[CrimDoc]

So, I recently purchased a 2019 430i XDrive Convertible.

It has the Active Driving Assistant package (not the Active Driving Assistant Plus).

Supposedly, this includes lane departure warning, active blind spot assistant, frontal collision avoidance and the pedestrian safety system (the collision mitigation system).

I notice that the lane departure, and active blind spot systems engage quite often; however, the frontal collision very rarely does so. The only times I've seen the red car icon light up is when I've had the cruise control engaged and a car pulled into my lane in front of my vehicle.

I've never had the pedestrian warning engage.

I'm curious, are other people's experiences with these driver assistance features similar?

[SoFlo3]

+1 curious on this as well

[CrimDoc]

And FWIW SoFlo3 ... I also have a Garmin "DriveAssist" 50LMT GPS unit that has a camera and offers collision warning and lane departure warning features.

In my experience, the Garmin overwarns (i.e. yields false positives) quite a bit; but I'm a bit concerned that even at its highest sensitivity, my BMW may under warn with respect to frontal collisions and pedestrians.

Perhaps the solution is to use both.

https://www.pcmag.com/review/352079/...veassist-50lmt

Originally Posted by SoFlo3

+1 curious on this as well

[CrimDoc]

(crickets)

Really? No experiences at all with the driver assistance featuers?

[tigger_643]

My experience: Lane departure works over 70 km/h only when it can clearly detect road markings. But after a few months, I've grown numb to the vibration. I will say, though, it's the most consistent of the warnings. Blind spot warning works well, but for some reason will activate randomly when I'm in a passing lane and there is a wall on the left side. Noticed this on multiple occasions. Front collision warning is the weakest. You have to set it to the earliest/top setting for it to detect vehicles - maybe the sensor on my car is bonkers since it randomly detected a ghost car in front of me and shuddered this week when I was driving into the parking lot at work.

[CrimDoc]

Thanks for the reply Tigger.

May I ask:

Has the Pedestrian warning ever activated?

Has your car ever engaged the brakes automatically; or do you just get the steering wheel vibration warning?

Originally Posted by tigger_643

My experience: Lane departure works over 70 km/h only when it can clearly detect road markings. But after a few months, I've grown numb to the vibration. I will say, though, it's the most consistent of the warnings. Blind spot warning works well, but for some reason will activate randomly when I'm in a passing lane and there is a wall on the left side. Noticed this on multiple occasions. Front collision warning is the weakest. You have to set it to the earliest/top setting for it to detect vehicles - maybe the sensor on my car is bonkers since it randomly detected a ghost car in front of me and shuddered this week when I was driving into the parking lot at work.

[tigger_643]

Originally Posted by CrimDoc

Thanks for the reply Tigger.

May I ask:

Has the Pedestrian warning ever activated?

Has your car ever engaged the brakes automatically; or do you just get the steering wheel vibration warning?

I had done some coding and tried to change the limit at which the lane departure would engage. But that caused the pedestrian detection to randomly complain and shut off. Once I reset the limit, everything went back to normal. I haven't had pedestrian detection engage for the few times I've been on local roads with pedestrians - even the one night I needed it to when I was turning and a guy was crossing the road. Need to read up on the speed at which it starts scanning.

Regarding the brakes, no the car only gives the warning about front collision but doesn't brake. I could be wrong but I think that is only possible on the cars with the active cruise control option.

[VVlasy]

You are correct on the braking. And unless something has changed since MY 2016. With ACC it is not a full brake to stop. It is an assistant, that will apply the force needed to prevent a collision once you just tap the brake, it will take over the pedal for you. If you are beyond the point of brake to stop being able to prevent crash, it will tap the brake to jerk you.

[CrimDoc]

OK, thank you.

"Done some coding"? So you actually tinkered with / modified the software / firmware on your car? That's probably beyond my pay grade ...

My understanding of the automatic braking is similar to yours and the other person who responded. For it to fully brake automatically you need the active cruise option (which I don't have). Although I've never really received a good answer to the question: "What does 'priming' the brakes actually mean?"

Originally Posted by tigger_643

I had done some coding and tried to change the limit at which the lane departure would engage. But that caused the pedestrian detection to randomly complain and shut off. Once I reset the limit, everything went back to normal. I haven't had pedestrian detection engage for the few times I've been on local roads with pedestrians - even the one night I needed it to when I was turning and a guy was crossing the road. Need to read up on the speed at which it starts scanning.

Regarding the brakes, no the car only gives the warning about front collision but doesn't brake. I could be wrong but I think that is only possible on the cars with the active cruise control option.

[tigger_643]

Coding is fairly straightforward and a nice way to customize some of the car's features to what you want, e.g. Disabling the auto start/stop from being on every time you start the car, or shutting the radio off when you stop the car and open the door. I was even able to get Bluetooth streaming enabled which was not on my car when I got it.

Priming the brakes: as I understand it, the system just builds pressure so that when you apply the brakes, there is extra braking force for a stronger than normal response.

[VVlasy]

By priming the brakes, they mean, as was said, preapply pressure to the braking system, which closes the gap on the brake pads and allows for the brake response to be almost immediate. In these situations every milisecond counts.

[CrimDoc]

At the risk of flogging a dead horse ...

Have people actually had the collision avoidance / pedestrian warning system engage?

If so ... could you please share how often and what exactly happened? Did the car start to decelerate on its own? What warning(s) were provided (steering wheel vibration or something else?)

I have heard on certain fora that automatic braking only occurs if you have the active cruise control option, otherwise it's a warning / priming of the brakes only. However, in other places, I've heard people say: "No, I don't have active cruise but I'm sure the car started decelerating on its own."

Thanks in advance ...

[Skyhigh]

I think there is a general misunderstanding here. The collision avoidance / pedestrian warning system is a safety, last-resort system.
It is not an "assistance" system intended to reduce workload and relieve the driver from duties. It is a disaster-prevention system!

That said, if you ever experienced it under normal driving conditions and situation - that is wrong and you may want to have it checked! Or you are just a reckless driver

There are reported cases from competitive brands of cars hitting the brakes automatically due to a wider trailer coming in the opposite lane (0 safety risk in reality). That extreme or even just a nuisance warning should never happen.
And I certainly wish all to never get to experience when these systems actively engage!

It is like a safety belt - you do not want it to lock every time you pull it a bit faster! You want it to only lock when it really has to!

[AddictedTo///M]

The two systems give audible and visual warnings first. Frontal Collision Warning is the red car alert with audio and primed brakes. Pedestrian Detection/City Collision will actually start to apply the brakes for you, but you still need to bring the car to a full stop.

Here is a cheat sheet I use at work for 17-18. This applies for the 2019 4 series as well. Ignore highlighting and sorry for the crappy cell phone pic.

[CrimDoc]

That's awesome! Thank you! I'm struggling a little bit to read some of the things in the chart because of the resolution; but that's nonetheless the best explanation I've received from anyone (including the BMW Geniuses).

Much appreciated!

[CrimDoc]

Thanks for the reply as well Skyhigh ... I do understand that it's a system of last resort. It would be downright annoying if it was screaming (and braking) anytime another car or a pedestrian came anywhere close to your vehicle ... and true enough, I haven't come close to hitting anyone or anything since I've owned the car (thank goodness).

That said, I do worry that even at the most sensitive setting, the ADAS system is SO "conservative" that it won't provide sufficient warning to avoid a collision ... which, if true ... defeats the purpose of having it, doesn't it?

[Skyhigh]

If true.... yes.
But I don't believe it is true You probably haven't reached a situation where the car thinks you are not doing your job Which is good.

But while on the topic - do you guys find the active blind spot system ok?
I must admit I have limit experience with it, but I barely see those triangles when they are lid... Are they bright enough to be noticed? Do you generally find the system useful?

[CrimDoc]

Originally Posted by Skyhigh

If true.... yes.
But I don't believe it is true You probably haven't reached a situation where the car thinks you are not doing your job Which is good.

But while on the topic - do you guys find the active blind spot system ok?
I must admit I have limit experience with it, but I barely see those triangles when they are lid... Are they bright enough to be noticed? Do you generally find the system useful?

I've asked myself that question as well ... if you're glancing down to check the triangles ... wouldn't you accomplish the same thing by checking your mirrors, and doing a shoulder check?

I suppose though, if another car is in a true visual blind spot, the triangle will reveal it while a mirror / shoulder check might not. Also, I believe if you signal a lane change, and a car is in your blind spot, you receive a wheel vibration warning.

That being the case, I'd say, yes, the system is useful.

As an aside ... I think BMW has done a good job of limiting the size of the blind spot on the 430i convertible. Many years ago, I drove an '88 Nissan Pulsar NX. Great little car in most respects, but absolutely HORRENDOUS blind spots because it had double pillars and a completely useless little window between them. On one occasion, I actually rear ended another driver because I was taking too long checking my blind spot ... and I was taking that long because I nearly sideswiped other drivers who were in my blind spots on several other occasions.

The point being ... I do think the technology itself can be a significant safety enhancement; especially on vehicles with physically large blind spots.

[Skyhigh]

I trust the system per definition, but I have the feeling the implementation in F3x is suboptimal. BUT again - it is rather a question than a statement, as I have not experienced the system that many times.

Vibration is definitely a good approach, the problem however is that there is no differentiation between "active blind spot system" and "lane departure warning"!
I experience often that the steering wheel vibrates because:
- I have turned the signal indicatior a few milliseconds too late and I am already on the marking.
- I am crossing a marking of merging lanes intentionally or the marking is not very good

Which leads to the fact that I subconciously ignore the vibration, at least initially...

That goes back to the nuisance warnings which have worse effects than wondering whether your "disaster prevention" system really works.

[VVlasy]

Originally Posted by Skyhigh

I think there is a general misunderstanding here. The collision avoidance / pedestrian warning system is a safety, last-resort system.
It is not an "assistance" system intended to reduce workload and relieve the driver from duties. It is a disaster-prevention system!

That said, if you ever experienced it under normal driving conditions and situation - that is wrong and you may want to have it checked! Or you are just a reckless driver

There are reported cases from competitive brands of cars hitting the brakes automatically due to a wider trailer coming in the opposite lane (0 safety risk in reality). That extreme or even just a nuisance warning should never happen.
And I certainly wish all to never get to experience when these systems actively engage!

It is like a safety belt - you do not want it to lock every time you pull it a bit faster! You want it to only lock when it really has to!

It is an assistance system in the meaning that it assits you during an event it determines to be of risk.

Then with this in mind, I have to strongly refute your claim that having an experience with the system means you are a reckless driver. These systems come into play alot more when you spend each day in heavy traffic. And also it helps us confirm that they work.

I had the full brake assist experience when I took of red light (got up to maybe 9mph), and for no reason lady in front of me slammed the brakes, me and the car noticed at the same time it started beeping, I tapped the brake at first, and I felt as the brake pedal then continued to depress and help me stop. Only time that I can say that it prevented a small collision (probably would not even crack bumper).

I also have experience that even if it has a false positive e.g. car turning left on narrow road (I live in eu, very common) with very narrow lanes. I had it think that it was in my lane and when I was coming up to it I had all the stages of warning, and only the tiny tap of brakes. But since I did not touch the brake pedal the car allowed me to stay with my decision.

[Skyhigh]

Ok - I change my statement - if you experience the system engaging - either you, or the drivers around you are reckless (or let's say not careful enough). Or the system is no good.
There should not be another reason. If the system engages, that SHOULD only mean it saved you from trouble, which automatically means you would be in trouble if you were driving a car without a collision avoidance system. Which in turn should not happen.

I keep saying should. I have not yet (as many others here obviously) seen the systems in action on my F36 and I am absolutely happy with that Wouldn't want it any other way.

I drive rental cars quite often, most of them are under 2 years old. The only time I have had a car to engage collision avoidance was a Peugeot 3008 whereas I had the ACC enabled and the car in front hit the brakes in a traffic jam on the motorway (heavy traffic in the Netherlands). The Peugeot started beeping at me wildly that I should hit the brakes. This said, I don't think the Peugeot had ACC with "Stop&Go", which would explain why the system did not do more than just to warn me to stop myself. The ACC disengaged automatically.

[AddictedTo///M]

Originally Posted by CrimDoc

That's awesome! Thank you! I'm struggling a little bit to read some of the things in the chart because of the resolution; but that's nonetheless the best explanation I've received from anyone (including the BMW Geniuses).

Much appreciated!

You asked the wrong BMW Genius I've been a BMW Genius for 2.5 years. Some people know their stuff, some people are still learning.

We all don't know everything, but I certainly know how to obtain the information when I can't answer a question.

Sorry about the resolution, I was being lazy when I uploaded that shot. Hopefully this will help.