What make and model has this backup issue?
My '17 Audi Q7 has done this a few times backing in the garage if I come in a little hot on first approach (2-3mph maybe). Wifes '18 Nissan Rogue, and my old '15 GMC Sierra have also done it once or twice as well. I think it's a function of speed and proximity to "stuff". Best guess is they are calculating time or distance to impact and then comparing to user inputs to determine an intervention is needed. Purely conjecture on my part, but seems plausible considering more "aggressive" driving results in more correctional output from the system.
Just this morning on my way in, I had the active cruise set at 75 coming through downtown Louisville on I-64E. As I rounded the left hand corner going under the 9th street exit overpass, the car suddenly decided that the semi in the center lane (I was in the left with nobody in front of me) was to be detected as a car in my lane. He was going a good 10-15mph slower than I was. Car applied heavy brakes, somewhat without warning or reason. I was able to override the system with the throttle pedal to maintain speed, but the guy following me probably didn't appreciate the unwarranted brake application.........I'm acutely aware of my position within traffic, how my actions affect other drivers in terms of visibility and traffic flow, and how they might react to me as well. Consistency, trust, and communication are key to keeping everyone safe. Obviously some drivers do this more than others, but it's the base I try to work from.
It's things like this morning, or my experiences above, that give me pause with these sort of safety and autonomous driving technologies. You're relinquishing the decision making of a real-time situation to that which the manufacturer has already decided. Whatever algorithm they used, whatever safety protocols they setup as standard is how the car will act upon the inputs given. The ability to make real-time decisions (as infrequent as they may be) is significantly hindered unless they are practiced regularly. That practice is hard to due since you have to be in a dangerous position to get them to activate. Take my left turn stop scenario above, say I was in a position to make a choice to be rear ended, or turn through traffic in a tighter opening than Audi would have liked. If Audi made the decision for me to stop, without knowing there is an imminent rear end collision coming, how do we reconcile that?......Sure these are hypotheticals, but when operating a 2.5ton machine, at speed, with other humans doing the same around you, it's important to know how it will react.
This leads me to education. Someone above mentioned driver training, and I 100% agree with that. I would recommend as much seat time as you can get the young driver before you send them out alone. Things like high performance driving schools, local Autocross events, and even as weird as it sounds a Motorcycle Safety Foundation endorsed class are great experiences. That will pay dividends for years. Not just learning the rules, but learning the FEEL of the machine under both controlled and out of control situations. Learning the methods to keep you and your vehicle in safe positions around traffic, actively avoiding blind spots, actively watching drivers heads and eyes, constant escape route planning, and a myriad of other methodologies to employ while behind the wheel. Much like sports, the best defense is a good offense. Protecting your space, and predicting the next move will keep the initial need for a safety system of interfering from happening at all.
I'll leave my soapbox about distracted driving at the door on this one, it's mostly likely an obvious rant for this particular crowd
