Ranger Raptor Lane Centering and Lane Keeping clarification

[Labjr1]

Please excuse the dumb question but I cannot find "real world" details on these features - just legal speak. I have a 2024 RRaptor on order. I currently am driving a 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz. One of the features I like on it is the ability to take my hands off the wheel when driving on the Interstate (I have tested this and can average 6 minutes before I get the "place hands on the wheel" warning. It was never intended for "self driving" but it is great on a long trip when you need to remove your hands from the wheel for several seconds as you know the vehicle will remain centered in the lane with no issues. The way Ford describes their system it seems to suggest it is more of a warning system to keep you in your lane and will not actually keep you centered in the lane - it simply reacts when you get too close to the edge. My 2019 Ram used to "ping pong" inside the lane if you took you hands off the wheel - over-correcting in each direction. How does the Ford react? Is it true lane centering or is it only corrective steering if you drift too far in the lane? (They Hyundai also has sign recognition which works extremely well - it is just too small of a truck).

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[goalieThreeOne]

Lane Keep Assist: keeps you from exiting the lane

Lane Centering: keeps your car in the center of the lane

Also stop driving with your hands off the wheel, that’s dangerous to you and other drivers. Your car isn’t self driving.

 

[Labjr1]

Lane Keep Assist: keeps you from exiting the lane

Lane Centering: keeps your car in the center of the lane

Also stop driving with your hands off the wheel, that’s dangerous to you and other drivers. Your car isn’t self driving.

Thanks for the information and the scolding. I trust you never take you hands off the wheel at any time. I'll be sure to pull over next time to blow my nose.

 

[goalieThreeOne]

Thanks for the information and the scolding. I trust you never take you hands off the wheel at any time. I'll be sure to pull over next time to blow my nose.

My friend’s brother was killed when the guy he was riding with decided to drive with his knee. No I don’t take my hands off the wheel. Just looking out for you man.

 

[Labjr1]

BTW - the description I see for lane centering does not clarify the issue. "Lane Centering scans lane markings to help alert you to move safely back to the centre of your lane." That could easily mean the ping-pong solution I had in my Ram. Veer too far and it corrects you back to center. My Hyundai keeps me perfectly centered in the lane. Hence the question.

 

[goalieThreeOne]

BTW - the description I see for lane centering does not clarify the issue. "Lane Centering scans lane markings to help alert you to move safely back to the centre of your lane." That could easily mean the ping-pong solution I had in my Ram. Veer too far and it corrects you back to center. My Hyundai keeps me perfectly centered in the lane. Hence the question.

It centers your car in the lane

 

[MJE]

It centers your car in the lane

Yep. I’m assuming the Ranger will be like the last 2 I’ve had. The car really will drive itself if you let it, keeping you right down the center of your lane. Freaky the first time you try it, on deserted 2 lane. But as discussed above, keeping your hands on the wheel is a good idea.

 

[ThickGatorade]

The description you noted seems improperly written and describes more of what Lane Keep Assist does. The Bronco only has LKA and I have had minor success in re-programming it for Lane Centering which is miles better.

Lane Keep is reactive assist and does the ping-pong as you said.

Lane Centering is an active assist and is always working to keep the car centered.

The timeout for Lane Centering is about 12 seconds or so. There is an active monitor on the steering angle sensor to check to see if driver input is present or not.

 

[Labjr1]

Thanks for the clarification. Great information!

 

[Kon]

So, a few observations from my 2022 Aussie Raptor after 16000km.
Before they "fixed" something in the first software recall for the lane keeping system, the vehicle used to keep bang on the line around curves, however it did and still does always push me hard to the centre line on the right. (I still wonder if that is because we drive on the left here and there has been no adjustment in the software for a right-hand drive market.) After the recall, the vehicle now ping pongs between lines, but is still quite aggressive in pushing right up to the line, not centering and maintaining.

I also wonder if this behaviour was introduced in the recall because it forces driver feedback. Prior to the recall it was possible to maintain a straight line with so little pressure on the wheel that the Keep Hands On Wheel warning would trigger on a straight road! Now I have to fight the lane keeping system on a straight.

I tested what happens if I ignore the driver feedback warning which kicks in after about 6 seconds, and after a more intense warning at around 10 seconds, it drops power after about 12 seconds.

I turn off the system routinely when I drive. The push to the right and onto the centre line is downright dangerous: I don't want to meet a semitrailer head-on on a rural road.

YMMV in a left-hand drive market.

 

[goalieThreeOne]

So, a few observations from my 2022 Aussie Raptor after 16000km.
Before they "fixed" something in the first software recall for the lane keeping system, the vehicle used to keep bang on the line around curves, however it did and still does always push me hard to the centre line on the right. (I still wonder if that is because we drive on the left here and there has been no adjustment in the software for a right-hand drive market.) After the recall, the vehicle now ping pongs between lines, but is still quite aggressive in pushing right up to the line, not centering and maintaining.

I also wonder if this behaviour was introduced in the recall because it forces driver feedback. Prior to the recall it was possible to maintain a straight line with so little pressure on the wheel that the Keep Hands On Wheel warning would trigger on a straight road! Now I have to fight the lane keeping system on a straight.

I tested what happens if I ignore the driver feedback warning which kicks in after about 6 seconds, and after a more intense warning at around 10 seconds, it drops power after about 12 seconds.

I turn off the system routinely when I drive. The push to the right and onto the centre line is downright dangerous: I don't want to meet a semitrailer head-on on a rural road.

YMMV in a left-hand drive market.

This Gen Ranger was designed in Australia so it was designed with left hand drive first

 

[Kon]

This Gen Ranger was designed in Australia so it was designed with left hand drive first

Yes, it was, but manufacturers don't re-write software modules from scratch every time a new model is designed. The lane-keeping system has been around for a good while now.

And we have right-hand drive models in Australia

Mechanically the vehicle is awesome; there are a lot of stupid kludgy software problems though. For example, you can't configure at what light level the automatic headlights come on (not can the service team, I've been told). My brights only auto illuminate well after dusk. That's another software system I leave turned off for safety.

Anyway, the intention is not to hijack the thread, merely give the OP some real-world observations.

I'd love to know other drivers' experience of the lane keeper.

 

[rwolfcastle]

So, a few observations from my 2022 Aussie Raptor after 16000km.
Before they "fixed" something in the first software recall for the lane keeping system, the vehicle used to keep bang on the line around curves, however it did and still does always push me hard to the centre line on the right. (I still wonder if that is because we drive on the left here and there has been no adjustment in the software for a right-hand drive market.) After the recall, the vehicle now ping pongs between lines, but is still quite aggressive in pushing right up to the line, not centering and maintaining.

I also wonder if this behaviour was introduced in the recall because it forces driver feedback. Prior to the recall it was possible to maintain a straight line with so little pressure on the wheel that the Keep Hands On Wheel warning would trigger on a straight road! Now I have to fight the lane keeping system on a straight.

I tested what happens if I ignore the driver feedback warning which kicks in after about 6 seconds, and after a more intense warning at around 10 seconds, it drops power after about 12 seconds.

I turn off the system routinely when I drive. The push to the right and onto the centre line is downright dangerous: I don't want to meet a semitrailer head-on on a rural road.

YMMV in a left-hand drive market.

This ping pong effect is exactly how the 5G Ranger worked with lane keep assist. It's terrifying and it makes the entire feature useless. I was hoping they'd have fixed it for the 6G Ranger but it's not sounding like they did.

 

[goalieThreeOne]

Yes, it was, but manufacturers don't re-write software modules from scratch every time a new model is designed. The lane-keeping system has been around for a good while now.

And we have right-hand drive models in Australia

Mechanically the vehicle is awesome; there are a lot of stupid kludgy software problems though. For example, you can't configure at what light level the automatic headlights come on (not can the service team, I've been told). My brights only auto illuminate well after dusk. That's another software system I leave turned off for safety.

Anyway, the intention is not to hijack the thread, merely give the OP some real-world observations.

I'd love to know other drivers' experience of the lane keeper.

Yeah I just don’t think that’s your culprit. The lane centering works using a camera behind the rear view mirror that attempts to find lane markings. Results can vary greatly depending on the quality of those markings and on the accuracy of their tracking algorithm. Theoretically the car wouldn’t really care which side the driver is one because the car is either in the center or not. I have no doubts that software updates can change its effectiveness, but I don’t think the side of the road really matters. It almost sounds like your centering got turned off and lane keeping was left on. Either way I’m optimistic. I rented a 2022 Limited Explorer in Seattle last year and tried the lane centering. I thought for sure it was pushing me too far over to one side. But when I actually examined my tire placement using my side mirrors, it was dead nuts center. I don’t think it will be an issue.

 

[Kon]

This ping pong effect is exactly how the 5G Ranger worked with lane keep assist. It's terrifying and it makes the entire feature useless. I was hoping they'd have fixed it for the 6G Ranger but it's not sounding like they did.

It almost felt as if they had this right before the recall. It was rock solid, albeit in an uncomfortable position relative to other traffic.

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