Is my lane assist not working

[ExpyG]

Went to test-drive a 2021 XLT MAX today and the dealer let me take it home for an "extended test drive". Very nice of them. On the way home I noticed that I can cross over to the next lane on the highway and the car gives me no feedback. No audible signal, no tactile feedback through the steering wheel, nothing.

I then found a gently turning stretch of highway with no cars around me and let my hands off the steering wheel. The car just continued going straight, even though the road was turning and the lane markings were in very good shape.

I know that there is a button to turn lane assist on and off. I pressed it a couple of times and the display said "lane assist on" before I tried all of the above.

Is there some other setting I need to turn on? Or am I just misunderstanding lane assist? What is it supposed to do?

Thank you so much
George

 

[Janky]

You should feel something, IMO. In my 2018 Platy, when Lane assist is on, there are 2 small green bars on the dash simulating the lane edges. When it kicks in, one will go red. If it can't find the edge, one side will disappear.

However, I will add that in playing with it, I'm really not impressed. If on the highway I simply veer slowly over, I get no feedback other than visual. The only time I notice a steering aid, is when veering off in a turn. One place I notice it is highway onramps. It's like it's trying to predict I'm not turning at the right angle and it slightly increases the turn for me.

I suspect it's working as designed for my model and Ford kept the assistance minimal to reduce their legal exposure.

 

[5280tunage]

If I remember correctly, it has several settings. You can control whether it does nothing, whether it just notifies, or whether it actually controls the lane departure. But for the OP, it's also not an automated steering setup, meaning while it will control lane drift, it won't completely steer for you if the road turns in front of you. I turn mine off for the most part. But the settings are in the dash advanced settings I believe.

 

[ExpyG]

Thank you, Janky and Tunage. I found the menu and switched it to "alert + aid". I will look for the green bars on the dash as I drive it back to the dealer tomorrow.

 

[NyackRob79]

It’s LDW (lane departure warning). It’s not the same thing as lane keeping/centering. The LDW is a primitive first generation system that relies on good visibility and clear lane markings to work.

we have lane keeping in our Volvo and it flat-out keeps you in your lane, actively. I can even take my hands off the wheel for up to 15 seconds before a warning goes off.

The 2022 Expy is supposed to offer an option that works the same way. Same for 2022 Navi - in order to compete with Eacalade’s super cruise.

 

[Plati]

I rented a new Expy with that feature when I went to Sarasota in October 2019. Did not know about it at all and it kept kicking in and vibrating the wheel or whatever was vibrating. Thought the darn thing was busted and almost took it back in for a replacement. I did not find it useful at all but maybe I never got used to it. The other feature that was driving me nuts was the mirrors folding back and Expy unlocking when I was near the door. I think I yelled at the mirrors once telling them to knock that off. When travelling I'm accustomed to making sure the door is locked before I walk away from the vehicle. Kind of impossible when it auto unlocks, especially if you aren't familiar with the feature. Did not like the dang thing shutting off at red light but got used to that. What a pain, you rent a car and you have to study the owners manual just to be able to operate it for a week on vacation. Glad I got that off my chest.

 

[RussD89]

Thanks for the rant, MrSticker. Entertainment at it's finest.

Gordon, the 21 expy (don't know about the 18-20) has both the Lane departure warning and the Lane Keep Assist, though I think they're part of a package and not standard on every single trim. You can turn both on, or just the warning, or both off.

 

[wakeboarder]

Another note, you have to go over 40 or 45 mph before it will activate.

 

[5280tunage]

My '19 has both warning and aid, just need to turn it on but I wasn't really into it.

 

[ExpyG]

Reporting back. I switched it from the default "alert" to "altert + assist". Also changed alert level from the default to the maximum. Now I can feel the steering wheel vibrate a little bit as I cross the lane markings. The alert is barely perceptible even on the maximum level, but it is there. It will also try to do a little bit of steering correction. There is much less correction than on my Honda Pilot. This is on a 2021 XLT MAX 4x4 with 202A. I think lane assist is part of the COPILOT360.