charlesml3

Gang,

My dealer loaned me a 2016 MDX this week while they were working on my 2010 TSX. Anyway, I was excited to drive this because it had the adaptive cruise and LCAS systems.

So here's the deal. The LCAS works, but only well enough to keep you frightened the whole time. It attempts to keep the car in the lane, but it really hugs the left side. You always feel like you're just too close to the left lane marker line. At any second it may lose track of where it is and flash up "Steering Required." After a few minutes I just switched it off. It was too much work to use it. If I left it on and just kept driving the car as usual, I could feel it fighting me. Not comfortable to drive at all that way.

The Adaptive Cruise is even more disappointing. This will take a bit of explanation. I set the cruise to 70MPH and enabled the Adaptive. So we're going along and someone in front of me is clearly going a bit slower. So as the MDX approaches, it finally spots the "pace car" and hits the brakes. And it hits them WAY too hard to drop from 70 down to 65. So eventually this car moves over and I have a clear lane. The Adaptive now wants to go from 65 to 70 so it hits the gas... WAY too hard. So hard that the MDX downshifted.

The Adaptive Cruise works, but it's much too aggressive. When it hit the brakes to match the "pace car" in front of me, it scared the hell out of the guy behind me. I could see his face. I think this feature has some potential, but it just isn't ready for prime-time yet. I drove the car for a day and was ready to take it back.

If someone else has some additional feedback, I'd love to hear what you've experienced.

chiu0nthls

what distance did you put it for cruise control? You can adjust the distance.

charlesml3

It was on whatever it came with from the factory. The problem wasn't about it following too close or too far back. The problem was with how aggressively it would react to a changing situation.

It's like there was no concept of "Take your foot off the gas and let it glide a bit to slow down" or "I'm set for 70 but going 65, let's just ease up to that speed." The whole system seems to be rather brittle in its interpretation of what's happening.

I mentioned it to the service manager and he said that had been a pretty common complaint from other owners.

-Charles

Edward'TLS

Don't worry if you don't like them in operation.

Just switch them all off.

charlesml3

Well yea, one can always just "switch them all off." The problem is, you're PAYING for these features and honestly, I didn't even find them usable. I guess I was just hoping for more/better. I'd kinda like to trade this TSX but I'm sure as hell not going to dump thousands into features I can't use...

jzhu625

iTrader: (2)

i totally agree with your review for the cruise settings and feeling, i have 2014 advance.

Edward'TLS

Unfortunately, these features are lumped together as a package in different trim level Acura models, and buyers can't cherry pick/buy individual features like when ordering European luxury vehicles.

Either way, we are always forced to buy features that we don't want/like when buying Honda/Acura vehicles, just because they "come with" the particular trim level.

So the only thing we can do is to enjoy/use what we find useful, and disable whatever we find not usable.

charlesml3

Or... buy a car from a different manufacturer... That's kinda where I am. I love my TSX but it has over 100,000 miles on it. Given these limitations I find myself looking at other cars...

SMMN

I was just watching a YouTube channel of a guy that has a 2004 Audi A 6 and he doesn't like adaptive cruise on that either. He says that you as you approach slower traffic, the car slows down and if you don't want to stay at that speed then you still have to pass the slower car and then you enevitably come to another slower and same problem. His conclusion is it really is not intelligent enough to keep you at a constant pace. He said regular cruise control is much better because you do the braking and steering and anticipate the traffic changes much better.

The only way systems are going to be better eventually is if they can anticipate traffic flows and be smart enough to steer around them. I'm sure this technology is coming but right now it's not there, at at least not enough to satisfy the lawyers. So while the Audi system may be smoother at the end of the day it is only so useful.

I also agree that the lane keep assistance system is not useful enough because it shuts off so early, although how it is moves between the lane markers depends on a lot of factors. Its real benefit is to make sure you don't drive off into the ditch if you take your eyes off the road for a bit .

The only systems that seem really relevant now, are the ones where you can do low-speed follow in stop and go traffic congestion like Mercedes; where it will also steer for you so you don't have to waste your time "driving" the car in those situations until the traffic starts to really speed up.

Edward'TLS

Exactly right.

Life is short.

There is nothing worst in life than having to drive around daily in a vehicle that one doesn't enjoy to be in at all.

Buy what you like, and pass on what you don't.

nore03

I have it on my TLX and I use it everyday and it is very very usable to me. I really like the features and they make driving a lot more relaxing and stress free. It does take some getting used to though. What I have learned is using the right distance marker is the safest way to not have it act "crazy". I typically keep it at 2 car paces. That usually allows the system to work pretty well. The only thing that scares me is when a car cuts me off then the system does hit the brakes harder than I would like but I understand why it does that. The LKAS to me is awesome, I have gotten so used to it that when I drive any other car that doesn't have it, I start to realize how useful the feature is. It makes high way driving much more relaxing.

mdkxtreme

I really love the LKAS. It's one of the most convenient feature for me on long distance driving. I kind of wish I had Adaptive Cruise Control.

If the LKAS is hugging too much to the left lane, then that just probably means the lane you're in is narrow. The LKAS does a really good job, at least for me, keeping me in the center of the lane. Also, LKAS is lane keeping ASSIST. It is not meant to steer for you. So if you see "Steering Required" flashing, then you really need to take control of the wheel.

E92Vancouver

I have ACC and LKAS and love it. My LKAS works awesome. Keeps the car in the centre of the lane. You are suppose to keep your hands on the wheel.

ACC can be abrupt. It also depends on how smooth the driver in the car in front of you is. If he is a smooth driver, your drive will be smooth. If he is jerky, you will have a jerky ride.

As you say, braking can be abrupt and in these cases, I press the main button twice to disengage and engage ACC and over ride it. Or you can tap the brakes. For the most part it is terrific.

Low speed follow is awesome too.

neo1738

I love the LKAS but you have to learn to work with it and not fight it. What I mean is if you try to completely steer then the LKAS seems to fight you, but if you let the LKAS have most of the action and only supplement that with your steering it's much more user friendly. I personally love it. ACC will brake hard if a car cuts in front of you as more of a precaution had 1 moment where I thought it braked way too hard for the necessity but otherwise it's been great. Definitely have to change the "paces" to about half what factory installs.

RDX10

I also had a 2016 mdx loaner and found those features completely useless. I didn't like how the adaptive cruise was almost erratic and the LKAS only worked once every 10 times, I hated it. Couldn't trust either. The adaptive cruise in the 2013 mkx rental worked flawlessly. Very very smooth.

On a semi related note, the CMBS was really really cool in the mdx. It even saved me once. I personally could live without the adaptive cruise and the LkAS...the CMBS on the other hand is brilliant for times where someone may get distracted by something (though I admit I would use this feature like once every 3 years).

neo1738

I should also note the LKAS is really only good on highways. I wouldn't attempt on any other streets.

AcuraMDX16

I recently purchased the MDX with both ACC and LKAS. Haven't really check out ACC yet, but with LKAS, its pretty neat. On the highway at cruising speed. It practically steers itself on small turns. But it does make the steering wheel kind of stiff thou.

ceb

On the loaner I recently had, the LKAS and the ACC worked extremely well - the car stayed between the dotted lines without input (on the highway) and the ACC worked in both light highway traffic and in more congested traffic.


Ideally, the ACC would adjust distance to the car in front based on speed rather than having a set distance but it works as intended.

Rexorg

I've had many vehicles with ACC, and I love it. ACC for me has prevented several accidents, especially when the vehicle ahead slows down dramatically, or when a vehicle cuts in front of you suddenly. Granted, the MDX system is not perfect. I also like that the system can be turned to regular cruise, if desired. As far as LKAS is concerned, it works well when the lines are consistent, but is disconcerting when the lines disappear on the right side and the MDX will veer abruptly. All in all both features are worth the extra cost to me.

E92Vancouver

I have it on my MDX and use it all the time at every opportunity. It works great. In fact, this feature is one of the reasons I bought the 2016 MDX.

My LKAS keeps my vehicle dead centre. And it corrects if I am not perfectly in the middle of the lane. ACC works fantastic. Next time set the follow distance to the maximum. Also remember, if the car ahead of you is heavy on the brakes and a crappy driver, you are going to have a harsh ride.

If you don't like it, buy the base model.

Kind of funny that the harshest critics of a car don't even own it. The story always starts like this"

"I took my 1991 Acura Integra in for service and got a 2016 TLX for a loaner. I hated it. Was going to buy the TLX but my Integra is way better. I am going to keep it".

Your dealer is very generous to give you a loaner. My dealer would have given you bus fare.

Adam Fay

I've got to say I like both the LKAS and ACC on my Advance. I only use LKAS on longer trips and usually only have it set to warning. The ACC, however, works awesome. I've not once encountered any hard braking and keep the distance set to the longest setting. It always works smooth for me...so far. People should note that LKAS is not intended for you to take your hands off the wheel. I've used it on gentle turns on the highway, but not beyond that...and my hands don't leave the wheel.

Volvo does a better job with these techs than Acura, but I'd say the Acura's systems are a pretty good attempt, especially in an SUV that even at top of the line, is still $10K cheaper than the XC90.

E92Vancouver

Yes, on LKAS, hands should never leave the wheels.

a77

Huge fan of LKAS, but I have found that for some drivers it works better than for others and not really sure why (observation from test drives). You sort of learn its limitations and drive accordingly. But in my TLX on long relatively traffic free highways it take a lot of effort away. It is surprising how much active work is needed to keep a car straight and you don't appreciate this at all until you try LKAS. I use it far more than the cruise control (Dont have ACC). On test drives at work I have found ACC to be effective though it does use the brakes more than a person would without Acc. The dash displays are very clear and effective.

RDX-Rick

I find that my LKAS "often" lets me drift all the way to right of the lane before correcting, and then it takes me all the way to the left of the lane, before starting the cycle over.. The important thing is, it does keep me within the lines, so it's handy if I need to take my hands of the wheel briefly to open a can of pop/soda. I rarely turn it on for fear that someone following me will call the police to report an impaired driver.

The ACC is fantastic. The only improvement I could ask for is that it operate at even lower speeds. Normal cruise control cannot be used on busy roads because of the constant need to keep disengaging it. With ACC, the car slows down when traffic slows down, and the only thing I need to do is push the gas pedal when the way is clear to pass.

With no one in front of me, it keeps the speed within 1 km/hr , uphill or down. It does a really good job of maintaining speed downhill by downshifting, but on really steep hills it will use the brakes.

When catching up to slower moving car, the reduction in speed is usually so gradual that it takes a couple of minutes before I realize I'm traveling slower than I want to. If the vehicle in front hits the brakes, I find the ACC waits longer than I would myself, resulting in a more rapid deceleration. This is easily the best new feature on my vehicle.

mexicodan

I love the ACC and it works well just change the distance. However, my LKAS does not function stopped working well on left side it just runs over lanes and does not correct. Dealer tells me its working properly but not the way it was before.

neo1738

To both of you I don't think this is "working as intended" my LKAS keeps me steady in the middle without any back and forth or lane crossing.

DJ Iceman

I wonder if the LKAS works better or worse in different parts of the country where lane markings may or may not be the best. I like it overall, but do find that it gets confused on southern California freeways where sometimes pavement changes to concrete gradually across a lane, and it seems to lock into that demarcation rather than the lane lines. I also find the LDW system to be a bit finicky; sometimes it beeps at me when I'm clearly still in my lane. The funniest part is when I do take my hands off the wheel for a second or two, leaving the LKAS in charge, and the LDW system tells me I'm drifting!

As for ACC, I agree with the OP that the system is too abrupt. I don't see why the sensors and software can't be calibrated to operate more smoothly. It will often approach another vehicle, "slam" on the brakes, then leave so much space in front of my car that others cut in, causing another slam on the brakes, etc. In heavy (or heavy-ish) traffic, I just don't use it because I can do a better job myself. On long drives, where I rarely come up on other drivers, it does just fine.

Ron.s

I've had LKA and LDW in two other cars and have test driven several different 2016's with all three. My 16 GMC Denali has both and Forward Collision Alert that is almost a joke. At times I cross the centerline or would go off the shoulder before LKA corrects. At times it works better with no apparent change in conditions. The alert consists of a small Amber warning light in the DIC and only flashes the warning when it would be too late if you weren't in the process of hitting the brakes. Had hoped that for distracted situations these would come in handy but doubt it now.
None of these systems are 100% yet and they seem inconsistent. In fact Cadilac held up shipping on the new XT 5 and cancelled one safety feature from future orders. I assume this technology will continue to improve so maybe better soon. The MDX is at least average or better IMO.