Pilot Assist vs Petulant Teenager

[Zebra]

So I love my car but I do find pilot assist is a bit annoying. The adaptive cruise control is great but the steering bit is frustrating.

It gently fights you to be a little too left in the lane in my opinion. So I relax, let it make the decisions and then it either tries to drive of the road or across the middle of the road. That or it just gives up despite there being visible white lines either side.

Now I accept that I do try to use it on single carriageway 'A' roads but my question is:

Is Pilot Assist worse in its behaviour than a petulant teenager who claims to know best and then makes all the mistakes we made as teenagers?

(And yes my software was all updated in January when the catalytic converter gave up!)

[Paul Wildsmith]

I experience much the same and have read of others. Someone did suggest that there is some calibration possible, might be worth asking a dealer. To be honest its a feature without much purpose, though I find it helpful in slow moving queues on the motorway! I suspect on long sweeping highways in the USA it may be more useful.
On the lane assist, by the way, don't know how you find that but most people turn if off.

[gaby]

I like LKA.

[Quacker]

Originally Posted by Zebra

So I love my car but I do find pilot assist is a bit annoying. The adaptive cruise control is great but the steering bit is frustrating.

It gently fights you to be a little too left in the lane in my opinion. So I relax, let it make the decisions and then it either tries to drive of the road or across the middle of the road. That or it just gives up despite there being visible white lines either side.

Now I accept that I do try to use it on single carriageway 'A' roads but my question is:

Is Pilot Assist worse in its behaviour than a petulant teenager who claims to know best and then makes all the mistakes we made as teenagers?

(And yes my software was all updated in January when the catalytic converter gave up!)

Its easy. Don't use or continue to attempt to use it where it is inappropriate to use. It's only really for use on good straight A roads, but I don't, and dual carriageways and motorways.

Most of the time you should use adaptive cruise control without pilot assist. If the roads are bendy and there are no cars in front, don't even use cruise control.

All these systems are for driver assistance where appropriate, not universal driving aids or driver substitutes. Yes, it does drive too far to the left for my liking as well but you get used to pilot assist and learn not to fight it unless you feel you are too near to some big thing that you are overtaking.

[VOLVOL0VER]

Originally Posted by Paul Wildsmith

I experience much the same and have read of others. Someone did suggest that there is some calibration possible, might be worth asking a dealer. To be honest its a feature without much purpose, though I find it helpful in slow moving queues on the motorway! I suspect on long sweeping highways in the USA it may be more useful.
On the lane assist, by the way, don't know how you find that but most people turn if off.

You said it all. I subscribe it 100 %. That is why i didn't order my car with that nonsense of adaptive cruise control/pilot assist and that is also why i turned off lane assist a loooooooong time ago.

You see... i'm kinda old fashioned guy... i like to drive. Not to be driven 😉

[SwissXC90]

I had a XC60 loaner for 5 days and found the adaptive cruise control and pilot assist to be brilliant.

Worked really well on a busy motorway, but of course it requires good lane markings

The adaptive cruise control also worked brilliantly in country roads following a truck, and held m perfectly to the speed of the truck, right down to a full stop.

Of course these systems have their weaknesses, as does normal cruise control, and also human driving.

Important is to use them as they are intended to be used, and in the right sort of environment.

[gaby]

I didn't really like cruise control, but with the adaptive function added, it is completely different.
This is no nonsense feature to me, rather a safety feature.

[mr rusty]

I do a lot of motorway miles and find PA works well, but you do have to let it go without fighting it. I occasionally find when the armco is close to the outside of a bend that it seems to go a little wide as if it's seeing the armco as the edge and not the white line, but apart from that I find it reliable.

I am surprised how good it is and how well it picks up the lane markings even in rain and bright sun.

I actually wish the period before steering input required would be a bit longer. I would also like a bit better warning when it loses guidance rather than the green wheel just disappearing, but perhaps that's to keep you aware.

[MaDProFF]

I think PA is being over sold in todays format, people expect too much from it.

In time it will be great, but not for a while.

Quite frankly I have used it once, and found I had to concentrate more than not using it, I guess at slow motorways speeds in traffic it might be of use, but then it is not exactly hard to drive normally in those situations anyhow.

[Quacker]

Originally Posted by MaDProFF

I think PA is being over sold in todays format, people expect too much from it.

In time it will be great, but not for a while.

Quite frankly I have used it once, and found I had to concentrate more than not using it, I guess at slow motorways speeds in traffic it might be of use, but then it is not exactly hard to drive normally in those situations anyhow.

Most people, myself included, think its great and use it whenever it is appropriate to do so. You really do need to try it in far more conditions so that you instinctively know when to use it and when not to.

Adaptive cruise control can be used independently of pilot assist of course and is far more useful on A roads in a queue of traffic. Not really suitable when there is nothing in front of you though on twisty roads, because it then behaves just like ordinary cruise control.