4 ms·

Back in 2021 this was the major reason to not go for a VW but a Skoda. The ID.4 has these ugly touch buttons on the steering wheel and even for the window contr

Back in 2021 this was the major reason to not go for a VW but a Skoda. The ID.4 has these ugly touch buttons on the steering wheel and even for the window controls. Skoda uses the same tech but combined with oldschool buttons. They have kept the skoda like third column stock for the cruise control. Still not perfect mind you. Modern cars have so many settings and knobs and features. Don‘t get me started on EU regulations that have to be implemented but are guarded by model year. Example: I can permanently turn off the warning sound in case I‘m driving over the speed limit in my car. Newer cars are required to reset everytime the car starts. Same for settings like driving modes. But that all depends on the model year. Since its software they could roll this out to older models. It makes it a weird experience when driving a newer model which suddenly doesn‘t remember its settings ;)

genewitch 2y ago
How does your car know what the speed limit is?
- eimrine 2y ago
  Proprietary software? "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic".
- trinix912 2y ago
  It probably reads the signs. My 2020 Civic has it too, but it almost never works properly because of the way speed limits are signaled here. Intersections here cancel the speed limit signs that are before them, but the car expects to see an extra crossed-out sign so it still shows the wrong limit on the dash. Thankfully, it doesn't beep or warn about it.
  - genewitch 2y ago
    I don't think i understand this: > Intersections here cancel the speed limit signs that are before them does this mean that the flow of traffic is constantly slowing down as it approaches intersections, even if the light is "green"?
    - ikr678 2y ago
      Depending on where 'here' is, an intersection could be a roundabout which you would slow on approach.
      - trinix912 2y ago
        It's not necessarily a roundabout, but it applies to roundabouts as well.
    - trinix912 2y ago
      > does this mean that the flow of traffic is constantly slowing down as it approaches intersections, even if the light is "green"? Yes, if there's a sign before the intersection with a lower speed limit. Say the road is a 90km/h road, there's an intersection and a 70km/h sign before it, you drive 70 through the intersection and 90 onwards (as it cancels the 70 sign). It's there to prevent people from speeding through intersections and it is enforced in practice.
      - genewitch 2y ago
        okay, but if the speed limit is 90, then how is that "speeding through the intersection" - you're supposed to be predictable when driving, hitting your brakes when approaching a "green" intersection is not predictable - for instance, i'd probably rear-end someone the first day. In the US we have some state laws like this, though, but not for traffic-controlled intersections. In california, for example they're called "blind" intersections, and regardless of the roadway's speed limit there is an arbitrary "customary and codified" speed limit through such blind intersections. It's been 15 years since i read the CA DMV handbook, but it's slow, <=25mph, even if the roadway approaching it is 35MPH. But slowing down before an intersection with a green light, and not even every intersection? at least california had the decency to say "this circumstance, this speed" and no exceptions.
        trinix912 2y ago
        > okay, but if the speed limit is 90, then how is that "speeding through the intersection" - you're supposed to be predictable when driving, hitting your brakes when approaching a "green" intersection is not predictable - for instance, i'd probably rear-end someone the first day. It's entirely predictable, you slow down when there's a lower speed limit sign. You are responsible for being alert when driving, if a 20km/h lower speed limit makes you rear end someone, you just weren't alert enough. The sign is far enough from the actual intersection that you have the time to slow down without braking at all. In practice, the limits are usually done in a way that reduces accelerating/braking between consequent intersections and so on. > But slowing down before an intersection with a green light, and not even every intersection? at least california had the decency to say "this circumstance, this speed" and no exceptions. Sorry, but I don’t understand what's inconsistent here. You slow down if there's a sign, otherwise you keep going the same speed. Again, this rule is in place to (1) keep people from speeding through intersections (speeding to catch green lights) and (2) to keep the speed limit low enough so that one can completely stop in case a pedestrian/cyclist mistakenly attempts to cross, someone cuts them over etc. It seems to be working, looking at the data comparing my Central European country's traffic deaths to the US [1]. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-r...
  - larusso 2y ago
    Have the same issue but only on the autobahn. Most German roads repeat the speed limit (unless in cities 50km/h is the base limit) after intersections. But we also have speed signs going into the intersection to slow down. On the autobahn though that’s different. Especially when you have the „moving construction sites“. That’s a car with a huge speed limit sign and an error to indicate the right lane is closed to protect road workers. These never have a cancellation so it’s up to me to ignore the „recognized“ speed limit. Overall I really like adaptive cruise control.
- larusso 2y ago
  It’s a mix of GPS data (speed limits are available for most navigation systems and sign recognition) Sign recognition works great on the Autobahn for instance. When a temp speed limit is enforced (construction site, or similar)

genewitch 2y ago

How does your car know what the speed limit is?

eimrine 2y ago
Proprietary software? "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic".
trinix912 2y ago
It probably reads the signs. My 2020 Civic has it too, but it almost never works properly because of the way speed limits are signaled here. Intersections here cancel the speed limit signs that are before them, but the car expects to see an extra crossed-out sign so it still shows the wrong limit on the dash. Thankfully, it doesn't beep or warn about it.
- genewitch 2y ago
  I don't think i understand this: > Intersections here cancel the speed limit signs that are before them does this mean that the flow of traffic is constantly slowing down as it approaches intersections, even if the light is "green"?
  - ikr678 2y ago
    Depending on where 'here' is, an intersection could be a roundabout which you would slow on approach.
    - trinix912 2y ago
      It's not necessarily a roundabout, but it applies to roundabouts as well.
  - trinix912 2y ago
    > does this mean that the flow of traffic is constantly slowing down as it approaches intersections, even if the light is "green"? Yes, if there's a sign before the intersection with a lower speed limit. Say the road is a 90km/h road, there's an intersection and a 70km/h sign before it, you drive 70 through the intersection and 90 onwards (as it cancels the 70 sign). It's there to prevent people from speeding through intersections and it is enforced in practice.
    - genewitch 2y ago
      okay, but if the speed limit is 90, then how is that "speeding through the intersection" - you're supposed to be predictable when driving, hitting your brakes when approaching a "green" intersection is not predictable - for instance, i'd probably rear-end someone the first day. In the US we have some state laws like this, though, but not for traffic-controlled intersections. In california, for example they're called "blind" intersections, and regardless of the roadway's speed limit there is an arbitrary "customary and codified" speed limit through such blind intersections. It's been 15 years since i read the CA DMV handbook, but it's slow, <=25mph, even if the roadway approaching it is 35MPH. But slowing down before an intersection with a green light, and not even every intersection? at least california had the decency to say "this circumstance, this speed" and no exceptions.
      - trinix912 2y ago
        > okay, but if the speed limit is 90, then how is that "speeding through the intersection" - you're supposed to be predictable when driving, hitting your brakes when approaching a "green" intersection is not predictable - for instance, i'd probably rear-end someone the first day. It's entirely predictable, you slow down when there's a lower speed limit sign. You are responsible for being alert when driving, if a 20km/h lower speed limit makes you rear end someone, you just weren't alert enough. The sign is far enough from the actual intersection that you have the time to slow down without braking at all. In practice, the limits are usually done in a way that reduces accelerating/braking between consequent intersections and so on. > But slowing down before an intersection with a green light, and not even every intersection? at least california had the decency to say "this circumstance, this speed" and no exceptions. Sorry, but I don’t understand what's inconsistent here. You slow down if there's a sign, otherwise you keep going the same speed. Again, this rule is in place to (1) keep people from speeding through intersections (speeding to catch green lights) and (2) to keep the speed limit low enough so that one can completely stop in case a pedestrian/cyclist mistakenly attempts to cross, someone cuts them over etc. It seems to be working, looking at the data comparing my Central European country's traffic deaths to the US [1]. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-r...
- larusso 2y ago
  Have the same issue but only on the autobahn. Most German roads repeat the speed limit (unless in cities 50km/h is the base limit) after intersections. But we also have speed signs going into the intersection to slow down. On the autobahn though that’s different. Especially when you have the „moving construction sites“. That’s a car with a huge speed limit sign and an error to indicate the right lane is closed to protect road workers. These never have a cancellation so it’s up to me to ignore the „recognized“ speed limit. Overall I really like adaptive cruise control.
larusso 2y ago
It’s a mix of GPS data (speed limits are available for most navigation systems and sign recognition) Sign recognition works great on the Autobahn for instance. When a temp speed limit is enforced (construction site, or similar)