Does anyone know if there is a way to have the BSW beep instead of just flash when you hit your turn signal and there's a car in you blind spot? I have to admit that I've become very used to this feature with the last couple of cars, and I now need to be supper vigilant about looking for that flashing light in my mirror.
Blind Spot Warning Beep Option?
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Yes that would be awesome, but I havent found it yet either.
Not that I know of. Your idea sounds good but I have reservations. People being people, you can imagine many forgetting to turn on the turn signal but still EXPECTING the system to beep. When there is no beep, and they change lanes and the accident occurs, it will be the car's fault. No doubt there will be much swearing on stacks of bibles that the turn signal was in fact turned on. Given we have so many people complaining about sudden and unexplained acceleration it seems prudent not to have the beep. Makes things simpler by having the car behave in one way only.
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Just adjust the mirror correctly and use it. Seems to be the most surefire way...
Most brands I'm aware of beep. If you don't hit your turn signal then you aren't expecting the car to beep every time someone passes you. The beep is just an extra warning, not in lieu of anything else. And you still have to look too. But in bad light conditions, having that beep is valuable. It also mutes the radio when it beeps to make sure you hear it. Think of it like cross-path alert. It that didn't beep it would be just about useless.
Been doing that for 40 years. Most people don't know how to best adjust their mirrors. But at night/rain/fog/all three, the mirror is inadequate.
I understood this. I just think that it poses a safety issue of its own. Why not simply fight the attempted turn and dispense with the beep? Volvo or MB does this is left turns and on-coming traffic. This is just an easier version of that.
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They are? News to me. I've never had any problems.
"Fight the attempted turn"? If you have to change lanes what else are you supposed to do?
I'm unsure of Volvo's latest system, but I know MB beeps if you try to change lanes when someone is in your blind spot.
When I was 20 it wasn't a problem for me either. But in heavy beltway traffic, at night, in the rain and fog, with odd headlight reflections everywhere, and nut jobs flying all over the place, it's no longer easy for me to know if there is really any metal in my "blind spot" (despite the fact that my mirror is set to cover it).
Just this evening on the way home, it wasn't raining or dark yet, but with cars changing lanes all over the place I still found myself changing lanes into what I thought was clear, that then got a late flashing light despite my initially seeing it was clear. Where I live I frequently find myself changing into a lane that someone else decides to move into at the same time. I can't stare at that flashing light for very long since I also want to keep from hitting the guy in front of me. So once I check over my shoulder (or check the light?), I think I'm good to go. Without the beep, that space could become occupied just as quickly I as look back in front of me. The beep is another level of safety in today's crazy traffic.
It's already there with LKA. You can over ride if necessary but it takes enough effort that you have to know what you're doing. Far more effective than a beep IMO. I'll go further and say that this should happen regardless of whether you are signalling a turn or not."Fight the attempted turn"? If you have to change lanes what else are you supposed to do?
FYI the Volvo system doesn't let you override. Probably a good idea. It's a known fact that machines make far better decisions than human operators.
I don't see how that's related to a beep. You still need to know if there's a car there or not.
Curiously, on the RCTA GM does include a beep. That's a low speed system with far less potential consequences, yet there they chose to have an audible and a visual alert system.
I can't say I'm familiar with the Volvo LKA system, but being unable to override seems a little scary. I can't imagine having to make an emergency maneuver (without signalling obviously
) and having the system fight me to where I can't get out of dangerous situation.The resistance to moving out of the lane is a better warning than a beep. How is it not? Works even if you're deaf or hard of hearing.I don't see how that's related to a beep. You still need to know if there's a car there or not.
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I can't say I'm familiar with the Volvo LKA system, but being unable to override seems a little scary. I can't imagine having to make an emergency maneuver (without signalling obviously
The fear of not being able to override a machine is as common as it is baseless. The machine is way better than you are. Unfortunately this fact is lost on many, leading to mid air collisions when pilots over ride the autopilot. In your case, are you thinking that running into the vehicle in the next lane and then having a frontal crash is better than just having the frontal crash?
When machines really take over, who assumes liability? In airplane crashes it is still considered pilot error, no matter what the autopilot does, because the pilot is still responsible. In cars it's likely to be the same for a long time to come.
Depending on the amount of resistance, it might be ok. But if something happens ahead of me that could be catastrophic, I'd like to not be prevented from hitting the car/guardrail/whatever next to me in order to avoid the catastrophe. I'm all for safety features and automated control, but I am far from ready to give up decision making altogether. When the auto-pilot has more sophisticated situational awareness, I'll give in a little more. But, again, we are far from that.
Two of my deaf friends would not disagree with your point related to them. But they would also agree that an audible warning is just as necessary for those of us otherwise less sensitive to our surroundings.
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