vibrating and not trying to steer you back.

again, not solving the problem makes it worse

[holophrastic]

it's not difficult to change lanes, nor to stay in one lane. that's, quite frankly, the easiest part of driving. I don't need help. And keeping me between lines when the road ignores the lines -- construction zones, test paint strips, icons, etc. -- is a terrible idea.

but more than anything else, why should I avoid driving drowsy when my car can help me out? you'll get more drowsy drivers, and more drunk drivers, than ever before.

you'll also have a whole host of drivers blaming a crash on this feature, whether or not it's true.

you've just taken both responsibilty and accountability away from the driver, and put it into something that can't be held accountable, and doesn't have a drivers licence. congrats.

but hey, here's the truth. this is EXACTLY like letting your 8-year old child steer from the passenger seat, while on a long highway drive. it's very dangerous and very illegal. not because your child can't stay between the lines. because the driver is the driver.

Re:US-sized in that you get more car for the dolla

[Anonymous Coward]

US automakers, set to their own devices, produced SUVs and muscle cars, and pretty much crap otherwise.

When oil was suddenly $100 per barrell, they couldn't sell them. Not very far sighted.

Your "Everything's bigger in Texas" attitude is just a bunch of "rah rah rah" and very little pragmatism or business sense (nor general empathy or social awareness).

While I do enjoy my sporty car, it's 2.0L flat-4 and the new models produce almost 240hp. It's not exactly a gas hog, and can accelerate at almost uncomfortable speed. I just don't understand why your average commuter even wants 300-500hp under the hood. That seems both dangerous and wasteful.

It's not that I don't agree that it's your right to be both dangerous and wasteful, but I believe you should pay dearly for doing so, so that the rest of us who are sensible don't have to clean up after you.

Re:US-sized in that you get more car for the dolla

[Dripdry]

You, sir, have trolled handsomely. Well done! They actually went for it!

Re:More of a distractionary feature.

[The Master Control P]

We're sorry that the average American can't afford a 350hp V8 penis compensator under the hood any more. Complaints can be filed with OPEC to your right.

Re:Turn signals are a good thing - Negatory!

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm a Ron Paul devotee of individual liberty, and as far as I'm concerned that shd start the moment I leave my house!

I have to wonder whether he will join me in denouncing traffic laws in the name of individual liberties.

Like, there's nothing in the Constitution (or Bible, come to think of it) about stuff like stop signs, traffic lights, driving lanes, signaling, etc.

Shouldn't we all have the right to go out and drive any way, wherever, and whenever we want? (Acknowledged that some of us already seem to do that!)

I mean, it's our liberties at stake here, and that should start as soon as we get out of the house! This is fundamental.

No?

A

Re:I've known two people killed by sleeping driver

[the eric conspiracy]

Nah, it will just encourage people to perform non-driving tasks while behind the wheel, such as apply eye makeup, shave, eat breakfast, text, look at other people in car while talking, sleep, and so forth.

The single best law that could be enforced....

[wealthychef]

is to force people to always leave at least 3 car lengths between themselves and the car in front of them on the freeway, including onramps and exits. (metering lights effectively create this situation, and they do work). This way, people could always merge, change lanes, etc. Once a merge or lane change was accomplished, another merge or lane change by the same car should not be allowed until proper distance is established from the car in front again. If the police would simply enforce this one law ruthlessly, road conditions would improve dramatically. The preponderant reason for traffic jams is people not letting others merge or execute needed maneuvers, and people making sudden lane changes, both of which cause sudden braking, which is amplified backwards through traffic. Smooth driving, even under severely packed conditions, would alleviate almost all traffic jams.