Mercedes S Class

peterattheboro · 9 Oct 2008 at 13:20

Watched an old Top Gear last night which reviewed the new S Class and all it's fantastic gadgetry!

The part with radar guided cruise control interested me.

When you enable cruise, it follows the car ahead. It slows down, you slow down, it speeds up, you speed up, it stops, you stop.

Have Mercedes thought of the fact that when the car ahead stops for a roundabout, then procedes when it's clear but your cruise kicks in, follows the car into oncoming traffic and then *POW!!!!*

I take it you can touch the brake to turn the system off?

Mickey · 9 Oct 2008 at 13:25

Seriously?

peterattheboro · 9 Oct 2008 at 13:26

Mickey said:
Seriously?

Yeah i'm farting out my thoughts on here at the moment.

Sone · 9 Oct 2008 at 13:32

loads of cars have adaptive cruise control, its a really nice feature

That scenario is just wrong, would not happen

TripleT · 9 Oct 2008 at 13:37

I really wouldn't use cruise control when approaching a roundabout personally...

--Mike-- · 9 Oct 2008 at 13:40

Most cruise controls switch off under a certain speed anyway.

BigT · 9 Oct 2008 at 13:40

I don't think that cruise operates below a certain speed, so unless you're planning on taking every roundabout at somewhere approaching 50mph I don't think it is going to happen.

Fr0dders · 9 Oct 2008 at 13:41

you dont use cruise control on roundabouts

its simple. Adaptive cruise control does not mean a self driving car.

and as already said, it usually switches off below about 50.

Cosimo · 9 Oct 2008 at 13:45

My cruise control is not adaptive but works from 20 mph upwards.

peterattheboro · 9 Oct 2008 at 13:47

MrLOL said:
you dont use cruise control on roundabouts

its simple. Adaptive cruise control does not mean a self driving car.

and as already said, it usually switches off below about 50.

It's just that Clarkson did it on what seemed a 50mph DC and the car stopped to a halt. So I assume it worked under 50mph

Giddy · 9 Oct 2008 at 13:47

The system will brake for you if it thinks you're about to hit something, although I found it sometimes kicks in when turning even without anything in front.

Cracking cars though the new S Class.

Fr0dders · 9 Oct 2008 at 14:07

peterattheboro said:
It's just that Clarkson did it on what seemed a 50mph DC and the car stopped to a halt. So I assume it worked under 50mph

it will stop you if the traffic in front stops

it wont stop you for a roundabout, but its wont do. its not intended to and i dont think anybody would be stupid enough to expect the cruise to slow them down for a roundabout.

If you did use adapative cruise on a roundabout, your quite right it probably would just plow straight into the roundabout, same as normal cruise would.

But you'd have to be doing more than 50 in the first case to get it to engage. The only concievable way this could happen would be high limit dual carraigeways with roundabouts.

Bill101 · 9 Oct 2008 at 14:11

I've wondered about the Merc. system. What happens when(and I do mean when) a BMW cuts into the gap you, or the cruise control, has left?

Firestar_3x · 9 Oct 2008 at 14:12

MrLOL said:
But you'd have to be doing more than 50 in the first case to get it to engage. The only concievable way this could happen would be high limit dual carraigeways with roundabouts.

I'm curious how you've come up with this 50mph minimum speed figure.

Bill101 said:
I've wondered about the Merc. system. What happens when(and I do mean when) a BMW cuts into the gap you, or the cruise control, has left?

The Car detects the gap has gone down and puts the brakes on.

Jez · 9 Oct 2008 at 14:13

Bill101 said:
I've wondered about the Merc. system. What happens when(and I do mean when) a BMW cuts into the gap you, or the cruise control, has left?

Then the car will back off and follow the BMW at the same distance. This tech isnt at all new, it was first introduced in 1998 to the S-class range.

Bill101 · 9 Oct 2008 at 14:19

Jez said:
Then the car will back off and follow the BMW at the same distance. This tech isnt at all new, it was first introduced in 1998 to the S-class range.

I just wondered how quick it reacts to suddenly there being a car in front of you?, and if the cars behind have to react at the same speed.
Just curious really.

Jez · 9 Oct 2008 at 14:25

Bill101 said:
I just wondered how quick it reacts to suddenly there being a car in front of you?, and if the cars behind have to react at the same speed.
Just curious really.

I dont know about the W221 model, but on the W220 (like mine) if the gap changes then the car slows at the speed at which the gap changed. So if someone cuts right in then the car will brake fairly sharply to maintain the set distance, it wont do it too hard though so you will get closer to the car infront temporarily. The dash screen shows a picture of the road with the distance of the detected car infront on it with distances.