Now Implemented!
Description
Respond faster to the need to slow down when a car cuts into your lane and you’re following another car using TACC (v6.2).
Competitive/Pricing/Notes
Currently, the TACC follows the car that is fully in the current lane, even when there is a car overlapping into the lane (e.g. weaving around, or started cutting in). It is only when the car moving in from the side fully occupies the current lane, that TACC slows down to leave the set following distance from the intruder. For an extended period, TACC follows the intruding vehicle at a very unsafe close distance.
This is can be a safety hazard if the driver is not paying attention, and usually requires intervention by the driver, and continuous watchfulness to identify a driver cutting in, and take early avoiding action.
Conversely, when a car is LEAVING the lane, the control logic is reversed: the following distance is maintained until the car leaves the lane completely, and its closest extremity is clear of the current lane. This is clearly conservative and safe and is the logic that should be applied when a car is cutting in also.
Much better than the current logic, would be to monitor the lines of the current lane, and to decrease speed/increase following distance just as soon as another vehicle begins to cross the line on either side.
Status
Improved in successive versions. We consider it implemented now.