Today on my way home from work I was unable to steer the vehicle without using both hand and all my strength (I'm 6'4'' 300 not a weak person). On the display in the dash was a Warning message "Lane Depart/Lane Assist Malfunctioned". was able to pull into a parking lot. After 30 minutes of turning the Explorer on/off the system turned off and I was able to drive it home. Note: I did not have this system turned on and the Icon that would have shown the system on was not present on my dash. Has anyone else had this happen. I am taking into the Dealer in the morning after work !
No need to worry. The feeling you were experiencing was not fear nor frustration. You were feeling
safer.
I'm a safety engineer by trade, and generally technology advances serve to make life easier and more comfortable. It is also my experience that technology usually races ahead of the ability of designers and engineers to fully understand the downstream effects of new gadgetry.
In this case, there is no practical need for the car to interfere in anyway with steering inputs. None.
If I had the authority, I would order the Ford engineers to conduct in-depth Human Systems Integration analyses on any new technology that allows a driver to be less attentive to the act of driving. The easier driving gets, the less attention drivers will be paying to the road. With this steering system, the driver will be not paying attention when the steering fails.
What do you think the outcome of your incident would have been if your young daughter (if you have one) was at the wheel while cruising around on a 2-lane road in West Virginia?
