Author: James Yang Jianwen

Everyone knows that we have borrowed a Marvel R for long-term testing.

We have already tested its intelligent cabin before, and now it’s time for the intelligent driving testing that I am very interested in.

Basic Information

Let’s start with the hardware first (using our Mravel R Black Warrior PRO version as an example):

• 6 cameras: 4 panoramic, 1 realistic, and 1 front camera

• 3 millimeter-wave radars

• 12 ultrasonic sensors

• Mobileye EyeQ4H chip

• Distributed electrical and electronic architecture

Level: L2 assisted driving, single lane

Identification & warning functions:

• Intelligent recognition of traffic signs (SAS)

• Blind spot monitoring of rearview mirrors (BSD)

• Lane change blind spot auxiliary reminder (LCA)

• Rear blind spot monitoring after reversing (RCTA)

• Door opening warning function (DOW)

• Lane departure warning function (LDW)

• Front collision warning function (FCW)

Driving assistance functions (can achieve certain degree of vehicle lateral or longitudinal control):

• Vision fusion full automatic parking and leaving

• Adaptive cruise control (ACC)

• Integrated high-speed intelligent cruise control (ICA)

• Super traffic jam assistance function (Super-TJA)

• Lane center keeping function (LKA)

• Lane departure correction function (LDP)

• Automatic emergency braking function: urban/high-speed/pedestrian (AEB)

• Intelligent far and near light switching function (IHC)

The opening method of R PILOT is relatively simple, and all control switches are integrated on the lever of the steering wheel.

• Pull forward (towards the driver): turn on the congestion assistance function

• Pull backward: turn off the congestion assistance function

• Pull up: cruise speed +

• Pull down: cruise speed –

(Note: Slightly pulling up or down will increase or decrease the speed by 5 units. To maintain the selection, the speed increase or decrease will be performed in 1 unit)

• Twist the ring: control the following distance, 3 gears can be adjusted, and gear 1 is the closest while gear 3 is the farthest.

• Press inward: turn on R PILOT

You can turn on a single function separately (such as ACC), or activate both ACC and LKA. After turning on R PILOT, the icon on the instrument panel will light up, and the center lane will also be illuminated to indicate that the function has been activated.

Of course, you can also complete the relevant driving assistance functions in the central control settings – Advanced Driving Assistance page.

It is worth mentioning that Marvel R extends the intelligent voice control capability to intelligent driving, and you can directly call the voice assistant to complete the adjustment of cruise speed and following distance.

R PILOT Automatic Driving Assistance System

Next, let’s move on to the practical part.

Highway scenario:

In the high-speed scenario, R PILOT performs steadily, can lock the lane very quickly, and then keep the car in the middle of the lane. Even if the cruising speed is very high, close to 110 or 120 km/h, there will be no weaving.

Whether there is a merging car ahead or facing a cut-in, Marvel R can quickly identify it and execute deceleration action, handling it with a taste of “old driver”.

As an example of myself, except for those winding roads, I always turn on the R PILOT whenever I get on the highway or expressway after work.

The only regret is that Marvel R does not have automatic lane changing assistance. So every time you want to overtake, you need to take over manually to complete the overtaking.

It is strongly recommended that the official OTA add lane change assistance function in the future.

One point that needs to be added here is that when you turn on the turn signal or step on the accelerator, R PILOT will be suspended in the background by default. When you finish changing lanes or accelerating, the system will take over again.

For the vast majority of driving scenarios on the highway, Marvel R can handle it, but it is slightly less satisfactory in large curvature bends, such as ramps. Of course, there are also constraints on hardware.

From the perspective of most of our driving environment, it is mostly 90% city driving + 10% highway driving.

So inevitably, we still need to take a look at the driving performance of R PILOT in urban scenarios.

Urban scenario:

Translated text in English Markdown format (with HTML tags):

First, the conclusion:

Surprisingly good, but still has room for improvement.

Compared to highways, city driving scenarios have obvious increase in traffic flow and pedestrian flow, and the road conditions are more complex.

However, Marvel R did not exhibit any erratic behavior despite the increased traffic volume, and it was stable in operation, maintaining a “suitable” distance from the preceding vehicle.

How to define what is “suitable”? It probably means keeping the user’s mind at ease while also making it impossible for others to cut in.

To deepen understanding, let’s look at the following figure (Marvel R automatic brake stop):

However, it should be noted that Marvel R’s braking point is relatively late, with braking only starting when it is close to the vehicle in front.

Although each braking action is stable, each braking point is too extreme, and it is hoped that the manufacturer will adjust it.

Following this topic, let’s talk about the points that need to be improved:

1. The R PILOT activation/deactivation/takeover reminders are not good enough. Regarding activation and deactivation, the system does not provide any voice or text reminders, only lighting up or turning off the icon on the instrument panel, and then directly exiting.

Especially in emergency situations, only a quick takeover reminder flashes on the screen, with no other information provided, which can affect driving safety. It is recommended that the manufacturer continue to optimize this feature.

2. The penalty mechanism is lacking. If the vehicle is taken over because the driver fails to grip the steering wheel, the driver can still easily reactivate the R PILOT within the current driving cycle.

For safety reasons, it is recommended that the R Car manufacturer add a penalty mechanism.

3. The takeover time is too short. In actual testing, the automatic start/stop function takes about 3 seconds.

If it takes more than 3 seconds, the driver must press the accelerator or auxiliary driving lever to restore the use of the auxiliary driving feature.

In city driving scenarios, there may be frequent stops, especially in situations with many red lights, which may require frequent use of the accelerator and affect the driving experience.Translated English Markdown Text with HTML tags preserved:

Starting Acceleration is not enough

The car may have moved 3 or 4 meters before the vehicle slowly begins to accelerate, adding the risk of getting cut off and affecting the driving experience.

It should be noted that starting slowly is a common problem in the industry. Currently, no mass-produced car has successfully tackled this issue.

Therefore, technology needs constant iteration and upgrading.

Conclusion

Finally, it’s time to summarize Marvel R’s R PILOT:

It is a relatively user-friendly single-lane assisted driving system, and the learning curve is not difficult. However, there is still room for improvement in terms of interaction, prompting, and punishment mechanisms.

At the same time, we also noticed that other players in the industry are constantly increasing their investment in assisted driving: using more powerful chips (with computational power reaching hundreds or thousands of TOPS), richer sensor configurations (laser radar is now on board), and bringing stronger assisted driving functions (highway navigation assisted steering, urban area navigation assisted steering)…

Therefore, how to further optimize the assisted driving experience and enhance the ability of intelligent assisted driving are R Automobile’s future considerations.

This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.