New side airbag design allows a heated back on the passenger side. That's a nice unexpected upgrade.
I'm still not sold on Lane Watch. The Blind Spot Monitoring available on other cars IMO offers better functionality. Not only do they offer left and right monitoring but the competition is also offering "cross traffic alert" that detects obstacles as you're backing up. The other systems will give an audible warning and flashing light to get your attention.
Lane Watch is half ass'd by comparison. From everything I've seen, it doesn't offer audible alerts. You have to watch the screen and judge the blind spot by the lines on the screen. Properly adjusted mirrors totally negate the need for Lane Watch. The driver side "wide view" mirror on the passenger side would have been a better solution short of having a radar based system.
I like the idea of the camera but I think it should outright replace the mirror housing on both sides. That would be a total cost savings if you think about how complex mirrors are now: heated, dimming, puddles lights, turn signals, power . . . Bonus would be less wind noise and one less appendage damaged in an accident.
Trip wrote: New side airbag design allows a heated back on the passenger side. That's a nice unexpected upgrade.
I'm still not sold on Lane Watch. The Blind Spot Monitoring available on other cars IMO offers better functionality. Not only do they offer left and right monitoring but the competition is also offering "cross traffic alert" that detects obstacles as you're backing up. The other systems will give an audible warning and flashing light to get your attention.
Lane Watch is half ass'd by comparison. From everything I've seen, it doesn't offer audible alerts. You have to watch the screen and judge the blind spot by the lines on the screen. Properly adjusted mirrors totally negate the need for Lane Watch. The driver side "wide view" mirror on the passenger side would have been a better solution short of having a radar based system.
I like the idea of the camera but I think it should outright replace the mirror housing on both sides. That would be a total cost savings if you think about how complex mirrors are now: heated, dimming, puddles lights, turn signals, power . . . Bonus would be less wind noise and one less appendage damaged in an accident.
Having driven and tried LaneWatch, I would say it's the best new piece of technology out there. I am trying really hard to justify buying a new Honda just so I can get the LaneWatch. I do agree with you, however, that the cross-traffic warning when backing would be nice and is missing.
at 7:24, there are extra knob for the touch screen audio system...is this prototype version? is that to much redundancies is the reason why the right knob was deleted for the production vehicle? i think this should be the answer for awkward look audio system with single left knob...it's actually design for double knob.
General low production values but some good info. Production quality should echo the newness of the car and be right for the times. "Thrust" and liberal use of the word "navi" sounds awkward. A valuable feature should not be nicknamed. "Accord" and a proper noun? Ugh.
I've noticed for a few years now that Honda has been mimicking some of the graphics and fonts treatments we've been using here at the TOV for the last 10 years or more. The most notable is the use of the Univers font (Swiss/International Style) in particular in all caps. There have been some times where the images and graphics created here have been misinterpreted as "official" because Honda has adopted quite a few of our design artifacts and treatments.
Trip wrote: New side airbag design allows a heated back on the passenger side. That's a nice unexpected upgrade.
I'm still not sold on Lane Watch. The Blind Spot Monitoring available on other cars IMO offers better functionality. Not only do they offer left and right monitoring but the competition is also offering "cross traffic alert" that detects obstacles as you're backing up. The other systems will give an audible warning and flashing light to get your attention.
Lane Watch is half ass'd by comparison. From everything I've seen, it doesn't offer audible alerts. You have to watch the screen and judge the blind spot by the lines on the screen. Properly adjusted mirrors totally negate the need for Lane Watch. The driver side "wide view" mirror on the passenger side would have been a better solution short of having a radar based system.
I like the idea of the camera but I think it should outright replace the mirror housing on both sides. That would be a total cost savings if you think about how complex mirrors are now: heated, dimming, puddles lights, turn signals, power . . . Bonus would be less wind noise and one less appendage damaged in an accident.
Honestly I find those blind spot warning idiot lights mostly useless and not at all confidence inspiring. There is nothing half-assed about Lane Watch - it is vastly superior to those idiot light systems. After just driving the Accord for around an hour, I felt exposed when I jumped in the competitors and even the trim levels of Accord that had no lane watch. One car that I also drove that BADLY needs lane watch is the CR-Z. My god I almost forgot how terrible the visibility is in that car. It was particularly highlighted after putting so many miles on the 2013 Accord, which has a Honda-like best in class visibility.
My next vehicle will definitely have Lane Watch - it's now on my requirements list. I wish I could gift it to my dad. He is almost completely oblivious to blind spots.
As for the "cross traffic" alert feature - that's nice but the backup camera achieves much the same function with its wide view mode.
Honestly I find those blind spot warning idiot lights mostly useless and not at all confidence inspiring. There is nothing half-assed about Lane Watch - it is vastly superior to those idiot light systems. After just driving the Accord for around an hour, I felt exposed when I jumped in the competitors and even the trim levels of Accord that had no lane watch. One car that I also drove that BADLY needs lane watch is the CR-Z. My god I almost forgot how terrible the visibility is in that car. It was particularly highlighted after putting so many miles on the 2013 Accord, which has a Honda-like best in class visibility.
My next vehicle will definitely have Lane Watch - it's now on my requirements list. I wish I could gift it to my dad. He is almost completely oblivious to blind spots.
As for the "cross traffic" alert feature - that's nice but the backup camera achieves much the same function with its wide view mode.
I totally agree with you. I used to be so exited about the blind spot monitoring system until I drove an Citroen equiped with them in Europe. On that car the indicator was build into the mirror itself, but I still found out that you had to concentrate a bit to figure out when they were lighting up, and then still have to turn my head to see exactly what I was being warned about.
I like the idea of the camera since you just have to lower your eyes a bit to see. Sure at first you will have to concentrate to see on which line the other car is, but after some use this sould become second nature.
I do which Honda was providing this on both sides of the car...
And I won't disagree with anyone saying that properly set mirrors should pretty much remove any blind spots, specially in a car like the accord which provides great visibily. But many people don't set them up properly so this feature will help.
I have a 12 Ody EX-L (with the regular camera- no wide view mode), and to be honest if you back up carefully, you can pretty much see any car coming your way before it becomes a problem.
Trip wrote: New side airbag design allows a heated back on the passenger side. That's a nice unexpected upgrade.
I'm still not sold on Lane Watch. The Blind Spot Monitoring available on other cars IMO offers better functionality. Not only do they offer left and right monitoring but the competition is also offering "cross traffic alert" that detects obstacles as you're backing up. The other systems will give an audible warning and flashing light to get your attention.
Lane Watch is half ass'd by comparison. From everything I've seen, it doesn't offer audible alerts. You have to watch the screen and judge the blind spot by the lines on the screen. Properly adjusted mirrors totally negate the need for Lane Watch. The driver side "wide view" mirror on the passenger side would have been a better solution short of having a radar based system.
I like the idea of the camera but I think it should outright replace the mirror housing on both sides. That would be a total cost savings if you think about how complex mirrors are now: heated, dimming, puddles lights, turn signals, power . . . Bonus would be less wind noise and one less appendage damaged in an accident.
Honestly I find those blind spot warning idiot lights mostly useless and not at all confidence inspiring. There is nothing half-assed about Lane Watch - it is vastly superior to those idiot light systems. After just driving the Accord for around an hour, I felt exposed when I jumped in the competitors and even the trim levels of Accord that had no lane watch. One car that I also drove that BADLY needs lane watch is the CR-Z. My god I almost forgot how terrible the visibility is in that car. It was particularly highlighted after putting so many miles on the 2013 Accord, which has a Honda-like best in class visibility.
My next vehicle will definitely have Lane Watch - it's now on my requirements list. I wish I could gift it to my dad. He is almost completely oblivious to blind spots.
As for the "cross traffic" alert feature - that's nice but the backup camera achieves much the same function with its wide view mode.
After 40k miles on the CR-Z I find your comments rather surprising. Personally, I'd like to get this lane-watch system myself, no doubt about it, but I really don't think is something I'd particularly miss on the CR-Z.
For once, rear visibility through the side mirrors in the CR-Z is pretty much about the best I've seen in many cars, mainly because of the way the car itself is shaped.
That's not to say visibility in the Z is good, everyone know is rather poor, but if I had to complain I'd say:
- Rear-center is bad, could use a larger window opening specially for city environment. In my case that's partially solved with the rear wide angle camera when going back, but not everyone has one, and it doesn't help when going forward.
- Rear 3/4 is the real problem, it's almost impossible to get confidently into a road unless doing it fully perpendicular to it. Guess that may not be a problem if you don't cross lanes doing it (on the drivers side you can obviously see well), but in Japan that's way too common practice not to worry about it, and you literally have to go half-blind unless you have a passenger to tell you. The problem is the tiny lateral-rear window and the CR-Z on it, which only worsens the problem.
- Front 3/4 view is also rather impending by relatively thick A-pillars, wish they made them thiner for next gen, kind of sure they will (if there is a replacement at all).
As I said, there is a lot Honda could do to improve visibility on this car, which clearly wasn't a design priority, but I can't see how could the CR-Z benefit from the lane-watch feature any more than any other car int he market.
Honestly I find those blind spot warning idiot lights mostly useless and not at all confidence inspiring. There is nothing half-assed about Lane Watch - it is vastly superior to those idiot light systems. After just driving the Accord for around an hour, I felt exposed when I jumped in the competitors and even the trim levels of Accord that had no lane watch. One car that I also drove that BADLY needs lane watch is the CR-Z. My god I almost forgot how terrible the visibility is in that car. It was particularly highlighted after putting so many miles on the 2013 Accord, which has a Honda-like best in class visibility.
My next vehicle will definitely have Lane Watch - it's now on my requirements list. I wish I could gift it to my dad. He is almost completely oblivious to blind spots.
As for the "cross traffic" alert feature - that's nice but the backup camera achieves much the same function with its wide view mode.
I totally agree with you. I used to be so exited about the blind spot monitoring system until I drove an Citroen equiped with them in Europe. On that car the indicator was build into the mirror itself, but I still found out that you had to concentrate a bit to figure out when they were lighting up, and then still have to turn my head to see exactly what I was being warned about.
I like the idea of the camera since you just have to lower your eyes a bit to see. Sure at first you will have to concentrate to see on which line the other car is, but after some use this sould become second nature.
I do which Honda was providing this on both sides of the car...
And I won't disagree with anyone saying that properly set mirrors should pretty much remove any blind spots, specially in a car like the accord which provides great visibily. But many people don't set them up properly so this feature will help.
I have a 12 Ody EX-L (with the regular camera- no wide view mode), and to be honest if you back up carefully, you can pretty much see any car coming your way before it becomes a problem.
Idiot light systems? No need to degrade cars that have had this tech years before Honda decided to step to the plate!
I have the blind spot system in my Mazda is it is excellent. I don't need a video screen to know that someone is in my blind spot but rather know that someone was detected. I do not have to take my attention off the road to asses where someone is, like you do in the new Accord.
The system is designed for the driver to double check their surroundings to ensure safety. LaneWatch is the same. You are foolish to rely on a camera with estimated safety lines when assessing a vehicle in your blind spot. A smart person will STILL look over their shoulder to ensure complete safety.
Why didn't Honda offer this in the drivers view? Instead, we are left to rely on a distorted mirror. At least the system in my Mazda works for both sides. The Honda Accord does not.
I think it's great that there is the addition of a camera but could have done better. It's a half-assed system for only one side of the car. Last I checked, there is more than one blind sport or more than one lane to be "watched".
Honestly I find those blind spot warning idiot lights mostly useless and not at all confidence inspiring. There is nothing half-assed about Lane Watch - it is vastly superior to those idiot light systems. After just driving the Accord for around an hour, I felt exposed when I jumped in the competitors and even the trim levels of Accord that had no lane watch. One car that I also drove that BADLY needs lane watch is the CR-Z. My god I almost forgot how terrible the visibility is in that car. It was particularly highlighted after putting so many miles on the 2013 Accord, which has a Honda-like best in class visibility.
My next vehicle will definitely have Lane Watch - it's now on my requirements list. I wish I could gift it to my dad. He is almost completely oblivious to blind spots.
As for the "cross traffic" alert feature - that's nice but the backup camera achieves much the same function with its wide view mode.
I totally agree with you. I used to be so exited about the blind spot monitoring system until I drove an Citroen equiped with them in Europe. On that car the indicator was build into the mirror itself, but I still found out that you had to concentrate a bit to figure out when they were lighting up, and then still have to turn my head to see exactly what I was being warned about.
I like the idea of the camera since you just have to lower your eyes a bit to see. Sure at first you will have to concentrate to see on which line the other car is, but after some use this sould become second nature.
I do which Honda was providing this on both sides of the car...
And I won't disagree with anyone saying that properly set mirrors should pretty much remove any blind spots, specially in a car like the accord which provides great visibily. But many people don't set them up properly so this feature will help.
I have a 12 Ody EX-L (with the regular camera- no wide view mode), and to be honest if you back up carefully, you can pretty much see any car coming your way before it becomes a problem.
Idiot light systems? No need to degrade cars that have had this tech years before Honda decided to step to the plate!
I have the blind spot system in my Mazda is it is excellent. I don't need a video screen to know that someone is in my blind spot but rather know that someone was detected. I do not have to take my attention off the road to asses where someone is, like you do in the new Accord.
The system is designed for the driver to double check their surroundings to ensure safety. LaneWatch is the same. You are foolish to rely on a camera with estimated safety lines when assessing a vehicle in your blind spot. A smart person will STILL look over their shoulder to ensure complete safety.
Why didn't Honda offer this in the drivers view? Instead, we are left to rely on a distorted mirror. At least the system in my Mazda works for both sides. The Honda Accord does not.
I think it's great that there is the addition of a camera but could have done better. It's a half-assed system for only one side of the car. Last I checked, there is more than one blind sport or more than one lane to be "watched".
When you make a left turn you tend to look to the left when you turn and left mirror is where most people look and some even care to turn their head further to the left to see if someone is on their side out of range for the mirror.
Does it make sense to look to the right when turning left? Could be a distraction. So Honda went with right only warning system as when you turn right you tend to look right too. Pretty simple is it not?
Honestly I find those blind spot warning idiot lights mostly useless and not at all confidence inspiring. There is nothing half-assed about Lane Watch - it is vastly superior to those idiot light systems. After just driving the Accord for around an hour, I felt exposed when I jumped in the competitors and even the trim levels of Accord that had no lane watch. One car that I also drove that BADLY needs lane watch is the CR-Z. My god I almost forgot how terrible the visibility is in that car. It was particularly highlighted after putting so many miles on the 2013 Accord, which has a Honda-like best in class visibility.
My next vehicle will definitely have Lane Watch - it's now on my requirements list. I wish I could gift it to my dad. He is almost completely oblivious to blind spots.
As for the "cross traffic" alert feature - that's nice but the backup camera achieves much the same function with its wide view mode.
I totally agree with you. I used to be so exited about the blind spot monitoring system until I drove an Citroen equiped with them in Europe. On that car the indicator was build into the mirror itself, but I still found out that you had to concentrate a bit to figure out when they were lighting up, and then still have to turn my head to see exactly what I was being warned about.
I like the idea of the camera since you just have to lower your eyes a bit to see. Sure at first you will have to concentrate to see on which line the other car is, but after some use this sould become second nature.
I do which Honda was providing this on both sides of the car...
And I won't disagree with anyone saying that properly set mirrors should pretty much remove any blind spots, specially in a car like the accord which provides great visibily. But many people don't set them up properly so this feature will help.
I have a 12 Ody EX-L (with the regular camera- no wide view mode), and to be honest if you back up carefully, you can pretty much see any car coming your way before it becomes a problem.
Idiot light systems? No need to degrade cars that have had this tech years before Honda decided to step to the plate!
I have the blind spot system in my Mazda is it is excellent. I don't need a video screen to know that someone is in my blind spot but rather know that someone was detected. I do not have to take my attention off the road to asses where someone is, like you do in the new Accord.
The system is designed for the driver to double check their surroundings to ensure safety. LaneWatch is the same. You are foolish to rely on a camera with estimated safety lines when assessing a vehicle in your blind spot. A smart person will STILL look over their shoulder to ensure complete safety.
Why didn't Honda offer this in the drivers view? Instead, we are left to rely on a distorted mirror. At least the system in my Mazda works for both sides. The Honda Accord does not.
I think it's great that there is the addition of a camera but could have done better. It's a half-assed system for only one side of the car. Last I checked, there is more than one blind sport or more than one lane to be "watched".
Acura has offered blind spot indicators for 3 years. I've spent weeks driving the various models that have the system and I find the system to be mostly useless. It's certainly not a premium, "must have" feature that would influence my buying decision.
There's nothing like the validation provided by the lane watch camera. A quick glance is all it takes to see what's happening when you move over, and you can also see in lanes beyond the one directly next to you. So if some dude's in your blind spot 2 lanes over, and about to change into the same lane you're eyeing, the lane watch camera shows you that too.
On the cars (even Acuras) with blind spot warning systems, I find that I tend to absolutely ignore the little blinky blindspot lights and crane my neck a little bit more to get a better visual in the side mirrors, just like I normally do on cars that don't have those blindspot indicators.
Trip wrote: New side airbag design allows a heated back on the passenger side. That's a nice unexpected upgrade.
I'm still not sold on Lane Watch. The Blind Spot Monitoring available on other cars IMO offers better functionality. Not only do they offer left and right monitoring but the competition is also offering "cross traffic alert" that detects obstacles as you're backing up. The other systems will give an audible warning and flashing light to get your attention.
Lane Watch is half ass'd by comparison. From everything I've seen, it doesn't offer audible alerts. You have to watch the screen and judge the blind spot by the lines on the screen. Properly adjusted mirrors totally negate the need for Lane Watch. The driver side "wide view" mirror on the passenger side would have been a better solution short of having a radar based system.
I like the idea of the camera but I think it should outright replace the mirror housing on both sides. That would be a total cost savings if you think about how complex mirrors are now: heated, dimming, puddles lights, turn signals, power . . . Bonus would be less wind noise and one less appendage damaged in an accident.
Honestly I find those blind spot warning idiot lights mostly useless and not at all confidence inspiring. There is nothing half-assed about Lane Watch - it is vastly superior to those idiot light systems. After just driving the Accord for around an hour, I felt exposed when I jumped in the competitors and even the trim levels of Accord that had no lane watch. One car that I also drove that BADLY needs lane watch is the CR-Z. My god I almost forgot how terrible the visibility is in that car. It was particularly highlighted after putting so many miles on the 2013 Accord, which has a Honda-like best in class visibility.
My next vehicle will definitely have Lane Watch - it's now on my requirements list. I wish I could gift it to my dad. He is almost completely oblivious to blind spots.
As for the "cross traffic" alert feature - that's nice but the backup camera achieves much the same function with its wide view mode.
After 40k miles on the CR-Z I find your comments rather surprising. Personally, I'd like to get this lane-watch system myself, no doubt about it, but I really don't think is something I'd particularly miss on the CR-Z.
For once, rear visibility through the side mirrors in the CR-Z is pretty much about the best I've seen in many cars, mainly because of the way the car itself is shaped.
That's not to say visibility in the Z is good, everyone know is rather poor, but if I had to complain I'd say:
- Rear-center is bad, could use a larger window opening specially for city environment. In my case that's partially solved with the rear wide angle camera when going back, but not everyone has one, and it doesn't help when going forward.
- Rear 3/4 is the real problem, it's almost impossible to get confidently into a road unless doing it fully perpendicular to it. Guess that may not be a problem if you don't cross lanes doing it (on the drivers side you can obviously see well), but in Japan that's way too common practice not to worry about it, and you literally have to go half-blind unless you have a passenger to tell you. The problem is the tiny lateral-rear window and the CR-Z on it, which only worsens the problem.
- Front 3/4 view is also rather impending by relatively thick A-pillars, wish they made them thiner for next gen, kind of sure they will (if there is a replacement at all).
As I said, there is a lot Honda could do to improve visibility on this car, which clearly wasn't a design priority, but I can't see how could the CR-Z benefit from the lane-watch feature any more than any other car int he market.
Considering the terrible 3/4 view afforded by the CR-Z, the Lane Watch would actually help that as well. From the lane watch camera, you can see pretty much everything important that's blocked by the CR-Z's rear 3/4 view - certainly more than a side view mirror shows.
I've often wished for a way to activate the rear view camera without engaging reverse - after using the Lane Watch system now I'm certain that Honda should implement that feature. With the LW system you can activate the mirror cam with the touch of a button, so why not activate the backup cam on demand in a similar way as well? This would be a HUGE help on vehicles like the CR-Z, Crosstour, ZDX, Insight, and (to a lesser extent) even the TSX Sportwagon.
It had been awhile since I had a CR-Z. I had forgotten how entire VEHICLES could disappear behind the solid divider between the two rear glass portions. It can be really dangerous for people who aren't used to it.
After driving the 2012 CR-V for awhile, and now seeing the same driver's mirror on the new Accord, I am confused as to why Honda thinks that is a good approach. The new split mirror thing sucks, and I am not sure what they tried to do there.
Honestly I find those blind spot warning idiot lights mostly useless and not at all confidence inspiring. There is nothing half-assed about Lane Watch - it is vastly superior to those idiot light systems. After just driving the Accord for around an hour, I felt exposed when I jumped in the competitors and even the trim levels of Accord that had no lane watch. One car that I also drove that BADLY needs lane watch is the CR-Z. My god I almost forgot how terrible the visibility is in that car. It was particularly highlighted after putting so many miles on the 2013 Accord, which has a Honda-like best in class visibility.
My next vehicle will definitely have Lane Watch - it's now on my requirements list. I wish I could gift it to my dad. He is almost completely oblivious to blind spots.
As for the "cross traffic" alert feature - that's nice but the backup camera achieves much the same function with its wide view mode.
Vastly superior is a bit of stretch. It doesn't accomplish anything a properly adjusted mirror or the extended view mirror from the driver side would assist with. The radar based system in my Mazda is well executed. If there's an audible alert when the turn signal is on, there's not enough room to merge, period. It's as simple as that and it works perfectly. I don't have to study a screen to look at cars and lines and graphics . . .
That's the thing that makes me really leery about Lane Watch... having to study the screen to see where the neighboring car is in relationship to the lines on the screen. Will it be as effective at night when dark spots and headlight glare might make it difficult to discern perspective? Throw in a rain storm at night... how effective is the screen? My Mazda's system works well day or night without having to take my eyes off the road.
Neat feature, yes, but I feel Honda could have taken it a step further some how.
![[home]](http://sohc.vtec.net/elem04/home.gif){kind=small}
![[rumors and news]](http://sohc.vtec.net/elem04/rumors.gif){kind=small}
![[model release matrix]](http://sohc.vtec.net/elem04/newmodelreleasematrix.gif){kind=small}
![[dealer network]](http://sohc.vtec.net/elem04/dealernet.gif){kind=small}
![[desktop calendar]](http://sohc.vtec.net/elem04/calendar.gif){kind=small}
![[exhaust notes]](http://sohc.vtec.net/elem04/exhaust.gif){kind=small}
![[tov forums]](http://sohc.vtec.net/elem04/forums.gif){kind=small}
![[links]](http://sohc.vtec.net/elem04/links.gif){kind=small}
![[search]](http://sohc.vtec.net/elem04/search.gif){kind=small}
![[sponsors]](http://sohc.vtec.net/elem04/sponsors.gif){kind=small}
![[garage]](http://sohc.vtec.net/elem04/garage.gif){kind=small}
![[login]](http://sohc.vtec.net/elem04/login.gif){kind=small}
