An Acura data sheet specifies that CMBS is provided only on TLX-Advanced. Is this correct? On my V6-Tech I "think" I experienced something similar: once when approaching the car in front a bit too close (so the system thought), a warning "BRAKE" appeared on the info screen --- don't recall what else. Was this CMBS system... or something else? Again... I have a Tech, not Advanced!

 

The Tech package has Forward Collision Warning (FCW) - which will warn you that you're about to hit something with a large "BRAKE" appearing on the MID and some beeping but will not hit the brakes for you.

The Advance package has Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) which will actually hit the brakes for you if it thinks you're about to hit something.

So what you experienced is the FCW going off.

 

damn, that would annoy the shit out of me!

can you turn it off?

 

nhester: If you have only seen it once, then you are a very careful and safe driver. Congratulations, and keep that good driving style!

 

Of course. It's under Driver Assist Setup.

 

Yeah you can turn either off. In my wife's MDX Tech, the FCW goes off sometimes when nothing is in front of you - its like it gets confused. Hopefully that never happens with the CMBS and hits the brakes on you when there is no reason to.

 

I've had two false positives with my FCW - once on a sweeping on-ramp and once while merging into traffic.

 

My CMBS on my MDX can alert about 5% of the time on low bridges, sweeping curves with a vehicle in front of me, switch back roads in mountains, and for no reason out of the blue. It has never applied the brakes during the false positives (so far), only actual potential collisions.

The good far out weigh the bad with this system.

 

The CMBS hasn't falsed in any of my drives with my wife's MDX, but we've only had it for 2 months.

The brake warning lamp can be turned off, and it can also be adjusted for an early, mid, and late warning depending on what you want.

I have it set to early for my wife, and I frequently see it when cutting through traffic. When going from a slow moving lane to a faster moving one, the car correctly detects that I am approaching the car in front of me too quickly, not realizing that I am about to move to the next lane over.

 

CMBS + ACC in city traffic... you. will. die.

 

I had to turn off this feature the day I bought my car, it was driving me nuts! I really don't need to have my car tell me how close the car in front of me is, I'm usually looking out the front window as I drive.

 

I do not drive on the bumper of the car ahead, and I can live with the occasional times when it beeps at me for being too close compared to an incident when I may have been distracted. If that happens once in 4 years and prevents a collision then it was worth it.

The reaction times of computers is supposed to be way faster than humans but the conservative nature of ACC is nowhere close in city traffic, but it should be. Maybe the next generation.

 

It would be off all the time for me.

 

it's on the advance package only

 

On my car, I'll set it for the shortest distance possible. If its still annoying, I'd have to debate turning it off.

I'm with Quandry. If it saves me once, then it was worth it.

The smart cruise on the MDX in traffic is too jerky. It brakes, and accelerates too abruptly making your head bob back, and forth. Interesting tech, but not sure when I would use it.

 

AAC is great for highway cruising with minimal traffic, and set to one of the two longest settings. For light traffic on roads with moderate to long distances between traffic lights then ACC set to one of the two shortest settings is useful. It should not be used if you are in a hurry or need to feel G forces as you control acceleration or braking.

 

Can it really grind the car to a halt automatically (3rd level) from 25 MPH?

My 2015 Touring model just paid for itself (CMBS related story).

 

I am not volunteering to try, but it will reduce the impact if it was not able to stop in time. Road and tire conditions will be a factor. Maybe I should increase the distance setting for winter conditions.

 

Surprised (found out this morning) that in Australia, CMBS has been offered since 2013 on the Honda Accord. The safety package it comes with is called ADAS.

 

You aren't going to find many takers to test it out at that speed.

I did trigger the braking the other day while demonstrating the parking sensors. I pulled behind my cousins parked car quicker than the TLX liked.

There was a buzzing/grinding type noise, and the car braked even though my foot was on the pedal already.

 

I've had CMBS trigger (erroneously) a couple of times while going about 35 MPH and another time around 50 mph. Luckily nobody was behind me. lol.

 

What I like about using ACC/CMBS is the system already places a safe distance range of low/med/long between your vehicle before you need it. It give me more time to make decisions before the systems needs to kick in compared to most car intervals of 1/2 - 2 lengths I see most drivers use.

I don't get much use when driving in my home city because I'm so familiar with the local driving habits. It really comes in handy when driving out of town/state. I got a of use from the system in Houston and LA.