The LDW system will be offered first on the 2005 FX crossover sport utility vehicle and the next generation M45 performance luxury sedan, which is scheduled to go on sale in spring 2005 as a 2006 model.
The system is temporarily disabled when you flip on the turn signals, and has a manual cancel switch, which allows you to turn the system off whenever desired. The system automatically resets when the vehicle is restarted.
How It Works
The LDW camera is mounted behind the rearview mirror, where it tracks lane markings. The markings and vehicle speed are sent to the system’s microprocessing unit, which combines the information to calculate the distance between the vehicle and the lane marking and the vehicle's lateral velocity to the marking. The sytem uses the information to make a judgement as to whether the vehicle is moving out of the lane.
If it appears that the vehicle is leaving the lane, the warning signals come on to alert the driver to take corrective action. The system will not operate if the camera can’t detect the lane markers or if the vehicle’s speed is below 45 miles per hour.
A significant percentage of fatal accidents in the U.S. are caused by lane departure, usually from driver distraction, inattention or drowsiness. The new system will kick in if you drive out of the lane when handling tasks like adjusting your audio system, searching for items inside the car, or when you're involved in a cell phone conversation and not watching the road as closely as you should.
The LDW system isn't a replacement for responsible driving, but could be a useful safety feature.
