City Safety....hmmm

tangey · Oct 10th, 2009, 17:27

I've got a loan of an XC60 from my dealer for the weekend. Nice car and I'll probably buy one, been following it for about a year now, and now that I'm hitting the 3 year mark on my S60, its getting time to change.

Anyhow, I was approaching a small roundabout and I come across many times each day, entered the roundabout, and the guy waiting at the next entrance decided to come on ahead rather than wait for me to go buy. And he didn't even go that quickly. Its a roundabout of a size that if the person on the entrance before you decides to enter the roundabout, you really need to wait and not enter yourself...either that or give it plenty of welly.

Me being me I decided to show him how close he was to causing an accident, and as he came across the front of me, rather than immediately braking I left it as late as possible...something I do now and again to "teach 'em a lesson".

As I'm just about to apply the footbrake, "city safety" comes in and does its thing, coming off as I actually get a little movement on the brakepedal.

Now although I was juding it kindly close, there is no way I was at the point to be too late to brake....I'm not that stupid. It gave the guy coming onto the roundabout behind me a fright, as I was suddenly braking sharply.

My conclusion is that city safety was unable to identify that the car in front of me was tranversing me and would be shortly out of my path, all it knew was that there was an car that in its opinion I was about to hit.

I have to say it was a slightly worrying experience. City Safety actually nearly caused an accident in a situation that definitely wouldn't have resulted in one.

rippedoffagain · Oct 10th, 2009, 18:11

Technology can't replace a human brain. It would have sensed that there was an object in front of you, and made a calculation based on your speed and the distance between you and the 'object' in your path.

I don't know how Volvo's new system is set up, but it may be programmed for the waste case scenario, perhaps considering things like the ground may be wet, your tyres might be worn, or you may be carrying a lot of weight and so need extra stopping distance.

On one hand things like that are a good thing. Driving in to work in the morning it is clear that a lot of drivers are still half asleep, or for whatever other reason their attention might be slipping, so in that sense a magic box that helps you out is a good thing. On the other hand when I'm behind the wheel, I like to be in charge of the car. I think my experience, intuition, judgment etc is better than can currently be achieved by a computer.

All that said, I do sort of look forward to the day when you can be sat in the pub drunk, text your car to come for you, go to sleep on the back seat and let it take you home, but I suspect that day is a long way off yet

Clan · Oct 10th, 2009, 19:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by tangey

I have to say it was a slightly worrying experience. City Safety actually nearly caused an accident in a situation that definitely wouldn't have resulted in one.

Many, including the police would say it was YOU who nearly caused an accident driving without due care and attention and consideration for other road users ( ok so was the other guy but two wrongs dont make a right, they make an accident )... Just the scenario that City Safety is designed to help prevent ..

The latest generation of City Safety will be 100% braking ( not 50% as now ) and also recognise pedestrians ..

Volvo’s pioneering City Safety technology has been named winner of the Best Car Safety Device
at the new Business Car Techies awards. City Safety is designed to minimise the risk of collisions
at low-speeds and is fitted as standard to all Volvo XC60 models.

wimorrison · Oct 10th, 2009, 22:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by tangey

Me being me I decided to show him how close he was to causing an accident, and as he came across the front of me, rather than immediately braking I left it as late as possible...something I do now and again to "teach 'em a lesson".

Really glad that I don't live in Belfast if this is an example of driving in a car that is not even owned by the driver!

Maybe the Police will teach you a lesson, that would a be a really good example of City Safety saving the people of Belfast from your vigilantism.

John_C · Oct 10th, 2009, 22:58

Surely you're just trolling? Someone is either being an arse or makes a mistake, in response you drive like an arse and then blame the city safety system for cutting in and preventing you intimidating another driver?

tangey · Oct 10th, 2009, 23:17

Strange,

I report a possible weakness of the city safety system to see if anyone has any thoughts on it, and somehow my driving is the topic..weird. Appears people forgot the "there is no way I was at the point to be too late to brake" bit, but rather concentrated on the "left braking as late as possible", I guess people read what people want to read. perhaps I should have said "as late as was safely possible"...but I knew what I meant.

I am now apparently a vigilante in an XC60...nice bit of judgement there.

The conclusion that I drew from the experience is that city-safety was unable to ascertain that the car was going to get out of the way by the time I reached the spot where the car was, and clearly this is because it cannot judge lateral movement in an object (i.e. a car crossing your path), and as a result it applied the brake in a situation that didn't need it....something I feel was disconcerting. Does anyone actually think I was going to ram the side of car...and then come into he volvo users forum to recount the experience...well it appears people actually do think that...again I say, Weird.

For the record I've been driving for 30+ years, never made an insurance claim and never hit anything on the public road...I have hit one of those raised concrete things around a petrol pump doing about 4 MPH in a moment of misjudgment, I'm guessing that makes me a culprit of service station vigilantism.

rippedoffagain · Oct 11th, 2009, 00:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by tangey

The conclusion that I drew from the experience is that city-safety was unable to ascertain that the car was going to get out of the way by the time I reached the spot where the car was

With respect, and I'm not going to criticise you're driving, that assumption is based on the idea that the other driver is not going to slam his brakes on for some unknown reason (possibly release he'd made a mistake and panic in the worst possible way), or experience an engine failure (however unlikely it happens - it happened to me once).

Clan · Oct 11th, 2009, 08:18

well the closing speed and distance must have been within the programmed operationg conditions ..
At least you have experienced the system now , which is more than most people .. Its not something i would like to test on the road , even driving into that soft balloon is very un nerving and un-natural without braking .....

ozovlov · Oct 11th, 2009, 11:22

Absurd

City safe is a collision avoidance system designed to avoid low speed collisions with objects before the vehicle. In this instance it has performed this function perfectly it would seem and somehow you consider this reason for criticism......? Then you consider others "strange" when they dare sugggest that the situation was, and you wilfully admit to this, one of your making.
Maybe its me but that in my view is *strange*.

No the system does not detect motion of objects in front of the vehicle, irrespective of direction or velocity. It is very simple...1. object detected 2. apply brakes.
Personally I can think of no better way of avoiding a collision than to follow these steps.

error-id10t · Oct 11th, 2009, 12:27

Funny thread, by the sounds of it .. it reacted exactly how advertised. But this is what I'm most interested...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clan

The latest generation of City Safety will be 100% braking ( not 50% as now ) and also recognise pedestrians ..

Is this something that can be updated via software/firmware for current models? Might follow up and ask.. can't see why not.

Oct 10th, 2009, 17:27	#1
tangey Member Last Online: Jan 13th, 2020 16:43 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: belfast	City Safety....hmmm I've got a loan of an XC60 from my dealer for the weekend. Nice car and I'll probably buy one, been following it for about a year now, and now that I'm hitting the 3 year mark on my S60, its getting time to change. Anyhow, I was approaching a small roundabout and I come across many times each day, entered the roundabout, and the guy waiting at the next entrance decided to come on ahead rather than wait for me to go buy. And he didn't even go that quickly. Its a roundabout of a size that if the person on the entrance before you decides to enter the roundabout, you really need to wait and not enter yourself...either that or give it plenty of welly. Me being me I decided to show him how close he was to causing an accident, and as he came across the front of me, rather than immediately braking I left it as late as possible...something I do now and again to "teach 'em a lesson". As I'm just about to apply the footbrake, "city safety" comes in and does its thing, coming off as I actually get a little movement on the brakepedal. Now although I was juding it kindly close, there is no way I was at the point to be too late to brake....I'm not that stupid. It gave the guy coming onto the roundabout behind me a fright, as I was suddenly braking sharply. My conclusion is that city safety was unable to identify that the car in front of me was tranversing me and would be shortly out of my path, all it knew was that there was an car that in its opinion I was about to hit. I have to say it was a slightly worrying experience. City Safety actually nearly caused an accident in a situation that definitely wouldn't have resulted in one.

Oct 11th, 2009, 08:18	#8
Clan Experienced Member Last Online: Today 11:23 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: L/H side	well the closing speed and distance must have been within the programmed operationg conditions .. At least you have experienced the system now , which is more than most people .. Its not something i would like to test on the road , even driving into that soft balloon is very un nerving and un-natural without braking ..... __________________ My comments are only based on my opinions and vast experience .

Oct 10th, 2009, 18:11	#2
rippedoffagain Premier Member Last Online: Nov 16th, 2019 18:20 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Yorkshire	Technology can't replace a human brain. It would have sensed that there was an object in front of you, and made a calculation based on your speed and the distance between you and the 'object' in your path. I don't know how Volvo's new system is set up, but it may be programmed for the waste case scenario, perhaps considering things like the ground may be wet, your tyres might be worn, or you may be carrying a lot of weight and so need extra stopping distance. On one hand things like that are a good thing. Driving in to work in the morning it is clear that a lot of drivers are still half asleep, or for whatever other reason their attention might be slipping, so in that sense a magic box that helps you out is a good thing. On the other hand when I'm behind the wheel, I like to be in charge of the car. I think my experience, intuition, judgment etc is better than can currently be achieved by a computer. All that said, I do sort of look forward to the day when you can be sat in the pub drunk, text your car to come for you, go to sleep on the back seat and let it take you home, but I suspect that day is a long way off yet

Oct 10th, 2009, 22:58	#5
John_C Allons-y! Last Online: Jun 8th, 2020 15:32 Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Winchester	Surely you're just trolling? Someone is either being an arse or makes a mistake, in response you drive like an arse and then blame the city safety system for cutting in and preventing you intimidating another driver?

Oct 10th, 2009, 23:17	#6
tangey Member Last Online: Jan 13th, 2020 16:43 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: belfast	Strange, I report a possible weakness of the city safety system to see if anyone has any thoughts on it, and somehow my driving is the topic..weird. Appears people forgot the "there is no way I was at the point to be too late to brake" bit, but rather concentrated on the "left braking as late as possible", I guess people read what people want to read. perhaps I should have said "as late as was safely possible"...but I knew what I meant. I am now apparently a vigilante in an XC60...nice bit of judgement there. The conclusion that I drew from the experience is that city-safety was unable to ascertain that the car was going to get out of the way by the time I reached the spot where the car was, and clearly this is because it cannot judge lateral movement in an object (i.e. a car crossing your path), and as a result it applied the brake in a situation that didn't need it....something I feel was disconcerting. Does anyone actually think I was going to ram the side of car...and then come into he volvo users forum to recount the experience...well it appears people actually do think that...again I say, Weird. For the record I've been driving for 30+ years, never made an insurance claim and never hit anything on the public road...I have hit one of those raised concrete things around a petrol pump doing about 4 MPH in a moment of misjudgment, I'm guessing that makes me a culprit of service station vigilantism.

Oct 11th, 2009, 11:22	#9
ozovlov New Member Last Online: Feb 9th, 2011 11:24 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Melbourne	Absurd City safe is a collision avoidance system designed to avoid low speed collisions with objects before the vehicle. In this instance it has performed this function perfectly it would seem and somehow you consider this reason for criticism......? Then you consider others "strange" when they dare sugggest that the situation was, and you wilfully admit to this, one of your making. Maybe its me but that in my view is strange. No the system does not detect motion of objects in front of the vehicle, irrespective of direction or velocity. It is very simple...1. object detected 2. apply brakes. Personally I can think of no better way of avoiding a collision than to follow these steps.

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