I have a lot of time for Michael van der Sande, who as Alpine managing director brought the A110 to market and was later in charge of JLR’s Special Vehicle Operations. Plus, anyone who owns an Alfa Romeo SZ is all right in my book.
But I have even more time for him since he recently took a well-aimed pop in an online post at level-one autonomous driving functions, which he described as “a nightmare”.
Citing speed warning systems getting limits wrong, multiple emergency braking alerts and unwarranted steering assistance interventions, he said these systems are “confusing, annoying and (in my humble opinion) not very safe”.
Problems like this are compounded, he said, by “the most ‘basic’ functions, such as air vent speed, hidden on the second page of a centre screen” meaning “we have the perfect mix of distractions that will render the car less safe than the previous generation of cars. And most of this new functionality is annoying as hell.”
I’m glad he’s said it. We say it, and keep saying it (sorry not sorry about that). But, on the whole, industry people say it less so. I can understand why they don’t, or are reluctant to on the record, because they have cars to sell. But given that legislators and those who are mandating inadequate, infuriating technology aren’t listening to us, it’s time they did – and loudly.
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It's not legislation that's the issue but POOR legislation. Legisaltion gave us seatbelts, ABS, efficient engines, lower emissions, airbags etc. None of which would ever have happened if the customer was left to decide.
Brexit moron alert! Let's get back control of dying in our cars!
Well, I guess we are call great safe drivers,never make a mistake,see all potential driving problems then?, yes, all these safety systems can be annoying,but, there must be a percentage of drivers out there who need nannying!, what about the newly qualified driver who got lucky on test Day and passed?, or the " I've been driving for yonks driver"?, I think most of thes systems have a place in the car, for instance, your coming into a 20mph limit, you obediently slow to it, but the person in front merrily sails on at 30,40mph totally disregarding the limit,how about the car automatically won't let you go over said limit?, and what about patience, some of us get a little rattle out of Pram at very little.