Is It Like Autonomous Driving? Trying Out Porsche Panamera’s Traffic Jam Assist!

The Only Drawback…?

The drawback my husband noticed is that the system “tends to drive quite far to the right.” Sometimes it even makes a “groan” sound when it runs over the white line because it’s so far right (laughs). Since it follows the car ahead using a camera, if the car in front drives to the right, the Panamera will also shift right. Here’s what it looks like:

Definitely quite far right (laughs).

Still, since you don’t have to operate the steering yourself during traffic jams, it’s definitely easier. This feature is optional, but there are two options: “Adaptive Cruise Control” and “Adaptive Cruise Control with Traffic Jam Assist.” If you want this feature, choose the latter when selecting options.

Driving Is the Driver’s Responsibility

That said, no matter how convenient it is, the Panamera manual states:

Traffic Jam Assist makes driving much more comfortable, but please avoid reckless driving. It is the driver’s responsibility to stay within lanes and always correctly assess traffic conditions. Always keep your hands on the steering wheel, ready to steer at any moment.
Also, never use Traffic Jam Assist in the following situations:
‒ When the driver needs to pay more than normal attention.
‒ Bad weather such as snow or heavy rain.
‒ Off-road or unpaved roads. Traffic Jam Assist is designed for paved roads.
‒ Urban areas or road construction zones.
‒ Narrow lanes.
‒ Unstable traffic situations such as junctions or toll booths.

That makes sense. Even though it feels like autonomous driving, I want to always remember that the driver is responsible and stay focused on safe driving.

Page: 1 2

Share
Published by