Why speed sign recognition shouldn't control your car

[Yugguy1970]

This is picked up from the vets car park as I pull out of the side road opposite.

Lasts until I'm almost home.

[Cyker]

Yup, preaching to the choir here!!

It's insane to me they have mandated these systems in law when they clearly aren't fit for purpose!!

 

[Big_D]

And then there is the issue of the car deciding the speed limit signs are km rather than miles. 
I’ve had this before when I was doing about 24mph in a 30 zone and had the RSA show I was speeding (i.e., doing about 40km/h)..

[Cyker]

Yup, and that too! Honestly, it's no good them being accurate maybe 70% of the time and then wildly inaccurate the other 30% - Even the computer games world wouldn't accept tolerances that bad and they don't have any standards!  

[Haliotis]

Is this technology going to be able to deal with mph/kph changes - such as when we take our cars into the EU?

Although not advisable to blindly believe, in my car the satnav changes the limit automatically on screen.  Also, in the MFD panel, the speed limit is shown as a miniature road sign icon, and changes to red if the limit is exceeded.  I think the two are synchronised but I am not sure.

Some while ago, on an urban road close to where we live, the satnav suddenly changed the permissible limit from 30mph to 70mph.  The only explanation that sounded plausible is that the smaller, road sign icon was picked up from a nearby wagon’s tailgate.  So, the question is, does the technology recognise a road sign regardless of the size of that sign?

On the subject of kph, I am most disappointed with the speedometer of my 2021 C-HR.  The kph print on the dial is tiny.  I can visually relate the mph readings to kph from memory, but the dial arrangement reflects badly on Toyota.  For example, our daughter’s BMW X3 does not have a needle pointing the speed, but has the actual speed shown in the form of a single digital figure.  And this can be manually changed from mph to kph at the flick of a switch.  For the driver, the speed being attained is immediately clear and obvious.  

In my car, the infortainment display is huge and readily readable, compared to the speedometer dial which is relatively small, difficult to read in strong sunlight, and partly obscured by the steering wheel.  When it comes to the fact that essential instruments need to be immediately readable in milli-seconds, I would sat that manufacturers have not got their priorities right, and the safety organisations are also at fault in not spotting this.

 

[Roy124]

"Is this technology going to be able to deal with mph/kph changes - such as when we take our cars into the EU?"

I took mine to Europe last year.  Set the displays to Km everything worked

"Although not advisable to blindly believe, in my car the satnav changes the limit automatically on screen. Also, in the MFD panel, the speed limit is shown as a miniature road sign icon, and changes to red if the limit is exceeded.  I think the two are synchronised but I am not sure."

My Satnav on Android Auto displays the limit but it is definitely not synchronised.

If I use the Smart Connect display the limit is not displayed except in Specs Zones.  Then my actual speed is displayed too.  This speed is different from that on the MFD.  It might be an average 'in zone' speed. 

"Some while ago, on an urban road close to where we live, the satnav suddenly changed the permissible limit from 30mph to 70mph.  The only explanation that sounded plausible is that the smaller, road sign icon was picked up from a nearby wagon’s tailgate.  So, the question is, does the technology recognise a road sign regardless of the size of that sign?"

Who knows.

"On the subject of kph, I am most disappointed with the speedometer of my 2021 C-HR.  The kph print on the dial is tiny.  I can visually relate the mph readings to kph from memory, but the dial arrangement reflects badly on Toyota.  For example, our daughter’s BMW X3 does not have a needle pointing the speed, but has the actual speed shown in the form of a single digital figure.  And this can be manually changed from mph to kph at the flick of a switch.  For the driver, the speed being attained is immediately clear and obvious."

I use the digital speed read out, especially as i found the Yaris Cross pointer was broad and imprecise compared to my earlier Corolla. 

I agree with Cyker that to recognition is wrong to often and will be a real PITA with the new warning system.

How long does it nag you?  A few beeps I could tolerate.  If it is like the seat belt nagger I can see real issues.  Will we see cars doing below 40 on dual carriageways and liable to being trampled by trucks?

 

[Primus1]

As I have said before, my previous car was a ford puma, the traffic sign recognition was linked to the speedometer and, when it worked it was good, but was very hit and miss, most of the time it failed to see the traffic sign at all, the Toyota system works a lot better and only occasionally gets it wrong, if these systems can be made to work properly then I don’t see much of a problem having it fitted to all new cars..

[Paul john]

14 minutes ago, Primus1 said:

As I have said before, my previous car was a ford puma, the traffic sign recognition was linked to the speedometer and, when it worked it was good, but was very hit and miss, most of the time it failed to see the traffic sign at all, the Toyota system works a lot better and only occasionally gets it wrong, if these systems can be made to work properly then I don’t see much of a problem having it fitted to all new cars..

Its not the new cars that are the problem. Its the many older cars and Trucks that will not have the system. Cant imagine this being implemented widely in the Haulage or Aggregate Tipper lorry industries. Who round my way cause the most accidents and fatalities. 
There have been a number of studies saying that recommended stopping distances are inaccurate for modern cars. This is true but…

If your car stops on a penny at 3m , what about the 2005 aggregate lorry behind you carrying 15 tones of sand ? 
 

[Roy124]

Also what is the warning speed?  One car at 70 indicated might be beeping at 63.

A lorry, limited to 60 can often creep up to 63 or more on a down slope?

My current Yaris Cross is 28 at 30 indicated.  Many is the time on the dual carriageway,  ACC set at 65 and no overtake on a truck.  Need to go up to 70 to complete a manoeuvre. 

OTOH, cruising co-speed behind one lorry is seen as an open invitation to the lorry behind me to overtake only for him to drop in behind the one I'm following. 

[Cyker]

And lets not forget malicious interference - I bet there are a good few villages who'd stick up fake (5) signs, and my cycle-owning colleague already has plans to sell cycling jerseys with big (5)s on the back of them  

Although if all cars put on stickers on the back like they have on lorries with (70) on them maybe that would help counter that  

[Haliotis]

Roy124 said, “I use the digital speed readout……”

Roy, as your Yaris is a 2021 model, as is my C-HR, I am wondering if there might be the same facility on my car.   If you could tell me where the readout is located, and where/how you access it on your car, I may be able to check if my car has it.  Is the info in your handbook? - I haven’t found any info like this in my handbook.

[Roy124]

Albert, IIRC you need to go into settings via the steering wheel pad and search there.  Cant remember quite where exactly.

Amazing what you can find trying settings, on my phone I found a setting to answer automatically.  Perfect as it then patches directly to my hearing aids.  Downside is I don't see caller ID.

[Roy124]

3 hours ago, Cyker said:

And lets not forget malicious interference - I bet there are a good few villages who'd stick up fake (5) signs, 

You're behind the times.  In our village a pair of wheelie bins have 30 stickers.  At least they are correct.

Have you seen Yellow Bird boxes yet? 

[Cyker]

Ahh yes the BIRDSO cameras  

[Haliotis]

Thanks, Roy.  I will do a check - I take it into dealership tomorrow for its first MoT so, if I’m getting nowhere, I’ll ask for some help.