Just a “heads up”. I happened to be at a Hyundai dealer today and was told that their new flagship sedan has a system that will shake the steering wheel violently if the driver ignores the other warnings and gets too close to anything when backing up. Thought I might pass it on.
Ah, just when accurate control is needed be sure to have the car violently make steering control difficult. Sounds as practical as automated variable speed t.p. rolls with chimes to brighten the experience.
I wonder what Hyundai considers “too close” . . . ?!
Could get real annoying, real fast
If they’re ignoring the other warnings and if they’re aware of this feature then would they not ignore the wheel shaker also?
I know not the answers to any of these questions. I only know what the salesman said. I don’t even know if he knew what he was talking about.
Marnet, as I understand it, it’s not designed for any greater speed than would be used in parallel parking. And it’s only in reverse.
Again, I’m only passing on a comment I was told. I was actually hoping someone here would have more information on the alleged system.
What I am thinking is that when one is deliberately backing up as close as possible to something without hitting it that having the wheel violently shake impairs fine control of the car by the driver. Given that back up cameras are becoming mandatory on all new vehicles what practical SAFER reason can there be for what the salesman says is coming?! The only thing I can think worth shaking is my head. 
I too think it’s a kind of nutty idea. In Boston, it would probably be used as a signal that there’s only a few more inches to go before bouncing off the car behind you. There, some drivers actually use banging off the cars in front of and behind them as a parallel parking technique. I had a Mass driver do this to me once even while I was sitting in my brand new minivan. She hit me a couple of times, and hit the car in front of her a couple of times. I got out and asked her what the hell she thought she was doing and she told me to F off.
“I don’t even know if he knew what he was talking about.”
Based on my own experiences at dealerships and my brother’s experiences at dealerships, I would say that there is a strong likelihood that the salesman is just plain wrong.
Do you remember the salesman’s explanation of how traction control works?
;-))
hit me a couple of times, and hit the car in front of her a couple of times
That is how they PARK in Paris, France! No space? No Problem. we will MAKE space! No one leaves the parking brake fully engaged so the car isn’t damaged.
There was a vague reference to the steering wheel in a search description, but in safety features I found this a little curious,
With stop/start functionality, when the vehicle ahead of you comes to a complete stop the Equus will automatically come to a full stop. The Equus will then automatically begin to start moving again, if the vehicle ahead starts moving forward within three seconds.
“That is how they PARK in Paris, France! No space? No Problem. we will MAKE space! No one leaves the parking brake fully engaged so the car isn’t damaged.”
One of the things that amazed me the most about Paris was that cars were frequently parked on sidewalks or on center islands in intersections. In other words–anywhere that they could be placed, be it legal or not. It appeared to me on both of my visits that people are able to park where ever they choose in Paris, with impunity.
The other thing that amazed me was the amount of dog poop on the sidewalks that I had to dodge continually. Apparently there are no regulations there about picking up the waste matter after your dog defecates, or if there is a law, it isn’t enforced. Truly appalling!
I remember the story about VDCdriver’s brother and the traction control explanation.
That’s my favorite “How things work…” tale of all time.
^
Yup!
That is my all-time favorite bone-headed technical explanation.
However, I myself have gotten some…interesting…explanations from car salesmen.
On a particular model that didn’t have a back seat that could be fully folded-down, there was a “pass-through” passage in the rear bulkhead. When I asked the salesman to demonstrate the “pass-through” for me, he pointed to the space between the bucket seats in the front.
Other salesmen have been totally clueless regarding towing capacity, the type of transmission, and even the type of tires with which certain models were equipped. I always do my due diligence prior to entering showrooms, and I invariably find that I know more about the features of the cars in the showroom than the salespeople do.
Okay, I posted the post so I took the time to get brochures.
The following is from the Genesis brochure: “If Genesis detects a departure from your driving lane, it warns you with a visual alert on the instrument panel and a haptic steering wheel vibration”.
And from the Equus brochure: “a lane departure warning system that uses haptic tugs on the seatbelt to gently warn you if it detects the (SIC) car is starting to drift outside of its lane unintentionally”.
Just what we needed… systems that vibrate the steering wheel and tug on the seatbelt. It wouldn’t surprise me if we started getting some strange posts.
Mountainbike, I predict a slew of posts titled My Car Is Possessed or My Car Has Demons.
Mercedes has used a steering wheel vibration with its lane departure warning systems for years;
Active Lane Keeping Assist can detect if you’re straying from your lane. The system can warn you by vibrating the steering wheel, and then, if necessary, it can apply the brakes to help bring you safely back into your lane.
From Wikipedia;
2009
Mercedes-Benz began offering a Lane Keeping Assist function on the new E-class. This system warns the driver (with a steering-wheel vibration) if it appears the vehicle is beginning to leave its lane. Another feature will automatically deactivate and reactivate if it ascertains the driver is intentionally leaving his lane (for instance, aggressively cornering). A newer version will use the braking system to assist in maintaining the vehicle’s lane. In 2013 on the redesigned S-class Mercedes began Distronic Plus with Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot.
Additionally, Cadillac has a system that sends some kind of vibration into the driver’s seat if it detects something crossing the vehicle’s path while it is backing-up. These tactile warning systems are not exclusive to Hyundai, and are not really something that is new.
I am leery of
With stop/start functionality, when the vehicle ahead of you comes to a complete stop the Equus will automatically come to a full stop. The Equus will then automatically begin to start moving again, if the vehicle ahead starts moving forward within three seconds.
I see someone texting, letting their car auto stop, car in front makes a hurried turn right to beat oncoming traffic, within 3 seconds and innateentive driver’s car proceeds into the intersection and gets t-boned!
What if someone actually likes all that that shaking?
Ask if his name is Barney Fife!