Active Lane Keep, Hands Free or Glorified Lane Keep Assist?

[ZenicaNC]

I am in the trial period of the ALK and tried using it once. I was on a major interstate and set the ACC to my desired speed. I then lifted my fingers from the steering wheel but kept a light touch to take control if needed. The system seemed to behave very much like LKA in that it made steering adjustments but kept prompting me to take over after a minute or so of the system making the first corrections.

I realize this isn't a Tesla and isn't going to "drive itself" but shouldn't ALK be a bit more autonomous than the LKA? Does it only engage on select highways/freeways like Innodrive?

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[Hirschaj]

The system doesn’t require much input at all to notice that you’re still holding the steering wheel. Try using less of a light touch. The only time I notice issues is when the road is really straight. The car will bug me and all I do is add a very slight steering input to reset the nag.

 

[d00d]

I'm dissatisfied with ALK as well, PID works on any road.

 

[Trogdors_Peasant]

The system is not "hands free" it's more like "keep your hands on the wheel and relax to just instinctual driving inputs" as the best way to describe it. Let your hands put mild steering inputs in as you would if actually lane keeping, and it'll keep the system happy. They don't have to be the full correction necessary. Once you get use to it it makes knocking off hundreds of miles on the highway, or getting through a heavy stop and go commute a lot more relaxing.

 

[castadream]

I'm convinced that psychologically it's dangerous to enforce keeping hands on the wheel. Albeit being alert and ready is important. By enforcing the hands on the wheel too much there is potential to confuse the brain. Next thing you know you need to steal, but rather are just being compliant.

 

[ZenicaNC]

The system is not "hands free" it's more like "keep your hands on the wheel and relax to just instinctual driving inputs" as the best way to describe it. Let your hands put mild steering inputs in as you would if actually lane keeping, and it'll keep the system happy. They don't have to be the full correction necessary. Once you get use to it it makes knocking off hundreds of miles on the highway, or getting through a heavy stop and go commute a lot more relaxing.

So how then does it differentiate from LKA? which for me is more or less a safeguard against distracted driving. It nudges the steering wheel and alerts the driver is veering to the shoulder or adjacent lane.

This seems to be the limit of ALK.

 

[Hirschaj]

So how then does it differentiate from LKA? which for me is more or less a safeguard against distracted driving. It nudges the steering wheel and alerts the driver is veering to the shoulder or adjacent lane.

This seems to be the limit of ALK.

ALK actively keeps you in the lane by trying to keep you centered-ish. It handles the majority of the steering. LKA just nudges you back into the lane if you get too close to the lane marker. It does not continuously actively steer your vehicle.

 

[Hirschaj]

So how then does it differentiate from LKA? which for me is more or less a safeguard against distracted driving. It nudges the steering wheel and alerts the driver is veering to the shoulder or adjacent lane.

This seems to be the limit of ALK.

BTW... are you sure you turned on ALK in the driving assistance menu? You need to go in there and turn on the checkbox for ALK and turn off the checkbox for LKA.

 

[ZenicaNC]

BTW... are you sure you turned on ALK in the driving assistance menu? You need to go in there and turn on the checkbox for ALK and turn off the checkbox for LKA.

ALK is active, as is LKA. I did read a thread on here where another user had better results disabling LKA while ALK was on. I tried that. Made zero difference in what I was looking for; for it to steer for more than a few seconds without prompting me to "take over steering".

I guess I was hoping for something in between the irritating nudges to the steering wheel and outright steering for me. I say irritating because there is a lot of road construction where I live with traffic redirects over or close to painted lines. The system, when it is on, is constantly giving me audible alerts and judges to the steering. I end up leaving it off most days.

Even with it off, the ALK only nudged the steering wheel and was prompting me to steer. A bit of a let down as it's not functionally any better than LKA. I suspect Innodrive is not any different.

 

[Hirschaj]

I say irritating because there is a lot of road construction where I live with traffic redirects over or close to painted lines.

It seems like your expectations are misaligned with the capabilities. I’m in full control of my vehicle in any situation similar to what you describe. ALK is only for highway cruising (not in construction zones) to create a more relaxing experience. Manually drive your car in areas that will create confusion for the computer. Also, I’m in a heavy construction area and I keep LKA turned off essentially all the time. If I don’t it does the stupid stuff you described in those areas.

 

[ZenicaNC]

It seems like your expectations are misaligned with the capabilities. I’m in full control of my vehicle in any situation similar to what you describe. ALK is only for highway cruising (not in construction zones) to create a more relaxing experience. Manually drive your car in areas that will create confusion for the computer. Also, I’m in a heavy construction area and I keep LKA turned off essentially all the time. If I don’t it does the stupid stuff you described in those areas.

You misunderstood.

I wasn't expecting nor trying to use either system, ALK or LKA in a construction zone. I was actually affirming the opposite, that I leave the systems off most days BECAUSE of the construction. Otherwise I'd leave them on because if ACC is not active, then neither is ALK and since I am capable of staying in my lane, I figure LKA might help in the rare and unlikely event I was distracted.

I am trying to find a value in ALK where it provides a function not already covered by LKA.
So far, I'm not seeing it.

 

[Hirschaj]

I am trying to find a value in ALK where it provides a function not already covered by LKA.
So far, I'm not seeing it.

I see. It’s all good if you don’t see the value. No need for you to pay for it. I like using it on the rare long road trips I take so I rent the feature for those times.

 

[alexsas]

It doesn't really want you to take over steering. It is just a dumb test that you are holding the steering wheel (probably because of some silly regulation). The way I do it is just holding the wheel with my hand on the knee - and it just feels a little resistance when it is doing literal (or fathom tiny - if it is on the straight and wants to check you are holding the wheel) adjustments. If I do forget and it shows this 'take over steering', it just needs a little nudge of the wheel to disappear.

Maybe my expectations of the system were low, but I was pleasantly surprised with how it works.

The only annoying feature of it as it quietly stops steering when it loses the lines without any warning that you need to actively take over - this, for me, is much bigger safety problem than the silly 'keep your hands on the wheel' nudge...

 

[gtm]

The only annoying feature of it as it quietly stops steering when it loses the lines without any warning that you need to actively take over - this, for me, is much bigger safety problem than the silly 'keep your hands on the wheel' nudge...

You haven't let the system go long enough with your hands off the wheel. Initially it makes no warning other than the symbol going gray, but ALK and/or PID are still active and keep the car centered. After 30 seconds (guessing, never timed it) all hell breaks lose and the seat belt pretty violently jerks multiple times. Plenty hard enough and frequent enough to wake you up if you had fallen asleep. Found out one day when I missed the symbol turning gray. The car was staying centered just fine. Almost soiled myself when the seat belt went into action. Never understood how they could deactivate ALK with essentially no warning. Turns out there is a pretty serious warning before it shuts off.

 

[alexsas]

You haven't let the system go long enough with your hands off the wheel. Initially it makes no warning other than the symbol going gray, but ALK and/or PID are still active and keep the car centered. After 30 seconds (guessing, never timed it) all hell brakes lose and the seat belt pretty violently jerks multiple times. Plenty hard enough and frequent enough to wake you up if you had fallen asleep. Found out one day when I missed the symbol turning gray. The car was staying centered just fine. Almost soiled myself when the seat belt went into action. Never understood how they could deactivate ALK with essentially no warning. Turns out there is a pretty serious warning before it shuts off.

I think you are describing the behaviour if you ignore “take over steering” message long enough. I have reached that seatbelt jerking stage because I was curious how it would react.

at the same time the car was quietly heading to the ditch more than once when the ALK thing decided it didn’t see lines anymore. No warning, no nothing…

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