Major Con in Germany TV-test on new Mercedes S-Class

[Tempest 0]

Just watching a TV-programm via the Internet, where on RTL Mercedes has had a test of their new Merc S-Class, which now featuires safety features to avoid shunts in dense fog, using radar and several other sensors.

 

The thing was tested inside a hall with artificial very dense fog, where the TV-makers had a hidden microphone inside the Merc. The shunt-avoid-system should beep 3 times as soon as the Merc approaches a traffic jam in dense fog on say a motorway.

 

On the programme one could hear how prior to the crash (yes they ruined an S-Class !!) NO beep signals appeared, and after the crash the test driver was swearing his head off.

 

Merc's statement: Wrong environment, should have been tesetd on a real motorway with real fog!!!!!

 

Tempest

[dinkus 10]

Yeah, I read about this on pistonheads yesterday

 

Apparently it was because they were in a metal building...riiiiight :lol:

 

Bit of a faux pas for Merc - and quite a large bill too! :lol:

 

My dad was complaining to me earlier because he'd triggered the roll-protection on his new CLK blatting down a country road the other day. One of the things that happens is that the rear headrests shoot up and lock, so now he can't see much out of the back of the car (thus making it more dangerous) and he's got to take it back to the dealership for them to plug it into the diagnostics stuff and reset it :roll:

[bcstudent 0]

I believe the Aston Martin did the same 'roll-protection' thing on Fifth Gear recently.

[Tempest 0]

Personally I don't rate any of that electronic stuff, that crops up in larger quantities in modern cars, ESP (and I always thought that stood for Extra Sensory Powers, probably does, too :lol:), ABS, bla, etc. :lol:

 

Oh yes, forgot to post the link to the actual video/programme showing this Merc being crashed (unintentionally, of course :lol:)

 

http://www.stern.de/tv/sterntv/549835.html?nv=sb

 

Tempest

[HiAsAKite 0]

reading the pistonheads thread I think the TVR comment is very valid...

 

drive as if you have no driver aids and within the the limit of the car and yourself.....(as I did today on the M25 in cr@p visibility, nose-tail stop start traffic and grit allover the windows of 20 year old golf..after a 12 hour working day)...

 

 

....don't trust someonelses engineers technical wizardy to pull you out of sh!te... the buck stops with you and your driving..

 

 

HiAsAKite (qualified Mechanical/Aerospace Engineer)

[dinkus 10]

Er ha ha, but not really got a lot of an idea what's going on.

 

Strangely, the German subtitles don't help much... :lol:

[Tempest 0]

did today on the M25 in cr@p visibility, nose-tail stop start traffic and grit allover the

 

Same here, M25 twice on my to and from Canterbury (customer). I was in our company trustworthy (and now very filthy) Escort delivery van. Might have been the same gritter :lol:

 

Strangely, the German subtitles don't help much...

Ah come on, I've even given you subtitling! What more do you want :lol:?

 

The main reporter/presenter, Günter jauch, is normally a lot more critical. i reckon they've already had some stick from Merc, who in turn are realy trying hard to defend this major cock-up. One guy on the German Sciroccoforum actually works for a plastics manufacturer, who've delivered parts for this system to Hella (yes the lights people), who've made the system, and Bosch has written the software (well, that's where it all went pear-shaped, probably running Windows :lol:). He said that the system was still far from error-free, and yet Merc decided to present it to the press.

 

The test driver BTW has been sacked by the publisher he worked for (Auto-Bild, part of the Axel Springer group, most famous for their "The Sun"-comparable gutterpress rag "Bild", and also publisher of a big UK car magazine, forgot which one now :roll:).

 

Tempest

[craigowl 0]

hiasakitesaid

drive as if you have no driver aids and within the the limit of the car and yourself.....(as I did today on the M25 in cr@p visibility, nose-tail stop start traffic and grit allover the windows of 20 year old golf..after a 12 hour working day)...

 

 

....don't trust someonelses engineers technical wizardy to pull you out of sh!te... the buck stops with you and your driving..

 

:salute:

My sentiments entirely. Some safety aids are a plus (belting up, e.g. - can you believe we did not have to do that not long ago?)

The captain/driver is ultimately responsible for the safety of his passengers, crew and craft.

[dr_mat 0]

The sensors probably rely on some RELATIVE range data. You're in a building, the furthest distance it can see is too low for it to get a decent fix on what's "far enough".

Anyone who drives without thinking in fog deserves everything they get. It's the poor sod they drive into the back of I feel sorry for.

[Tempest 0]

You're in a building, the furthest distance it can see is too low for it to get a decent fix on what's "far enough".

 

You might be right, but it was Merc who agreed to these testing conditions, yes even suggested them :oops:

 

Tempest

[dr_mat 0]

In that case, they're muppets! :)

 

But I'll bet this whole thing was set up by a bunch of marketing execs.. The techies who designed the system and know it's limitations probably never even knew it was happening till they got utterly embarrassed by the press coverage, despite knowing it wouldn't work under those circumstances.

 

Anyway, Merc should be used to major pre-release embarassments, following the A-class debacle..

[dr_mat 0]

The sensors probably rely on some RELATIVE range data. You're in a building, the furthest distance it can see is too low for it to get a decent fix on what's "far enough".

 

Spooky!

 

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/11/29 ... st_fiasco/

 

"..Mercedes engineers knew the radar technology wouldn't work in the steel warehouse.."

 

I may not have been 100% right about the reason (not that we yet know the true reason), but it sounded too stupid to be completely legit.

[-Neil- 0]

They showed this on Top Gear the other night, was so funny to watch!

[chrishill 0]

its all a scam! according to this article Merc knew the system wouldnt work, but agree'd to 'simulate' the effects of the system using manual braking and a plank of wood... it went a bit wrong. :lol:

 

 

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/11/29/mercedes_brake_test_fiasco/

[dr_mat 0]

Um, yeah, that's what I said six days ago! ;)

[chrishill 0]

ah... colour me retarded :(

[chubbybrown 0]

Thanks for the Link Tempest,

are you thinking of Autoexpress?

 

shame the poor sod got his jotters though...

[Tempest 0]

are you thinking of Autoexpress?

 

Yes, that's the one, owned by Springer Verlag, same people behind Bild and Autobild in Germany. Not highly rated as their style is very tabloidish.

 

Tempest