Pilot Assist conditions and limitations

Updated 28/10/2024

To use Pilot Assist safely, it's important to be aware of its limitations. While it's an advanced function, there are conditions and situations that it cannot handle.

Driver responsibility when using Pilot Assist

A main limitation of Pilot Assist that you need to be aware of relates to driver responsibility. When using the function, you are still required to actively and attentively drive the car. You are responsible for all decision-making, actions and responses that are part of driving.

Pilot Assist does not know your intentions or the intentions of other drivers. It cannot predict or identify every potentially hazardous situation that an attentive driver can. It's your responsibility to continuously assess Pilot Assist's performance and act if necessary. As long as you judge its input to be correct, you can let it guide your driving.

Note

Adaptive cruise control conditions and limitations

Conditions and limitations relating to detection capabilities, distance- and speed-keeping are shared between Pilot Assist and adaptive cruise control. The Pilot Assist conditions and limitations related to steering assistance do not apply to adaptive cruise control, as the sub-feature does not provide any steering assistance.

Important

Driving conditions

Assessing Pilot Assist's performance requires that you take all driving, traffic, weather or road conditions into consideration. For example, if there is poor visibility you may need to increase the distance to vehicles ahead compared to the distance kept by Pilot Assist. The same applies to maintaining a speed that is safe for the current road and traffic conditions.

Improved convenience

When used correctly, Pilot Assist can reduce the effort of driving. In some cases, it can compensate for driver errors, such as mistakes caused by lapses of attention or distractions. This potential benefit is a supplement to safe driving practices. It does not reduce or replace the need for the driver to stay attentive and focused on driving safely.

Driver readiness

Using speed- and distance-keeping features can result in long periods of you not using the pedals. However, you must remain prepared and ready to brake or accelerate manually if necessary. Avoid changing your driving posture in ways that can delay your response time.

Eyes on the road

When using Pilot Assist you must still remain attentive as a driver. This includes keeping track of your surroundings and the traffic around you, just like when driving unassisted.

Hands on the wheel

Pilot Assist can guide your steering but you are still required to keep your hands on the steering wheel, just like when driving unassisted. As long as you judge the steering input to be correct, you can let Pilot Assist guide your steering.

Emergency stop with Pilot Assist

The car can initiate a controlled stop if the driver doesn't respond to requests to actively drive the car and keep their hands on the steering wheel. During the stopping manoeuvre, the car utilises all of the information it continuously collects about its surroundings to come to a controlled stop in the lane of the road you're on. It also activates the hazard warning lights to warn other drivers.

You can always override the stop manoeuvre by actively steering, braking or accelerating. This indicates that you are attentive again and available to continue the drive.

Speed range for Pilot Assist

Pilot Assist is available at different speeds depending on the context of activation and use.

When using Pilot Assist you can set target speeds between 30-180 km/h (20-110 mph).
Steering assistance is unavailable at speeds above 140 km/h (87 mph).
Pilot Assist can be activated above 15 km/h (9 mph), but will then try to accelerate up to the minimum set speed.
When following another vehicle, Pilot Assist can stay active below 15 km/h (9 mph).
- In situations where you are driving slowly behind other vehicles, such as in a traffic queue, you may be able to use Pilot Assist despite driving slower than 15 km/h (9 mph). This requires a vehicle ahead whose speed your car can match.1

Activation and availability

Several conditions must be met to activate Pilot Assist. They can be related to the current traffic and road conditions or the car's system status. Some are related to the car being driving-ready, such as the driver wearing their seatbelt, keeping their hands on the steering wheel2 and all doors being closed. Others relate to your current driving situation, such as driving at a speed within the speed range for Pilot Assist. If activation is prevented, the specific reason is typically communicated in the driver information area.

Keeping track of vehicles ahead

One of Pilot Assist's capabilities is to adapt the car's speed to a vehicle ahead and maintain a certain distance to it. Pilot Assist's behaviour and ability to track traffic ahead depends on several factors, such as your speed and the speed of the vehicle in front.

Very slow or stationary vehicles in front of you can make Pilot Assist behave differently, depending on the situation and your speed:

If Pilot Assist follows a vehicle that comes to a stop, Pilot Assist slows your car down to a stop behind the other vehicle.
If you are driving below 70 km/h (44 mph), a stopped vehicle detected ahead of you causes Pilot Assist to slow your car down to a stop behind the other vehicle.
However, when driving above 70 km/h (44 mph), a stopped vehicle detected ahead of you is not treated as a vehicle to follow. Pilot Assist will not slow your car down and will instead try to maintain your set target speed.

Warning

Stopped or slow vehicles ahead

A stopped vehicle in your lane is a collision risk that requires you to act by braking or steering.3

At speeds below 5 km/h (3 mph) Pilot Assist may pause when following another vehicle:
- if there is uncertainty whether what's detected in front is a stopped vehicle or another object4.
- if the vehicle ahead makes a turn and leaves your driving path.

Car status and systems

Pilot Assist relies on the accurate detection and identification of surrounding traffic and road conditions. This includes using information from the cameras, radars and other sensors. The detection system cannot handle all driving, traffic, weather or road conditions. Read the separate manual sections about detection types, how they work and their limitations to better understand how Pilot Assist's performance can be affected.

Several of Pilot Assist's features depend on other systems in the car.

To adapt the speed to vehicles ahead, the car uses a combination of radar and camera detection. Consequently, conditions and limitations of these systems can affect the availability and performance of this feature.
Steering assistance is only available when the car can identify its position on the road through camera detection of lane markings.
- This requires that the road conforms to certain standards.
- Conditions and limitations of the car's camera detection can affect the availability and performance of steering assistance.

Important

Car faults

Certain car faults can affect the availability of driver support features. Check the car status view for indicated issues if Pilot Assist is unavailable.

Car alterations

Modifications, repairs and accessory installations can negatively affect or limit driver support features. There is a separate manual section with detailed information on this topic.

Other conditions and limitations

Pilot Assist is primarily intended for use when driving on level road surfaces. It may have difficulty keeping the correct distance to vehicles ahead on steep downhill slopes.
Pilot Assist with steering assistance is unavailable when driving with a trailer. Heavy or uneven loads may also affect the capabilities and performance of Pilot Assist's steering assistance.
The performance and capabilities of adaptive cruise control can also be affected when driving with a trailer or heavy loads.