howardbc Posted July 21, 2013 at 04:56 AM Report Share Posted July 21, 2013 at 04:56 AM This morning I was driving down an expressway I've used many times before when I suddenly heard several chimes and then got a driver alert (on left side of display in front of steering wheel) cautioning me to stop and get some coffee. I'd only been driving for maybe 15-20 minutes. I might have been going slower than usual because I was following a slow truck but didn't want to pass him because traffic was heavy and I needed to be in the same lane that the truck was in. But I wasn't going much below the speed limit and certainly not anything dangerously slow. Later I looked in my owner's manual and apparently one can change the settings for these alerts. But I don't want to change them. I just want to know why I got one during an incorrect time/situation. About the only other thing I can think of that was different today was that I did the car re-conditioning for the first time to see if it improved my battery level when I pulled out of the garage. I did the pre-conditioning for maybe 4-5 minutes while the car was still plugged in. Unfortunately it didn't improve the EV miles showing on the car's battery icon. I am sure I will eventually learn about all the things this car does, but in the meantime I really appreciate the feedback to my questions. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murphy Posted July 21, 2013 at 10:02 AM Report Share Posted July 21, 2013 at 10:02 AM The driver alert attempts to detect a driver that is sleepy and in danger of dozing off.The warning has to come before actually dozing off or it would be of no value.I don't know what the criteria is but think it involves steering wheel monitoring. When I first got my car I was experimenting with the lane following feature and took my hands off of the steering wheel.The car almost immediately told me to put my hands back on the steering wheel. howardbc 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howardbc Posted July 21, 2013 at 10:11 PM Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2013 at 10:11 PM Thanks, murphy. I think you have again hit the nail on the head. Yesterday I was holding the steering wheel with just one hand for a while because the driver's side sun-visor had come out of its socket and was partially obstructing my view. I had previously used some duct tape to attach it to the door assist hanger (on the ceiling over the window) but the tape had come lose in the extreme heat. I always have 2 hands on the steering wheel, but since I was going fairly slowly following that truck I felt I could hold the visor out of my way for a while. I bet that was why the alert about stopping and resting came up. I will be taking the car into the dealership tomorrow morning and hopefully they can just pop it back in there. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russael Posted July 22, 2013 at 11:27 AM Report Share Posted July 22, 2013 at 11:27 AM Since you were following that truck and fiddling with your sunvisor... did you find yourself perhaps driving closer to one side of your lane than staying in the middle? I sometimes do that to see what's in front of a truck or to get a better view of the lane next to me. The Driver Assist package watches for lane wandering and if you 'touch the sides' (ala the old game, Operation) of the lane markers, it takes notice and spits up warnings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooter80 Posted July 22, 2013 at 08:50 PM Report Share Posted July 22, 2013 at 08:50 PM About the only other thing I can think of that was different today was that I did the car re-conditioning for the first time to see if it improved my battery level when I pulled out of the garage. I did the pre-conditioning for maybe 4-5 minutes while the car was still plugged in. Unfortunately it didn't improve the EV miles showing on the car's battery icon. The driver alert attempts to detect a driver that is sleepy and in danger of dozing off.The warning has to come before actually dozing off or it would be of no value.I don't know what the criteria is but think it involves steering wheel monitoring. When I first got my car I was experimenting with the lane following feature and took my hands off of the steering wheel.The car almost immediately told me to put my hands back on the steering wheel. Just to help you in your learning, the pre-conditioning will improve your range (not directly, but) by reducing the need for power during the initial few minutes of your trip getting the cabin to your set temp. Instead of using battery power to do this, it uses your house electricity to do so. So your car's fan and air should only need to MAINTAIN the temperature, thereby reducing the drain on the battery and improving EV mielage. As for the driver alertness, it is directly related to steering wheel input tied in to the secondary factor, the lane keeping camera, even the finest of adjustments you make to keep close to the center of the lane should prevent the system alerting you. Take your hands off to do make-up or read the paper and it will let you know you did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiros Posted July 22, 2013 at 08:53 PM Report Share Posted July 22, 2013 at 08:53 PM Since you were following that truck and fiddling with your sunvisor... did you find yourself perhaps driving closer to one side of your lane than staying in the middle? I sometimes do that to see what's in front of a truck or to get a better view of the lane next to me. The Driver Assist package watches for lane wandering and if you 'touch the sides' (ala the old game, Operation) of the lane markers, it takes notice and spits up warnings. The only time I have seen this come on was when I was driving home one night after pulling a 16 hour work shift. It was probably spot on in its assessment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wbcampbell Posted July 25, 2013 at 10:07 PM Report Share Posted July 25, 2013 at 10:07 PM I just finished four weeks of summer trips from Oregon to Montana and back (several times). In 4800 miles I saw the Driver Alert come up eight or 10 times. The incidents can be divided into two categories: 1) I was gawking at scenery and "driving" with the occasional sidelong glance at the highway. Mea culpa. 2) End of a long stretch of driving and I was getting tired. In the #2 cases I can say I was getting a bit inattentive--no "nodding-off" or anything close, but I also was not 100% engaged in the road. The result was that I would find a place to pull over and let my wife take her turn behind the wheel. And in case the question comes up: During these trips she only had the Alert go off once. It is getting harder and harder for me to make the argument that I am the best driver in the family. :-) -Bill Campbell Depauwler 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtshinn Posted July 26, 2013 at 01:20 PM Report Share Posted July 26, 2013 at 01:20 PM (edited) It would be great if the warning burst into the song Roadhouse Blues "Keep your eyes on the road, and your hands upon the wheel" - The Doors Edited July 26, 2013 at 01:23 PM by rtshinn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff_h Posted July 26, 2013 at 01:48 PM Report Share Posted July 26, 2013 at 01:48 PM It would be great if the warning burst into the song Roadhouse Blues "Keep your eyes on the road, and your hands upon the wheel"- The Doors I think that comes in the next software update, which will also include Jackson Browne's "Running On Empty" integrated into the low fuel warning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russael Posted July 26, 2013 at 01:51 PM Report Share Posted July 26, 2013 at 01:51 PM Don't give the automakers any ideas. Last thing I want to see is my car breaking out in to song for every warning that comes up. :) Thank heavens it doesn't come with hydros or it could dance too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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