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Assistant - Operation




There is already a great deal of digital equipment built into our cars, the more expensive they are, the more digital systems are installed. To be able to stuff in all these gimmicks, i.e. ask higher prices, despite offering only a little more actual hardware, the manufacturers instruct the engineers or the suppliers to go out and come up with new ideas. These newly invented systems are then introduced into the top of the range models, before appearing as standard equipment.

Let's begin with the systems, which are feasible without any additional hardware. Imagine a car with an active suspension. This system is now being used, in combination with GPS, to anticipate a curve in the road and to adjust the suspension on the respective side, so that the passengers, if they close their eyes, find it almost impossible to determine whether a curve is being taken or the road is straight. Those who are sensitive in this respect, will be grateful to the engineers.

Have you ever set your display, between speedometer and rev. counter, to show the absolute momentary consumption? You may be surprised to see the enormous differences. From 0 to over 30 liters/km, almost anything is possible. When driving with cruise-control it's no different either. Also here, have the specialists hit on the idea of fuel-saving.

Once again does the GPS-system come into play. It evaluates and searches the road ahead for curves or paricularly, for up- and downhill stretches - provisionally only in the Actros (Mercedes Benz). It then adjusts the gas pedal accordingly in advance. The layman finds it difficult to believe that there is a coherent strategy behind it all. Will the allowed and constant speed of 80-90 km/h on the motorways then fluctuate, to the chagrin of the following truckers? Will it then be allowed, to increase the speed shortly before tackling an uphill stretch?

There can be no doubt that the GPS signal is very useful if it shows a downhill stretch of road. Then, not only can the driver take his foot off the gas pedal earlier, but with a hybrid, not only is the motor completely switched off (free-wheeling), the hybrid can make use of the entire kinetic energy for recuperation. In combination with a more smoothly running suspension, astonishingly long pauses for the drive-train are possible.

At this point, a word of warning, do not attempt to apply this future technology in your own vehicle. The danger of switching the engine off while travelling, is that the steering may lock. Apart from this immediate complication, in nearly all cars today, the power braking force decreases frighteningly after applying the brakes only a few times.

A great deal of safety is promised by the following system, which of course, as early as next year will be offered as an optional extra in the new S-class (Mercedes Benz). Not one, but two separate cameras, which are mounted at a certain distance from each other, observe the traffic through the windscreen. The appropriate computer can then determine the spatial distance of individual objects from each other and also from the observer, the closer these are, the better.

Perhaps even more important is the analysis of temporal sequences. E.g., if the child continues to move as before, then a collision is almost unavoidable. In combination with an emergency braking system or at least a warning device, this installation could be a real help for the car driver and possibly a life-saver. After all, the speed at which the system can detect a possible collision, can hardly be expected from even experienced motorists. 10/12


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