Despite all the tech I drove through a hedge today!!

[Deleted User 4613]

I stopped at the local golf club as a friend needed to collect something. They were only going to be 30 seconds so I stopped the car, didn't press the start button, they hopped out and then realised that their wallet was at home I shuffled forward in my seat so that I could get mine out and managed to press the accelerator, car shot forward straight through the "Reserved for President" sign and through a dense hedge, probably a distance of 1.5m. Fortunately the sign was not that secure and there wasn't a drop the other side of the hedge so no damage to the car and the hedge and post all pushed back into place So all this high tech and the only time I needed it, it failed, very disappointing. Had there been a car in front then I would have driven straight into the back of it. I really can't believe the car allowed such a manoeuvre? I think of the number of times I have dropped my partner off in a queue of traffic, so in those circumstances there is no protection from accidentally driving forward into the back of something.

To add insult to injury as I got out of the car to inspect the damage the drivers seat moved to the wrong other drivers position, arg!!

[adrian_xc40]

Hello,
Sadly, since this February when I bought the car I’ve noticed some failures of these features, despite Volvo’s care for safety:
-even this morning, with the windshield full of rain drops and the rain sensor engaged, the wipers showed no sign of awakening.
-this summer car was hit in the boot by a clown more focused on his phone than the road, but the seat belts were not pre-tensioned or tightened at all.
-the front parking sensors engage when car is too close to an obstacle, about 5-7 inches, making them almost useless.
-I often drive near pedestrians/cyclists on narrower roads with no signs of collision avoidance at all.
Questionable City Safety technology IMO but the brakes are good at least.
Thank you!

[JFDIT]

Perhaps it's God's way of reminding us that we are driving the car and not the car driving us. Concentrate on what you're doing and less on what the car is and then, maybe, if we're unfortunate enough to have a big off then the safety systems will save serious injury.

Comments regarding non functional safety features suggests to me their operation and tolerances isn't fully understood rather than a fault.

[GKSmith]

I was pleasantly surprised when my car slammed the anchors on as I was reversing out of a parking space, in a car park. Some teenagers had run behind my car. I was glad of that. Also reminded me to pay more attention.

[Stovo]

The technology is generally described as safety aids, the clue being in the title aids. As pointed earlier in this thread we drive the car, and the technology is there as a back up. That said, I have no issues at all with the technology, and the cross traffic alert is excellent, particularly when idiots are travelling at ridiculous speeds in car parks, whilst trying to reverse out of a parking space. No complaints from me on this subject.

[Deleted User 4613]

I've been driving for 40+ years and never claimed on my insurance or been in an accident, I think this would class me as a reasonably safe driver. All these safety and collision avoidance systems have been forced into our cars, not by the drivers, but by the insurance and road safety organisations. The insurance companies in particular wanted collision detection and avoidance as low speed shunts and bumps are a large part of their claims.

I made a mistake, it was a complete accident and I have never done anything like this before. In hindsight of course I should have stopped the car put on the handbrake etc. but I am human and had a brief one off error of judgment. I have had to pay a large sum of money for all these avoidance systems, as we all have whether we like them or not, and I think I'm entitled to to be disgruntled when they completely fail to intervene in a genuine accidental moment otherwise what is the point? It could have been a car or heavens forbid a person standing in front of the car. I will learn from my mistake and it will never happen again but for me it completely undermines the benefit of these systems or buying into the Volvo safety first message if they don't work when you most need them.

[Spike56]

My driving mantra (and family) Trust no-one! This equally applies to "aids". Don't trust them!
I don't care what manufacturers state, no system (even humans) are foolproof. I always apply the brake button, whether I am at traffic lights or a supermarket car park. Sometimes I will put the car in park! It's a faff, but the brakes release with a feather touch.
Belt and braces perhaps, but it takes a second and could save your car....or someone's life!

[eugen61]

The emergency braking system is designed to engage when the driver is unresponsive and the vehicle is approaching an obstacle. If the driver suddenly accelerates, the system may interpret this as a deliberate collision avoidance maneuver and not activate automatic braking.

[Deleted User 4613]

What even if there is a solid object less than 0.7m in front of you and the driver isn't holding the steering wheel?

[eugen61]

In this situation, it’s the parking sensors that are responsible for stopping the car. However, these are designed for low-speed maneuvers, such as creeping, and not for sudden acceleration.

Additionally, parking sensors can struggle to accurately read distances through “porous” surfaces like hedges, making them less reliable in your scenario.