Traffic Jam Assist in new VW Touareg now masters traffic jams and construction semi-automatically at speeds less than 55 km/h
21 June 2018
The new Volkswagen Touareg can semi-automatically master irritating stop-and-go situations when “Traffic Jam Assist” is active.
The camera-based “Lane Assist” and the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) assist system operating with radar are merged to form Traffic Jam Assist. Both systems must be active so that the extended semi-automated driving function is available.
The driver can switch “Traffic Jam Assist” on and off together with “Adaptive Lane Guidance”. “Adaptive Lane Guidance” is an additional function of “Lane Assist” that keeps the vehicle in the middle of the lane, and in the process the driver can be assisted when steering.
In traffic jams and road construction, the Volkswagen can follow the traffic ahead in its lane. Depending on the flow of traffic, the SUV can also be brought to a standstill and—within a defined stop time—automatically start again.
ACC, Lane Assist, Adaptive Lane Guidance and Traffic Jam Assist are assistance functions that assist the driver within the system limits. For this reason, drivers remain responsible for partly automated driving and must monitor the driver assist functions as well as keep their hands on the wheel. In addition, the driver must be ready to take corrective action at all times to overrule the assistance functions if necessary.
Replacing the driver's control to an unknowable degree when immediate intervention may be necessary is a recipe for disaster. These things need to be either fully in control or completely under driver control, and the driver needs to know which is which.
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 21 June 2018 at 08:30 PM
Agreed.
Neither a human nor a computer system can be 'kind of' in control of a car.
This system would not pass a driving test and so should not be controlling a car.
Posted by: Davemart | 22 June 2018 at 02:59 AM