Mercedes to axe SBC brake-by-wire tech

[Lights_Out]

Mercedes-Benz is to stop fitting its Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC) electronic brake-by-wire technology in the CLS and E-Class ranges next year, reverting to a conventional hydraulic system.

SBC will remain in the SL, SLR and CL-Class ranges, where it has already undergone substantial modifications. The news follows extensive recalls - 100,000 cars in the UK alone and two million worldwide - and negative feedback from customers. The recalls will not have helped the public's perception of the technology.

A Mercedes insider told whatcar.com: "SBC is as good as our other braking systems, and sometimes better, but we cannot get the doubts out of customers' heads."

Source: 4car

I wonder how long their new crash-avoidance technology will last on the market as well. It's currently available on the new S-class, and it didn't do so well in a demonstration that took place a couple of weeks ago (had a thread going on about it). The results were funny as hell.

I'm not a fan of either their "brake by wire" or "crash-avoidance" features. Maybe they should build conventional luxury cars. It's stuff like this that fail, give people a false sense of security, and it pulls down their already poor reliability/quality ratings.

[noopie]

I think that advances in car tech/whatever tech should always be pursued... sometimes it doesn't work great... but I think research and innovation is something the car & every industry needs. Sometimes it will lead to failure, but its for the goal of progress... so keep doing it

[Hprelude92]

Originally Posted by noopie

I think that advances in car tech/whatever tech should always be pursued... sometimes it doesn't work great... but I think research and innovation is something the car & every industry needs. Sometimes it will lead to failure, but its for the goal of progress... so keep doing it

well put...but in case of MB, they should thoughfully(sp??) test it before putting it into production...the demonstration of their crash-avoidance tech failed badly...

[Lights_Out]

Originally Posted by noopie

I think that advances in car tech/whatever tech should always be pursued... sometimes it doesn't work great... but I think research and innovation is something the car & every industry needs. Sometimes it will lead to failure, but its for the goal of progress... so keep doing it

Yeah, but when you're reliability/quality rating is rock bottom, innovative new tech and parts won't help. If anything, they'll worsen. I think they've got other serious issues on hand that they need to address first.

[hobie237]

It wasnt "high tech" it was "why tech"

Totally unnecessary, and worse than worthless since it gives people a false sense of security. Glad to see it go.

[DDR2]

Originally Posted by hobie237

It wasnt "high tech" it was "why tech"

Totally unnecessary, and worse than worthless since it gives people a false sense of security. Glad to see it go.

how often do you use your vanity mirror or your tilt steering wheel or your center armrest? how bout this, how many people thought variable valve timing was necessary? it's not really but it has sure become popular hasn't it? i'm sure years before some had thought these "luxuries" were totally unnecessary.

while i agree it gives a false sense of security at this day and age but this technology is new and it'll just take time for it to be applied and perfected, just like it has with the use of airbags. the true test doesn't exist in labs or expensive research facilities, they happen on the road and unfortunately at the expense of innocent consumers sometimes. just another way to look at things.

i agree for the most part, mercedes needs to focus on improving their bad reputation for unreliability

[hobie237]

Originally Posted by DDR2

how often do you use your vanity mirror or your tilt steering wheel or your center armrest? how bout this, how many people thought variable valve timing was necessary? it's not really but it has sure become popular hasn't it? i'm sure years before some had thought these "luxuries" were totally unnecessary.

while i agree it gives a false sense of security at this day and age but this technology is new and it'll just take time for it to be applied and perfected, just like it has with the use of airbags. the true test doesn't exist in labs or expensive research facilities, they happen on the road and unfortunately at the expense of innocent consumers sometimes. just another way to look at things.

i agree for the most part, mercedes needs to focus on improving their bad reputation for unreliability

I dont have a vanity mirror (removed visors) or a tilt steering wheel, but I do use the center armrest. Dont have VVT but it's a good idea. My airbag is getting removed when I put in my new steering wheel.

I can see how systems like this would be great for the average a-to-b driver who doesnt pay attention. I almost got hit by 4 people coming into my lane this past weekedn because they didnt see me. Wish they had it.

But for me, who pays attention, I dont want any of this crap on my car.

[Hprelude92]

Originally Posted by hobie237

I dont have a vanity mirror (removed visors) or a tilt steering wheel, but I do use the center armrest. Dont have VVT but it's a good idea. My airbag is getting removed when I put in my new steering wheel.

I can see how systems like this would be great for the average a-to-b driver who doesnt pay attention. I almost got hit by 4 people coming into my lane this past weekedn because they didnt see me. Wish they had it.

But for me, who pays attention, I dont want any of this crap on my car.

a little OT but it happened to me...worse part, i tried to pull ahead so that fool could have some space to finish his lane change; yet, he started tailgating me for a good couple miles...i was so pissed already, plus that f******* retard, i braked hard from 80mph to 40mph, and i saw that fool slid as he braked to avoid rearending me...i mean, wtf, pay some attention that accidents wouldn't happen...and you don't have a need to those hi-tech assistance...

[dodolaje]

hi tech = for ppl who dont know how to drive.

[theflipimage]

at what point is driving driving anymore?
yes, it is good to keep advancing the art of the automobile, but the #1 priority should be to drive the car in the first place...

when you get so lazy to the point that you want the car to drive itself, why are you driving the car anyway? take the train, take the plane, take a cab, have someone drive you, or walk even...

it's bad enough that this kind of tech is being persued, but to avail this tech to moronic, greedy, selfish, arrogant, ignorant american drivers?
what is the world coming to?

[White98LS]

Originally Posted by hobie237

It wasnt "high tech" it was "why tech"

Totally unnecessary, and worse than worthless since it gives people a false sense of security. Glad to see it go.

Exactly my thoughts.

One thing that I actually agreed with in driver's ed is the concept that no accidents should happen if drivers are responsible and properly skilled. Not following as closely, paying better attention, or driving to the conditions can eliminate nearly all crashes - it's not the road's or the car's fault, it's the driver's. This crash avoidance stuff just gives drivers one less reason to pay attention to the road. Sure, airbags protect you if someone hits you (or pulls out and you can't avoid hitting them) and ABS helps you avoid an accident - that is good safety tech. This just puts on the brakes when you're too stupid/distracted to do so yourself, as the driver. That is pointless.

[bojacks]

Originally Posted by White98LS

Exactly my thoughts.

One thing that I actually agreed with in driver's ed is the concept that no accidents should happen if drivers are responsible and properly skilled. Not following as closely, paying better attention, or driving to the conditions can eliminate nearly all crashes - it's not the road's or the car's fault, it's the driver's. This crash avoidance stuff just gives drivers one less reason to pay attention to the road. Sure, airbags protect you if someone hits you (or pulls out and you can't avoid hitting them) and ABS helps you avoid an accident - that is good safety tech. This just puts on the brakes when you're too stupid/distracted to do so yourself, as the driver. That is pointless.

AND you deserve to crash your 120,000 car into the piece of shit in front of you. I'm so glad that safty experiment went wrong because it gives people a slap in the face to wake the fuck up. in a CONTROLLED environment it failed, you gonna trust it now in the real world?

if your too damn distracted all the time to pay attention to the road, DON"T fucken drive, if you can afford a 120,000 car you can afford a limo everyday to pick your ass up and drop you off.

it works out to about 460 bucks a day (buisness days) to for one year. that'll for damn sure pay for a taxi to work and back.

[theflipimage]

i was just thinking and wondering how this idea might pan out were it to become a reality...

imagine where any person at fault for causing an accident (specifically one that ties up/delays rush hour traffic) is severely fined, regardless the circumstance (stupidity, drunk, sober, ignorance, selfishness, lack of attention, etc.)

then...
to make things even better...
anyone caught rubber necking or even glancing in the direction of an accident and causing the slowing down the flow of traffic is severely fined as well!

major cities will severely add revenue and cut down a lot of headaches on the road...
and it would make people focus on DRIVING!

honest thoughts on this would be welcome.

[hobie237]

That would not work. Fining heavily for causing an accident is a good idea, but fining for rubbernecking would just give cops another excuse to pull you over, and they have more than enough excuses already.

Better drivers ed programs, higher fines for stupidity.

[theflipimage]

ha ha ha...

but the states would absolutely LOVE all that extra money, right?