"When Active-Safety Systems Fail, Who Pays?"

Interesting article:

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2011/06/active-safety-systems/

It happened while I was reviewing a European automaker’s flagship luxury sedan. I was creeping along on Interstate 93 in Boston, testing the active cruise-control system and marveling at the car’s ability to bring itself to a stop every time traffic halted. Suddenly an overly aggressive driver tried muscling into traffic ahead of me. Instead of stopping, however, my big-ticket sedan moved forward as if that jerk wasn’t even there. I slammed on the brakes — stopping just in time — and immediately shut off the active cruise control.

Question is: why in H did you have the cruise control on in heavy traffic. I know, to test it. Now you know

that's not a failure, that's an oversight in the development. no, it's not just semantics, there really is a difference.

It ultimately comes down to the driver to be held at fault should something happen. However, I can see various law suits arising should said system fail & the driver attempts to put the blame on the manufacturer. Sadly we live in a society where no one wants to accept responsibility for their actions & finds someone else to blame.

AngryCorvair wrote: that's not a failure, that's an oversight in the development. no, it's not just semantics, there really is a difference.

.

"When Active-Safety Systems Fail, Who Pays?"

I wonder the same thing aloud when that mercedes benz commercial plays on tv, the one with all the drivers praising the MB for saving them when they dozed off behind the wheel, or may or may not have been paying full attention when a truck stopped in front of them. Kind of pisses me off. Pay attention when you are driving, people.

Jesus, take the wheel!

First thing that came to my mind: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNi17YLnZpg

failboat wrote: "When Active-Safety Systems Fail, Who Pays?" I wonder the same thing aloud when that mercedes benz commercial plays on tv, the one with all the drivers praising the MB for saving them when they dozed off behind the wheel, or may or may not have been paying full attention when a truck stopped in front of them. Kind of pisses me off. Pay attention when you are driving, people.

My wife has to hear me yell at that commercial all the time..

AngryCorvair wrote: that's not a failure, that's an oversight in the development. no, it's not just semantics, there really is a difference.

Agreed. It didn't fail; i.e. it was functioning as designed. The design was, however, not sufficiently complicated to cope with the prevailing traffic conditions.

Just building a bigger and better idiot.......

Ranger50 wrote: Just building a bigger and better idiot.......

Amen.

Yeah, I love that Mercedes commercial. They might as well say "It's OK to fall asleep behind the wheel. We'll save your sorry a$$"

Keith wrote: Jesus, take the wheel!

"When Active-Safety Systems Fail, Who Pays?"

short answer?.....all of us!.... when one dumba$$ does something stupid and gets hurt. they complain that someone needs to help them. so the govt makes all cars add a gadget. when the next dumba$$ does something dumber, assuming the whole time that the last do dad added will make up for them doing even dumber stuff, the govt makes carmakers add more safety stuff.

the end is a 4000lb camaro. that costs $40K.

MA$$hole wrote:

Keith wrote: Jesus, take the wheel!

I laughed.

I just want to learn how to mimic/transmit the signal so I can keep shiny happy people from tailgating me.

itsarebuild wrote: "When Active-Safety Systems Fail, Who Pays?" short answer?.....all of us!.... when one dumba$$ does something stupid and gets hurt. they complain that someone needs to help them. so the govt makes all cars add a gadget. when the next dumba$$ does something dumber, assuming the whole time that the last do dad added will make up for them doing even dumber stuff, the govt makes carmakers add more safety stuff. the end is a 4000lb camaro. that costs $40K.

THIS! TIMES ELEVENTY-BILLION!

failboat wrote: "When Active-Safety Systems Fail, Who Pays?" I wonder the same thing aloud when that mercedes benz commercial plays on tv, the one with all the drivers praising the MB for saving them when they dozed off behind the wheel, or may or may not have been paying full attention when a truck stopped in front of them. Kind of pisses me off. Pay attention when you are driving, people.

I remember reading a monthly owners magazine from Volvo IIRC. It had stories about how people walked away from rolling down a hill and getting hit by a train, which then woke them up and other wonderful stories of incompetent driving.

If you can't pay the hell attention enough that you need a safety system in your car, ride the berkeleying bus.

No offense, Wally.

RealMiniDriver wrote: If you can't pay the hell attention enough that you need a safety system in your car, ride the berkeleying bus. No offense, Wally.

just remember to switch your phone to vibrate.

Active safety systems will soon be replaced by fully automated systems. I've seen the Google cars here in the SF Bay Area, VW just announced a system that is near production, and Nevada has legalized the use of automated vehicles.

Fully automated systems will have to be more robust than the current active safety systems, and while not perfect they'll be a lot better than some of the insane drivers we have on the roads today. Fatalities should drop, insurance will get cheaper or disappear... and hopefully they'll leave a few roads that enthusiasts can still take in our outdated manual cars.

itsarebuild wrote: "When Active-Safety Systems Fail, Who Pays?" short answer?.....all of us!.... when one dumba$$ does something stupid and gets hurt. they complain that someone needs to help them. so the govt makes all cars add a gadget. when the next dumba$$ does something dumber, assuming the whole time that the last do dad added will make up for them doing even dumber stuff, the govt makes carmakers add more safety stuff. the end is a 4000lb camaro. that costs $40K.

Most definitely correct, here is a better question, who pays when the passive airbag system doesn't work? I know 2 redline guys who have been injured in accidents due to no airbag deployment and their seatbelts failing to lock........no recall gm? Really? LoL

fromeast2west wrote: Active safety systems will soon be replaced by fully automated systems. ...... Fully automated systems will have to be more robust than the current active safety systems, and while not perfect they'll be a lot better than some of the insane drivers we have on the roads today. Fatalities should drop, insurance will get cheaper or disappear... and hopefully they'll leave a few roads that enthusiasts can still take in our outdated manual cars.

not a chance this will happen. (thank whatever diety you wish) every equal rights and poverty action group will prevent it since the lower income folks cant afford $50,000 cars. sure some folks will buy them, but i seriously doubt there will be a measurable reduction infatalities as "stupid" cant be built into a system. and if you cant predict it, you are going to have a really hard time trying to defend against it.

itsarebuild wrote:

fromeast2west wrote: Active safety systems will soon be replaced by fully automated systems. ...... Fully automated systems will have to be more robust than the current active safety systems, and while not perfect they'll be a lot better than some of the insane drivers we have on the roads today. Fatalities should drop, insurance will get cheaper or disappear... and hopefully they'll leave a few roads that enthusiasts can still take in our outdated manual cars.

not a chance this will happen. (thank whatever diety you wish) every equal rights and poverty action group will prevent it since the lower income folks cant afford $50,000 cars. sure some folks will buy them, but i seriously doubt there will be a measurable reduction infatalities as "stupid" cant be built into a system. and if you cant predict it, you are going to have a really hard time trying to defend against it.

If the market allows the technology to mature the price point will come way down. They system designers will not need to design around stupid, they will instead just make a "manual" car illegal on public roads.

In aviation, fault rests with the P.I.C. (Pilot In Command) unless there's an internal defect that cannot be spotted by a rigorous preflight check (like pistons designed for a 100 HP engine model installed in a 150 HP engine, owned by an airport and flown by an instructor). If he's using autopilot and it decides that 3,000 feet is way too high and decides to dive and he ruins the plane, it's his fault.

This is why aircraft manufacturers have managed to be sued so many times that a $7,000 plane in 1967 dollars now costs $300,000.

It's the same way with automobiles in America. A person uses a piece of equipment in a manner in which it really shouldn't be used (it's like using your bumpers to stop you at traffic lights) and he isn't paying enough attention and actually operating the vehicle. Therefore, he should sue BMW.