Car driver assistance aids and MOT

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Nov 16, 2015
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The DRL's on my 2014, Santa Fe are on, until I switch on the main headlamps, they are also well away fro the headlamps.
 
Jun 16, 2020
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If you have front and rear DRLs then you might as well have your low beam switched on as surely that has the same safety function? TBH I have no idea if the Jeep has the "bendy" headlights as we very seldom drive at night unless an emergency.

Different makes have different intensities of DRL’s. These were a Volvo innovation. Using brighter side lights. They demonstrated that many lives were saved due to their use. Many drivers took to using dipped headlights all day, particularly in Nordic countries. DRL’s differ in that they are designed for being seen, not seeing.

To check if you have bendy headlights, shine the lights against a wall and turn the steering wheel.

John
 
Nov 11, 2009
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I don’t have this on the new car but the Vovo did have City Safety. I had the car for 7 years and not once did it operate. Which demonstrates I must have been paying attention as I never hit anyone.

There are some funny YouTube videos of people seeing if they had the nerve to test it out. One uses a blow up car. And the Volvo stopped. A lot of top end cars have it now. It may have been a Volvo idea, not sure.

View: https://youtu.be/LivMzWoHAuQ


John
It’s not just top end cars it’s on our little 2017 Kia Rio and it’s larger sibling the2021 Xceed. Only activated it once on the Rio and it did work as I approached the garage quicker than it thought prudent. Both cars I’ve set to medium response, whatever that means. 😂
 
Nov 11, 2009
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Different makes have different intensities of DRL’s. These were a Volvo innovation. Using brighter side lights. They demonstrated that many lives were saved due to their use. Many drivers took to using dipped headlights all day, particularly in Nordic countries. DRL’s differ in that they are designed for being seen, not seeing.

To check if you have bendy headlights, shine the lights against a wall and turn the steering wheel.

John
Our Volvo 245 GLE had daytime running lights. Small high intensity lights atop the wings.
 

Sam Vimes

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Sep 7, 2020
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FWIW: These are the DRLs on my Qashqai. The DRLs are on when the main lights are on but are dimmed. The dimming is done by increasing the pulsed on/off time, which is why they look as if only half of the light is working.

When just the DRLs are on there are no rear lights showing.


DRL (1 of 3).jpg

DRL (2 of 3).jpg

DRL (3 of 3).jpg
 
Mar 14, 2005
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My comment was a general moan not about any specific vehicle, I was largely echoing the comments that most motoring journalists have been making about the lack of physical buttons, which you learn to locate with muscle memory without more than a simple glance to provide the location.

Perhaps you should try the screens to see if they are what you think they are.

I'm sorry don't understand your point!

Having just bought a car with such a screen I can say it is not as you suggest. Commonly used functions are all accessible with permanent settings buried in the layers and menus, these are set when stationary. Yesterday we decided to go to Ikea. Pressed one button on the steering wheel and said, navigate to Ikea. Seconds later it asked, “which one”. I touched the Bristol option and that was job done.

Tactile piano keys below the screen take me directly to functions. Then simple adjustments are made.

In my case, I believe it has been designed with driving safety in mind. But I can't speak for other makes.

Well I 'd agree there, your experience relates to just the vehicle you have and it is apparently different to mine. For example if I want to change between the the driving mode, I have to find a button hidden behind the gear selector, review what the screen tells me, then direct my hand to the touch screen where there are four options, and you have to find the correct spot on the screen to touch.

As for the drivers display, apart from the speedo and the Electric power used /rev counter the information about fuel levels and range are all over the place, along with distance to vehicle ahead

The longevity and reliability of the gizmos improve with time and innovation. eg. Electric windows were once such an unnecessary gizmo. But now they are a reliable and normal addition. Probably more reliable than their predecessors.

The bendy headlights I mentioned earlier. Are normally an expensive extra. In time the costs may come down. Then it is an extra safety feature. Not necessary, but desirable....

I do agree that some technologies have improved in reliability, but some just seem to be electrified just to prove how lazy we can be.

There are certain features that I do approve of, for example electric door mirrors, which make it much easier to position the mirrors correctly, and there are others which do make managing the vehicle easier. A reversing camera for positioning the tow ball under the trailer hitch.
 
Jul 19, 2021
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2. Auto Dipping Main Beams. Works really well to detect oncoming cars and cars in front of you going the same way. A little slow to come out of dipped, especially on countryside road corners.
I went out with my Brother in law at the weekend in his VW ID-3 which has matrix headlamps. Those things are incredible, just leave them on full beam and if it detects another vehicle it bends the beam around it so as not to dazzle, but you still have full beam around the other car. Amazing stuff
 
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Nov 11, 2009
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My comment was a general moan not about any specific vehicle, I was largely echoing the comments that most motoring journalists have been making about the lack of physical buttons, which you learn to locate with muscle memory without more than a simple glance to provide the location.



I'm sorry don't understand your point!



Well I 'd agree there, your experience relates to just the vehicle you have and it is apparently different to mine. For example if I want to change between the the driving mode, I have to find a button hidden behind the gear selector, review what the screen tells me, then direct my hand to the touch screen where there are four options, and you have to find the correct spot on the screen to touch.

As for the drivers display, apart from the speedo and the Electric power used /rev counter the information about fuel levels and range are all over the place, along with distance to vehicle ahead



I do agree that some technologies have improved in reliability, but some just seem to be electrified just to prove how lazy we can be.

There are certain features that I do approve of, for example electric door mirrors, which make it much easier to position the mirrors correctly, and there are others which do make managing the vehicle easier. A reversing camera for positioning the tow ball under the trailer hitch.
Volkswagen have come in for some criticism wrt the ergonomics of their latest control functions where commonly used functions are within the touch screen menus. Citroen were also criticised but latest models seem to have stepped back such that it’s less distracting to change common settings. Mine is a nice mix of rotary, dedicated touch sensitive “ buttons” and touch screen menus. I rarely go into the touch screen menus. Important functions such as HVAC are and able to tactile adjustments.
 
Jun 16, 2020
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My comment was a general moan not about any specific vehicle, I was largely echoing the comments that most motoring journalists have been making about the lack of physical buttons, which you learn to locate with muscle memory without more than a simple glance to provide the location.


I'm sorry don't understand your point!

It was simply in response to you saying that that was what ‘you believed’ as opposed to what you have experienced. You have since explained you have experience.

I agree that any controls should not be a distraction to safe driving.

Many years ago, I owned a Citroen BX. The indicators and lights were mounted on binnacles set at the 10 to 2 position. Citroens' idea was, that that is where the hands should be, so using the indicators. And it worked beautifully. However. They had to move to stalks as they were losing too many sales. Izusu also did this on their Piazza.

Citroen had another good idea for safer driving. I had an earlier C5. As with the way most cars were going, the dashboard had lots and lots of lights. To avoid distraction they had a big button. Hitting this on say a dark motorway. Turned off all illumination, except for speed. If a fault occurred just that fault would light up. It allowed for full concentration on the road. It also made for a more relaxing drive.

I quite like simplicity and minimalism. I think the Jaguar layouts fit this bill, I was tempted to get the SUV but could not justify the expense.

I did find having to do hand signals during a hailstorm on my driving test that we have moved forward. But manufacturers do not always get it right.

John
 
Jun 20, 2005
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VW must be going backwards Clive
My Touareg screen is touch but most things can be done from buttons on the steering wheel eg radio, telephone vehicle assistant etc.It also voice command but I haven’t tried that yet. Too complicated for me 🤪
 
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Nov 6, 2005
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I've noticed an increasing number of cars with lights in their door mirrors when I'm overtaking them on the motorway - I presume this is their Blind Spot monitoring at work - bit of a distraction really.
 
Jan 3, 2012
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I've noticed an increasing number of cars with lights in their door mirrors when I'm overtaking them on the motorway - I presume this is their Blind Spot monitoring at work - bit of a distraction really.
Just been looking at the features in the new car it got lights in door mirrors just might have to see how i get on
 
Sep 26, 2018
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I have an XC40, which when I read the reviews, testers said they did not like the touch screen. As has been mentioned above, the XC40 has voice control, and it finishes up being MUCH safer than even buttons, because you just tell the car what to do, even down to "steering wheel heat on/off, seat heat on/off, set temperature to xx degrees, call joe bloggs etc". A short period of familiarisation rather than using the "same old ways" we are used to is called for...
 
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Nov 11, 2009
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I have an XC40, which when I read the reviews, testers said they did not like the touch screen. As has been mentioned above, the XC40 has voice control, and it finishes up being MUCH safer than even buttons, because you just tell the car what to do, even down to "steering wheel heat on/off, seat heat on/off, set temperature to xx degrees, call joe bloggs etc". A short period of familiarisation rather than using the "same old ways" we are used to is called for...
I had voice control on a previous car and when asking for addresses in the navigation anything beginning with B would see me heading off to Belfast. It was not any real use. this new Kia has VC for its infotainment and navigation, plus if on Allele CarPlay SIRI acts as a good go between. Must try the steering wheel heater and seat heaters to see if they are within the control scope.

Like you say we need to adapt when these new things come along as sure as eggs are eggs the car makers aren't going to market a "Geriat version"
 

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Mar 5, 2020
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Of all the Gismos on my 2020 Touareg the one I value most is the headlight auto dipping. Brilliant!...as are the headlights.. It's now available on almost every new car of whatever make. Highly recommended..

For towing, I find the auto hold really useful, but I turn almost everything else off......once I have managed to navigate through the menu!
 

Sam Vimes

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A new feature that Ford may introduce in the future, as they've just filed a patent for it, is automatically reclaiming cars if you don't pay for your lease.

With the increase in leased cars and the progression towards autonomous driving, Ford's patent for those cars kitted out with the technology, remotely locks the car and instructs it to drive autonomously to a car pound or somewhere where it can be recovered by the vendor.

Looks like a good way for hackers to steal cars.

On a separate note about technology providing solutions for problems that don't exist. This week two Tesla owners managed to open each others cars and drive away. Tesla use Tags or a Smartphone app to unlock this particular model and the two owners had parked identical cars next to each other. The first one drive quite a distance before realising it wasn't his car. The other owner found some personal papers in the wrong car and called the other driver and they arranged a swap.

I realise a lot of people are challenged when faced with doorknobs or keys. :)
 
Jul 18, 2017
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If your car has keyless entry and you take it to a garage for servicing, what is there to stop a technician cloning the signal from your key to the car? They have your address so can visit anytime at their leisure. No need to walk around the house trying to pick up a signal and they keys could be in a Faraday case. Cars are now stolen to strip as more money for parts and less chance of being caught.
 
Jul 19, 2021
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If your car has keyless entry and you take it to a garage for servicing, what is there to stop a technician cloning the signal from your key to the car? They have your address so can visit anytime at their leisure. No need to walk around the house trying to pick up a signal and they keys could be in a Faraday case. Cars are now stolen to strip as more money for parts and less chance of being caught.
About the same chance as for them to get a key cut and program a new fob/key I would think
 
Jul 18, 2017
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About the same chance as for them to get a key cut and program a new fob/key I would think
However they need to go get the key cut and then program a fob if they cna get hold of one. Isn't it easier to clone the signal rather than cutting a key? Also I wonder how many people hand over their car keys with house keys still attached?
 
Nov 11, 2009
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However they need to go get the key cut and then program a fob if they cna get hold of one. Isn't it easier to clone the signal rather than cutting a key? Also I wonder how many people hand over their car keys with house keys still attached?
My wife’s car is in having its rear end put back in place at a body shop. We always remove our house keys when handing over the car. Also one of the cars can be set to “ valet” mode which limits access to features such as Contacts, Nav system features and records miles date and time when set to Valet mode.

Regarding keyless access etc I just follow what advice is given to try and reduce the odds of theft, but I cannot get to worked up and fret about it. There’s plenty of other things to fill my mind, and anyway that’s why we have insurance.
 
Jun 20, 2005
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However they need to go get the key cut and then program a fob if they cna get hold of one. Isn't it easier to clone the signal rather than cutting a key? Also I wonder how many people hand over their car keys with house keys still attached?
Buckman,
You need one of these, cheap and easy to use 🤪.
 
Jul 18, 2017
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Buckman,
You need one of these, cheap and easy to use 🤪.
Didn't realise that it was so easy and the goods to do the evil deed so readily available? :fearscream:
 

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