Is the Acura TLX a Self-driving Car?
I originally posted this article on January 21, 2015 on the blog: The Caregiver Chronicles. I can now honestly say that the technology described 15 months ago has helped me to avoid serious accidents on several occasions. I will no longer drive a car without it.
The good news is that other auto companies are adding this driver assistance technology, at least on their premium models. So the choices are expanding and, hopefully will soon be available on most cars. Anyway, here's a shortened version of the original long post:
Is the Acura TLX a Self-driving Car?
"As a new owner of this wonderful luxury car, I can say "not quite." But there are several TLX models and the Six Cylinder version with the Advance Package may be the closest thing to a self-driver on the market today.
"The Advance Package contains (among other things): Road Departure Mitigation System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Collision Mitigation Braking System, Forward Collision Warning System, Lane Departure Warning and Lane Keeping Assist, Blind Spot Info System, Rear Back Up Camera with Cross Traffic Alert, and an Automatic Brake Hold Feature.
"Many other cars have some of these features and, perhaps, one other has most of them. However, it was the Advance equipped Acura TLX that was singled out by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety as actually avoiding an accident in their 25 mph Safety Test for High-speed Autobrake. The IIHS gave the car a 2015 Top Safety Pick + rating and categorized it as Superior for Front Crash Prevention.
Top Rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
"Also, comfort, safety and driver assist technology, are things the TLX has in abundance. My right leg gets tired when I have to keep my foot on the brake pedal for long periods to prevent the car from creeping forward. Like in heavy traffic. The TLX Automatic Brake Hold Feature eliminates this problem.
"My hand sometimes aches when forced to grasp the steering wheel for hours on a long trip, but when the TLX Lane Keeping Assist steers the car it allows for a very loose grip (and for brief periods of no grip).
Self-Steering? Self-braking? Self-acceleration?
And when this feature is combined with the Adaptive Cruise Control system, I can go for many miles without ever touching the accelerator pedal, only occasionally steering myself, and relaxing while the TLX self-steers, self-brakes and self-accelerates whenever a vehicle pulls in front of me.
"In effect, at such times, the car is indeed actually driving itself."
