Front assist... has it ever intervened?

[jakeyc]

I have been driving my VRS with front assist for almost a week and I've not heard a peep from it. I have had a small icon come up saying I am driving too close to the car in front, but I have never had any warnings. I've got pretty close to some cars and I would assume it would have warned me. Don't get me wrong I am actually pretty happy about the fact that it has not got stressed so far even with the tight and steep gradiant roads I drive on.

 

Has anyone else with Front assist had any warnings? 

[Dodgy]

Not experienced it myself, but apparently it's crisp bags you have to watch out for. Seems it's sensitive!

[TonyD]

Car pulled out on me on the motorway, big red symbol on maxi dot and nose up against the windscreen!

Edited 19 December, 2013 by TonyD

[JKW]

Same as you ,jakeyc, just the "2car icon" been shown a couple of times, but nothing else has ever been indicated. I would like to be able to "test" the system without actually hitting anything - maybe line up some crisp packets !!

JKW

[jakeyc]

It's great that it doesn't bother you I think. As long as it works when it is needed then that's great.

[andyvee]

Try driving towards a brick wall at 30mph to see if it works?

Only kidding.............

Sent from my phone so please excuse brevity and spelling

[TudorM]

It doesn't register stationary objects. Don't do it! :P

 

I've had it brake sharply when an idiot with an Audi completely cut me off in traffic only 10 km after leaving the dealership on day 1. Since then I've only had it pop the audible alarm and red sign on the maxi-dot when I was driving too close to the cars in front (but it was intentional and I was paying attention).

[boff180]

Try driving towards a brick wall at 30mph to see if it works?

Only kidding.............

Sent from my phone so please excuse brevity and spelling

Did you ever see the video from Volvo when they put on a live "test" of their system infront of the press?

The Volvo ended up underneath a lorry....

Andy

[jakeyc]

Try driving towards a brick wall at 30mph to see if it works?

Only kidding.............

Sent from my phone so please excuse brevity and spelling

I think it does under a certain speed. City brake?

[kalpat]

The 2 car icon has appeared a few times, usually when someone pulls in front after overtaking. The red chevrons have only appeared once when "white van man" pulled in front to make a very late left turn. I wasn't aware of any braking by the car, but did have it covered myself.

At least it works when needed & hopefully will save the day if the worst happens.

[HotVRs]

Had the two car symbol on the motorway, other than that it's gone red when negotiating fast urban roundabouts, when I have had to squeeze through gaps.

[HotVRs]

Had the two car symbol on the motorway, other than that it's gone red when negotiating fast urban roundabouts, when I have had to squeeze through gaps.

Typical, after typing that, this morning it did auto-brake, when there was no reason too. Going straight ahead at a junction, 30 showing on speedo, Had nobody at all in front, one car to the right stationary in a right filter lane, got about 20 feet from it and the brakes slam on, red display and all that. Thankfully they released pretty quick, especially seeing as I had a transit van up my arse.

Deactivated it now, don't need that. Shame as I already stopped using intelligent light assist as that can't handle cars coming at the car at angles - in other words bends on country lanes. Kept blinding people driving across the trans-penning routes.

[dilly]

I had an interesting experience with it. Coming from so way back of the end of a queue of slow moving traffic I pulled out to overtake. As I did so, the Renault Clio in front of me must have seen me coming and instantly lifted off for no apparent reason. This had the effect of giving me a "brake test" as though the driver of the Clio wanted me to know that he disapproved of my overtaking (some drivers do for reasons I can't fathom). The red icon flashed up and the brakes came on mercifully briefly but completely unexpectedly. Bet the designers of the program hadn't thought of that scenario... Got past several cars though.

By the way, have you ever wondered why, when at the end of a queue of slow moving traffic behind say a tractor or, more usually a horse box, the car immediately behind the slow mover doesn't overtake so those of us further behind might get a chance too?

It baffles me. In the same way as why, when you're following a slower car at night, the driver in front doesnt put their high beams on? (So you cannot see any distance in front).

I've tried the intelligent (er, no...) light assist and given up with it. It's too dim-witted for words.

Dill

[TheWanderer]

Had the big red car appear on it on a couple of occasions, but no braking occurred. Bit weird, maybe get it checked out by the dealer, although how can you check it's functioning correctly? Rolling road?

[Nick295]

Yep - it's worked for me in a scenario where i was approaching a stationary car at 50mph. I came over the brow of a hill and the car in front had stopped, it was poor weather and although I had left a lot of space, a lack of brake lights from him in the rain and no other indications (despite him waiting to turn right) made me think he was still mobile for a moment. Front assist warned and then acted just as I got my foot to the brake! 

 

As for Light Assist, I've turned that off as it can't cope with roads that are bendy!

[andyvee]

Nick295 - do you have Lane Assist on your Elegance as well?

 

Only asking as the camera is different if you do, my Light Assist seems fine on bendy roads but I don't have Lane Assist, so just have the small camera in the mirror housing.

[wedge69]

As a side note, Front Assist used to be standard, but now it is only an option. My dealer said this is because it was having a huge impact on build times.

[Dr Zoidberg]

When I ordered at the end of October it was no longer available at all, option or not.

[Dempsek]

Strangely for me the only time I got the read shevrons was when it was windy and I was coming up to the end of a T junction with just a headge in front of me. In town you never seem to get a warning and can get way too close to the car in front for me and I am easing off/breaking. On fast roads I have seen the two car warning.

[Nick295]

AndyVee - In reply, I don't have Lane Assist. I got a question about Light Assist given my comments and wrote a detailed reply, worth posting for others?

[Speedy53]

The assist does work!  Approaching a roundabout at 5am, a car pulled in front and stopped. My foot hit the brake pedal but too late, two red lane warning signs came on

and the car stopped well in time.  Had my foot on the brake pedal but there was no feel, the computer had taken over! 

 

Not that I was looking forward to finding out if it works, but nice to know.

[J8mbo]

Maybe we should get together with some polystyrene sheets and have a Front Assist shootout.

A designated adjudicator (another word I've never written before) in the passenger seat with a stopwatch.

You drive your car to a given speed at a certain point where the adjudicator times the cars reaction to the stationary object and its ability to stop before impact.

The loser gets a tow to the dealer....

[sworrall]

Maybe we should get together with some polystyrene sheets and have a Front Assist shootout.

A designated adjudicator (another word I've never written before) in the passenger seat with a stopwatch.

You drive your car to a given speed at a certain point where the adjudicator times the cars reaction to the stationary object and its ability to stop before impact.

The loser gets a tow to the dealer....

unfortunately it doesnt work on stationary objects so youll have lots of smashed poly!

[Dr Zoidberg]

unfortunately it doesnt work on stationary objects so youll have lots of smashed poly!

 

What does it do about a previously moving object?

 

I'm thinking someone pulls out in front of you and stops (as happens with crash for cash scams).

Does it just ignore them once they have stopped moving and take the brakes off.

 

Wasn't there a video of the Citigo version being tested with a person stood still and that *did* stop.

[sworrall]

What does it do about a previously moving object?

 

I'm thinking someone pulls out in front of you and stops (as happens with crash for cash scams).

Does it just ignore them once they have stopped moving and take the brakes off.

 

Wasn't there a video of the Citigo version being tested with a person stood still and that *did* stop.

i think it would engage on the above as it would have tracked it to stop.  From using it I know it completely ignores stuff thats always been stationary in front of it ie a single parked car taking up my entire lane on a long road. 

 

it does notice moving bicyles for the ACC

 

Havent seen the citygo vid but then thats a moving person and not stationary poly.  Are you volunteering to be the person