# Active Safety Features **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [August 28, 2019, 2:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/active-safety-features/147683 "2019-08-28T14:24:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DrDavidFrisbie\_156796](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/drdavidfrisbie_156796/32/17305_2.png) [@DrDavidFrisbie\_156796](https://community.cartalk.com/u/DrDavidFrisbie_156796)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 2:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/active-safety-features/147683/1 "2019-08-28T14:24:38Z")
I rent cars often, and am frequently annoyed with active safety features. Among the worst: lane departure warnings, adaptive cruise control, and an eye-tracking device that scolds me every time I scan the environment for traffic hazards. These technologies will drive me away from new cars and trucks — swiftly. Anyone else annoyed by this? ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 2:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/active-safety-features/147683/2 "2019-08-28T14:33:56Z")
Most of the features can be turned off , Lane departure activating might be a clue that your lane discipline might not be as good as you think . Adaptive cruise has to be set for normal or adaptive so that comes under driver control . As for driving away from new vehicles , that comes under the looking for vehicles that meet your needs and desires . As a Doctor ( If medical ) you should be more concerned about the physical damage vehicle wrecks can cause rather then safety devices that let more people walk away from an accident. Edit : I recently rode with a friend whose latest vehicle has Adaptive Cruise . He has always had a tendency to run up on vehicles with the cruise set , now that problem for him is solved . ---
**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 2:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/active-safety-features/147683/3 "2019-08-28T14:35:19Z")
My wife and I recently leased a car with all these active safety features and we’re very happy with them. We’re both elderly, and she’s a very poor driver. Those safety features have saved us from at least one accident. ---
**Author:** ![shanonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@shanonia](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shanonia)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 2:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/active-safety-features/147683/4 "2019-08-28T14:42:36Z")
It’s mainly a matter of getting used to it. As an owner of a 1999 and a 2007 car, I find any rental car confusing ( what - no key? how do you open the gas filler cap? etc.) and wish the rental agencies would put a card with some of this info in the car. Of course it’s all accessible by smart phone. Which I do not have or want, so far. A man of 72 told me he and his wife had taken their new Rav 4 hybrid from WI to CO and back. He said it was a little eerie at first - the lane hold feature - and the car almost drives itself. But they were both impressed with the vehicle - no remorse. ---
**Author:** ![DrDavidFrisbie\_156796](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/drdavidfrisbie_156796/32/17305_2.png) [@DrDavidFrisbie\_156796](https://community.cartalk.com/u/DrDavidFrisbie_156796)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 2:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/active-safety-features/147683/5 "2019-08-28T14:50:15Z")
Landed overseas and had to have help starting my rental car. Not a fun experience for an alleged adult. A very polite rental agent showed me how to reach down below the dashboard, then pull out the manual choke to start the car. Worked well, but I suddenly felt like I had departed the 21st century. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 3:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/active-safety-features/147683/6 "2019-08-28T15:00:26Z")
> [@DrDavidFrisbie\_156796](#): > > Anyone else annoyed by this? My elderly mother is. Had me come over and ride with her to show me how much the lane departure system on her new Acura sucks, because it keeps going off all the time. “Yeah, mom, 'cause you keep going out of the lane all the time, and you jumped 3 curbs. You need to stop driving until you get that cataract surgery.” In short: If the safety systems annoy you, it’s probably 'cause you’re driving like crap. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 3:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/active-safety-features/147683/7 "2019-08-28T15:06:16Z")
> [@DrDavidFrisbie\_156796](#): > > then pull out the manual choke to start the car. Worked well, but I suddenly felt like I had departed the 21st century. 🙂 A modern vehicle with a manual choke ? And just what is this vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 9:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/active-safety-features/147683/8 "2019-08-28T21:19:20Z")
> [@DrDavidFrisbie\_156796](#): > > A very polite rental agent showed me how to reach down below the dashboard, then pull out the manual choke to start the car. I am having a hard time believing that a car filled with high-tech active safety features utilizes a manual choke, especially in view of the fact that fuel-injected engines don’t use a choke. Can you please tell us the make and model of this mystery vehicle? ---
**Author:** ![shanonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@shanonia](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shanonia)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 9:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/active-safety-features/147683/9 "2019-08-28T21:24:17Z")
Maybe there was language confusion, and it was not a choke per se. Maybe an anti-theft device or… ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 9:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/active-safety-features/147683/10 "2019-08-28T21:32:12Z")
> [@shanonia](#): > > Maybe there was language confusion, and it was not a choke per se. Maybe an anti-theft device or… +1 Definitely NOT a manual choke, unless the OP rented a true anomaly of a car with modern “active safety” features, and a carbureted engine from several decades ago. ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 10:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/active-safety-features/147683/11 "2019-08-28T22:31:26Z")
The only problem with adaptive cruise control that I’ve seen is that it is more conservative than most drivers when it comes to following distance, which seems like a feature, not a bug. Aren’t most of these features optional? Can’t you turn them off? If I was renting cars to customers, I’d make these features mandatory, but you should be able to find new cars that don’t come with features you don’t want. ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 10:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/active-safety-features/147683/12 "2019-08-28T22:33:28Z")
> [@shadowfax](#): > > In short: If the safety systems annoy you, it’s probably 'cause you’re driving like crap. 😉 Ha! Good point! ---
**Author:** ![Scrapyard-John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@Scrapyard-John](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Scrapyard-John)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 10:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/active-safety-features/147683/13 "2019-08-28T22:48:21Z")
Have read reports of adaptive cruise equipped f150’s slamming on the brakes when passing a tanker truck or going under overpasses. Random oddball encounters that somehow trip the sensors if the sun is at the right angle. I believe that was early on, and they’ve fixed the bugs. Still, I don’t want to rely on features like adaptive cruise. And I could see how they could possibly be annoying in certain circumstances. I get annoyed at the seat belt chime if I’m driving my truck through farm fields opening gates. Yes, I know it’s not buckled. I’m going 5 mph and I have to get out again in 1/4 mile to open another gate. Then I have to drive through it and shut it behind me. Unless I rear end a cow, I’m going to be ok lol. Certainly not a huge deal, but I wonder if there are circumstances like those that would make the lane departure feature drive you bonkers. I’d prefer to wait until it’s old tech before I bought a vehicle with some of those advanced features. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2019, 12:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/active-safety-features/147683/14 "2019-08-29T00:51:41Z")
> [@DrDavidFrisbie\_156796](#): > > Anyone else annoyed by this? Not annoyed, but not impressed either. I recently posted a comparison of the Corolla, 1992 vs 2019, link below. While the 2019 has the back-up camera which I like, overall I prefer the 1992 version. > [@GDI Carbon Buildup](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gdi-carbon-buildup/147316/12): > > I rented a 2019 Corolla couple months back, 2000 mile one week trip, and while I’ve complained about the keyless entry reliability and expense problems posted here, I was soon ignoring the key in the lock method and punching those buttons on the fob to open and close the doors and trunk , like I’d been doing it all my life … lol … I continue to prefer the manual windows though on my 28 year old Corolla, to the power windows on the 2019. I was constantly having trouble figuring out which bu… ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2019, 12:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/active-safety-features/147683/15 "2019-08-29T00:51:48Z")
One cure for adaptive cruise control is don’t turn the cruise control on. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2019, 3:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/active-safety-features/147683/16 "2019-08-29T03:40:51Z")
The poster with the manual choke experience said absolutely nothing about the car having active safety features. I am guessing a third world country. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2019, 7:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/active-safety-features/147683/17 "2019-08-29T19:15:14Z")
Yeah, I was thinking India, even though it isn’t third world. They do have no frills cars still since a substantial part of the population is very poor. ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2019, 7:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/active-safety-features/147683/18 "2019-08-29T19:25:24Z")
I like the adaptive cruise control. The only downsides to me are you may end up following a car going 10 under and not realize it, when you move to a clear lane it is a little more aggressive getting up to speed than I would be, and it uses the brakes more than I would. Cheap as i am i like to save gas and wear on the brakes, but i can live with it. Lane departure alert is fine with me, i am getting better at not drifting around, and 1 time the car asked me if i want to take a break! ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2019, 7:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/active-safety-features/147683/19 "2019-08-29T19:47:27Z")
I like some adaptive cruise controls. Others are dangerous. Acura’s will run all the way down to stopped and then start again when the guy in front moves. Toyota’s runs down to around 30, and then shuts off, which means it’s no longer braking. If you’re not paying attention, you’ll plow into the guy in front of you because the car’s been braking all this time, and now suddenly it’s not. That doesn’t bother me when I’m driving, because I pay attention and am always ready to take over for the machine. But as the morons with Teslas who like to take naps while the car tries to drive itself has shown, not everyone has that attitude. I am not going to be pleased if an adaptive-cruise Toyota rear-ends my Acura. ---
**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2019, 9:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/active-safety-features/147683/20 "2019-08-29T21:56:57Z")
My Hyundai has adaptive cruise plus automatic emergency braking if you’re getting too close to a car in front of you. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/active-safety-features/147683.md?page=2)