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Expensive Safety Extras

6474 Views 20 Replies 12 Participants Last post by  MissusK
I've seen a couple of people mention that their cars have BLIS, LKA, DAC, ACC/collision Warning...but at the risk of being "shot down" I don't think I've seen anything really said of them?

I only say this as I may have mentioned in another post that I had a new V70 as a loan car recently and it was maxxed out with the above and was the only time I'm likely ever to "give them a go".

I thought the BLIS and LKA were good but a bit tiresome...but DAC and ACC I thought, were fantastic and would really consider them on my next V40.

Just curious if anybody had any real life feedback on them?

Cheers Darren
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I have all those options maxed out on mine, as you said blis and lka are good and comes of use quite often especially depending on careless drivers around doing too much of a lane switching. however most fun is the acc, especially when stuck on traffic driving around 15-20 mp/h gets tiring after sometime, so I just turn it on and set it to like 30 mp/h and the acc does what its suppose to, so I can relax my foot a bit and watch a dvd or tv with tv free which I just got installed. DAC I only saw active once driving for 4 hours straight.
@MerTango - You serious about watching a dvd/tv? Definitely a NO NO in the UK. Then perhaps driving in Turkey is similar to Egypt where the rules of the road don't exist. I heard one driver say "Oh they are trying to make this a one way street, as we roared up against the oncoming traffic"!!
movies

@MerTango - You serious about watching a dvd/tv? Definitely a NO NO in the UK. Then perhaps driving in Turkey is similar to Egypt where the rules of the road don't exist. I heard one driver say "Oh they are trying to make this a one way street, as we roared up against the oncoming traffic"!!

watch movies all the time in the car it can take me two hours to get home so i stand still a lot
I'll try give you my opinion about the safety extras as I have them all in my car.
I like almost all of them, except Road Sign Information.

ACC is brilliant, In fact I was looking for a car with ACC so for me it was must have option. I wish I had automatic gearbox as it would work even better, from 0kph.
BLIS - good thing on motorway, I feel much more comfortable with it when changing lines.
LKA - I feel how it 'help' me from time to time, often on some twisty roads when I cut bends ;) Maybe it can save me on motorway, but didn't need (hopefully!) it, nor test it.

ACC option give you also automatic headlights included. AHB, unfortunately 1st gen, so just on/off. Sometimes is nice, sometimes not. I need to use it much more to give you honest opinion, for now its 50/50. ;)

RSI - its 'cool feature', unfortunatetly just in ads. You cant really use it in real life mostly because of one, unimplemented feature - reset! When there is speed limit 30, and crosing few meters later, you can't remove the 30 from your screen. You will see it for next 5km until new limit occur. Another problem with build-up area sign, system can't recognize them. :( I don't feel like I can depend on RSI.

DAC is the 'time for coffee break'? Haven't seen it yet ;)
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My two pennies worth:

BLIS - indispensable. I don't think I'll ever buy a new car without it. It works flawlessly and chances of it saving your life are probably higher than with any other gimmick (except maybe ACC, but I don't have it so I can't compare).

LKA - useful and works well. Especially good for those moments when your mind starts drifting off on a long motorway journey. Mildly annoying on narrower roads when you're bound to cross the line almost constantly - but that's what the off button is for. Would choose it again.

Collision warning - it did warn me 2 or 3 times, but not in really dangerous situations and less frequently than I would think. I keep wondering whether it would do any good in a really dangerous situation - I hope I'll never know.

DAC - still haven't seen it in action after 7000 miles.

RSI - I've written another one already. Little more than a gimmick, could easily do without it. Occasionally I find it useful to check the most recent speed limit when I'm focused on other things, but that's it.

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Volvo V40 D2 Momentum, Ice White, Premium Sound, BLIS+LKA+RSI, TFT Display, Heated Windscreen, Rear Park Assist, Active High Beam, Power Child Lock
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What are all of these, I have the bare minimum on mine as I like to drive my car and not be governed by a nanny car telling me what i should and should not be doing, if i wanted that i may as well be on the train, but each to their own I suppose.

The only things that have come on in my v40 in 12 months were traction control, I do drive enthusiastically (sometimes i turn it off for real fun) and the abs once on an adverse camber at a junction.

The one thing you do not want to come on is the airbag.

I ran a 309 fit good wood a couple of years ago as a fun car, it was great with not assistance and tiny a pillars, no air bag, abs etc, much like the Elise and that doesn't even have power steering or a servo on the brakes
@MerTango - You serious about watching a dvd/tv? Definitely a NO NO in the UK. Then perhaps driving in Turkey is similar to Egypt where the rules of the road don't exist. I heard one driver say "Oh they are trying to make this a one way street, as we roared up against the oncoming traffic"!!
Ofcourse its a No No here too as the regulations go, but who can ever tell or fine me for that since the cops probably don't have an idea of it. .I got used to keeping one eye on the road the other on the screen ;)
I get your point denn1s, but all these things do not spoil the enjoyment of driving one bit. Some of them are merely there IF you want to consult them (BLIS), others you can simply turn off if you find them too intrusive. I never felt any of these systems told me what I should and should not do. They are not governing your driving any more than the ABS is driving your braking or the seatbelt is affecting your sitting position. I do hope you don't find seatbelts part of the nanny car.

That said, I would rather have my wretched self and the car saved by a nanny car than have a couple of regrets.

But as you said - each to their own. I still enjoy driving my old Alfa without any of the modern gimmicks, but when it comes to going on a trip with my family - I would not want any other car over my Volvo with every safety feature there is.

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Volvo V40 D2 Momentum, Ice White, Premium Sound, BLIS+LKA+RSI, TFT Display, Heated Windscreen, Rear Park Assist, Active High Beam, Power Child Lock
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Well put Belisauris, there was a time you had to stick your arm out of the window to indicate, now we have a stalk to do it. All these items are only tools that you can decide wether you use the information or not
Been driving my V40 for 15 months without them and all is well. No parking sensors either and I have not hit anything parking the car. :p;)
Whilst I take your points, but when a tried a Volvo with the blind spot thing, it got on my nerves, another issue is people start to rely on them and alter their driving habits because of gem, often too much, take abs, many people drive too close now assuming abs will save them etc.
I like the rear parking sensors. The approaching traffic sensor has never sounded, maybe because I look before I pull out.

Most these things are like insurance. You have to hope you never need them.
people start to rely on them
But you don't have to ;) And as lmafudd said - treating them as insurance is good approach ;)
Anyway, we are free people, everyone can buy what he wants ;)
Anyway, we are free people, everyone can buy what he wants ;)
Absolutley. It would be pretty boring if we all had the same wants, likes and opinions. :thumbup:
Absolutley. It would be pretty boring if we all had the same wants, likes and opinions. :thumbup:
Everyone is entitled to an opinion, that is what makes us human... It is just that mine is the only one that counts:p:thumbup:(joke)
Apparently, opinions are like A-holes. We all have one but no one wants yours shoved in their face!
I understand having all the safety features can be over the top, I have them all and I must say I am glad I do. It's not my driving I'm worried about, but there's so many reckless drivers and having that little 'extra' makes me feel a bit more secure. My previous cars didn't have all these features but it's nice to have them now.
I especially like BLIS, as my previous car had such horrible blind spots. The anti collision can be annoying as the car seems to think I'm going to hit parked cars sometimes! The cruise control is great as I don't have to constantly adjust the speed if the person in front slows down etc

I think the features are great but we can't rely on them. Nothing like the good old head check!
Hmm. I have all the gear and the only things I would buy again would be BLISS and parking sensors. I'd stick with normal CC too.

The rest of the stuff - LKA/ACC/park pilot etc are all well and good if you struggle to drive, stay alert or what have you but I turn them all off as I find them irritating.

The colision control is baffling too - quite often it flashes and beeps when I'm trundling down an empty motorway. I'm somewhat concerned that it'll throw out the anchors on it's own one of these days.
Apparently, opinions are like A-holes. We all have one but no one wants yours shoved in their face!
Cheaky:p
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