The world’s most advanced car — the new Mercedes E Class — goes on sale in Australia today

[arronm]

Originally Posted by SumoDog68

It looks like a nice car but how complicated do they need to make it ? Troubleshooting and repairing this is going to be fun . Most of the headline tech "advancements" are optional in their complex equipment package system.
Even if you look at the tech on offer - hardly anything of practical value.
Having said that i don't even use cruise control let alone auto headlights on my car so i am probably in minority.
Hopefully they engineered a way to replace one of those 84 individual headlight LEDs without replacing the whole headlight.
It is scary that they consider Australia to be perfect for autonomous driving due to our policing of speed.It means car will drive itself to your work while you are going to be served latest infotainment on your 100 inch screen. Considering how many can't let go of their phone while driving it is going to be a hit.

Thats just it, you dont use the features, they work silently in the background. Why do I need to worry when its time to put my headlights or wipers on. The more features the better, makes driving safer and more pleasurable.

[mike_nofx]

Originally Posted by Loud_Noises

It is almost as though they are consciously making them to be no-go zones after the warranty expires; engineered obsolescence...

Originally Posted by SumoDog68

It looks like a nice car but how complicated do they need to make it ? Troubleshooting and repairing this is going to be fun.

It'll be reliable and last a good 10 years before any real issues come up. Ever looked at the price of 10 year old Mercs? They drop value faster than a Falcon. I'm pretty sure MB don't care if people struggle diagnosing issues with 10 year old Mercs worth $5k.

Originally Posted by Highway star

You blokes obviously have no concept about driving in Kangaroo country, I've been doing it all my life. I'm yet to see any wiz bang invention that works other than a bull bar on a Kenworth. They will hit you from anywhere back, side , front , rear. They even hit you when you stop.
One smart fellar from Main roads decided to put some new road markers in a known hot spot that were triangular and had 3 reflectors on each post, his theory was that the light would hit from any angle and startle the roo's off back into the bush.
Well he got one part right, they startled alright right back onto the road, the collision rate went up 3 fold. They removed them within 2 weeks.
You can generally get a few to hop away using your blinkers, not much good in daylight though.

Oh yes good point. Best not to try invent new technology then as all that works is Bull Bars on Kenworths.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by SumoDog68

Having said that i don't even use cruise control

mind if i ask why?

i use cruise control all day every day.

[malazn mafia]

Originally Posted by Bluey-GT

If this new merc cant detect pokemon the highway patrol from 100m 1000m away....then......meh!!!

Fixed. No amount of tech will appease me until the HWP has no where to hide on the open road .

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by Stefan

Why would you question a manufacturer consistently pushing safety technology.

pffft.
The problem is that "tech" has become sexy (including a lot of so-called safety tech) so companies like Mercedes just push Tech for tech's sake. That way the doctors and lawyers can feel justified charging you $500 an hour, because they need to upgrade their Merc to the latest model.

Originally Posted by Stefan

Did all drivers suddenly become complacent when seatbelts were invented?

Silly Straw-man argument.

How do heated armrests make the cars safer?

So clearly NOT all added technology makes a car safer.

We need to analyse and understand HOW people will respond to the technology.
It IS in fact entirely conceivable that if a given technology promotes riskier behaviour, then it could actually be detrimental to safety.

Advancements that make cars safer in the event of a crash are good (except for the whole airbags firing lethal projectiles into your head thing) because people will still try to actively avoid crashes.
Similarly, advances that improve handling, braking, etc, in emergency situations are generally good.
(I have observed a modern tendency that young drivers don't taken enough extra care or allow extra space in wet weather because they trust their ABS too much, but I'd say at worst they are still marginally better off.)

But I have my doubts about advances that encourage complacency and dangerous behaviour because of a mistaken belief that the car will ALWAYS save you.

In all seriousness, i would like to see the following:
(And I believe some vehicles already have these)

• A radar system that warns you (with a really annoying alarm) when you are travelling too close to the car in front.
• A rear-mounted system that flashed high-powered red lights at anybody that gets too close behind you
• a system that monitors the car and your steering inputs, and alerts you when you are driving too fast or inattentively for the conditions
• A system that can be "master programmed" then recognize an individual driver by their key and limit the cars operation accordingly. Eg limit p-platers to lower speeds especially at night
• a system that can anticipate a collision or rollover and quickly lower all the windows (prior to deploying curtains)

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by prydey

mind if i ask why?

i use cruise control all day every day.

My Mitsi has adaptive CC. Leave it in drive and it will drop from 110 to even 40 for road works while maintaining a safe distance.

takes a while to get used to but bloody awesome!

[SumoDog68]

Originally Posted by prydey

mind if i ask why?

i use cruise control all day every day.

I like driving actively as in controlling the throttle , gears , brakes , indicators ,wipers, lights etc. Engaging cruise control and withdrawing control over accelerator pedal is not something i enjoy. Not even on long interstate trips. Occasionally i engage it to see if it still works :-) but that is about it.
Cruise control makes it seem very monotonous to me.
Returning to the new E class - i am not sure if australian market will get Park Pilot option where you can drive your E class through an app on your phone , so you can get out of the car in the tight spot and drive it like a remote car toy :-). At the same time mobile phone also becomes a car key.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-S0GOESHR4

[Highway star]

Originally Posted by mike_nofx

Oh yes good point. Best not to try invent new technology then as all that works is Bull Bars on Kenworths.

Best you buy a Volvo then and bring it out west without your bull bar, and don't forget your hat skin cancer is a killer.

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

Silly Straw-man argument.

How do heated armrests make the cars safer?

And you call my post a "straw man argument"?

Please direct me to the part where I say heated armrests are a safety feature? I referred to seatbelt...no idea how you came up with heated armrests, guess that is why i'm not Crazy Stefan.

Merc has always been at the forefront of safety tech....all those engineers working for them unfortunately don't work for free the cost gets amortised in the vehicle that is sold (i.e. its gets more expensive).

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by Stefan

And you call my post a "straw man argument"?

Please direct me to the part where I say heated armrests are a safety feature? I referred to seatbelt...no idea how you came up with heated armrests, guess that is why i'm not Crazy Stefan.

Merc has always been at the forefront of safety tech....all those engineers working for them unfortunately don't work for free the cost gets amortised in the vehicle that is sold (i.e. its gets more expensive).

Dont bother mate your wasting your breath. This is the guy that thinks the V8 is the only difference in the mustang models

[Sabantien]

It all sounds good!

I love comfort tech in a car, but I don't know if i'd fork out for heated armrests. Maybe if I lived down south.

My issue is with the display screens. Even in the photo you can see some pretty bad reflections. Imagine the glare off those bad boys when the sun is hitting it. I get bad enough glare some days off some of the shiny trim in the Falcon.

[Mercury Bullet]

Topic covered earlier ^^

[Mercury Bullet]

Originally Posted by Express

These passive systems are there to help avoid an accident and the key word is to help, they are not sold as a complete safeguard and won't make up for unusual situations no more than they will overcome totally stupid driving.

I'm from the bush and if you are driving at speed at dusk or dawn in areas frequented by Kangaroos where your sight distance is short then quite simply you are asking for trouble.

Passive systems don't usually make up for the lack of commonsense.

Right, so why are they working on a kangaroo avoidance system?

It's marketing fluff, nothing more.
Now we will get idiots driving through infested areas totally oblivious to anything. Cos they've got an avoidance system.
FFS Teslas can't see the side of a truck!

If you live in the bush where there are roos, then surely you realise that you don't try to avoid them. Braking is your only real option.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Wretched

For more context
Quote:
A radar will scan the road ahead and the on-board computer will predict a kangaroo’s next move. If there is time the car will warn the driver. But if a collision is imminent, the car slams on the brakes. The reaction speed is 0.05 seconds, 24 times faster than a human.


So it won't just slam on the brakes, it'll assess the situation and determine the next course of action.
What would you suggest is a better option? steer it away into trees, a ditch?

Where did that quote come from? I couldn't find it in the article.

Either way, if a computer can anticipate a Roo's movements it's better that the Roo, they don't know which way they are going to go.

[Wretched]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

Where did that quote come from? I couldn't find it in the article.

Either way, if a computer can anticipate a Roo's movements it's better that the Roo, they don't know which way they are going to go.

About the 4th paragraph down.

It is all still a theory, well at the time of he article being written. Volvo had sent a team of engineers to assess Kangaroo movements. They acknowledge the complex nature of Kangaroos compared to Moose and Reindeer.

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by Mercury Bullet

Right, so why are they working on a kangaroo avoidance system?

It's marketing fluff, nothing more.
Now we will get idiots driving through infested areas totally oblivious to anything. Cos they've got an avoidance system.
FFS Teslas can't see the side of a truck!

If you live in the bush where there are roos, then surely you realise that you don't try to avoid them. Braking is your only real option.

Seriously, what's your point? That is one of the problems with the Australian psyche, why bother...just keep doing the same thing, no point changing. I guess that is why she don't build anything anymore including cars.

Couldn't be f......ked really. Where did it get out beloved Ford and Holden...

[mike_nofx]

Originally Posted by Highway star

Best you buy a Volvo then and bring it out west without your bull bar, and don't forget your hat skin cancer is a killer.

Not sure if you had considered this being a truck driver and all, but what about using roo avoidance technology along with a bull bar? Even if its only 50% accurate, thats still only every second time you'd need to hose roo guts off your truck. Not as fun as killing roos, I know.

[66FAIRLANE]

"2. It can change lanes automatically at the press of a button — at certain speeds in ideal conditions."

Really!? We have got to the point where we need the car to change lanes for us?

Like a lot of technology it reminds me of the saying 'Just because you can doesn't mean you should'.

[Express]

Originally Posted by Mercury Bullet

Now we will get idiots driving through infested areas totally oblivious to anything. Cos they've got an avoidance system.

There's no helping idiots - that's why they're idiots.

Originally Posted by Mercury Bullet

If you live in the bush where there are roos, then surely you realise that you don't try to avoid them. Braking is your only real option.

I try and increase my likelihood of avoiding an accident by slowing down when I know there is a chance of Roos being around.

Braking hard on gravel roads doesn't do much for decreasing the risk when a Roo zig zags in front of you, in fact it can cause other problems.

[Mercury Bullet]

Originally Posted by Express

There's no helping idiots - that's why they're idiots.

Agreed. But I see a system like this as encouraging these idiots.

I try and increase my likelihood of avoiding an accident by slowing down when I know there is a chance of Roos being around.

Braking hard on gravel roads doesn't do much for decreasing the risk when a Roo zig zags in front of you, in fact it can cause other problems.

Exactly.
This is why this system worries me, not only do we have to worry about roos but now we won't know how the car in front is going to react.
From what I've read braking hard is exactly what it's going to do.

As Gas so eloquently put it, the kangaroo doesn't know what it's doing, how the heck can a car know?

I will happily eat my hat if they get it right, but I doubt very much they will.

[asagaai]

And we were wondering what we would be arguing about when Ford and Holden Australia stop producing cars in Australia.

This thread answers all- which German carmaker between BMW/Mercedes/Audi makes the best automated driving and safety system for Australian conditions including:

1. idiot Aussie drivers,

2. Aussie drivers looking for their brain

3. Roos genetically bred to zig zag and evolved to be the ultimate test (excluding idiot Aussie drivers and Aussie Drivers looking for their brains) of the German automated systems......

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by Highway star

You blokes obviously have no concept about driving in Kangaroo country, I've been doing it all my life. I'm yet to see any wiz bang invention that works other than a bull bar on a Kenworth.

Are you Mick Taylor?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDL77By6kxE
Video probably not suitable for people who like Kangaroos.

When you are in a regular car, not a Kenworth, it is a good idea to brake to avoid hitting a Kangaroo. Doesn't feel right plowing into it at 100 without even touching the brakes.

I avoided 2 Kangaroos and 2 wombats the other night by braking. Yes I had a bullbar but I would rather avoid using it as much as possible.

[4vxc]

I wonder what is the idea of self steering for 60 secs
to show your new friends at the yacht club maybe?

[tranquilized]

Originally Posted by 4vxc

I wonder what is the idea of self steering for 60 secs
to show your new friends at the yacht club maybe?

The 60 second aspect is just a safety limit - the car could continue steering itself but after 60 seconds it needs to check the driver is still awake and on duty.

[arronm]

60s is plenty of time to write a couple of texts and check ebay.

[tranquilized]

Originally Posted by arronm

60s is plenty of time to write a couple of texts and check the Ford Forums.

Fixed.

[Sabantien]

60 seconds gives you time to have a sip of drink, throw down a mars bar and adjust your reg grundies without having to pull over.

Perfect.

[Highway star]

Originally Posted by Ben73

Are you Mick Taylor?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDL77By6kxE
Video probably not suitable for people who like Kangaroos.

When you are in a regular car, not a Kenworth, it is a good idea to brake to avoid hitting a Kangaroo. Doesn't feel right plowing into it at 100 without even touching the brakes.

I avoided 2 Kangaroos and 2 wombats the other night by braking. Yes I had a bullbar but I would rather avoid using it as much as possible.

Mick was right " Welcome to Australia........"

Coppers need Volvos not bull bars?



Why I have never owned a Holden.



If it hasn't got a 5 post bar it's not worth having, just get the Volvo?



Okay, This one could have been avoided with the right anti Roo repellent.



Here it is folks could this be Australia's top selling car of the future? Look at that bar!




On a more serious note though about 3 weeks around 9am, I was following a Grey Nomad towing a flash Caravan, when I caught just a glimpse of a big buck in full flight exiting the scrub on the passenger side, there is no way they would have seen it or could do anything.
I braked, it went between their 4x4 and the van at the A frame, luckily he didn't roll it but the van was a right off .

[Stefan]

Why begrudge tech that could prevent it?

I was driving a Mondoe outside Armidale 2 years ago and big red jumped out infront of the car, I was on 110km/h, missed him by a bee's dick, he was 6'5 all muscle. Car would have been a write off for sure if he was a bit slower or I had not hit the anchors. I had my two boys in the back seat.

I was imagining him coming through the windscreen..

It certainly got my juices flowing.

[DJM83]

I can see the doubters frothing when one of these happens to hit a kangaroo and it makes it to the interwebs saying the technology is rubbish.

If this stuff was fitted to a falcon they would be singing it's praises like no other. The advancement of euro cars is the reason why they still make cars and we make, well nothing here soon. Being able to pair your phone via Bluetooth in an aussie built car juat doesn't cut it in regards to tech anymore.