Why are some high-end cars often lacking driver assist features?

[JoshBe]

I have noticed that even range-topping high-end models of Mercedes, BMW, Audi and Lexus sold in LOS often don't offer modern driver assist systems such as automatic emergency braking or lane keep assist. Does anybody know the reason for this? Is it simply due to cost-cutting, or do these system have problems with the chaotic traffic here? 

 

On the other hand Camry, Accord and some Mazdas have these systems equipped despite being much cheaper cars. Does anybody here drive a car like that? Do you get any false alarms from motorbikes driving the wrong way, food carts on street and all the other shenanigans you see on Thai roads?

 

What's your opinion on driver assist tech in general? 

[shady86]

It doesn't work if the lines are faded especially on normal Thai roads. Driver assists don't work for motorcycles. Autonomous driving detinately don't work in most of ASEAN countries because motorbikes.

[tomwct]

They don't work along side Thai Drivers. Thai Drivers never learned that you drive between the lines even when they exist.

[juehoe]

The driver assists on our Mazda CX-5 work quite well on Thai roads. The emergency braking can see the motorbikes. The most useful features are blind spot monitoring and cross traffic alert. These two already have prevented some accidents.

Thai buyers are interested to own a Mercedes Benz, BMW etc. because of the brand name - not the features. The brands try to keep the costs low. So many cars came with ridiculous low specs it the Thai market.

[JoshBe]

2 hours ago, juehoe said:

The driver assists on our Mazda CX-5 work quite well on Thai roads. The emergency braking can see the motorbikes. The most useful features are blind spot monitoring and cross traffic alert. These two already have prevented some accidents.

 

Do you get any false alarms like the car slamming the brakes when a motorcycle cuts in front of you or something like that?

[UKClegal]

The answer Mercedes gave us when we asked was that it adds to cost of import tax, ( on an already overpriced car) 

Edited July 23, 2017 by UKClegal
Pleae remove posted from wrong account

[Bundooman]

I don't know very much about driver assist programming in cars, but I do know that on my 9 year old Toyota Altis, the cruise control system is an absolute necessity. It isn't very useful around Chiang Mai, but on long haul journeys, CM to Surin, it becomes essential. Many of the roads are a pleasure to drive on and in may instances straight and almost empty of other traffic. I might add that this is, obviously, variable at different times of day, (I never drive late at night - although I am quite happy to re-commence a journey at 4:30/5:00am).

Cruise control allows me to stretch my legs, ease my driving position and takes a huge amount of strain off long distance driving.

Some 4/5 years ago, I started looking at replacing my Altis. (It isn't by any means a top range vehicle, but I find it very comfortable and the 1.8Cc engine gives me an excellent burst of power when I wish to overtake, for example). So I wished to purchase the newer model of my Altis.

I was surprised that cruise control was not now an option in newer models. I asked the girl at Toyota with whom I always talk to at my local dealer. She told me that Toyota discontinued cruise control because Thai drivers didn't like it, didn't understand it or even know how to use it and therefore - it wasn't of any use.

Maybe that's another reason that other useful 'driver assist' methods don't appear on Thai cars?

It is also another reason that I still have my 9 year old car!

On the other hand, I understand that cruise control is available on more expensive vehicles!

 

[Pdaz]

On my Merc I have lane assist, auto park, parking assist, distronic cruise control and some other fuction that can apply the brakes if too close to the car in front.

They were part of a package that is an option in Europe but included here.

First thing I do after starting the car is turn them off. 

Edited July 23, 2017 by Pdaz

[bobnuts]

I have a newish (Nov 2016) Merc which came with a reasonably high spec in terms of features though some I would definitely like were not fitted. What for me was more upsetting with the purchase was that no dealer was interested in discussing a purchase where I would willingly pay extra and wait for the car I wanted with the options I wanted. This for a locally produced Merc. All said the only way to do that was to order from a grey importer.

[juehoe]

 
Do you get any false alarms like the car slamming the brakes when a motorcycle cuts in front of you or something like that?

It happens about 3 times, but this is okay for me. I already braking in these situations.

[csabo]

My mom has a Hyundai Sonata in the States.  She leases it for $200 a month.  It has every feature known to man and some others.  Proximity sensors front and back and speed correcting cruise control, heated steering wheel and seats etc etc etc.  She doesn't know how to use 90% of it but I love driving it when I visit.

My Doctor had a Porsche Panamera that cost him $70000.  I asked how he liked it.  He said he got rid of it and I asked why.  "No light on the passenger visor mirror".  I thought he was nuts but then saw his point.  If Hyundai can do it why can't Porsche?  He drives a Maserati now.  I didn't ask about the mirror light I just assumed.

[JoshBe]

On 7/23/2017 at 1:35 PM, Pdaz said:

On my Merc I have lane assist, auto park, parking assist, distronic cruise control and some other fuction that can apply the brakes if too close to the car in front.

They were part of a package that is an option in Europe but included here.

First thing I do after starting the car is turn them off. 

 

Out of curiosity, are you turning them off because they give you false alarms or do you simply dislike the "electronic nannies"?

[bberrythailand]

1 hour ago, JoshBe said:

 

Out of curiosity, are you turning them off because they give you false alarms or do you simply dislike the "electronic nannies"?

 

Just don't like them.

 

 

[bberrythailand]

On 7/23/2017 at 0:51 PM, UKClegal said:

The answer Mercedes gave us when we asked was that it adds to cost of import tax, ( on an already overpriced car) 

 

What a BS ! But I am used to the retards at Merc  who cannot even speak English.

 

 

[Pdaz]

1 hour ago, JoshBe said:

 

Out of curiosity, are you turning them off because they give you false alarms or do you simply dislike the "electronic nannies"?

Mostly cos I don't like the distraction and secondly because they seem at odds with driving here. The parking assist tells you when it "sees" a space on the passenger side of the vehicle if you are travelling under 30kph. Obviously when moving slowly in traffic here it constantly flashes a blue 'P' sign in the dash.  So I turn that off. There is a visual warning when the car judges you are too close to the car in front for your speed. Scooters and Thai drivers who just have to jump into your "safety" space set this off. The car will automatically slow and apply the brakes if enabled. But again traffic conditions here would cause it to be activated constantly. I never use cruise control so even though this cars is cruise control is variable speed and radar controlled I still leave it off.

I really prefer manual cars that require a lot of imput from the driver. So mostly I drive mine in the "sport +" setting which has the fastest throttle and steering response. I also leave the DSG in manual and change gear with the paddles.

I'm not keen on any of the auto driving functions as I believe they are just a sop to lazy drivers. If you can't park, corner or brake correctly you really shouldn't have a licence. Features like ABS and traction control are different and contribute to road safety and have been proven to save lives. Auto parking is just a gimmick.

Edited July 24, 2017 by Pdaz

[Pdaz]

22 minutes ago, bberrythailand said:

 

What a BS ! But I am used to the retards at Merc  who cannot even speak English.

 

 

Yep if you order a CBU car you can choose the specifications just as you would anywhere else. But they seem to prefer you buying an assembled in Thailand version which has few options and usually only a base model engine.

[OMGImInPattaya]

On 7/23/2017 at 11:02 AM, JoshBe said:

 

Do you get any false alarms like the car slamming the brakes when a motorcycle cuts in front of you or something like that?

How is that a false alarm...the motorbike is either there or it isn't. 

[OMGImInPattaya]

4 hours ago, Pdaz said:

Mostly cos I don't like the distraction and secondly because they seem at odds with driving here. The parking assist tells you when it "sees" a space on the passenger side of the vehicle if you are travelling under 30kph. Obviously when moving slowly in traffic here it constantly flashes a blue 'P' sign in the dash.  So I turn that off. There is a visual warning when the car judges you are too close to the car in front for your speed. Scooters and Thai drivers who just have to jump into your "safety" space set this off. The car will automatically slow and apply the brakes if enabled. But again traffic conditions here would cause it to be activated constantly. I never use cruise control so even though this cars is cruise control is variable speed and radar controlled I still leave it off.

I really prefer manual cars that require a lot of imput from the driver. So mostly I drive mine in the "sport +" setting which has the fastest throttle and steering response. I also leave the DSG in manual and change gear with the paddles.

I'm not keen on any of the auto driving functions as I believe they are just a sop to lazy drivers. If you can't park, corner or brake correctly you really shouldn't have a licence. Features like ABS and traction control are different and contribute to road safety and have been proven to save lives. Auto parking is just a gimmick.

You must find it quite ironic that those ultimate driving machines and the other German "driver's cars" like Benz and Audi all have these features.

[bberrythailand]

16 hours ago, Pdaz said:

Mostly cos I don't like the distraction and secondly because they seem at odds with driving here. The parking assist tells you when it "sees" a space on the passenger side of the vehicle if you are travelling under 30kph. Obviously when moving slowly in traffic here it constantly flashes a blue 'P' sign in the dash.  So I turn that off. There is a visual warning when the car judges you are too close to the car in front for your speed. Scooters and Thai drivers who just have to jump into your "safety" space set this off. The car will automatically slow and apply the brakes if enabled. But again traffic conditions here would cause it to be activated constantly. I never use cruise control so even though this cars is cruise control is variable speed and radar controlled I still leave it off.

I really prefer manual cars that require a lot of imput from the driver. So mostly I drive mine in the "sport +" setting which has the fastest throttle and steering response. I also leave the DSG in manual and change gear with the paddles.

I'm not keen on any of the auto driving functions as I believe they are just a sop to lazy drivers. If you can't park, corner or brake correctly you really shouldn't have a licence. Features like ABS and traction control are different and contribute to road safety and have been proven to save lives. Auto parking is just a gimmick.

 

Exactly the same feeling here, I disable everything on the benz and feel a lot better.

 

All this marketing BS upsets me. I do not buy German cars for the electronics shiiite but for the pleasure of driving an acceptable car.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Pdaz]

12 hours ago, OMGImInPattaya said:

You must find it quite ironic that those ultimate driving machines and the other German "driver's cars" like Benz and Audi all have these features.

Ironic is that. No matter what it says on the back of your standard 3 or 5 series it pretty much has the same cc four cylinder motor. Same with local Mercs here. Many C, E and even some S class have the same poverty spec four cylinder. So as your car gets bigger and more expensive it gets slower.. In my own misguided opinion the main reason to have a big high end car is to have the big cc high end multi cylinder engine and associated performance.

Unfortunately here you get hit by the tax triple whammy. Large cc, power over 230hp and high emissions. 

[shady86]

I guess people who buys E or S class are looking for comfort and class not speed. The higher end models still have turbocharged 6 or 8 cylinders inside.

[JoshBe]

13 hours ago, OMGImInPattaya said:

How is that a false alarm...the motorbike is either there or it isn't. 

 

I don't know let's say your driving 30 km/h in moderately heavy traffic and a motorbike is weaving in and out between the lanes (normal behavior in LOS, but not in the west). I wouldn't want my car to slam the brakes even if by it's calculations a collision is imminent. I'm assuming these systems can't differentiate between cars (which have to stay in their lane in heavy traffic) and motorbikes (which are nimble and can appear and disappear between cars in seconds).

On a side note: I find it funny when Tesla, Google, Uber, etc present their self-driving car videos, all filmed in rich San Francisco neighborhoods with light traffic, perfect road markings, civilized drivers and nice weather. I'd like to see one of these cars driving in Vietnam where a car has to swim in a sea of motorbikes like a toy in a cereal box.

[Ace of Pop]

Or as my Mrs say." Why you turn eryting off , n leave it in Bumpy Ride setin.".....Cant win ,everyone different.

[bberrythailand]

10 hours ago, Pdaz said:

Ironic is that. No matter what it says on the back of your standard 3 or 5 series it pretty much has the same cc four cylinder motor. Same with local Mercs here. Many C, E and even some S class have the same poverty spec four cylinder. So as your car gets bigger and more expensive it gets slower.. In my own misguided opinion the main reason to have a big high end car is to have the big cc high end multi cylinder engine and associated performance.

Unfortunately here you get hit by the tax triple whammy. Large cc, power over 230hp and high emissions. 

 

200 or 300 hp is good enough. Bigger engine means more gasoline and I am lazy to go to the station !

 

 

[SABloke]

On 7/23/2017 at 0:51 PM, UKClegal said:

The answer Mercedes gave us when we asked was that it adds to cost of import tax, ( on an already overpriced car) 

What about the Mercs assembled in Thailand?