Infiniti's Adaptive Cruise - A Bad Idea, In Many Ways.

[AZhitman]

Infiniti's Adaptive Cruise Control is, quite simply put, and exercise in ignorance and a failure to consider the most important component of the driving experience: The driver.

While any "electronic nanny" is typically a nuisance and a pain for the legitimate driving enthusiast, there are some instances where it can be useful.

The VDC on my G35 Coupe has saved my bacon on more than one occasion, such as during a high-speed panic maneuver across 2 lanes of wet freeway (to avoid a mattress in the road) and in a wide-open-throttle burst into traffic (across some slickness I didn't see).

Rather than using radar (a la Jaguar), Infiniti has opted for laser technology to override the driver's intentions, and this is a step in the wrong direction. Let's look at why:

Ordinarily, Adaptive Cruise is only functional when cruise control is activated. However, on the new Infiniti, it's even in the background when cruise is switched off. When the laser identifies a potential problem ahead, it pre-pressurizes the brake assist, in the event the driver DOES have to make a panic stop.

This means your abrupt braking may or may not function the same every time. Say you want to execute a pass in heavy congestion. You're closing fast, you time your opening, stab the brakes coming up on the slower-moving vehicle, then immediately accelerate around it. Will the brakes behave the same as they do ordinarily? Only one way to find out, and this is NOT the place to find that the electonic gizmos are NO replacement for driver skill and an intimate knowledge of your vehicle's dynamics.

What's more annoying than that?

Well, consider that the wavelength of the laser Infiniti employs is the EXACT same as that utilized by law enforcement in LIDAR guns and speed cameras. Therefore, your cool new doodad has just rendered your AND everyone else's laser detector virtually useless. False alarms result from the laser bouncing back, willy-nilly off any flat surface. Roadsigns, buildings, trucks, bridges... All innocuous enough until they become a funhouse mirror waiting to disperse your new Infiniti's laser beam into the cars of surrounding motorists.

I'll take my cars with a limited dose of electronic and technological goodies - But this one has simply gone too far.

Infiniti, hear us now: There's a time and a place for engineering flights of fancy, but let's put that brainpower to better use: Developing higher-MPG cars with more horsepower that avoid accidents without penalizing true enthusiasts and intruding on the day-to-day enjoyment of driving for our fellow motorists.

[maxnix]

Putting the laser on the same frequency as LIDAR is just dumb beyond belief.

[Jager]

IDK, its been proven that to confuse or even jam lidar simply requires bouncing a laser back at a slightly different frequency then is expected, unexpected bonus being it may interfere with laser readings and be in essence a jammer.

more interestingly infiniti may be in hot water because they are interfering with laser equipment which is illegal in a few states such as VA. i wonder how they got around that provision in the law.

i seriously dislike the idea of any electronics doing anything to brakes, what if said electronics fail or preload incorrectly, how would they prove it was a fault in the car rather then driver error, or even what happened.

gotta say ABS is nice at times, but i prefer controlling with my foot and feel rather then by a cpu.

[maxnix]

1.) IDK, its been proven that to confuse or even jam lidar simply requires bouncing a laser back at a slightly different frequency then is expected, unexpected bonus being it may interfere with laser readings and be in essence a jammer.

2.) more interestingly infiniti may be in hot water because they are interfering with laser equipment which is illegal in a few states such as VA. i wonder how they got around that provision in the law.

3.) i seriously dislike the idea of any electronics doing anything to brakes, what if said electronics fail or preload incorrectly, how would they prove it was a fault in the car rather then driver error, or even what happened.

4.) gotta say ABS is nice at times, but i prefer controlling with my foot and feel rather then by a cpu.

1.) Not applicable here. It is the same frequency.

2.) Lasers are regualted federally by the FDA, not the FCC. Can you cite the VA law? Such a nice state that allows itself to extract extra penalties on residents fortraffic violations.

3.) You are in the minority here. All electronic aids will improve braking for street vehicles unless the surface is gravel or snow on early ABS systems. 99.99% of the drivers out there have no recent experience with high demand braking, even if they once did.

4.) ABS will brake better than almost 100% of the drivers in any emergency situation. Throw in wet roads or uneven traction or manuevering with brakes applied, and there is no point of discussion. ABS wins everytime.

[AZhitman]

^ Correct.

Either way, this is as bogus as it gets.

[qship96]

The laser cruise on newer infinitis has just about destroyed the benefit of using my valentine one.Just as I was beginning to enjoy the silence of no x band alerts since I disabled that band due to police no longer using it,now I am plagued by instant full blast laser alerts every time a infiniti with lasercruise is near-I now jokingly refer to the alert as an infiniti alert!

[BadQ45t]

I tried out the laser cruise, useless, agreed. But ABS, I think is great. You really can override it if you want, just modulate your own pedal. but personally on rental cars several times, my X-Terra and my Q, I have used ABS and will always defer to it. I'd kill for a retro package for my 84' 300ZX.

[08G37S]

I recently bought an '08 G37S without the Technology package, but my V1 still goes crazy when I start my car up in the garage at my house. Is there still a laser in there even though I don't have the ICC?

[qship96]

V1 goes thru alarm cycle at power up{of detector}if you are saying it goes into laser alert AFTER this power up cycle....it is the reflection of a light source in the same wavelenghth as laser-could be a neon light,or even part of the spectrum produced by HID headlamps,or navagation screen......sometimes fine snow crystals blowing off my hood{fresh powder snow} captures the sunlight just so,like a prism and sets off the laser on the V1

.I have been aV1 owner since they first came out,and was on the initial waiting list....since taken advantage of factory upgrade program 3-4 times=a super product,backed by incredible customer service...I have spoken with Mike Valentine numerous times on the phone regarding the V1-a real accessable expert,and model of how to run a company and sell a product based on performance,not price.

[AZhitman]

This is certainly worthy of a "show of force" email to Infiniti's Corporate offices...

[Jager]

soory i missed this thread again. Va and a few other states have outlawed radar detectors and laser jammers in whole as a state law. it sucks to live here at times, but ill give them that law versus so many other restrictions they could be doing.

I do like abs, but I have yet to drive a sports car with abs to be honest so my viewpouint is jaded by only having abs in a van and a truck. while yes they are a godsend, im also not trying to have loads of fun driving those vehicles, just getting point a to point b. I work with and as a programmer make so many mistakes that i do have issues trusting a system such as preloaded brakes, If i make so many mistakes on simple issues sometimes, having to trust brakes that may be changing how they operate based on algorithms that might not be right is hard to do.

and while i assume they are right, how would anyone know after a collision that it failed? idk how they would check that.

abs itself isnt flawed, i like the idea of forcing the brakes to their maximum without needing fine control of the pedal, but abs does not need to be overly intelligent to do its job, it just has to know breaks are locking release and reapply, tying into other systems and trying to predict need is not always a good thing.

[qship96]

The infiniti pre-collision braking system just senses when closing rate between your front bumper and vehicle ahead is too short and electronically moves the brake pads closer to the rotors so when you finally step on brakes,they react milliseconds earlier-BMW uses similar system when driving in the rain/snow.

[08G37S]

The laser alarm goes off continuously after I start the car until I pull the car out of the garage. It didn't do that with any of my previous cars. I have owned a V1 for around 14 years, and I've never seen this before I got the G37S. It is obviously some signal that is being emitted by the car that is setting it off. It also occasionally goes off while driving in situations that make me think the car is causing it.

V1 goes thru alarm cycle at power up{of detector}if you are saying it goes into laser alert AFTER this power up cycle....it is the reflection of a light source in the same wavelenghth as laser-could be a neon light,or even part of the spectrum produced by HID headlamps,or navagation screen......sometimes fine snow crystals blowing off my hood{fresh powder snow} captures the sunlight just so,like a prism and sets off the laser on the V1

.I have been aV1 owner since they first came out,and was on the initial waiting list....since taken advantage of factory upgrade program 3-4 times=a super product,backed by incredible customer service...I have spoken with Mike Valentine numerous times on the phone regarding the V1-a real accessable expert,and model of how to run a company and sell a product based on performance,not price.

[michel]

well when I want to feel the pavement I either jump on my 1983 motor bike saddle - no extra gadget except my helmet and my booths and just turn the nob full trotthle.

As for the event of assisted driving or take over driving, ask any Grand Prix driver and he will tell you how it changed the race car industry.

The other way to feel the pavement is to walk on it (hehe). I don't fancy walking either but it sure puts the road in perspective.

Enough crazyness. just show me were the cut off switch is or I will find an aftermarket whiz that will.

Ciao for now,

Michel

[AZhitman]

The laser alarm goes off continuously after I start the car until I pull the car out of the garage. It didn't do that with any of my previous cars. I have owned a V1 for around 14 years, and I've never seen this before I got the G37S. It is obviously some signal that is being emitted by the car that is setting it off. It also occasionally goes off while driving in situations that make me think the car is causing it.

That alone should tell you something's amiss.

Remove it, Infiniti. It sucks.