Nissan unveils distance control assist system with pedal feedback
Nissan announced Wednesday the newest development under its "Safety Shield" accident prevention
program - an electronic system that helps drivers control the distance between their car and the vehicle in front.
The system uses a front bumper-mounted radar sensor to determine the following distance and the relative speed
of both cars. If the driver releases the gas pedal the system automatically applies the brakes. If the system itself
determines that braking is required (presumably because the vehicle ahead is slowing), the driver is alerted by a
lighted indicator and a buzzer, and the gas pedal automatically moves upward to "assist the driver in switching to
the brakes."
Nissan expects the system to be particularly useful in heavy traffic, when frequent braking
is required. No word on when (or if) the system will see production.
(Appreciate the tip, Dave)
[Source: Nissan]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Gunnar Heinrich 7:12AM (3/16/2006)
I hope it only applies the brakes when the driver - suddenly - releases the gas pedal and a car's ahead of him. There are plenty of occasions when one wouldn't want to apply the brakes.
http://www.automobilesdeluxe.blogspot.com
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Richard Warren 8:01AM (3/16/2006)
How about just making high performance driving school a requirement for getting your drivers license?
Oh, I get it, while your talking on your cellphone, using your Blackberry, drinking your Coke and eating your McDuck burger, slipping in your latest CD and trying to watch your kids movie on DVD in the backseat you fail to notice the the car in front slowing down, miss the warning light on the dash, don't feel the accelerator pushing back at you, finally the brakes go off.
Can't wait for the lawsuits to start if this truly goes to market.
How about the old way, the driver controls the car not the other way around
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Steve O 8:01AM (3/16/2006)
I'm not sure its a very good idea. It performs a function that drivers should already be doing...paying attention to the road. It may make an owner of the vehicle slack off on that whole "watching the person ahead of them" thing, which Nissan apparently feels that we are incapable of, which could lead to trouble in the long run. But then again, it is a step in the right direction as far as saftey is concerned, I just hope that if this whole thing takes off people will not come to rely on their car braking for them. Not when I'm driving in front of them at least.
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Bobby 11:40AM (3/16/2006)
Come on guys, I'm sure that even the most seasoned and experienced folks who swear that they are like fighter pilots in the car and focus only on driving have experienced a situation where they took their eyes off the road for just a split second and had to slam on the brakes.
It could happen to the best of us, and if it does, it's good to have a system in place that will aid us. Why stifle technology ? Try to be a better driver and hope that you never need it but be glad you had it when you needed it.
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bgdc 12:03PM (3/16/2006)
I'd rather be boiled in oil than have a car determine when I can and cannot get full acceleration from my car.
Dumb technology for a really dumb populace.
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Glenn 1:41PM (3/16/2006)
I really wonder how many of you people have been in accidents? How many were your fault? Everyone's a badass driver on the internet that never makes mistakes.
You know what, people are making mistakes... and there not all people on the cell phone or eating a Big Mac so effing drop it. I've been hit 4 times and no one was eating or talking on the phone... it was all broad daylight, totally misjudged distance or didn't see me. I've been in one accident that was my fault when it was a) foggy b) raining and c) I hit a white car that blended in. I wasn't driving fast, talking eating or anything. Both hands on the wheel. This isn't dumb tech. You guys are Luddites.
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Eric L. 4:29PM (3/16/2006)
The same people who talk about how these "pre-crash" safety aids are "bad" for attentive drivers are the same people who make snarky comments about how stability control and ABS are apparently inventions of Satan. Oh and don't forget, airbags are teh suck because they can shatter your wrists! =O
Like the posts above point out, no one is a perfect driver, and safety aids are generally a sound idea to have as standard safety features in all vehicles. Its easy to claim that you have the skills of an F1 driver over the net, but fact is that airbags, stability control, and pre-crash aids SAVE LIVES. If you don't want it in your car, then keep driving your 10 year old deathtrap.
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Pierre 3:37AM (1/06/2008)
I am a French, sorry for my bad English .
I share the Eric's opinion. In the future, such a system will be as standart as ABS, ESP etc
I didn't test the new Fuga of course, but I have used the same force feedback gaz pedal for years (my own one) as a speed asistance system and I can say that it is a very pleasant and safe device. Some years ago, the French car maker Renault and the German BMW tested with succes an ACC with an active gas pedal. This type of Human Machin Interface (HMI) fits all the today jet planes.
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