I’m going to be on another planet!

[clippedwings]

Even though I’ve never actually seen a Maverick yet, I got a taste yesterday, of what it’s going to be like to drive it. Took a 150 mile drive with my wife in here brand new 2022 BMW X3 that has the same lane control and warning systems my new MAV will have. OMG! I’ve been driving since the early 60’s, but this experience was making me feel I was actually having to learn to drive all over again! In truth...I actually hated it! You approach a lane divider and this great invisible hand grabs your steering wheel and re-directs you back across the lane. The manual says you can over-ride this behavior, but the force required to do so is much greater than I would have expected. If you mindlessly try to change lanes without activating the turn signal, the big hand again steps in And swats you down. The Beemer didn’t seem to have the center lane following system - or if it had it it wasn’t set up or activated. I have actually spent some time with the massive driver’s manual. This has been my habit with every new vehicle i buy, but I have to admit that these aging eyes were unable to get through the thick tome, even with multiple sittings. By the time we had completed our trip I had adapted more, but I still had this feeling of foreboding - what have I done? I just purchased a vehicle that insists on driving itself, and if I violate even a minor rule, it quickly puts me into place. This is not the world I grew up in! There is so much complexity in this vehicle that I had to admit to myself that even if this were my vehicle, anal me would never learn how to control it all, or even remember what I took the effort to learn, if I didn’t use it often enough. I suppose the overall most stunning realization I had after operating this vehicle was that the relatively simple process of driving a vehicle and getting from point A to point B was now immensely complicated by endless constant distractions of the vehicle itself! And I would say that the locus of all this complexity is located in the gigantic touch screen head unit that dominates the cockpit. And speaking of cockpits...I was a private pilot for 30 years, and no aircraft, factory-built or experimental - had anywhere near the complexity of this BMW. The challenge of knowing and operating this vehicle is so immense that I actually have fears about the safety of my complexity-challenged spouse in operating it. I know I will learn to adapt to this new world, and as an elderly driver I’m sure it will occasionally save my visually-challenged bacon now and then. But I find myself fantasizing about driving my old Jeep Comanche with it’s big old straight six and stick shift. All it could do was get from point A to point B.

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[BARTMAVERICK]

I have been a licensed driver since 1962 and I too find these new vehicles with all these intrusive safety features annoying. I will be turning mine off if possible. If people would pay attention to what they are doing while driving and not be looking at their phones etc. these features wouldn't be necessary IMO.

 

[Spook]

Even though I’ve never actually seen a Maverick yet, I got a taste yesterday, of what it’s going to be like to drive it. Took a 150 mile drive with my wife in here brand new 2022 BMW X3 that has the same lane control and warning systems my new MAV will have. OMG! I’ve been driving since the early 60’s, but this experience was making me feel I was actually having to learn to drive all over again! In truth...I actually hated it! You approach a lane divider and this great invisible hand grabs your steering wheel and re-directs you back across the lane. The manual says you can over-ride this behavior, but the force required to do so is much greater than I would have expected. If you mindlessly try to change lanes without activating the turn signal, the big hand again steps in And swats you down. The Beemer didn’t seem to have the center lane following system - or if it had it it wasn’t set up or activated. I have actually spent some time with the massive driver’s manual. This has been my habit with every new vehicle i buy, but I have to admit that these aging eyes were unable to get through the thick tome, even with multiple sittings. By the time we had completed our trip I had adapted more, but I still had this feeling of foreboding - what have I done? I just purchased a vehicle that insists on driving itself, and if I violate even a minor rule, it quickly puts me into place. This is not the world I grew up in! There is so much complexity in this vehicle that I had to admit to myself that even if this were my vehicle, anal me would never learn how to control it all, or even remember what I took the effort to learn, if I didn’t use it often enough. I suppose the overall most stunning realization I had after operating this vehicle was that the relatively simple process of driving a vehicle and getting from point A to point B was now immensely complicated by endless constant distractions of the vehicle itself! And I would say that the locus of all this complexity is located in the gigantic touch screen head unit that dominates the cockpit. And speaking of cockpits...I was a private pilot for 30 years, and no aircraft, factory-built or experimental - had anywhere near the complexity of this BMW. The challenge of knowing and operating this vehicle is so immense that I actually have fears about the safety of my complexity-challenged spouse in operating it. I know I will learn to adapt to this new world, and as an elderly driver I’m sure it will occasionally save my visually-challenged bacon now and then. But I find myself fantasizing about driving my old Jeep Comanche with it’s big old straight six and stick shift. All it could do was get from point A to point B.

I am in the same age group as both of you above me. I have a car with these features and experienced the same thing the first time I had it out. When I got home, I got the owners manual and figured out how to turn those features off. I don't have that problem anymore. Yeah, it takes a little effort but is worth it in the long run. I am a technical person and build my own computers but don't care to have a vehicle think for me.

 

[SaltedSlug]

For the past 17 years my job has involved driving new and used cars everyday.

At 36 I'm much younger than you guys and I still don't like these driver assist features. This is why I did not get copilot 360 when I ordered my Maverick XLT.

The only things I find useful are blind spot monitoring, reverse cameras, and adaptive cruise control. I can't even get adaptive cruise on the XLT so that's out.

 

[jtpc2021]

Even though I’ve never actually seen a Maverick yet, I got a taste yesterday, of what it’s going to be like to drive it. Took a 150 mile drive with my wife in here brand new 2022 BMW X3 that has the same lane control and warning systems my new MAV will have. OMG! I’ve been driving since the early 60’s, but this experience was making me feel I was actually having to learn to drive all over again! In truth...I actually hated it! You approach a lane divider and this great invisible hand grabs your steering wheel and re-directs you back across the lane. The manual says you can over-ride this behavior, but the force required to do so is much greater than I would have expected. If you mindlessly try to change lanes without activating the turn signal, the big hand again steps in And swats you down. The Beemer didn’t seem to have the center lane following system - or if it had it it wasn’t set up or activated. I have actually spent some time with the massive driver’s manual. This has been my habit with every new vehicle i buy, but I have to admit that these aging eyes were unable to get through the thick tome, even with multiple sittings. By the time we had completed our trip I had adapted more, but I still had this feeling of foreboding - what have I done? I just purchased a vehicle that insists on driving itself, and if I violate even a minor rule, it quickly puts me into place. This is not the world I grew up in! There is so much complexity in this vehicle that I had to admit to myself that even if this were my vehicle, anal me would never learn how to control it all, or even remember what I took the effort to learn, if I didn’t use it often enough. I suppose the overall most stunning realization I had after operating this vehicle was that the relatively simple process of driving a vehicle and getting from point A to point B was now immensely complicated by endless constant distractions of the vehicle itself! And I would say that the locus of all this complexity is located in the gigantic touch screen head unit that dominates the cockpit. And speaking of cockpits...I was a private pilot for 30 years, and no aircraft, factory-built or experimental - had anywhere near the complexity of this BMW. The challenge of knowing and operating this vehicle is so immense that I actually have fears about the safety of my complexity-challenged spouse in operating it. I know I will learn to adapt to this new world, and as an elderly driver I’m sure it will occasionally save my visually-challenged bacon now and then. But I find myself fantasizing about driving my old Jeep Comanche with it’s big old straight six and stick shift. All it could do was get from point A to point B.

You can usually disable lane keep assist.
If you didn’t order the Luxury package on your lariat, it won’t come with adaptive cruise.
You could order a base model manual Jeep Wrangler if you want something more old-school.

 

[Falcon first]

We have a 2020 X3 which I ordered and we didn’t want all the electronic nanies. Ours just has the standard electronic emergency braking. Grew up in the 50’s and 60’s when cars didn’t even have seats belts. Your best defense was a big car and we had a 1960 Buick Electra 225 which was like an aircraft carrier.

 

[clippedwings]

Electronic Nannies
love that!
yeah, I’m a techie too. Started computer gaming and building my own from the first PC’s and now have to fend off wise cracks about doing multiplayer gaming at 75. Have had a host of complicated hobby pursuits over the years. Being old doesn’t mean you can’t get with the times. But there’s something ominous about a vehicle that seems to think it needs to save me from myself. But once more, I’m going to step up and try to adapt. My Lariat will have everything except 4K towing. As mentioned, I’m probably going to be searching for all the “off” buttons as soon as I start driving it! Don’t want to be short-sighted though. Maybe I’ll be thankful for all the nannies in the next five years, as my own equipment diminishes.

 

[Platinum2]

I have been a licensed driver since 1962 and I too find these new vehicles with all these intrusive safety features annoying. I will be turning mine off if possible. If people would pay attention to what they are doing while driving and not be looking at their phones etc. these features wouldn't be necessary IMO.

And to think folks actually order this stuff!

 

[Platinum2]

You can usually disable lane keep assist.
If you didn’t order the Luxury package on your lariat, it won’t come with adaptive cruise.
You could order a base model manual Jeep Wrangler if you want something more old-school.

Or just order an XL!

 

[Snax]

That's why I bought an XL. I actually like driving my own car, using hands, feet, and eyes.

 

[Scupking]

That’s why I didn’t order mine with 360. Looked up what people thought about it and seems most cant stand it and turn it off.

 

[frrocketdan]

Took a 150 mile drive with my wife in here brand new 2022 BMW X3

If you mindlessly try to change lanes without activating the turn signal, the big hand again steps in And swats you down.

BMW Driver stereotypes confirmed

 

[Packer Bill]

I am in my 60's and actually love the safety gadgets on the Maverik! I have them on our 2019 Mazda CX-5 and found them useful. I just wish the Maverick had a heads up display like my Mazda.

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