AEB limitations? (Automatic Emergency Braking)

[Desert Bronco.]

How good is the pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking? This is from Ford’s website, quote below. When I release the gas to coast to a red light I’ve noticed that the car doesn’t seem to emergency brake on the 1-2 instances I simulated a 5-10mph accident without my brake input. I did stop a few feet away, so I’m thinking it is speed dependent, not full-proof and not a replacement for safe driving. So can I depend on AEB or is this just Ford-speak for advanced technology that won’t avert an accident. I know the Subaru is a legitimate Pre collision system along with their adaptive cruise control and safety features. Not sure if I can depend on the Ford 360 Copilot + to replace a lapse in driving, a serious mistake made by another driver or a pedestrian running across a red light, etc. How much faith should I have in the Ford safety features which you pay extra as an option. Toyota have the Safety Sense as standard options on all their vehicles.

<<The Pre-Collision Assist feature uses camera technology to detect a potential collision with a vehicle or pedestrian directly in front of yours during day or nighttime driving. * It can help reduce the severity of, and in some cases can eliminate, a frontal collision.10 If a potential collision is detected, an alert sound is emitted and a warning message displays in the message center. If your response is not sufficient, Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) will precharge and increase brake-assist sensitivity to provide full responsiveness when you do brake. If you don’t take corrective action and a collision is imminent, brakes can apply automatically.>>

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[o0260o]

I've had the brake assist come on before. You start braking and it will slam it super hard for you if it thinks it's not enough to stop. I don't think the system will brake for you if you don't brake at all. If it does as described then it will probably minimize the force of unavoidable impact.

 

[Desert Bronco.]

The Toyota Safety sense will hit the brakes, ditto for the Subaru if you don’t brake. The Toyota is not 100%, so it does work on occasion, more often than not.

 

[Mark S.]

I don't think the system will brake for you if you don't brake at all. If it does as described then it will probably minimize the force of unavoidable impact.

It does apply the brakes automatically. It's an emergency braking system meant to protect the occupants. It may help to save the vehicle, but that's not it's purpose.

 

[Desert Bronco.]

why would it not save the vehicle from damage if I’m inside the car? Seems counter intuitive. Could you imagine if a Tesla had automatic emergency braking, but it still slammed into other cars or pedestrians? Ford’s AEB shouldnt be called automatic if it works 50% of the time. a better phrase is Partial or Semi-Automatic emergency braking? If this was 2012 I would think it’s great, but where fast approaching 2023 models. Will the ford Lightning F-150 have the same tech package which still allows for an accident?

It would be great to get some clarification from a Ford engineer or someone intimately knowledgeable about the “dos-and-dont’s“ of the system And how the system works.

 

[Jess1]

Is the AEB off or on? (It's in the settings menu) One can also adjust the "sensitivity" of the system.

 

[RSH]

AEB is a safety aide, it can apply extra braking force as well as fully apply the brakes if it senses a collison is imminent. The main safety system is still the driver, you still need to pay attention to try and avoid unsafe situations.

 

[Mark S.]

why would it not save the vehicle from damage if I’m inside the car? Seems counter intuitive.

Imagine how much you would hate driving this car if the brakes slammed on as often as your passengers freak out because they think you're going to hit something. It's an automatic EMERGENCY braking system, not an automatic braking system. It's a system of last resort that should not be counted on to stop the vehicle in all situations. It's primary purpose is to slow the vehicle to reduce impact forces imparted to the occupants. It may stop you, but that's not its primary purpose. I believe in most situations you can expect the system to slow the vehicle enough that passenger restraints will prevent severe injury, but not to stop the car before a collision.

Here's a short video explaining how it works:

https://www.ford.com/support/how-tos/ford-technology/driver-assist-features/what-is-pre-collision-assist-with-automatic-emergency-braking-aeb/

 

[Desert Bronco.]

AEB is a safety aide, it can apply extra braking force as well as fully apply the brakes if it senses a collison is imminent. The main safety system is still the driver, you still need to pay attention to try and avoid unsafe situations.

I drive in Los Angeles a lot and traffic is crazy. My Toyota Prius has a sensor that will brake for you in an emergency, like someone decides to slam on their brakes on an on ramp or at a cross walk etc. I don’t find it obtrusive. I wish Ford would not call it Automatic Emergency Braking if it doesn’t fully brake In an emergency with or without my input.
I did get to test the system on my way back from the dealer and it Pre charged the brakes and swerved the Bronco Sport away from the Semi truck. A Farm truck decided to pull out into the number two lane at night from a dead stop, from the shoulder with his lights off on the 58 freeway leaving Bakersfield California. I looked up and was pretty close to driving under the truck. The farm truck was used for picking orchards, where the entire 7 foot bottom is open and you load the large crates onto the trailer frame.
I watched the video they said “May assist in braking.” Not sure if they meant “will assist,” or if that’s just legalese saying “may or may not ,” so your on your own?

 

[Mark S.]

I watched the video they said “May assist in braking.” Not sure if they meant “will assist,” or if that’s just legalese saying “may or may not ,” so your on your own?

I believe it's simply an acknowledgement of the system's limitations. There are no fully autonomous driving systems in production right now because making one that works flawlessly in all situations is nigh impossible with current hardware/software technology.

The system in your Bronco will work largely the same as the one in your Prius, which is to say you cannot count on the system in your Prius to fully stop the vehicle in an emergency either. Toyota produced a video explaining how its system works, and it uses the same language as Ford (see quote below). Manufacturers want owners to know they should not count on these systems to stop their cars in an emergency, because that's not what they're designed to do.

If the driver notices the hazard and brakes, PCS may use Brake Assist to provide additional braking force. If the driver does not brake in a set time and the system determines that the possibility of a frontal collision with another vehicle is extremely high, the system may automatically apply the brakes, reducing speed to help mitigate the impact or avoid the collision entirely if possible.

 

[BroncoMike]

One day soon, all pedestrians will know they can just walk out in front of almost any car, stopping traffic with impunity. The only thing that keeps people using crosswalks and obeying the signals in a lot of cities is the fear of getting run over. Once these safety systems are commonplace, carjacking will become a much less dangerous affair.

 

[Meanderthal]

One day soon, all pedestrians will know they can just walk out in front of almost any car, stopping traffic with impunity. The only thing that keeps people using crosswalks and obeying the signals in a lot of cities is the fear of getting run over. Once these safety systems are commonplace, carjacking will become a much less dangerous affair.

Reminds me of a friends saying, “You can be right, but you can be dead right.”

 

[GaryS]

My brakes never came on in the 8 months I've had the BS, but the "Collision Alert" warning light and sound came on several times. First time I was on an empty road in winter in PA. Everything was white snow and ice, but no cars, and all of a sudden ...BEEEP.BEEP.BEEP.BEEP!!! Scared the hell out of me and my wife.

 

[13MikeH]

I drive in Los Angeles a lot and traffic is crazy. My Toyota Prius has a sensor that will brake for you in an emergency, like someone decides to slam on their brakes on an on ramp or at a cross walk etc. I don’t find it obtrusive. I wish Ford would not call it Automatic Emergency Braking if it doesn’t fully brake In an emergency with or without my input.
I did get to test the system on my way back from the dealer and it Pre charged the brakes and swerved the Bronco Sport away from the Semi truck. A Farm truck decided to pull out into the number two lane at night from a dead stop, from the shoulder with his lights off on the 58 freeway leaving Bakersfield California. I looked up and was pretty close to driving under the truck. The farm truck was used for picking orchards, where the entire 7 foot bottom is open and you load the large crates onto the trailer frame.
I watched the video they said “May assist in braking.” Not sure if they meant “will assist,” or if that’s just legalese saying “may or may not ,” so your on your own?

You are the driver. Pay attention to the road, assure a clear stopping distance. My only other suggestion, turn it in and get a Toyota, sounds like a better vehicle.

 

[magicbus]

My post from another thread on this topic…


Mine activated yesterday in a similar fashion. I was on a two-lane coming around a tight left-hand curve and a box truck came around the opposite way. The dash light lit up, the alarm sounded, the brakes went on hard, and I swear it tried to stop me from going into the turn. The system released everything when it realized there was no threat.

Good thing I was singing along with David Bowie and not paying attention or it would have scared the crap out of me .

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