Please teach me about driver assist

[Mirak]

I've seen a lot of videos about the "bubble" and the "shields" but can pros please explain to me like I'm a total noob (I am) how all the MME's driver assist tech works?

First, the terminology. I've heard about Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping, Active Drive Assist, Co-Pilot 360..... I think the MME comes out the box with the first two, and Premium trims and above come with the hardware necessary to activate even more stuff OTA. Please help clarify the terminology.

Going forward to the next questions, please clarify whether this is stuff available now, or will be in the future OTA.

With Adaptive Cruise Control, you can set it to go x mph over (or under) the posted speed limit (a setting on the touchscreen), and it will maintain that speed with your foot off the gas except as necessary to avoid other cars?

Is that the same as regular old cruise control on the steering wheel, or is there a different button to enable Adaptive Cruise Control?

How well does ACC work recognizing speed limit signs? In my area, my highway was frontage roads with lower speed limit signs that are clearly visible from the highway. Is it smart enough to distinguish?

How's this all work with one-pedal driving? I assume activating cruise control overrides OPD?

If you've got the Lane Keep activated, how hard does the car fight you to change lanes if you don't use the turn signal? If you do use the turn signal, does that turn off LK until you re-engage it, or does it turn back on automatically?

Does ACC and LK work on all roads, or just highways?

What is supposed to be coming OTA later in 2021? I know you'll be able to take your hands off the wheel. What about automatic lane changes? Anything else?

I'll probably have MORE questions, but this should get me started. Thanks!

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[ab13]

Here are some of the Ford video animations.

https://www.ford.com/buy-site-wide-content/overlays/mach-e-overlays/feature-copilot360-technology/

 

[macchiaz-o]

Start with the Driver Assist Technology link over at this post:

https://www.macheforum.com/site/thr...manuals-and-web-sites-for-mach-e-owners.1660/

After you've studied that and feel a bit more comfortable, go back to the above post and check out the various How To Videos.

Then come back here with remaining questions and we can try to help and learn more from each other! ?

 

[FirstBEV]

I've seen a lot of videos about the "bubble" and the "shields" but can pros please explain to me like I'm a total noob (I am) how all the MME's driver assist tech works?

First, the terminology. I've heard about Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping, Active Drive Assist, Co-Pilot 360..... I think the MME comes out the box with the first two, and Premium trims and above come with the hardware necessary to activate even more stuff OTA. Please help clarify the terminology.

Going forward to the next questions, please clarify whether this is stuff available now, or will be in the future OTA.

With Adaptive Cruise Control, you can set it to go x mph over (or under) the posted speed limit (a setting on the touchscreen), and it will maintain that speed with your foot off the gas except as necessary to avoid other cars?

Is that the same as regular old cruise control on the steering wheel, or is there a different button to enable Adaptive Cruise Control?

How well does ACC work recognizing speed limit signs? In my area, my highway was frontage roads with lower speed limit signs that are clearly visible from the highway. Is it smart enough to distinguish?

How's this all work with one-pedal driving? I assume activating cruise control overrides OPD?

If you've got the Lane Keep activated, how hard does the car fight you to change lanes if you don't use the turn signal? If you do use the turn signal, does that turn off LK until you re-engage it, or does it turn back on automatically?

Does ACC and LK work on all roads, or just highways?

What is supposed to be coming OTA later in 2021? I know you'll be able to take your hands off the wheel. What about automatic lane changes? Anything else?

I'll probably have MORE questions, but this should get me started. Thanks!

I think this video is great in general if you want to watch the whole thing. He uses the adaptive cruise control and lane centering starting at 16:40 if you want to fast forward. He even talks about what happens if you change lanes without using your turn signal while lane centering is on. Enjoy.

 

[JellyBelly]

I've seen a lot of videos about the "bubble" and the "shields" but can pros please explain to me like I'm a total noob (I am) how all the MME's driver assist tech works?

First, the terminology. I've heard about Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping, Active Drive Assist, Co-Pilot 360..... I think the MME comes out the box with the first two, and Premium trims and above come with the hardware necessary to activate even more stuff OTA. Please help clarify the terminology.

Going forward to the next questions, please clarify whether this is stuff available now, or will be in the future OTA.

With Adaptive Cruise Control, you can set it to go x mph over (or under) the posted speed limit (a setting on the touchscreen), and it will maintain that speed with your foot off the gas except as necessary to avoid other cars?

Is that the same as regular old cruise control on the steering wheel, or is there a different button to enable Adaptive Cruise Control?

How well does ACC work recognizing speed limit signs? In my area, my highway was frontage roads with lower speed limit signs that are clearly visible from the highway. Is it smart enough to distinguish?

How's this all work with one-pedal driving? I assume activating cruise control overrides OPD?

If you've got the Lane Keep activated, how hard does the car fight you to change lanes if you don't use the turn signal? If you do use the turn signal, does that turn off LK until you re-engage it, or does it turn back on automatically?

Does ACC and LK work on all roads, or just highways?

What is supposed to be coming OTA later in 2021? I know you'll be able to take your hands off the wheel. What about automatic lane changes? Anything else?

I'll probably have MORE questions, but this should get me started. Thanks!

Those videos mentioned above are great to start.

To clarify - separate out Drivers Assist and CoPilot.

Copilot is just Ford branding of certain safety features already available in many Ford cars and in Mach E. Drivers assist is taking that a step further to advance the capability to the vehicle being able to make more decisions. Its not exactly handsfree driving since you are required to keep you hands on the wheel and eyes open. Only works on designated highways whose parameters are available to the vehicle. Lets leave that aside.

Copilot includes Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Lane Keep assist. These are available in many vehicles today. In cruise control mode, when using ACC you get to set certain distance between cars ahead and the car uses its cameras/sensors to detect a vehicle ahead and will slow down as necessary. Lane Keep works similarly via sensors/cameras detecting edges of the lane and if drifting can nudge the steering back in the direction of the lane. Copilot includes other safety features as well such as blind spot detection, cross traffic alert etc.

Drivers assist takes these technologies to the level above.

To answer some of your questions -

- Lane keep assist will not fight you too much if you dont turn on the blinker. It will still let you cross lanes without the indicator on. In my mazda you will know it but in my CRV a bit less.

- The recognition of highway symbols - again nothing is perfect but the speed limits are typically recognized by the cameras along with stop signs and they do a pretty good job. My CX5 is very good at recognizing stop signs and speed limits.

- Typically ACC does not depend on recognizing speed limits on signs - you set cruise control to a speed you want and the distance you want to maintain. Including speed signs and adjusting to something like always stay 5 miles over whatever the speed is - is not what typical ACC. Its possible Drivers assist will include that - I dont know.

 

[Mirak]

That video was great and did answer some of my questions. So did the post above. Thank you!

So basically you’ve got Adaptive Cruise Control, Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control (adds the speed limit recognition), and Lane Keep Assist out of the box. You also gets lots of other stuff like blind spot monitoring, emergency braking, etc. that I’m already familiar with. This is all part of “Co-Pilot360” branding.

The Premium and above trim levels also include the Active Drive Assist prep kit (an extra add on for Select trim) which right now only includes the IR eye sensor mounted behind the steering wheel but which will eventually enable hands free driving and maybe some other goodies down the road via OTA update.

Adaptive Cruise Control is this car’s regular cruise control, activated right on the steering wheel. It’s adaptive, meaning it will slow down for slower stuff ahead of you and then speed back up.

Then I guess you can make this “Intelligent” Adaptive CC by toggling a setting on the main screen? This add the speed limit sign recognition and adjusts the speed for that (plus whatever over or under you choose to tack on).

Correct me if I’m getting any of this wrong.

First Q: How intelligent is it? In my area, my highway has frontage roads with lower speed limit signs that are clearly visible from the highway. Can it distinguish? I’ll test this in a few days!

Sounds like the cruise control automatically overrides One Pedal Driving. I mean, that seems obvious.

Lane Keep Assist is likewise activated by a steering wheel button - so I guess that means pressing two buttons when you’re ready to cruise on “autopilot” (I know, it isn’t really autopilot, and it isn’t even truly hands free yet). You can easily steer out of LKA even without using a turn signal, and the car *automatically* pops back in LKA when you’re in the next lane. Right?

Next Q: Does ACC and LKA work on all roads, or just highways? I can’t see how ACC would work on non-highways because how would it currently detect stoplights and intersections if there’s nothing stopped in front of you?

Final Qs (for now): What is supposed to be coming OTA later in 2021? I know you'll be able to take your hands off the wheel. What about automatic lane changes? Stop light/sign detection? Anything else? And do we know what that package will cost?

 

[JellyBelly]

That video was great and did answer some of my questions. So did the post above. Thank you!

So basically you’ve got Adaptive Cruise Control, Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control (adds the speed limit recognition), and Lane Keep Assist out of the box. You also gets lots of other stuff like blind spot monitoring, emergency braking, etc. that I’m already familiar with. This is all part of “Co-Pilot360” branding.

The Premium and above trim levels also include the Active Drive Assist prep kit (an extra add on for Select trim) which right now only includes the IR eye sensor mounted behind the steering wheel but which will eventually enable hands free driving and maybe some other goodies down the road via OTA update.

Adaptive Cruise Control is this car’s regular cruise control, activated right on the steering wheel. It’s adaptive, meaning it will slow down for slower stuff ahead of you and then speed back up.

Then I guess you can make this “Intelligent” Adaptive CC by toggling a setting on the main screen? This add the speed limit sign recognition and adjusts the speed for that (plus whatever over or under you choose to tack on).

Correct me if I’m getting any of this wrong.

First Q: How intelligent is it? In my area, my highway has frontage roads with lower speed limit signs that are clearly visible from the highway. Can it distinguish? I’ll test this in a few days!

Sounds like the cruise control automatically overrides One Pedal Driving. I mean, that seems obvious.

Lane Keep Assist is likewise activated by a steering wheel button - so I guess that means pressing two buttons when you’re ready to cruise on “autopilot” (I know, it isn’t really autopilot, and it isn’t even truly hands free yet). You can easily steer out of LKA even without using a turn signal, and the car *automatically* pops back in LKA when you’re in the next lane. Right?

Next Q: Does ACC and LKA work on all roads, or just highways? I can’t see how ACC would work on non-highways because how would it currently detect stoplights and intersections if there’s nothing stopped in front of you?

Final Qs (for now): What is supposed to be coming OTA later in 2021? I know you'll be able to take your hands off the wheel. What about automatic lane changes? Stop light/sign detection? Anything else? And do we know what that package will cost?

Mostly you have it.

I dont think anyone can answer the question - how intelligent is the speed sign detection in the example you provide. I am assuming Ford has taken into consideration most variables but we will not know until we see it in action and the results may vary by driver/location.

ACC will only work on cruise control - so if you decide to use cruise control ACC will try to do its job.

Typically LKA will still be on even if you move into the next lane without an indicator - it does in my CX5 - dont know about MME. Have to try.

DOnt confuse ACC with Assisted driving. ACC and LKP dont need the OTA update - they work out of the box like in any car that has those features.

What you are assuming, I assume, is automated driving where in it will detect signs, lights etc and make decisions - its not here yet. Will only work on highways. $600. DOnt know all of its features yet

 

[FirstBEV]

First Q: How intelligent is it? In my area, my highway has frontage roads with lower speed limit signs that are clearly visible from the highway. Can it distinguish? I’ll test this in a few days!

I don’t think it determines the speed limits with cameras. I think the navigation knows the speed limit based on which road you are on. For instance, my 2012 Ford Focus with no cameras but it has navigation and will display the speed limit on the map. You can see a white box that looks like the speed limit sign on the navigation screen on the Mach E video I posted above. So if the GPS is sensitive enough to know you’re on the frontage road instead of the highway, it should know the correct speed.

 

[ChasingCoral]

You have found a copy of the manual, right?
https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/2021-mach-e-user-manual-now-available.2052/

 

[FirstBEV]

I don’t think it determines the speed limits with cameras. I think the navigation knows the speed limit based on which road you are on. For instance, my 2012 Ford Focus with no cameras but it has navigation and will display the speed limit on the map. You can see a white box that looks like the speed limit sign on the navigation screen on the Mach E video I posted above. So if the GPS is sensitive enough to know you’re on the frontage road instead of the highway, it should know the correct speed.

I stand corrected.

 

[Jimrpa]

Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control would be a quick way to commit suicide on 95 between Philadelphia and DC. Anyone puttering along at the speed limit is a serious road hazard! ???

 

[lotharik]

A few things based on my experience:
Adaptive cruise control works well. You set the max speed (not a delta from the speed limit) and follow distance to one of 4 distances (basically, "normal," "far," "old person," and "you're gonna get cut off") and it does its thing. There's a little graphic when there is a car ahead and it's driving more slowly because of it. There was no problem with the car slowing down from 70 mph to 20 and then back up again. It drove smoothly but not so conservatively that people got annoyed.

The bubbles show up once the car has detected your lanes. If it can't detect the lanes or it's not on, you see green lines on either side. Lane keeping is pretty good; it isn't 100% in the middle like some cars I've tried. You can definitely steer yourself while it's in this mode; the wheel will fight you a little.

If you don't have your hands on the wheel for a certain amount of time the car will beep at you. I don't think the "eye detection" is functional yet, but to be fair, I didn't try sleeping while moving at 70 mph.

When you're driving normally and the car detects lines, if you go over the lines without a blinker on you get a little rumble in the steering wheel. Kinda neat.

 

[RonTCat]

First Q: How intelligent is it? In my area, my highway has frontage roads with lower speed limit signs that are clearly visible from the highway. Can it distinguish? I’ll test this in a few days!

I believe the explanations above are correct. The system should use the nav for speed limits, and TRY to visually read road sign speed limits for special cases like construction zones, or outdated nav data. No idea what the success rate is, this is much harder to do than you might think. Let us know... this will give you some idea how close we are to self-driving cars. If you can't read a speed limit sign 100% of the time, then...

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