Which Safety Group A features do you find useful?

[jm888]

Someone else posted something about confusion with the safety group but it looks like nagaguides has an updated list of options in the new Safety Group A (for the Big Horn for $2620):

1. Auto High Beam Headlamp Control
2. Rain Sensitive Windshield Wipers
3. Leather Wrapped Steering Wheel
4. Adaptive Cruise Control w/Stop
5. Steering Wheel Mounted Audio Controls
6. Digital Rearview Mirror
7. Adaptive Steering System
8. Full Speed Forward Collision Warning Plus
9. Lane Keep Assist
10. w/o A73-A-inc: Cluster 7.0" TFT Color Display

Now some of these things, like the leather wrapped steering wheel and audio controls come with some of the other packages, but as far as the rest, just curious what you have found worth it in this package. The blind spot warning sounds like it would actually be the most useful but unfortunately is no longer available.

 

[Basser53]

Mines an early 21 and a laramie but Of those choices I liked the adaptive cruise and the blind spot monitor.. I find the digital mirror Hard to look at sometimes.. I've had the collision warning go off a couple of time but really don't see the use in it..

 

[Ickabod]

The only think I would care about is the digital rearview mirror.
1-3, 5 comes in the my laramie level B and I could care less about the adaptive cruise/steering and lane keep.

 

[jm888]

Mines an early 21 and a laramie but Of those choices I liked the adaptive cruise and the blind spot monitor.. I find the digital mirror Hard to look at sometimes.. I've had the collision warning go off a couple of time but really don't see the use in it..

So how exactly does that work? Do you just set it at a certain speed and will it adjust and slow you down if you catch up to a car in front of you? Will it automatically resume if you go to pass them? Does this work in slow, or bumper to bumper traffic and automatically go the right speed?

 

[THC1]

Someone else posted something about confusion with the safety group but it looks like nagaguides has an updated list of options in the new Safety Group A (for the Big Horn for $2620):

1. Auto High Beam Headlamp Control
2. Rain Sensitive Windshield Wipers
3. Leather Wrapped Steering Wheel
4. Adaptive Cruise Control w/Stop
5. Steering Wheel Mounted Audio Controls
6. Digital Rearview Mirror
7. Adaptive Steering System
8. Full Speed Forward Collision Warning Plus
9. Lane Keep Assist
10. w/o A73-A-inc: Cluster 7.0" TFT Color Display

Now some of these things, like the leather wrapped steering wheel and audio controls come with some of the other packages, but as far as the rest, just curious what you have found worth it in this package. The blind spot warning sounds like it would actually be the most useful but unfortunately is no longer available.

BMS shows on RAM.com as a single extra add-on and expensive......I suppose since the chip shortage they intend to rape anybody wanting it.

 

[jm888]

BMS shows on RAM.com as a single extra add-on and expensive......I suppose since the chip shortage they intend to rape anybody wanting it.

Oh yeah, I see that it is $695! When you add it, it removes a bunch of other options but maybe the dealer can still add it with the rest or your build if you really want it.

 

[jm888]

The only think I would care about is the digital rearview mirror.
1-3, 5 comes in the my laramie level B and I could care less about the adaptive cruise/steering and lane keep.

All of the cars I own now over 10 years old and have none of this newer safety tech. If I have never used it, I probably won't miss it. I know it would drive me nuts in a rental car with all of these things beeping and lights flashing and stuff!

 

[GeneralClortho]

None, hahaha. My folks have a new Lexus RX with all of that stuff and it absolutely drives me nuts when I drive it. We got caught in a bad rain storm and the darn car was practically driving itself, not doing what I wanted, lights flashing everywhere on the dash, beeps and blips, applying too much brakes when it shouldn't, making steering over-corrections when hydroplaning, not letting me apply throttle, etc. It was a white knuckle experience, all in the name of "safety"...yeah. Couple that with the increased chances of failures later in the vehicle's life with massive repair bills.

When I ordered a Power Wagon, I purposely did not get any of those features, which was one of the reasons I had to order it.

 

[Nick]

Fortunately you can shut most warnings off . I like the back up alert many times people suddenly walk up behind your vehicle without you seeing them . Adaptive steering is great in my opinion .The blindspot warning when getting ready to change lanes is also helpful . The rest really don't matter much . I mostly use my side mirrors .

 

[jm888]

None, hahaha. My folks have a new Lexus RX with all of that stuff and it absolutely drives me nuts when I drive it. We got caught in a bad rain storm and the darn car was practically driving itself, not doing what I wanted, lights flashing everywhere on the dash, beeps and blips, applying too much brakes when it shouldn't, making steering over-corrections when hydroplaning, not letting me apply throttle, etc. It was a white knuckle experience, all in the name of "safety"...yeah. Couple that with the increased chances of failures later in the vehicle's life with massive repair bills.

When I ordered a Power Wagon, I purposely did not get any of those features, which was one of the reasons I had to order it.

I know all of this safety stuff is probably good, but I wonder how much of it people actually rely on and don't pay as much attention? People are going to forget how to drive! Ok..I am starting to sound like my dad now lol. I must be getting old!

 

[Basser53]

So how exactly does that work? Do you just set it at a certain speed and will it adjust and slow you down if you catch up to a car in front of you? Will it automatically resume if you go to pass them? Does this work in slow, or bumper to bumper traffic and automatically go the right speed?

It will stop the truck, not sure I'd use it in srop and go traffic but it's nice on the freeway. When u come up on a slow car and have to wait for traffic to go by to pass.. you don't have to keep turning it off then on.. otherwise it works like regular cruise control..

 

[Basser53]

I look at the new safety features the same as power steering/brakes , automatic transmission.. some day people will be getting in there car and taking a nap on there way to work..

 

[Frank]

I have all of those except digital mirror. I love them all. Blindspot and trailer blindspot monitoring are a great second set of eyes. Adaptive cruise control and lane assist sure make long drives pulling a camper nice. They are there to assist someone who already knows how to drive and tow, but yes sadly it doesn't always work that way. Sort of like first time RVers that buy the highest Furrion camera system because thats the only way they are comfortable changing lanes or backing up...not a replacement for learning to do it the right way.

 

[Brutal_HO]

Adaptive cruise (ACC) is great. Not without fault, but otherwise great.

You can override it by accelerating if needed, then it will settle back down. The distance to keep is easily adjustable on the fly from the steering wheel controls. The only gripe I have is that in town traffic (though normally one shouldn't use it like that) it doesn't do a great job determining a closing rate of speed for cars in front before it brakes aggressively.

The FCW can be set to warn only and is the only way I use it. I've seen enough reports of braking under dark bridges etc. to avoid enabling it for automatic engagement.

#8 "Plus" sounds like they added the pedestrian detection and/or signal light detection so that's a great thing IMHO. The 19-20 FCW will bring you to a stop in traffic but doesn't recognize signal lights and releases the brake after 3 (?) seconds, which to me, is really dumb. Keep the brake on until I press on the accel pedal... I recall someone tried to enable the Pedestrian detection in a 20 but it didn't' work so probably another one of the BCM hardware/firmware updates they added just like the Digital mirror capability.

2020 so no digital mirror although I would love to have it.

The BSM sound can be adjusted so it and the other features that are "tunable" are not, IMHO, intrusive or bothersome to an unaccustomed driver.

 

[RV_Goose]

I know all of this safety stuff is probably good, but I wonder how much of it people actually rely on and don't pay as much attention? People are going to forget how to drive! Ok..I am starting to sound like my dad now lol. I must be getting old!

In the computer field, it has been documented that when a frequent task usually done by a human is automated, with in 18 months the ability to properly react to that situation, if the automation fails, is reduced. Each if those systems relies on input from probably many sensors. Let one sensor become out is spec and watch what happens.

 

[Jimmy07]

#8 "Plus" sounds like they added the pedestrian detection and/or signal light detection so that's a great thing IMHO. The 19-20 FCW will bring you to a stop in traffic but doesn't recognize signal lights and releases the brake after 3 (?) seconds, which to me, is really dumb. Keep the brake on until I press on the accel pedal... I recall someone tried to enable the Pedestrian detection in a 20 but it didn't' work so probably another one of the BCM hardware/firmware updates they added just like the Digital mirror capability.

Still no pedestrian braking or signal detection for the HDs. The “Plus” part of the FCW feature is just saying that it auto brakes in addition to visual warnings.

 

[just James]

I think there is a real potential danger associated with all of these "driver assist" features. That is new drivers coming up now who will have never driven a vehicle without this stuff, will some day get in an older rig and crash because they will be relying on the vehicle to do half of the driving for them.
Personally, I have zero use for this stuff. Been driving for over 40 years, and many millions of miles. Daily drive a 95 foot 105,000 pound semi for a living, without any of those electronic "helpers", though I will admit to being addicted to basic cruise control.
I hope this doesn't sound like criticism of those who like these features. I am just expressing MY opinion on the subject.

 

[Frank]

I think there is a real potential danger associated with all of these "driver assist" features. That is new drivers coming up now who will have never driven a vehicle without this stuff, will some day get in an older rig and crash because they will be relying on the vehicle to do half of the driving for them.
Personally, I have zero use for this stuff. Been driving for over 40 years, and many millions of miles. Daily drive a 95 foot 105,000 pound semi for a living, without any of those electronic "helpers", though I will admit to being addicted to basic cruise control.
I hope this doesn't sound like criticism of those who like these features. I am just expressing MY opinion on the subject.

It's a very legit point. It's like some of these vehicles that claim to back the trailer for you. It would be a nice luxury to have sometimes for a lot of us. But for someone who has never towed a trailer it just hinders their learning and they have to depend on it to work flawlessly.

On a side note, as much as I like all these features, for the life of me I don't understand how people can back trailers staring at the camera screen. Or use trailer cameras in place of tow mirrors. Anything other than maneuvering the unloaded truck is disorienting.

 

[RV_Goose]

Some folks truly believe that humans are dangerous and need to be controlled and monitored by computers.

 

[rb92673]

I don't have my truck yet but I ordered with those features for peace of mind. I tow to races usually around 500 miles, but I have done up to a 1000 each way. I like to drive straight through and will share driving responsibilities when I am tired with team mates. My team mates are less experienced at towing a trailer, and since I am upgrading from a 16' open trailer to a 24' enclosed trailer, I might be able to get a little more rest while they are driving knowing they have a little bit of electronic help.

These systems are getting better each year. Anti-lock braking systems and stability control used to be a luxury item, but have been standard on cars for years now. I wouldn't think of buying a new vehicle without those features. At some point as the technology becomes mature and inexpensive, collision avoidance features will be standard too.