[Nuclearboy]

I am looking at 2018 Volts on the Chevrolet website. I like to research a little before talking to the dealer because now and then they are misinformed and don't get me the straight answer I need.

When I build and price under saftey 2, it lists 2 options. See descriptions below. It only allows me to select one. If I try to select the other one too, the first is un-selected.

I would like to have both of these features. What do I not understand here.

Thanks for any advice from those who have a Gen 2 or understand the options.


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Low Speed Forward Automatic Braking

If the vehicle is traveling at a low speed and the system detects that a front-end collision situation is imminent while following a detected vehicle and the driver has not already applied the brakes, the system automatically applies brakes to help reduce the collision’s severity1
The system may even help avoid the collision at very low speeds
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or

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Forward Automatic Braking

If the system detects that a front-end collision situation is imminent while following a detected vehicle, and the driver has not already applied the brakes, the system automatically applies brakes to help reduce the collision’s severity1
The system may even help avoid the collision at very low speeds
**************************************

 

[srmarti]

My SWAG is Forward automatic braking does both low speed and other forward braking.

 

[Chrisby18951]

That's my thinking too. Why it's that way, no clue. Maybe it has something to do with the ACC. Which I hope you are considering, it is pretty badass!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jcanoe]

If you want ACC you need to first configure a Volt Premier with Driver Confidence Package and Driver Confidence Package II, then add Forward Automatic Braking (FAB). ACC is included with FAB.

 

[DonC]

I think Chrisby and jcanoe are right. To get Forward Automatic Braking I think you need Adaptive Cruise. That gives you both. If you don't get ACC then you have Low Speed Automatic Braking. The configurator seems wonky to me. You'd think that there would be Adaptive Cruise option, but it appears that the option is called Forward Automatic Braking. When you select that option it adds ACC. I didn't see ACC anywhere else. So basically ACC is Forward Automatic Braking. Who knew?

 

[Nuclearboy]

Thanks for all the help with this. I am continuing to research and will be visiting a dealer sometime soon. Hoping to get a 2018 with the Costco deal added on this year.

So the way I am understanding this now, we can outfit the car with low speed automatic braking and also ACC.

The low speed automatic braking just works I assume on trying to avoid running into things when you are going less than 37 mph. Above 37mph does it even try to stop or is it just off.

The ACC feature tries to slow down when it is turned on and following a "tracked" vehicle in front of you. Does it try to slow down in any other cases? Can it track a car that all of a sudden pulls out in front of you?

These systems are poorly explained IMO.

Nothing against GM, in general here. I went to a honda (sense system) and a suburu dealer (eye sight system) and got many conflicting answers on what their systems actually do too. It seems the manufactures are intentionally making hte specifications.
vague.

 

[hellsop]

So the way I am understanding this now, we can outfit the car with low speed automatic braking and also ACC.

This is not my understanding. My understanding is that low-speed and high-speed conflict, and you MUST TAKE high-speed auto brake to get ACC.

The low speed automatic braking just works I assume on trying to avoid running into things when you are going less than 37 mph. Above 37mph does it even try to stop or is it just off.

This is ALSO not my understanding. Where did "37 MPH" come from? My understanding is that the low-speed system is specifically for that: low speed. It uses the the lane-keeping camera plus the ultrasonic parking sensors to keep you from running into things like walls when you're getting into parking spaces or hitting tricycles you haven't checked for. This is in addition to the beeping as you approach things, and all it does is slap on the brakes when the parking beeps would normally just become a solid tone.

The ACC feature tries to slow down when it is turned on and following a "tracked" vehicle in front of you. Does it try to slow down in any other cases? Can it track a car that all of a sudden pulls out in front of you?

The high-speed auto-brake and ACC systems adds radar. Based on a video posted somewhere here a few months back (which hasn't been easy to refind), it monitors vehicles ahead and one lane to either side. It uses the relative speeds of these things to establish what is a vehicle vs what is a bridge abutment, etc. If you're driving at 50 and approaching a thing at 50, it assumes the thing is a fixed object and not moving, and you as driver will avoid it. If you're driving at 50, and approaching a thing at 35, it assumes the thing is a car and pays attention. It also uses a forward-facing camera to establish what's IN your lane vs what's not in your lane, and both must be working correctly for ACC to turn on (along with the brake pedal, but that's another issue). The high speed auto brake fires whenever you're going to otherwise hit something that looks or tracks like a car, regardless of whether ACC is on or off, but isn't promised to prevent a collision, because there's too much variable to make such a promise. The ACC ONLY cares about other vehicles, when it's turned on, and tries to match the set following gap ONLY behind vehicles in your lane. It uses the same input devices as the auto-brake system, but they're not the same and that's why they're listed as separate features.

These systems are poorly explained IMO.

Yes.

 

[Nuclearboy]

"This is ALSO not my understanding. Where did "37 MPH" come from? My understanding is that the low-speed system is specifically for that: low speed. It uses the the lane-keeping camera plus the ultrasonic parking sensors to keep you from running into things like walls when you're getting into parking spaces or hitting tricycles you haven't checked for. This is in addition to the beeping as you approach things, and all it does is slap on the brakes when the parking beeps would normally just become a solid tone. "

I got the 37 mph. Actually 5-37mph starting at the 1:18 min mark in this video. Should reduce speed for or eliminate collisions too below 37. If not working below 5mph, sounds like you can hit the bike in the driveway or the wall in the garage or parking space.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=78&v=-nWP8nqVf18

 

[Nuclearboy]

"If you're driving at 50 and approaching a thing at 50, it assumes the thing is a fixed object and not moving, and you as driver will avoid it."

>> The car has auto braking but would let you drive into a wall? Pretty sad if true.

"This is not my understanding. My understanding is that low-speed and high-speed conflict, and you MUST TAKE high-speed auto brake to get ACC."

>> If you want ACC, you cannot have the low speed braking which would reduce the most fender benders. This too is sad if true.

Wish we could get the actual specifications of these systems.

 

[sosmerc]

I really enjoy the ACC on my Volt, but there is one thing about it that you need to be aware of. When a vehicle in front of you slows down as in about to make either a left or right turn, the Volt slows down and may continue to slow down even more than you are anticipating even though the car is clearly "out of your way". The ACC radar still "sees" that car as being in front of you. Anyone following behind you may end up getting way too close to you because they haven't expected you to continue to slow down. I guess what I am trying to say is, be prepared to "take over" and accelerate away from the turning car in front as soon as you have safe clearance. This may avoid a rear ender that would not be good.

 

[Nuclearboy]

I really enjoy the ACC on my Volt, but there is one thing about it that you need to be aware of. When a vehicle in front of you slows down as in about to make either a left or right turn, the Volt slows down and may continue to slow down even more than you are anticipating even though the car is clearly "out of your way". The ACC radar still "sees" that car as being in front of you. Anyone following behind you may end up getting way too close to you because they haven't expected you to continue to slow down. I guess what I am trying to say is, be prepared to "take over" and accelerate away from the turning car in front as soon as you have safe clearance. This may avoid a rear ender that would not be good.

Thanks for the tip. I guess non of these systems are perfect yet. Driving a 2016 Civic with Honda sense about a month ago, it too hit the brakes hard on me while I was on the highway with no real danger in front of me. No one behind to rear end me but it did make me wonder about these automatic systems and how they may cause a few problems (while hopefully solving some other problems).

 

[Wrover]

I am an avid cruise control user so I splurged for the ACC option in my 2017. If you don’t use cruise much in your current vehicle I wouldn’t bother with it. I can tell you it works fantastically in my morning commutes. It really has made driving in bumper to bumper traffic less stressful.

Watch this review which gives a great hands on review of ACC

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=26hDMhVLcec

Also try combining the true car price with the Costco deal. Good luck

 

[siai47]

The basic difference is the ACC equipped cars use the radar (located behind the bow-tie in the grille) to control both the cruise control and the forward braking. This system has a much longer range than the ultrasonic sensors used for the low speed braking. These are the parking assist sensors and cannot look out far enough to avoid a collision except at very low speeds. So, if you you have ACC, you get the high speed collision avoidance system and you don't get (or want) the low speed system.

 

[Cobalt60Volt]

I am no expert on this but I have a fully loaded Premier with ACC. When I approach a car in heavy traffic going slow or fast, I get the red light alarm if the system does not see me braking. The ACC will brake for me at high and low speeds.