Weird self steering on hire car

[Barclaybasher]

Recently hired a car at Palma airport (Majorca) - a small Hyundai.

Apart from the work Transits I drive older vehicles and thought the steering on the Hyundai strange.

I realised that the car was actually steering itself and was taking over if I moved slightly 'off track'. I then tried driving 'hands off' and it did indeed keep me in the lane, taking bends. I kept my hands close enough to take control but found the experience a bit odd.

There was a display that seemed to tell you that the road was or wasn't able to be used. Technology?.....not sure I liked it.

 

[Manic]

I think that’s lame assist, if you indicate it then doesn’t kick in when you cross the line.

 

[maison]

I think that’s lame assist, if you indicate it then doesn’t kick in when you cross the line.

Definitely sounds like lame Assist.

Turn it off!

 

[Barclaybasher]

Thanks
I am 'brought up to date' every time I hire a car but wonder what will happen as manufacturers bring out their own versions of hybrid and electric vehicles - confusing enough now for hirers especially as you often don't get the car you booked. This little car was too well spec'd - no key or place for the fob.....just guess and go!

 

[TheBig1]

you are going to love the self parking features on some recent cars then

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[gus-lopez]

Look on the bright side ,at least it didn't apply the brakes like many do. First thing my mate turns off when delivering new cars.

 

[maison]

Mrs. M likes the look of the Fiat 500 so, if we are on holiday, has asked me to hire one in order to try it out.

Three times now I have ordered one from hire companies only to be greeted by a smiling hire car agent saying, “Good news. We have upgraded you three classifications. You now have a ...... for the same price”.

 

[Euphony]

Both of my Mercedes have self-parking, I love it! Particularly if I have an elderly relative or child in the car, it freaks them. I also like the voice command system to make calls and get the radio or satnav etc. to do something.

 

[Manic]

Definitely sounds like lame Assist.

Turn it off!

That will teach me to check what’s written before posting, on ipad the forum does some weird things.

 

[DJT]

I think that’s lame assist, if you indicate it then doesn’t kick in when you cross the line.

Do all Hyundai come with a walking stick?? At what age do you cross the line??
(only joking)
DJT

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[PeteH]

I had a gun rack in my Texan Pickup truck does that count?

 

[Jev88]

I tyest drove a Volvo with all the assistance widgets on it a few years ago. I was intrigued by the lane assist and agree at first it felt strange (just like automatic cruise control speeding upmand down at first feels strange). I got on an empty bit of motorway on inside lane and took hands off (obviously poised to grip again at any moment) and ther car gently corrected the steering as we went round a very gentle curve. After 10 seconds it knew I was cheating and "BONG" noise was issued. 10 seconds after that the BONG got louder and then it was brown trousers time.......... The car assumes you have passed out and so very briefly but quite sharply applies the brakes!! It would be enough to wake a driver that had dozed off and once I got over the shock I had to agree it was probably a life saving feature.

 

[PhilMary]

I will admit, even on a public forum, a couple of years ago I arrived in LAX on business and toddled off to collect my very smart hire car. After 20 minutes pi**ing about trying to get it move I had to ask someone how to get the hand brake/ parking brake off only to be told just push the accelerator pedal!!?! Duh.
Phil

 

[PeteH]

I will admit, even on a public forum, a couple of years ago I arrived in LAX on business and toddled off to collect my very smart hire car. After 20 minutes pi**ing about trying to get it move I had to ask someone how to get the hand brake/ parking brake off only to be told just push the accelerator pedal!!?! Duh.
Phil

My first "experience" of "Stop Start" was similar, the first few times I actually turned off, and restarted, thinking it had Stalled!. No one had warned me!.

 

[Odd-no-more]

The first car I hired with hill start assist took me by surprise, when I went for a small gap and the brake held for 2 seconds.

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[PeteH]

I tyest drove a Volvo with all the assistance widgets on it a few years ago. I was intrigued by the lane assist and agree at first it felt strange (just like automatic cruise control speeding upmand down at first feels strange). I got on an empty bit of motorway on inside lane and took hands off (obviously poised to grip again at any moment) and ther car gently corrected the steering as we went round a very gentle curve. After 10 seconds it knew I was cheating and "BONG" noise was issued. 10 seconds after that the BONG got louder and then it was brown trousers time.......... The car assumes you have passed out and so very briefly but quite sharply applies the brakes!! It would be enough to wake a driver that had dozed off and once I got over the shock I had to agree it was probably a life saving feature.

It was the first thing that got turned off on the Nissan, its been off ever since now coming up 2 years and I don`t miss it`s annoying manners.

BTW. The Nissan goes in tomorrow for a "software update" recall to do with auto braking/warning. So I might have to start all over again

 

[gus-lopez]

I had a gun rack in my Texan Pickup truck does that count?

My b-in-laws 1985 Granada Chasseur estate had a shotgun sleeve either side of the rear tailgate.

 

[kevenh]

It was the first thing that got turned off on the Nissan, its been off ever since now coming up 2 years and I don`t miss it`s annoying manners.

BTW. The Nissan goes in tomorrow for a "software update" recall to do with auto braking/warning. So I might have to start all over again

Not sure how close to market it is, but Nissan are doing a lot of driver aid research.
In particular one thing they have in test is blind spot accident avoidance.

An example of how that might work is if you're driving on a multi lane highway and a car moves to occupy your lane - where you are!!
The automation will make a best effort to limit the incident.

They have a recording of a real life incident of when their test driver was driving home {or somewhere} with the aids left on and it did mitigate the situation as intended.

Is that Off or on? Maybe there needs to be a choice of how many of the aids are on.

EDIT: So a development of this: Broken Link Removed
EDIT2: Doh!! It could be TOYOTA I am thinking of. But probably easier not say much more. This is public domain though: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/machin...-with-deep-learning-at-a-global-scale-on-aws/
EDIT3 - the final one!!! Reading the AWS article I remember the buzz words. The driver had left Toyota's Guardian on when the other car left it's lane....

 

[Geo]

Both of my Mercedes have self-parking, I love it! Particularly if I have an elderly relative or child in the car, it freaks them. I also like the voice command system to make calls and get the radio or satnav etc. to do something.

My Skodas been doing all that for the last 10 years

 

[Yorick]

On our 4WD Duster it has auto restart. It's great when playing on tricky stuff. No problem with numerous stalls as it always restarts instantly. No farting about going for the key

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[peterc10]

Recently hired a car at Palma airport (Majorca) - a small Hyundai.

Apart from the work Transits I drive older vehicles and thought the steering on the Hyundai strange.

I realised that the car was actually steering itself and was taking over if I moved slightly 'off track'. I then tried driving 'hands off' and it did indeed keep me in the lane, taking bends. I kept my hands close enough to take control but found the experience a bit odd.

There was a display that seemed to tell you that the road was or wasn't able to be used. Technology?.....not sure I liked it.

As others have said it is a form of lane assist. It was on a car that we hired in the USA last summer and it was very disconcerting, especially because I did not know what it was until recently. I think in most cars you can turn it off.

My Honda HRV has a less obtrusive form of lane assist, It just peeps at me if it thinks I am moving out of my lane without indicating, but no input into the steering.

 

[EuroTrotters]

Both of my Mercedes have self-parking, I love it! Particularly if I have an elderly relative or child in the car, it freaks them. I also like the voice command system to make calls and get the radio or satnav etc. to do something.

It’s a Mercedes and it actually works ?

 

[Euphony]

It’s a Mercedes and it actually works ?

You can’t have been doing it right, they are virtually bulletproof.

 

[EuroTrotters]

You can’t have been doing it right, they are virtually bulletproof.

I am on about MERCEDES in general. Still run one, had a nightmare with fleets over the years.

gone right off the brand now. Too big for their boots, shocking customer service. Disastrous reliability . Exorbitant service costs.

And they no longer manufacture what I want. Rear Wheel Drive, short wheelbase sprinters.

 

[Euphony]

I’ve owned them for 35 years and never had an issue with any of them, utterly reliable and the customer service I’ve had from Mercedes Perth is fantastic, never had an issue with them, but I’ve never owned or driven commercials.

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[TheBig1]

I am on about MERCEDES in general. Still run one, had a nightmare with fleets over the years.

gone right off the brand now. Too big for their boots, shocking customer service. Disastrous reliability . Exorbitant service costs.

And they no longer manufacture what I want. Rear Wheel Drive, short wheelbase sprinters.

I know an old boy, a retired accountant, that has run 2 or 3 mercedes estate cars for the last 30-40 years. All eventually died of rust, but the engines just kept on going. never over 50mph, but they kept going on and on

his advice was always buy quality and it will work out cheaper in the long run. Given his story it would appear correct, but the quality of mercedes has plummeted over the years

 

[EuroTrotters]

I know an old boy, a retired accountant, that has run 2 or 3 mercedes estate cars for the last 30-40 years. All eventually died of rust, but the engines just kept on going. never over 50mph, but they kept going on and on

his advice was always buy quality and it will work out cheaper in the long run. Given his story it would appear correct, but the quality of mercedes has plummeted over the years

Plummeted ! Dropped like a lead balloon.

I think it’s brand image pumped and pimped these days