[yclaire]

Our Kona braked sharply and made an alarm sound while I was moving out to pass cyclists earlier today - I don't understand why. I had indicated, I left plenty of room, there was no oncoming traffic, nothing in the road, and the cyclists were going straight ahead. I even have corroboration of all that from my husband in the passenger seat, and he is not shy to criticise my driving!
Can anyone suggest why this happened and if there's anything I should do to avoid a repeat? It was quite unnerving and although it was no problem on this occasion, if I had been cutting it fine in some way, it might have thrown me into making a dangerous mistake.
I've been driving the car for two years now and the only other time it has braked for me was when I did an emergency stop and it was quicker than me.

 

[Electra Glide in Blue]

Sometimes the collision avoidance system is over sensitive. Wobbly cyclists a case in point.

 

[GMat]

It was the forward collision alert, probably spotted the cyclist as you pulled out. Indication would cancel Lane Keep Assist but not forward collision alert. What I have found is if you have not got pressure on the go pedal the collision alert brakes hard. If you have the car under power it seems not brake.
So now you have experienced an event you will be aware next time. The way to counteract braking events for cyclists parked and turning cars is to squeeze the go pedal gently to regain control.
Hope that explains it

 

[yclaire]

Thanks, both.
I got control back after two pulses of braking, so I think I must have automatically put pressure on the go pedal, and might not have been pressing as I moved out. That makes sense.

 

[TJEV]

You can switch off AEB/FCWS in the menus. On some cars it’s just a hazard in itself.

 

[CasperStorm]

My MG ZS started the "getting ready to autobrake hard AF" process as a kid was walking along the pavement in a zig-zag.

Bikes tend to move slightly left and right as they go (moreso the slower they are going): perhaps the car noted this and thought "that idiot is about to walk in front of me".

Since there were bikes there it is probably fair that they caused the system to trigger.

If you watch thr NCAP videos of AEB you might wish not to turn it off - the Model 3 one simulating a child running out between cars is nothing short of witchcraft!

 

[idiotzoo]

I presume the Kia has much the same system. Ive only encountered this once, when a car parked in a lay-by on a bend triggered it. It must have picked up the parked car as being dead ahead, which it would have been at the time, and engaged panic mode. I can imagine it being quite unnerving when passing someone in a bike.

 

[BillTheButcher]

You can switch off AEB/FCWS in the menus. On some cars it’s just a hazard in itself.

Exactly what I did this morning. I've just got the warning enabled now.

 

[Rowley]

Same happened to me overtaking a cyclist. The car behind me nearly rear ended the Kona. After that and a few other scary moments I turned off the auto braking. The alert still sounded though. I now have a Tesla model 3 and it behaves in very much the same way. These modern safety features are good, but over sensitive at times and a great non chemical laxative . I have it turned off on the M3 too.

 

[BillTheButcher]

Exactly what I did this morning. I've just got the warning enabled now.

I checked it on the way home and it's one of those settings (like LKA) that reverts to on whenever you power cycle the car. Unlike LKA, there isn't a handy button next to the steering wheel to switch it off.

 

[gladini]

Like others I am not keen on it .

Time + place-conditions for it ...... probably are some but not sure where
I've heard it called Phantom Breaking , it does make an Andrex Moment for sure especially when the seems to be no reason for it....passengers most likely to score you down too


Based on the useful comments here I'm only going to let it be around when I have a foot on or hovering above a pedal.
Or 4am on a motorway when ACC is on and I do want anti-Deer mechanisms. (Having whalloped on in Sweden a few years ago)

 

[Gadget Geek]

My Ioniq 28kWh never had the phantom braking, and I think it might be related to the position of the radar. On the Ioniq, it is high up, behind the "H" logo. Once I'd got the Kona, I noticed it would occasionally confuse parked cars and cyclists as a hazard.

There was one occasion in the Ioniq on an unlit road at night when it braked on its own. it was only then that I saw a cyclist dressed in black, on a black bike, with no lights! So occasionally, it does have its uses.

 

[Bobdniro]

As a great many people are turning off these safety systems, it seems that they are of little, or any benefit.

The cost of these technological marvels is paid for by the purchaser and if turned off is clearly a waste of money.

I have to wonder if turning off these safety features will have a consequence on any future insurance claim should a collision occur?

 

[yclaire]

It might be that, like with self-driving cars, the occasions when it fails to perform optimally are very striking and memorable, unlike the many occasions when human beings fail to do so, which is just accepted as part of our normal experience.
I think that for me, it doing something silly once in two years is a price worth paying for maybe saving the life of that person with no lights on their bike or the child who runs out without looking. I'm afraid I do something silly much more often than that!

 

[TJEV]

It’s one of those things where the net effect is beneficial and the issues will decrease over time.

AEB won’t do sh*t against a deer on a motorway by the way - at 70mph by the time the system has processed it, it’ll be splattered over your windshield. The current physics of tyres and braking tech wouldn’t allow a dead stop before you obliterate it anyway, and if they did, the G load would turn you to liquid.

 

[Dan_Gleebitz]

When I first purchased the Kona, my car insurance dropped through the floor. I just did not believe the figure quoted and phoned numerous times to talk to other agent's to see if the price differed and that mistakes were being made by others. But no it was correct, the reason being that the car is bristling with technology that will keep the car and myself free from harm. It is the cheapest insurance I have had.
Let's face it when the Kona is all singing and dancing it is an absolute breeze to drive, whether in normal or stop start traffic. driven correctly you might need to occasionally take over the steering and press the resume switch on the steering wheel. What else is there to do except keep your hands on the steering wheel? I commute 40 miles a day on A/B roads into a city and probably 5% of that journey is input from myself.
You should be embracing the technology built into the car, not turning it off. Hyundai's are known for build quality and combine that with smart cruise, collision alert etc you have a car that will do everything for you and everything to stop you having a serious accident, especially an accident caused by your self.

 

[Signpost]

When I first purchased the Kona, my car insurance dropped through the floor. I just did not believe the figure quoted and phoned numerous times to talk to other agent's to see if the price differed and that mistakes were being made by others. But no it was correct, the reason being that the car is bristling with technology that will keep the car and myself free from harm. It is the cheapest insurance I have had.
Let's face it when the Kona is all singing and dancing it is an absolute breeze to drive, whether in normal or stop start traffic. driven correctly you might need to occasionally take over the steering and press the resume switch on the steering wheel. What else is there to do except keep your hands on the steering wheel? I commute 40 miles a day on A/B roads into a city and probably 5% of that journey is input from myself.
You should be embracing the technology built into the car, not turning it off. Hyundai's are known for build quality and combine that with smart cruise, collision alert etc you have a car that will do everything for you and everything to stop you having a serious accident, especially an accident caused by your self.

Can you share the name of the Insurance Company - thanks.

 

[gladini]

especially an accident caused by your self.

I'm driving 29mph ACC on, on an empty road bar a cyclist on my left
I pass them nicely and there's a road off of my road, to my right.
The cyclist shoulder checks as I go past, and pulls out behind me to make the right turn.
Cyclist has seen there's nothing of concern ahead of me.

Kona phantom brakes, I've not got my right foot covering the go pedal and the cyclist smacks into the boot.
Plod turns up and gets notebook out " Now sir why did you slam on the brakes just as the cyclist was behind you, that seems to be driving without due care - do you just dislike cyclists ? can you explain yourself ? "

Accident caused by me, my car, or the cyclist assuming I would not slam on the brakes ??

PS I did notice you'd said. " when the Kona is all singing dancing" and I agree some tools make long journeys easier. But I am really really am nervous about phantom braking.

PPS agree cheapo insurance ..... Kona was £20/yr more than household car2 a Fiat 500, same drivers etc.

 

[Todor]

Can we stop calling "phantom braking", any event that you subjectively disagree with the automatic response systems. Cyclist, parked car or any other obstacle is not "phantom"! The fact that you did not perceive it as an obstacle, (i.e. had a plan to go around it or whatever), doesn't mean that it wasn't there.

 

[Gadget Geek]

Can we stop calling "phantom braking", any event that you subjectively disagree with the automatic response systems. Cyclist, parked car or any other obstacle is not "phantom"! The fact that you did not perceive it as an obstacle, (i.e. had a plan to go around it or whatever), doesn't mean that it wasn't there.

Does it really matter what you call it?