Electronic Parking Brakes

[mustang1]

and brakes. Something I didn't really register until we got the electric car. No vacuum assistance from a ICE as it hasn't got one, so brake assistance must be an electric pump, but then as anything modern has ABS, so will anything with an engine too..
We had problems with the tyre pressure warning on the old Roomster, it eventually needed a software update of the ABS to fix it as it uses the ABS sensors for the system.

I had a headlight replaced in an old car i had and it wouldn't work until it got a software update. I kid you not, that's what the dealer told me. Nuts right?

 

[Mr Celine]

As a general principle I'd far rather that the mechanical fiddly bits of driving were "dumbed down" to free up the driver for important things like looking where he is going and not running into people.

Anyone who spends most of their time whilst driving looking where they're going will notice natural phenomena such as spots of rain on the windscreen or darkness falling. What is the point of rain sensitive wipers and automatic headlights?

 

[macp]

I do

Yup me too

Have heard of a lot of failures of these electronic parking brakes especially on VAG cars. Suffice to say I dont like em. Not as bad but the same level of meddling brought us instruments in the centre of the dash. Dont even get me started on automatic start/stop.

 

[Viking]

A feature of SAABs is the car must be in reverse gear before the ignition key can be released from the ignition switch/barrel. My son borrowed my car, a 9-5 and had to phone me, "dad how do you get the key out?"

Parking in reverse makes the parking brake a bit redundant, so mostly don't use it.

AFAIK, that goes way back to the 1960s when SAAB fitted a mechanical gear lever lock manufactured by Waso that locked the lever in the reverse position. It was separate to the ignition and according to Which was very effective although the car could still be stolen, albeit, locked in reverse. Other cars were more easily driven away, so the SAABs were ignored by the thieves.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

AFAIK, that goes way back to the 1960s when SAAB fitted a mechanical gear lever lock manufactured by Waso that locked the lever in the reverse position. It was separate to the ignition and according to Which was very effective although the car could still be stolen, albeit, locked in reverse. Other cars were more easily driven away, so the SAABs were ignored by the thieves.

When I had a SAAB I left it unlocked once and someone stole the logbook but left the car and a stack of country/rock and roll CDs, heathen...

 

[Piemaster]

Anyone who spends most of their time whilst driving looking where they're going will notice natural phenomena such as spots of rain on the windscreen or darkness falling. What is the point of rain sensitive wipers and automatic headlights?

I thought the same, until I got a car with them. The rain sensitive wipers I like, they work well as sort of a self time adjusting intermittent wipe, not having to fiddle with the intermittent speed. In fact the car doesn't have an intermittent wipe position. When its raining properly it doesn't matter so much.

The lights I'm not so sure of. Both the pickup and my wifes car have them, hers is a lot more keen to put them on than the truck. Other thing is I must have knocked the stalk off the auto position last week as I was driving for 20 minutes around dusk before I noticed they weren't on. Well lit streets (mostly LEDs around here now) and the DLR lights throwing light forward meant I just didn't notice the lack of lights. I'd be happier if they were on a dashboard switch (VW style) instead of a stalk.

 

[Mr Celine]

I thought the same, until I got a car with them. The rain sensitive wipers I like, they work well as sort of a self time adjusting intermittent wipe, not having to fiddle with the intermittent speed. In fact the car doesn't have an intermittent wipe position. When its raining properly it doesn't matter so much.

The lights I'm not so sure of. Both the pickup and my wifes car have them, hers is a lot more keen to put them on than the truck. Other thing is I must have knocked the stalk off the auto position last week as I was driving for 20 minutes around dusk before I noticed they weren't on. Well lit streets (mostly LEDs around here now) and the DLR lights throwing light forward meant I just didn't notice the lack of lights. I'd be happier if they were on a dashboard switch (VW style) instead of a stalk.

One of our cars (VW Golf) has the rain insensitive wipers. This is the single most irritating feature I have ever had on any car ever. The wipers either come on randomly when it isn't raining, or if it is raining I have to overide it because I can't seen where I'm going. No amount of adjusting the sensitivity of the thing makes it satisfactory and there isn't an intermittent wipe.

Relying on the auto lights is potentially dangerous, as they won't come on automatically in daylight if it's foggy or snowing.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

I got used to the auto lights - also the auto wipers, the auto dim rear mirror, auto climate control etc until I changed jobs and got a base spec company car ("You want a better spec you take a salary sacrifice" Hmmm, no argument). Now I just leave the headlights on 24/7 so I don't forget.

The one that annoyed me about the Ford auto wipers is they come on fine and clear the windscreen. Then 5s later they give it another wipe that smears the windscreen

 

[screenman]

I do plen

Yup me too

Have heard of a lot of failures of these electronic parking brakes especially on VAG cars. Suffice to say I dont like em. Not as bad but the same level of meddling brought us instruments in the centre of the dash. Dont even get me started on automatic start/stop.

I do plenty of work for VW and Audi garages, I am happy to own one with the electronic handbrake.

 

[nickyboy]

I thought the same, until I got a car with them. The rain sensitive wipers I like, they work well as sort of a self time adjusting intermittent wipe, not having to fiddle with the intermittent speed. In fact the car doesn't have an intermittent wipe position. When its raining properly it doesn't matter so much.

The lights I'm not so sure of. Both the pickup and my wifes car have them, hers is a lot more keen to put them on than the truck. Other thing is I must have knocked the stalk off the auto position last week as I was driving for 20 minutes around dusk before I noticed they weren't on. Well lit streets (mostly LEDs around here now) and the DLR lights throwing light forward meant I just didn't notice the lack of lights. I'd be happier if they were on a dashboard switch (VW style) instead of a stalk.

I like all the stuff they load into cars these days to make my life easier and thus more enjoyable. I see no virtue in doing stuff myself if I can get a machine to do it for me

The autoheadlights are really useful in places like Spain where there are loads of tunnels....enter tunnel, lights go on....leave tunnel, lights go off. But generally it means I have one thing fewer to think about when I'm driving around so I can concentrate on the important stuff

 

[Smokin Joe]

I had use of a Peugeot something or other with auto wipers. They were ok ish, but the speed was very much affected by which way the wind was blowing. Even in fine drizzle which would need a wipe every ten seconds, if the rain being blown hard from the side the blasted wipers would go to beserk speed. Now that is not going to do your screen much good, let alone the wiper blades.

 

[macp]

I do plen



I do plenty of work for VW and Audi garages, I am happy to own one with the electronic handbrake.

Then I am pleased to read that as a longtime VAG fan and will STFU

 

[threebikesmcginty]

I like all the stuff they load into cars these days to make my life easier and thus more enjoyable. I see no virtue in doing stuff myself if I can get a machine to do it for me...

...But generally it means I have one thing fewer to think about when I'm driving around so I can concentrate on the important stuff

Exactly, you've got a coffee in one hand, the iPad on the dash, sarnies on your lap, etc. last thing you want is to be distracted with windscreen wiper duties and the like or paying attention to what's going on through that big window thing at the front.

 

[Chromatic]

One of our cars (VW Golf) has the rain insensitive wipers. This is the single most irritating feature I have ever had on any car ever. The wipers either come on randomly when it isn't raining, or if it is raining I have to overide it because I can't seen where I'm going. No amount of adjusting the sensitivity of the thing makes it satisfactory and there isn't an intermittent wipe.

Relying on the auto lights is potentially dangerous, as they won't come on automatically in daylight if it's foggy or snowing.

This! I've posted this elsewhere on this very forum before, it has been utter shite on every car I've had with it fitted.

 

[Profpointy]

This! I've posted this elsewhere on this very forum before, it has been utter shite on every car I've had with it fitted.

I briefly had a pool car 406 peugot with the auto wipers thing. It worked quite well mostly and you still had "off", "intermittant, and 'full on" if it got confused or it was just the wrong amount of rain.