dwboston

Like the title says the CMBS activated on me yesterday while approaching some steel plates in the road. I was driving pretty slowly - about 30 mph - and it went from stage 1 (BRAKE warning) to stage 2 (BRAKE warning and yanking the seatbelt tight) so quickly I didn't have time to even hit the brake. It scared the crap out of me since I had kind of forgotten about it since I hadn't had a warning of any kind in a while. It's reassuring to have it but scary as hell when it goes off when you're not expecting it.

SpicyMikey

Do you think you would have had time to react if it was a vehicle in front of you?

dwboston

I think so. Hard to say because it wouldn't activate at that distance with a car slowing down or stopped.

Chas2

Were you just approaching on a level road, or were you pointed downhill as they depict in the owner's manual?

dwboston

Level road. Very flat.

Chuck091279

I don't understand how the steel plate activation of the CMBS could happen. Can someone explain it to me, just so I know.

Incidentally, I had a stage 2 activation (first time) on Saturday as well. I was getting ready to pass a car, so I took control of the car via paddle shifters and stepped on the gas, before turning the wheel to go around the car) and lo and behold it warned me to brake. I guess it must've realized the amount of force I put into the accelerator, because it tugged at my seatbelt, locked it and then began braking the car. It was scary b/c I didn't expect it, but other than that, it was kinda cool. It did leave my seatbelt very tight - so I had to unbuckle and rebuckle.

Pretty cool stuff. I was on the MB's site yesterday looking at these features on the E and S class - and they certainly have it. I thought only the S class had it so I was surprised. In any event, theirs works the same way as ours - radar based.

Isn't the Infiniti's laser based and aren't they having issues with it?

SpicyMikey

I had mine trigger from a speed hump once. However, I didn't get a stage 2 like you did. It went from stage 1 to stage 3 almost at the same time. It occured at the last second just prior to reaching the hump. The stage 3 braking that occured wasn't very hard. I'd describe it as more of a moderate braking rather then a "slam". I doubt it would have any measurable effect on reducing the severity of an impact

lumpulus

You couldn't have been in the city then. LOL

PortlandRL

Certainly gets you to pay attention, huh?