Camera
Radar sensor
Lane marking detection
Distance detection
Get to know Pilot Assist
Pilot Assist helps to steer the vehicle, and you may need to drive a few miles with Pilot Assist before you feel completely at home with the function. It is important to be familiar with all of the function's applications and limitations in order to take advantage of all it has to offer.
The Pilot Assist function is primarily intended for use on highways and other major roads where it can help provide a more comfortable and relaxing driving experience.
The driver sets the desired speed and distance to the vehicle ahead. Pilot Assist monitors the distance to the vehicle ahead and the traffic lane's side markers using the camera. The system maintains the set time interval to the vehicle ahead by automatically adjusting your vehicle's speed and keeps your vehicle in its lane by providing steering assistance.
Pilot Assist regulates speed by accelerating and braking. It is normal for the brakes to emit a slight sound when they are being used to adjust speed.
- smoothly regulate speed. The driver must apply the brakes in situations requiring immediate braking. For example, when there are great differences in speed between vehicles or if the vehicle ahead brakes suddenly. Due to limitations in the camera and radar sensor, braking may occur unexpectedly or not at all.
- follow a vehicle ahead in the same lane and maintain a time interval to that vehicle set by the driver. If the radar unit does not detect a vehicle ahead, it will instead maintain the maximum speed selected by the driver. This will also happen if the speed of the vehicle ahead exceeds the selected maximum speed for your vehicle.
The vehicle's position in the traffic lane*
When Pilot Assist helps to steer, it attempts to position the vehicle halfway between the visible lane marking lines. For a smoother drive, it is a good idea to allow the vehicle to find a good position. The driver can always adjust the position him/herself by increasing steering input. It is important for the driver to make sure the vehicle is positioned safely in the lane.
If Pilot Assist does not position the vehicle appropriately in the lane, the driver should turn off Pilot Assist or switch to Adaptive Cruise Control. This is done by pressing the right-facing arrow on the steering wheel.
Steering assistance*
The color of the steering wheel symbol indicates the current status of steering assistance:
• Illuminated indicates that steering assistance is active
• Extinguished (as shown in illustration) indicates that steering assistance is deactivated.
Pilot Assist's steering assistance is based on monitoring the direction of the vehicle ahead and the traffic lane's side marker lines. The driver can adjust steering assistance from Pilot Assist at any time and steer in another direction, e.g. to change lanes or avoid obstacles on the road. Resistance will be felt in the steering wheel as long as steering assistance is active.
Temporarily deactivating steering assistance
Warning
When the turn signals are used, Pilot Assist's steering assistance will be temporarily deactivated. When the direction indicator is turned off, steering assistance is reactivated automatically if the lane's edge markings can still be detected.
If Pilot Assist cannot clearly interpret the lane's side marker lines and if the camera is unable for some other reason to clearly interpret the lane, Pilot Assist will temporarily deactivate steering assistance. Adaptive Cruise Control will remain active. Steering assistance will resume when the side marker lines can once again be interpreted. In these situations, the driver may be alerted through slight vibrations in the steering wheel that steering assistance is temporarily deactivated.
In curves and forks in the road
Pilot Assist is designed to interact with the driver. The driver should never wait for steering assistance from Pilot Assist, but instead should always be ready to increase his or her own steering efforts, particularly in curves.
When the vehicle is approaching an off-ramp or a fork in the road, the driver should steer toward the desired lane so that Pilot Assist can detect the desired direction of travel.
Hands on the steering wheel2
Pilot Assist only functions if the driver's hands are on the steering wheel. It is also important for the driver to always continue to be active and alert when driving since Pilot Assist is unable to read all situations and may toggle between off and on without prior warning.
Warning
- If Pilot Assist detects that the driver's hands are not on the steering wheel, the system will provide a symbol and a text message in the instrument panel to instruct the driver to actively steer the vehicle.
- If the driver's hands are still detected on the steering wheel after a few seconds have passed the instructions to actively steer the vehicle will be repeated accompanied by an audible signal.
- If Pilot Assist still does not detect the driver's hands on the steering wheel after a few more seconds have passed, the audible signal will become intense and the steering function will switch off. Pilot Assist must then be reactivated by pressing the
button on the steering wheel. - When Pilot Assist is switched off, additional sound and light signals will be issued, and the vehicle's systems will begin braking the vehicle. This braking takes place intermittently in order to attract the driver's attention.32
- The system continues to brake the vehicle to a standstill in its own lane and activates the hazard warning flashers4. 2
Steep roads and/or heavy loads
Pilot Assist is primarily intended to be driven on flat roads. The function may not be able to maintain the correct time interval to the vehicle ahead when driving down steep downgrades. The driver should be extra attentive and prepared to apply the brakes.
Do not use Pilot Assist if the vehicle is carrying a heavy load or towing a trailer.
Pilot Assist will not provide steering assistance if anything is connected in the towbar connector.
Note
Read all warnings before use
Warning
- The function is supplementary driver support intended to facilitate driving and help make it safer – it cannot handle all situations in all traffic, weather and road conditions.
- The driver is advised to read all sections in the Owner's Manual about this function to learn of its limitations, which the driver must be aware of before using the function.
- Driver support functions are not a substitute for the driver's attention and judgment. The driver is always responsible for ensuring the vehicle is driven in a safe manner, at the appropriate speed, with an appropriate distance to other vehicles, and in accordance with current traffic rules and regulations.
Note
Important
Warning
- the lane markings are unclear, worn, missing, cross each other, or there are multiple sets of road markings.
- the lane division changes, e.g. when lanes split or merge, and at off-ramps.
- when there is road construction and sudden changes to the road surface, e.g. when the lines may no longer mark the correct route.
- edges or other lines than lane markings are present on or near the road, e.g. curbs, joints or repairs to the road surface, edges of barriers, roadside edges or strong shadows.
- the lane is narrow or winding.
- the lane contains ridges or holes.
- weather conditions are poor, e.g. rain, snow or fog or slush or reduced visibility with poor light conditions, backlighting, wet road surface, etc.
- High curbs, roadside barriers, temporary obstacles (traffic cones, safety barriers, etc.) are not detected. Alternatively, they may be detected incorrectly as lane markings, with a subsequent risk of contact between the vehicle and such obstacles. The driver is responsible for ensuring that the vehicle maintains a suitable distance from such obstacles.
- The camera and radar units do not have the capacity to detect all oncoming objects and obstacles in traffic environments, e.g. potholes, stationary obstacles or objects that completely or partially block the route.
- Pilot Assist does not "see" pedestrians, animals, etc.
- The steering assistance is limited in force, which means that Pilot Assist cannot always help the driver to steer and keep the vehicle within the lane.
- In vehicles equipped with map data, the function is able to use information from map data, which could cause variations in performance.
- Pilot Assist will be switched off if the speed-dependent power steering wheel resistance is working at reduced power, e.g. during cooling due to overheating.
Warning
Warning
- This is not a collision avoidance system. The driver is always responsible and must intervene if the system fails to detect a vehicle ahead.
- The function does not brake consistently for people or animals and does not brake for small vehicles, such as bicycles and motorcycles. Similarly, it does not brake for low trailers, oncoming, slow-moving or stationary vehicles and objects.
- Do not use the function in demanding situations, such as in city traffic, at intersections, on slippery surfaces, with a lot of water or slush on the road, in heavy rain/snow, in poor visibility, on winding roads, or on on/off ramps.