Rick's Free Auto Repair Advice

Lane keep assist

What is lane keep assist and how does it work

Lane keep assist is GM’s latest active safety feature. The system uses a camera, radar and sensor to help you avoid a collision or at least reduce its impact if you do have one.

Here’s how lane keep assist works

Lane keep assist only works when turned on and the vehicle is traveling at speeds starting at 37MPH. In addition, the device must be able to clearly see lane markings. By “clearly,” GM means that the lane marker width must meet their pre-set criteria. The device detects lane markings with a camera module that communicates digital data with the instrument cluster, radio and memory seat module. When the system detects clearly marked lane markings it lights a green indicator on the instrument cluster to indicate the unit is “ready to assist.” If you’re driving in snow or rain or the camera lens is dirty, the system will not light the green light.

When you’re driving and approaching a lane marking, the system checks to see if you’ve activated a turn signal to indicate you want the vehicle to move in that direction, and it checks the electronic power steering to see if you’ve input a turn in that direction. The system also checks for any lateral vehicle offset through output from the yaw sensor and steering angle and torque sensor. If not, the electronic power steering will initiate a gentle and momentary correction to guide the vehicle back on course. At the same time the system lights and amber light on the instrument cluster to inform the driver that it’s issued a correction. But lane keep assistance does NOT make these corrections continuously. The steering pushback you feel is considered the first stage of warning or intervention. At this stage in the process, the system does NOT provide a haptic (vibration) or chime warning.

If the vehicle continue in a path towards the lane marking the system issues a lane departure warning to alert the driver. Depending on the vehicle, the warning can be a seat vibration that takes place on the side of the seat where the lane departure is occurring, plus, it will flash the amber light on the dash. On other vehicles the warning may in the form of a chime through the radio.

©, 2016 Rick Muscoplat

 

Posted on by Rick Muscoplat



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