Anyone Experienced/used The Pre-crash Safety (pcs) System?

[DJP]

I don't really want to test this in case it's not so good so thought I'd ask whether anyone else has! If I'm reading the book correctly I should get a warning light & buzzer sound if I'm approaching either stationary or slowing traffic at too great a speed, once the radar picks the vehicle ahead up.

If I ignore the warning, or am not braking sufficiently the car takes over and applies the brakes to whatever extent it feel necessary to avoid an impact.

Is that a fair synopsis? Anyone tested it? Or actually have it deployed in a real world situation?

[Goggy]

Not experienced it yet, thankfully. But I think you have it correct. The salesman also told me that it won't always prevent a crash, but it will greatly reduce the impact.

[rayaans]

It does work, I saw it on youtube somewhere.

However, it doesn't STOP a crash, it just reduces it, some of the cars being tested hit the one in front albeit at a very slow speed.

There was a 2016 RX one on youtube too and that genuinely stops!

[DJP]

Thanks for the replies guys. I guess I could set it to maximum distance and assuming I'm not approaching my intended target like a lunatic I could test it . Obviously it's not something I'd ever want to have to use in real life but it would be interesting to experience it. Might make my wife a tad more relaxed too, she needs a new right leg from all the passenger seat braking she's done (un-necessarily!) over the years .

[Bodmeister]

As Rayaans above. It will not stop a crash a la the TV ads. You can set the distance and then ( on the premier) bright red lights are displayed on the HUD in caps stating .... BRAKE.

[Spacewagon52]

I think Top Gear tried it in car park and pranged the car! Not sure what make it was though.

[Spacewagon52]

Found it!

[DJP]

Always good to catch a Top Gear clip, but the Lexus system wouldn't have stopped either James's or Jeremy's car, I don't think. The manual (page 344) says the alert is triggered if the car is moving at a speed greater than 10 mph and closing the gap on the vehicle at more than 7 mph.

The braking assistance comes in if the car is doing more than 19 mph, and is closing the gap at the same or greater rate AND the brake pedal is depressed.

I think I'll set the radar distance at the max possible and give it a go.

[rayaans]

Always good to catch a Top Gear clip, but the Lexus system wouldn't have stopped either James's or Jeremy's car, I don't think. The manual (page 344) says the alert is triggered if the car is moving at a speed greater than 10 mph and closing the gap on the vehicle at more than 7 mph.

The braking assistance comes in if the car is doing more than 19 mph, and is closing the gap at the same or greater rate AND the brake pedal is depressed.

I think I'll set the radar distance at the max possible and give it a go.

No need for that

Here's the video from Euro Ncap

and another of an ES with safety system +

[DJP]

Thanks rayaans, I certainty won't be testing it with the same enthusiasm shown in the clips!

[DanD]

I have such a system in my other car. It is only active between above 9mph and below 30mph and the handbook states a few caveats:

- cars need to be moving in the same direction and in the same lane (for instance may not work if you are not directly behind the other vehicle, for instance while changing lane)

- may not work at night

- may not work in the rain (light reflection, but also if the sensor is covered in water droplets

- may not pick up bikes/pedestrians/obstructions

Handbook clearly states that this is an assistance and must not be relied upon to stop the car. I must say, I tried it a couple of times, but chickened out each time. In fact I have convinced myself that the system may not be working properly... which may not be a bad thing. I guess I'll find out in a real emergency.

[DanD]

In addition to my above entry...

The system deactivates if there is intervention from the driver... which includes taking your foot off the accelerator, or taking evasive action like changing lane. So for it to activate, you need to continue driving forward as if you were oblivious of any obstruction ahead.

[Spacewagon52]

It is a bit like having an airbag - you just hope you will never need to use it!

[Zotto]

For what I can see on my GS with security pack, if you arrive too fast towards an obstacle it appears on display a big BRAKE in red and meanwhile you hear a loud beep, I did not dare not braking to see if car does by itself .

It happened just one or two times in 10.000 miles; if you already have foot on brake command it does not happens.

Another matter is setting speed when in queue, in that case car brakes accordingly to speed of queue till total stopping, to restart moving you need to press right foot to accelerate or moving up the speed selector.

[AndyMJ]

I've had it activate a few times when I'm "driving like I stole it".

One scenario, on a dual carriageway, car in front was turning left. I was approaching, shall we say "quite rapidly", and was about to over take into the right hand lane. But the NX deemed it too close for comfort, slowed the car down quite abruptly, BEEP BEEP BEEP from the dash, and BRAKE!!! written on the dash.

At no point do I think I was even going to come close to rear ending the car in front.

[DJP]

Interesting experiences, thanks all. I have managed to activate it in a controlled fashion twice now, and I think it's extremely clever. Although there is a minimum speed under which it doesn't engage, the slower the speed the closer you get before it engages (I think). I guess this is to be expected as the stopping distance will obviously change depending on the speed.

At relatively slow speed I was pretty close before it kicked in, whereas as described by @AndyMJ at higher speeds it will engage earlier.

Obviously I hope never to have to rely on it but it's been good to test it. Next up is the adaptive cruise control. All these toys to play with!!