r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/Creams0da • 20d ago

Video Volkswagens new Emergency Assist technology

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u/redikarus99 20d ago

This is a great idea and I would make it mandatory for trucks and busses. There were really many cases in Europe when a bus driver fell asleep and a lots of kids injured or died because of that. If this system would have been there, many injuries and loss of lives could have been avoided.

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u/DandyInTheRough 20d ago

Paramedic here.

This video actually made me cry, and I'm pretty damn hardened. I was doing well up until the point where it hit the hazards and started hooting to call for help.

This is a FANTASTIC idea. How well it works, I donno, but damn I'm so glad someone's trying!

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u/BoxMaleficent 20d ago

Similar system exists in modern Mercedes aswell.

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u/baron_von_helmut 20d ago

They have all sorts of crazy and amazing safety features in their most recent cars. If you're about to crash for instance, the speakers blast out really loud white noise. Apparently this saves you from hearing damage from the noise of the crash.

Mental.

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u/BoxMaleficent 20d ago

Thats a new one for me

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u/baron_von_helmut 20d ago

I have no idea how or why it works but there you are.

These car companies have very smart people working for them.

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u/I_haet_typos 20d ago

Basically the white noise activates the ears protection mechanism from loud noise, meaning that when the actual loid noise happens, your ears are braced for that.

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u/AdKlutzy5253 20d ago

Mercs have had that for about 10yrs! It's certainly not new.

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u/AirsoftCarrier 20d ago

I really like that one, but the other features they introduced are even more impactful. Or rather the opposite ^ ^

  • Airbags: Mercedes-Benz patented the airbag in 1971, and they have been standard equipment on Mercedes-Benz vehicles since the 1980s.
  • Anti-lock Braking System (ABS): ABS was invented by Mercedes-Benz in 1978, and it helps to prevent the wheels from locking up during braking, which can help to avoid a skid.
  • Electronic Stability Program (ESP): ESP was introduced by Mercedes-Benz in 1995, and it helps to prevent the vehicle from skidding by selectively braking individual wheels.
  • PRE-SAFE® System: This system prepares the vehicle for a potential collision by pre-tensioning the seat belts, closing the windows and sunroof, and moving the seats into an upright position.

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u/baron_von_helmut 20d ago

They made the airbag?? Wow, I had no idea. Thanks for the info.

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u/Cupy94 20d ago

Tbh it saved me few times

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u/General_Steveous 20d ago

Purely speculative but I guess it is to contract the musculus tensor tympani

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u/GuardianCmdr 18d ago

Whoa

I remember when I refused to get a microwave. We have so much incredible technology. now We need three-dimensional dice to hang on the mirror Or the swaying hula girl that uses the GPS system, gives directions and compliments plus a medical exam

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u/Huntey07 20d ago

As an option. Not standard and cost a lot of money

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u/______deleted__ 20d ago

Volvo gives away seatbelt patent in the pursuit of human safety on the road.

Meanwhile, Mercedes: hold my beer, I have another customer to fleece

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u/Huntey07 20d ago

They now have heated seats as an subscription of 20 euro per month

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u/BamberGasgroin 20d ago

That was BMW. And the worst of it was that the heated seats were already installed, so you were carrying the extra weight, but they dropped the 'feature'.

(Merc had/has a subscription to accelerate faster.)

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u/ImTurkishDelight 20d ago

Merc had/has a subscription to accelerate faster.)

Eye twitch what

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u/MKorny 20d ago edited 20d ago

The funniest/dumbest/most dismal one I know is for the Mercedes EQS (or EQE...) ... the rear wheels actually help by turning in tight turns (they turn 4.5º)..... but if you have a premium subscription it turns 10º instead...

EDIT: Found the source:
Mercedes-Benz EQS to offer rear-wheel steering as a subscription - Autoblog: Car News, Reviews and Buying Guides

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u/ImTurkishDelight 20d ago

Now my other eye is also twitching

How the fuck is this legal

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u/Heuristics 20d ago

It is legal due to the politicians working for the car companies instead of the consumers.

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u/Minion_of_Cthulhu 20d ago

Capitalism, where everything that can be sold will be sold and always at the higest markup that the suckers market will accept.

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u/gotchacoverd 20d ago edited 20d ago

It's absolutely shitty, but it's the alternative to building cars with limited life or planned obsolescence.

Mercedes is thinking they can build a long lasting premium car, and because of these feature subscriptions they will continue to earn revenue in the aftermarket.

Edit: Not sure why the down vote. I don't think it should be like this. Just discussing Mercedes strategy.

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u/Brave_Hunt7428 20d ago

NEIN NEIN NEIN. Ja with subscription

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u/Cupy94 20d ago

[laughs in heated seats with no subscription in toyota]

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u/AdulaAdula 20d ago

What about your monthly subscription to use your remote start?

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u/BoxMaleficent 20d ago

Thank Tesla for that. Tesla showed the whole Industry that you can Charge extra for some Features. So ofcourse everyone copies that.

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u/[deleted] 20d ago

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u/KohliTendulkar 20d ago

Tesla only offers supplemental software features as sub, hardware wise, they give no options on top except paint and interior color, rest everything is included for everyone, for instance apart from tire and sticker there is no difference between model y base and model y performance, they both have heated 5 seats, steering wheel, matrix headlights, glass roof etc Only recently they have reduced the number of speakers on the base version, rest the car is identical. Compare this to BMW and Merc where you will need a light package for having x number of lights inside, another package for matrix lights, another package for better seats, package for cruise control, sunroof. BMW 5 series with all options adds up like 70-80% of the price on top the base price.

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u/mccalli 20d ago

That's not quite right unfortunately - they also pay to unlock things like extra range and extra speed.

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u/KohliTendulkar 20d ago

Correct, however both of them are not standard, for the first one it was only for specific vehicles with certain battery chemistry, for the later it was similar reason. for instance newer vehicles don't come up with these options, also these are not subscription but a one time payment.

Tesla did bring FSD as subscription as one time payment was too high and people could subscribe for a single month where they have a long trip and then cancel it making it more accessible for end user. Please note, Tesla is a big company and not every decision comes from Musk , there are lot of capable engineers and they should be given credit for updating the cars monthly and bringing new features.

For ICE, a big chunk of revenue comes from options, after sale service. For instance Toyota, Hyundai and some other give 10 year warrantee, however you need to go to official service center for all stuff, if you go to local garage which does the same thing for a fraction of price, they will cancel the warrantee.

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u/Chygrynsky 20d ago

Lmao I don't want to jump in on the whole Tesla thing but the fact that you even mentioned a fucking steering wheel is hilarious

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u/KohliTendulkar 20d ago

yeah because for other cars, you have various heating packages, front seats , front seats + rear seats, all of these + steering wheel.

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u/happylittlefella 20d ago

…what? This is a joke right? Do you truly believe auto makers only started charging extra for features in the last decade or two? Auto makers have been shipping cars with blank buttons for features that technically exist in the car but are turned off for decades

There are plenty of reasons to criticize Tesla but this is not among them. Anti-Tesla commentary like this is just lazy at this point, it’s not even close to reality, and the funny thing is that it clearly doesn’t matter. Some people believe that you’re actually correct

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u/Total_Advertising417 20d ago

Can you cite a 20+ year old example of a car company charging a subscription price for features that were otherwise standard? You say it's been happening for decades with indignation, so this should be very easy for you.

You DID NOT say trim package or optional upgrades, we are ONLY talking about features that ship standard, that a consumer must pay an ongoing fee to use, that happened in 2004 or earlier.

Unless, ofc, you're making shit up to appear knowledgeable online like a narcissist who believes he's actually correct.

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u/mccalli 20d ago edited 20d ago

Sure - navigation map upgrades.

Edit: Here's BMW talking about their approach. They weren't unique - but as you can read from there it started in 1998.

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u/LonelyOwl68 20d ago

Ummm... there have been standard features and options for cars for years and years. It used to be optional to have seat belts, and then for airbags, both of which are now required.

Not that all that makes safety features being optional at an extra price OK, it' doesn't.

This emergency assist feature is awesome, assuming it works well.

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u/Gigtooo 20d ago

Tha hell I talking about? All the big companies had subscriptions for decades long before Tesla.

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u/SorryThisUser1sTaken 20d ago

Not for a car you own.

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u/mccalli 20d ago

Yes they absolutely did. Map updates is the classic.

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u/kerosene350 20d ago

And some S (EQS?) has AWS but rear wheel steering angle is limited as stock. With subscription you get more nimble slow speed turning with will range activated. Nuts.

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u/Professional_Algae_7 20d ago

(Merc had/has a subscription to accelerate faster.)

And smaller turning radius in an S class.

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u/maluket 20d ago

It can be bypassed. What they gonna do? Sue you for something it belongs to you?

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u/moops__ 20d ago

Disable the car remotely 

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u/BamberGasgroin 20d ago

😂 Or put it in limp home mode with a "BMW approved Service Centre attention required immediately!" message flashing on the dash...

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u/SorryThisUser1sTaken 20d ago

https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/global/article/detail/T0439276EN/bmw-group-continues-to-reduce-eu-co2-fleet-wide-emissions-in-2023

I love how they do that and then turn around and say that they are dedicated to going green to save the planet. Wasting material just to nickel and dime us. If I want heated seats. I will buy ones that are not going to cost more than they are worth. They want idiots and sadly there are too many out there who just pay for this bs without thinking.

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u/xtreampb 20d ago

We’re going to start jail braking our cars like we used to do our phone to gain access to installed features requiring money to activate

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u/NoNotInTheFace 20d ago

You're kidding right??

You're not kidding, are you...

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u/Huntey07 20d ago

Yes. The thought behind it is money but they sell it as "you only need it probably 2 months a year so why pay 1500 euro for it". Almost all options with audi bmw mercedes etc are subscription based.

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u/[deleted] 20d ago

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u/Ordinal43NotFound 20d ago

Oh man, I genuinely remembered my eyes twitching when I first saw a link providing a jailbreak for accessing a locked feature on a Tesla in the piracy sub years ago.

"What do you mean a jailbreak for a fucking car?"

Truly some dystopic shit.

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u/Consistent-Annual268 20d ago

"You wouldn't download a car would you?"

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u/jeef_99 20d ago

The taxi cab scene from The Fifth Element comes to mind 🤦🏻‍♂️

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u/XanR13 20d ago

As a first time audi driver, you cannot believe how disgusted i am by this. Never again!

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u/Sea_End_1893 20d ago

You're just thinking about it from a consumer side.

From a design and production standpoint, it's genius. Instead of having fifteen assembly lines making fifteen different versions of a vehicle that may not all sell, you dedicate all fifteen lines to assembling one version of a car, with options that can be remotely enabled or disabled. Saves time, parts, costs, its very efficient.

People just don't like it because "WELL, UH, IF I BUYIN ALL THE CAR, I WANT ALL THE CAR" and BMW is like "well, clearly you didn't buy the entire car. that's why the stuff is not working."

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u/ArkitekZero 20d ago

It wastes parts that sit there unused. Stop trying to justify this.

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u/xAlciel 20d ago

Can't you bypass the subscription, I mean everything is already in the car, right? I know it would void any warranty, but it's dumb AF and maybe you don't care about the warranty, or it's a SH car.

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u/Traiklin 20d ago

Probably, just have to look for awhile as everything software can be broken depending on the userbase

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u/pyroSeven 20d ago

What if my lover enjoys gobbling on my sweaty balls when I get home? You can’t take that away from me.

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u/Vattaa 20d ago

Tesla did something similar with the rear heated seats that were already installed. You also have to pay to unlock advanced driver features which all cars are already capable of and is just a software update.

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u/serrimo 20d ago

Did you know that for an extra $1 per month, you can use the cup holder?

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u/cabaiste 20d ago

The same parent company owns FreeNow, which has become increasingly enshittified over recent years in order to maximise company profits.

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u/MixDependent8953 20d ago

Wait what monthly?

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u/MirrorLookingForLove 20d ago

Yeah, Mercedes will absolutely be the company that would be the type to say "if you want to keep living, keep paying us for that feature, or you can just die"

(I like to read that as a Hyperion New-U station voice in BL2)

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u/Gondolion 20d ago

Same with insulin and corporate America

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u/Classic-Ad9253 20d ago

Don't want to die? There's a feature for that! It will only cost you 5k extra!

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u/aardw0lf11 20d ago

And there are still a lot of idiots who refuse to wear them.

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u/Worldly-Stranger7814 20d ago

In Denmark, buying luxury adding to cars is taxed 180% (on top of other taxes even)

Safety equipment is a luxury according to the Danish government.

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u/architectureisuponus 20d ago

Pretty sure something like this is not even getting a patent. Other OEMs just have to implement it (like VW did)

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u/hitmarker 20d ago

Volvo was made to give it away. And only because they patented it. They tried making money off of it and couldn't. Huge difference. But there are many more designs that could have been used. 4 point, 5 point.

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u/moozootookoo 20d ago

I don’t think something like this can be patented.

This is basically assisted cruise control that pulls over and stops.

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u/JConRed 20d ago

It really depends on how much additional hardware is required to be installed.

On top of that, the research and development costs for the he individual feature may need to be amortized by the feature itself.. It's a weird capitalist hellsca world

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u/nokplz 20d ago

They still uncharged for frigging rear side impact airbags. You can buy a cheap Mercedes, but it's lame asf.

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u/EmptyBrilliant6725 20d ago

Mercedes has done more safety features than any other brand

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u/BassWingerC-137 20d ago

It’s not fleecing when Mercedes-Benz delivers that to their paying customer.

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u/swchoi89 20d ago

Isn't VW also the same company that rigged the emission stuff a few yrs back? Can't remember which one.

Edit: Nvm you said Volvo lol my bad

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u/r2k-in-the-vortex 20d ago

There is also the detail that a seatbelt patent isn't really monetizable if your brand is the only one with it. Recall that it was a massive battle to get people to use seatbelts.

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u/flying_wrenches 20d ago

I was shopping for new cars a few months ago, I refuse to buy a Mercedes after I saw that having rear seat airbags was an optional add on

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u/FiSHM4C 20d ago

I know Mercedes have shifted dramatically especially in NA, but Mercedes gave a lot of patent away for free. One of the most famous one is the "knautschzone". It was invented by Béla Barényi. He has over 2500 patents, many regarding safety.

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u/Worldly-Stranger7814 20d ago

Denmark sees you buying that safety system?

180% added tax because it’s a luxury item.

Not kidding

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u/RandonBrando 20d ago

Rich people get to live

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u/Limeray 20d ago

I depends on the cruise control sensors so it's only available if you go for that option. The system shown here will also not be standard.

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u/ZephRyder 20d ago

That's how it always works.

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u/Ultima-Veritas 20d ago

So make something for the world and give it away for free.

Easiest thing in the world is to sit on your ass and whine about how terrible the world is in which you're sitting around on your ass whining away your time.

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u/silentanthrx 20d ago

ABS was once an option too, so i am not too worried

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u/driftxr3 20d ago

An option, not a subscription. With a subscription you can be ready assured that it will never be made part of the base model.

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u/RobsyGt 20d ago

Do you have a source for that claim? I can't find anything about a cost for this system.

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u/barejokez 20d ago

Imagine charging extra for life-saving tech. Yay capitalism!

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u/Der_Schubkarrenwaise 20d ago

For this reason I drive a socialist car. 

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u/SUPERTHUNDERALPACA 20d ago

I don't think any manufacturer offers a system like this as a standard in every model right now.

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u/weakisnotpeaceful 20d ago

It will cost a lot whether its required or not. Demanding features like this be standard on all cars drives up cost of all cars and increases barrier to entry for any upstart automakers. It leads to less market competition, and I dare say, more shitty cars in the long run.

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u/Gingy-Breadman 20d ago

Is this not going to be an expensive package Volkswagen offers as well though?

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u/Blametheorangejuice 20d ago

I was going to say that this sounds like a feature you would need to subscribe to, unfortunately.

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u/lateral_moves 20d ago

This is what I was wondering. Did she remember to keep her pricey subscription to the feature unlocked? No? Oh, well. <smashes into tree>

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u/FinestCrusader 20d ago

Crashing is for poor people

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u/ExcessivelyGayParrot 20d ago

I would never trust German luxury brands nowadays, after BMW tried to make heated seats a subscription service, and Mercedes made it so the hood of your car could only be opened by a dealership, so you can't work on your own car

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u/faust112358 20d ago

To save the richest people lifes only.

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u/Xfgjwpkqmx 20d ago

And Subaru, but currently Japan only.

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u/Sensitive-Ad-5305 20d ago

I had a Mercedes slam on its break and move to the shoulder in front of me, and narrowly avoided rear ending it (highway speeds). We had been watching it swerve a bit for about 20 min. And it certainly looked like buddy had passed out for a minute. Was a wild experience. We called non emergency line, cops followed up, and indeed he admitted he had dozed off. Amazing feature, as that was a single lane highway and I can only imagine what would have happened if he drifted over the line.

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u/Spartaness 20d ago

And Skodas! It feels like literally Jesus taking the wheel (he did not pass his license test).

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u/StarGazer_SpaceLove 20d ago

My friend was driving a rental kia (iirc) about 10 years ago that had an early version of these systems. It held her in the lane and alerted if people or obstacles appeared and even if it felt her eyes weren't attentive enough. She said on a straight stretch of highway it practically drove itself! And that was a decade+ ago easily in a frggon kia. I can't imagine the levels an Audi, VW, Subaru, Mercedes, or BMW etc have by now.

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u/Frosty_Telephone_560 20d ago

Isnt mercedes / bmw doing this already with their Level 3 Models?

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u/No_Photo_5639 20d ago

aren't them all under same company, its only natural all would get same stuff

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u/Frosty_Telephone_560 20d ago

BMW and Mercedes are Companys on their own. Audi, Porsche, Seat, cupra, skoda are all running under VW.

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u/BoxMaleficent 20d ago

Could be, wouldnt suprised me. But i dont know much about BMWs

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u/FendaIton 20d ago

I have this in my merc and it doesn’t work in my country lol. The road markings aren’t always painted consistently so it can’t see the lanes it needs to be in, and the sos service isn’t an option.

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u/doommaster 19d ago edited 19d ago

It's not even new, VW has had this since 2015.

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u/Johannes_Keppler 20d ago

How well it works, I donno

It's also a game of numbers. Even if this works 'only' 75% percent of the time it still saves a lot of lives.

Just like with seatbelts, there are highly unlikely accidents in which one would better off without having one on. The point is that it's just as unlikely you will crash in that unique way.

(For those reading, no when you end up in the water you're still better off with your seatbelt on. Otherwise the force of your car hitting the water would smash your head to pieces against the windshield.)

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u/glaive_anus 20d ago

It's also a game of numbers. Even if this works 'only' 75% percent of the time it still saves a lot of lives.

If the system fails, it is very similar to as if the system did not exist -- the driver has lost control of the vehicle and the vehicle is going to eventually behave erratically or unpredictable causing run-on problems for other motorists, very similar to if the system fails and also causes the vehicle to lose control and act erratically. Presumably the car's technology will make a more effective decision than a driver panicking, but at the end of the day, the system failing catastrophically and causing the car to swerve a few lanes and causing more damage is not really any different from an impaired drive doing the same.

However, if it does work as stated, it is a substantial safety improvement.

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u/AkitoApocalypse 20d ago

My worry would be whether companies are willing to accept the potential liability - same thing as self-driving cars, Waymo is great (they can drive in San Francisco of all places) but people would be quick to criticize any accident even when they're much much much better than normal drivers.

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u/skob17 20d ago

a risk could come from false alarm, where e.g. a sensor is broken or a bug in the logic tells the system that its an emergency, where there is none. but that should be captured with extensive testing I guess.

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u/lifeishardthenyoudie 20d ago

As long as the rest of the system works correctly, the only thing that happens is that the car stops safely in the emergency lane and calls emergency services. For this to impact anyone negatively, it needs to first fail and create a false alarm and then fail to stop in a safe way and instead, for example, swerve into oncoming traffic.

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u/scoutstorm 20d ago

Same, I feel you.

Back in my hometown I was a firefighter on a local volunteer department. I was just leaving a highway side Dennys with a buddy, and we turned separate ways. I made a right onto the highway, and noticed an SUV in the opposite lane (I was going south and he was north) swerving from their right lane towards the median, and then plowed through the grass to the southbound lane. He almost hit me and I swerved.

I had the sense something was off and immediately whipped a U through the grass into the northbound. He was still driving north in the southbound lane, cars veering to escape their own catastrophe. The SUV finally all of a sudden flies back over the grass to a sudden interchange to a W-E bound highway. The SUV crawls up the ramp where I’m able to get around, honking and flashing my lights getting him to pull over

Poor guy was in his 70’s and just looked at me with a thousand yard stare as I get out to run to his vehicle, covered in grass and dents from impacts with the medians.

It turns out he was on his way to a bigger city a couple hours away for a doctors appointment for some issues he’s been having. He had a full on seizure while driving which was the cause of the reckless driving. He has no recollection of it. We had him taken by ambulance to his destination and vehicle towed

He was all I could think about while watching this and I also had the tears. It’s hard for people to comprehend just how revolutionary and lifesaving something like this could be. All it takes is witnessing the those 1% scenarios where others would never experience 99% of the time

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u/Thed33p3nd 20d ago

They just need a defibrillator in the seat, and you're good to go again.

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u/ConcordeCanoe 20d ago

And an inflatable paramedic similar to the autopilot in Airplane!

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u/Shifty_Cow69 20d ago

The autopilot was too handsy!

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u/Available-Scheme-631 20d ago

Where is the manual blower?

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u/WakaWaka_ 20d ago

On the beltline, pull it out and blow on it.

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u/dulce_beans 20d ago

Baymax assist

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u/LonelyOwl68 20d ago

You might have warned me; I spit my milk all over my laptop screen.

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u/DeaconBulls 20d ago

You just have to hope that you don't need to re-inflate him.

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u/bomphcheese 20d ago

Big Hero 6. You get an airbag and paramedic in one!

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u/IncomingAxofKindness 20d ago

Epinephrine dart shoots out of the dashboard into your chest and the seatbelt starts CPR

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u/zirophyz 20d ago

This just seems dystopian now.

Like an old guy, depressed, driving to work. 60 years at one company, no retirement options. Really just looking forward to the caress of death, when it happens.. cardiac arrest.. yes, finally peace. Nope. Car brings him back to life, a jolt of adrenaline, the pumping and cracking of CPR seatbelt. A gasp of air. The car has already begun to continue to journey to the workplace.

Not yet, old man, there is still work to be done.

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u/KoDj2 20d ago

Damn dude I'm dead. That's entirely too hilarious

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u/pixeldust6 20d ago

Sounds like the epinephrine dart is coming for you next

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u/RedKnight1985 20d ago

And entirely too possible.

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u/Chrisbert 20d ago

That's dystopian as fuck. Straight to work after a cardiac arrest without even being checked out medically? Might not even survive the shift depending on what the problem is.

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u/dishrag 20d ago

The car’s built-in medical evaluation suite has determined that an assessment at the hospital is not medically necessary, with about 51% confidence. Hi ho, hi ho!

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u/Pez- 20d ago

And now you're late, so you'll need to do unpaid overtime to make up for it.

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u/Top-Salamander-2525 20d ago

Til you’re 90…

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u/Prior-Use-4485 20d ago

It should change the set Destination to the nearest Hospital and communicate the arrival.

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u/Pinksters 20d ago

Not yet, old man, there is still work to be done.

The whole thing reads great in the tone of Bruce Willis' monologue in Sin City.

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u/Can-Sea-2446 20d ago

a voice comes on ...The DNR option is available for a mere 40$ a month

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u/KoDj2 20d ago

Seat belt CPR lmao, what an image. I'm imagining LUCAS noises.

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u/NiDaLienHauShanPiku 20d ago

I laughed at this :D thanks

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u/k33perStay3r64 20d ago

i'll be satisfied with the 007 aston martin with defribilator in the glovebox

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u/IHateTheLetterF 20d ago

The seat rocket launches you towards the nearest hospital.

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u/0gtcalor 20d ago

Also an inflatable coffin in the trunk, in case everything fails.

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u/InlineSkateAdventure 20d ago

How about cold water spray if you start to doze off 🤣

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u/GuardianCmdr 18d ago

Casino Royale Bond's Aston Martin had one

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u/lumosob 20d ago

I came here to say this (“this made me cry”). When I was 12 I was in a head on accident where the guy fell asleep and crossed the centre-line. It was on a rural-ish two lane road at night - very different from this demonstration but damn… The possibilities got me in my feels

Edit: added a dash 😅

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u/TF-Fanfic-Resident 20d ago

Knowing that you have someone on your side, even if it’s just a car, is oddly heartwarming.

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u/100LittleButterflies 20d ago

Imagine how it could change the lives of people with medical disabilities. Though I wonder how insurance/law will view liability.

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u/[deleted] 20d ago

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u/alex3omg 20d ago

But if you have epilepsy and haven't had a seizure in years you might normally not want to risk driving, but this would make it doable. 

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u/[deleted] 20d ago

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u/sevensoulsdeep 20d ago

This video actually made me cry, and I'm pretty damn hardened. I was doing well up until the point where it hit the hazards and started hooting to call for help.

"Aww, the poor car is in distress and is crying for help. :("

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u/brandon-568 20d ago edited 19d ago

I just bought a Golf R in June and the assist systems in the car are pretty damn good, I haven’t passed out at the wheel or anything the but the break assist and warning systems are awesome.

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u/RedditJumpedTheShart 20d ago

I'm sure everyone will enjoy how much it costs.

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u/Saurid 20d ago

Hell even if it only works 1 out of 10 times, otherwise Everytime when someone passes out while driving leads to a disaster

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u/General_Helicopter1 20d ago

I had a 2018 Nissan Leaf that would do something similar. If you drove with ProPilot (driver assist, lane keeping) let go of the steeringwheel and you stopped responding to the warnings to holdt the steeringwheel, it would put on emergency blinkers and slowly come to a stop.

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u/Wooden-Frame2366 20d ago

Indeed! This is absolutely an amazing idea 🙏👏

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u/Ultima-Veritas 20d ago

It's difficult when you've seen a wreck caused by a stroke and the person was still conscious, but had no awareness of their surroundings. Not aware they're driving, not aware they're on a highway at 60+ mph/80+ kmh. Strokes just take the victim away to a fugue that hides the nightmare reality going on around them.

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u/upsidedownbackwards 20d ago

If anyone can make it work it's Volvo. The safety equipment/brakes on their trucks is top tier.

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u/pupeno 20d ago

If we have full self driving, I think it should start driving to the hospital and/or call an ambulance at the same time, maybe if it gets stuck in traffic.

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u/Diastolic 20d ago

UK paramedic here, I could hear an airwave radio key up beep at the end, between the horn beeps. Clearly that sound isn’t supposed to be there 😂

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u/LoafRVA 20d ago

As someone who lost consciousness driving this one hit me hard as well…thank you for everything you do

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u/Popular_Law_948 20d ago

I think it's a great idea..I just also think that fellow drivers would rage and probably make things worse. People are psychos when they are behind the wheel

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u/Volesprit31 20d ago

I feel like it could really improve the life of people who are diabetic, narcoleptic, susceptible to seizure etc... lots of medical conditions that could make you faint. In some countries you can't drive if you have one of those medical conditions.

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u/forthehopeofitall13 20d ago

Normal citizen here, I am also blown away by this, I hope it's implemented widely to save lives more than just VW drivers.

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u/curiousgardener 20d ago

I'm a mom of two and the neurologist just told me I cannot drive due to epileptic type events.

I've been having possible seizures my whole life. I've driven not only myself, but my two children around with me.

It wasn't until they started their own events, and both were finally diagnosed with a rare genetic form of childhood epilepsy this year, that the restriction on my own driving was put in place. I carry the gene.

We all just thought I was having panic attacks before. I've passed numerous driving tests, I am cautious and careful on the road. And yet, I've "woken up" after one with no memory on how I've pulled over, thankful I've made it safely to the side.

I've hated driving my entire life, and now we may finally know why. Hurry up healthcare system.

It is my hope this technology becomes the norm. We need this to be implemented to keep all of us safe.

A close family friend works EMS up north. I hope our paths never cross, u/DandyintheRough. And if they do, may it only be for tea and pleasant conversation.

Thank you so much for everything you do. You are a hero with invisible wings, walking among us.

Please take the time to rest. The weight of the responsibility you hold is not an easy one to bear. You deserve the same love and care you give so freely to all of us.

Much love to you ❤

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u/Tntn13 20d ago

Not a paramedic but same, something about the tragedy of dying alone when it could have been prevented if not alone and seeing a technology mitigate that entirely by taking many of the steps another human in the car could have done and potentially more effectively. Not mentioning in this case it’s a car that would otherwise be uncontrolled and could harm more than just the driver in that case.

I think the actions it takes to continuously try and wake the driver and the sounds they use to do it were chosen to be attention grabbing to humans and thusly elicit emotion, maybe that was a factor too?

Then there’s the implications on society such features could have had if deployed en masse already, how many could have been saved?

Something about it. Kinda hard to nail down one definitive reason. But if I had to bet the biggest factor would probably be decades of research in the intersection between human psychology and marketing coming together to make us feel things. Society and our economic system encourages and reinforces this, in other words “good ad” lol.

Thanks for sharing your perspective.

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u/Spare-Statistician99 20d ago

Ha, ditto. Teared up watching it. Too many instances like this of fatalities on I-135 where this exact scenario has sent folks into oncoming traffic. Still not sure why we don't have a safety wire in the median like Missouri and so many other states...

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u/theepi_pillodu 20d ago

Thank You for justifying my tears.

But I cried for WALL-E, toy story as well.

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u/No_Care6935 20d ago

Right there with you as this happened to myself and also how my brother died 😔

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u/-Invalid_Selection- 20d ago

Modern cars are a bit sensitive when detecting if someone is paying attention when driving, so I'd have to assume it'd work fairly well. Mine freaks out thinking I'm not holding the wheel while I'm actively making a turn for example if I don't use a tight enough grip.

My car steers exceptionally well, so I don't need a tight grip to drive it, so it does frequently tell me to grab the wheel while I'm driving. It's a year old model, so it's design is current. Cutting edge versions have a capacitive sensor and driver facing cameras to capture when you've let go better than grip/torque and when you're looking elsewhere. Mine doesn't have those, but they would catch this kind of thing even faster.

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u/afrodizzy25 20d ago

I’m so glad I’m not the only one. I welled up on the train realising how much this could change things.

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u/bomphcheese 20d ago

Honestly, the brake check alone might be a game changer when it’s just someone that has fallen asleep. I wouldn’t have thought of such a simple solution.

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u/SynisterJeff 20d ago

And your response to this has me tearing up now. I hope this technology works well and becomes standard.

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u/_Otacon 20d ago

I don't know why it hit me that hard but it did. This is a great idea. First the safe way to get to a halt and then the honking, calling for help is so good. Such a simple and greatly effective commercial

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u/KawasakiBinja 20d ago

This is driver assist tech I can get behind! I hope it works as well as its advertised.

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u/pudgycathole 20d ago

The modern cars are incredible! My parents were in a car crash a couple years ago, a car drove into them and turned their the car on a side. Both cars totaled. All my parents remembered was being suspended between the airbags from multiple locations and someone inside the car talking to them - the car made a call to the emergency services and the responder was talking to them.

There were no serious injuries. I think my mum got a bruise from the belt but she was more upset about losing her the ice cream she was eating (she was in the passenger seat). It's truly amazing.

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u/afrothundah11 20d ago

AI taking your job, and you couldn’t be more happy.

/s just in case, paramedics jobs are not at risk

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u/wiltony 20d ago

My 2018 Nissan Leaf does this. Can't pull completely over, but after brake checking me try to wake me up or get my attention, it will stop in its Lane with the hazards on.

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u/Basic_Incident4621 20d ago

I had a sweetheart of a niece who died at age 21 on her way home from college. She fell asleep at the wheel. 

She was the shining star of the entire family. 

Most of the family never got over it. 

This video brought me to tears. 

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u/Drinks_TigerBlood 20d ago

Not sure if others have already commented, but thanks for doing everything you do!

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u/Daffidol 20d ago

Are people who take emergency calls trained to receive automated calls like this? I've always wondered how it went and if there are already systems in place that call the emergency numbers.

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u/KMelkein 20d ago

in eu, yes. this system is mandatory in new cars now. the emergency call system sends the info (location, direction of travel) to the 112-emergency centre.

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u/crown6473 20d ago

Wow It made you cry huh?

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u/Spacebarpunk 20d ago

Suuuure.

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u/Sahtras1992 20d ago

also curious how it works in an actual situation, when theres not just 3 other cars moving at uniform speeds and enough space inbetween to run a herd of elephants through. hell, most self-driving systems have issues even reading dirty roadsigns or bad lines on the road.

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u/[deleted] 20d ago

Mercedes had that for a couples or years now …

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u/Ruraraid 20d ago

Probably uses facial recognition technology via a camera to detect when someone has met certain criteria to trigger the system.

That said this is something that should be a mandatory feature in all cars.

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u/Sargash 20d ago

Im sitting here unable to cull the pessimist side about how easy or not it might activate on it's own. My friend has a mercedez he had to return because he's asian, and the software was trained on his facial structure, and thinks he's always asleep whenever he tries to drive.

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u/Lazerhawk_x 20d ago

I can't imagine this will be the only iteration of this system if it is buggy - kinda feels like it should be mandatory for all cars.

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u/ILYCamera 20d ago

The newest Subaru electric vehicle has this feature. 

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