Veselost

I am thinking of purchasing a new 2018 GS-350 and would like to now how good is Lexus safety system +. Specifically:
- is dynamic cruse control reliable in stop and go traffic?,
- how is the lane keep assist working, does it keep you in the middle of the lane?
- any observations with an object or pedestrian detection/avoidance?
- your general impression of the LSS+ system.

I would greatly appreciate your inputs.

charley95

I just picked up a new 18 a month ago and have only used the dynamic cruise on the drive home. I like that it's set up in three increments. You can distance the car essentially with 2,4 & 6 car lengths with the car in front of you. I don't think it's set up for stop and go traffic, just highway cruising. Haven't been able to try the other features due to our terrible weather here in central Illinois. It's been about 3 weeks since I've driven it. Gonna be a while till I can get it out again to try the other features. Just buy one, you'll love it!

MustangSal

The radar cruise is for highway use but will bring you to a stop is traffic stops (proven many times in drives around VA).

LKA does it's best to keep you in the lane and depending on how clear the lines are and the curvature of the corner/bend + speed - it'll do ok at moderate variations of both. If it isn't locked in with the lane on both sides though than it won't. It will however notify through 'deedle' that you're off the lane. When all conditions are perfect, I've gone hands free through some longer sweeping corners with the car doing all actions. It only last a few seconds before he car warns you to put your hands back on the wheel though (it knows).

WRT pedestrian and collision object detection, I'd say that it's very sensitive both front and rear. Thankfully, I've never been in a situation where the car took over the braking process to avoid bumping into a pedestrian or anything like that but it warns you well ahead of that point.

Just understand the differences in the radar and collision. Just because someone cuts in front of you doesn't mean the car is going to slam on the brakes (it will slow the car down if you both going relatively the same speed) but if your closure rate to an object is imminent impact, you'll get the brake brake brake in red on the cluster with deedle sound and it'll eventually slam on the brakes for you if you don't (Again, never had that happen).

My .02.

Sal

MythicOne

I've had my 2018 FSport for about 1.5 months now...
1. I've only used it on long drives from LA to SD. Sometimes there are cars slowing down abruptly or for no reason... and in those instances, it does a good job of keeping the car at the preset distance (1-3 bars selectable from a button on the lower right side of the steering wheel). I don't like the delay in which the car re-engages the gas to catch up to traffic that has accelerated away after the initial slow-down. For this last reason, I don't use it.

2. This feature is more for keeping you from crossing a line, rather than keeping you in between 2 lines. I find it annoying that it makes you signal first (even though there are no cars near me), before switching lanes. The force-feedback counter correction can be pretty strong (You can configure the option to use force-feedback or audible warning).
It freaked me out the first time it kicked in for me... I was trying to change lanes on a freeway transition, doing about (fast speed), and I had to negotiate that turn at high speed, changing lanes, and compensating for the counter-steering force all at the same time (no cars in front, side, or to the rear of me for at least an 1/8 of a mile).
Now, I just signal all the time or turn it off (button on the steering wheel) if I think I'll be negotiating traffic continuously - because in these instances, it is more important to be aware of the cars around you than to be concerned about crossing lines.

3. Never had a situation where this feature kicked in...I hope I never will. I seriously doubt that it will help you avoid anything if you are fast approaching an object that is also moving.
I am curious though, and maybe others here can answer this question: If I am on the freeway and I have a medical emergency where I black out, will the car break for traffic even when the radar cruise control is off?

4. In general, the LSS+ System is a great feature to have in a car if you are inexperienced or impaired. Even if it works just once; the way it supposed to work, it "should" save a life or avoid serious injury. For vigilant drivers, it is less useful...but who is vigilant 100% of the time, right?

MustangSal

I notice the slight delay too (traffic sometimes sucks like that) but just bump it early with acceleration. Which in truth, is pretty seamless that the car (with all those services engaged) allows you to basically still be the dominant input until you give it back to the car fully.

MythicOne

Good point there MustangSal.
I guess I'm just not used to it... I'll try it again on my next long distance drive. Thanks!

signdetres

My impressions are quite fond so far of LSS+ on my '18 GS F-Sport. Not my first vehicle with a full suite of active safety/comfort tech and really like Lexus' implementation and customizability of the various systems as well as the fact their approach seems to be more "we don't want you to know these systems are here until you need them."

Initially, my only complaint was the stop-and-go portion of the radar cruise control but the more I use it, the more the system seems to be smoothing itself out and has been getting noticeably better. My experience has gone from never wanting to use it in stop and go traffic to more frequent and enjoyed use of the system. I live in Los Angeles where traffic is abundant & just going to the local Starbucks requires major roadways that are typically pretty busy. In certain scenarios, like low-speed crawling on the 405 or on PCH for anyone who's familiar, I've been really impressed when the car activates Steering Assist. I drove through PCH yesterday and dealt with a fair amount of traffic that stayed under 20mph for a good portion and this is where it shined as it took over the steering in addition to throttle and brakes and allowed for actual hands off use without warning me to put my hands back on the wheel. Really impressed as I truthfully wasn't aware this car was capable of this prior to getting it, though I do think the system wasn't aware I wasn't holding the wheel because of its own steering input/angles. Regardless, it wasn't required and made the drive much more bearable.

I've only had one experience with the Pre-Collision System around the corner from my home while with a friend of mine which left us shockingly impressed in a "woah, what just happened" kind of way. A vehicle parallel parked on the street in my direction of travel decided to pull out in front of my car and then cut across 2 lanes to make a sudden left turn right in front of my vehicle but once they realized they had just cut off a car, they proceeded to stop in the middle of the street rather than just continuing their turn. It truly happened so quickly and before I knew it the system began beeping but it must've been only 2 actual beeps (as in "beep beep") before the next thing we knew we were stopped. We were a little shooken up by the experience, but in a good way I suppose. The car took over before we could even process what was going on and stopped with authority, it was really impressive I've got to admit. The friend who was with me is typically anti-safety features in a vehicle and has a more old-fashioned/old-school approach and in that moment admitted that it really did pay for itself and protected us quite well.

What I found more impressive is that it wasn't the typical "perfect" scenario you see being recreated by auto manufacturers in demonstration videos of the system where two cars are perfectly aligned with one another and the lane they're in. It was a true real-world scenario and it (clearly) handled it with more accuracy and precision than we were capable of doing. In this specific case, I wouldn't have expected this to be a scenario it was capable of recognizing but was very glad it was indeed able to. I'm glad the system works better than I'd thought but I'd like to never have to experience it again.

Veselost

Your contributions are very valuable to me to get a better picture about LLS+ as applicable to GS. I also found an excellent descriptions of LSS+ for various models in "https://www.lexus.com/documents/safety/Lexus-Safety-System-Plus-062017.pdf". I must add that among various car manufactures Lexus description of its safety and accident avoidance features is by far the best.

GolfnCPA

mcomer

Answers for MythicOne: your point 1) try setting Drive Mode to Sport to improve the response
when accelerating in stop and go traffic. It will drive more like you do than the Normal setting.
3) While Dynamic Cruise only works when the cruise is on, the PCS PreCollision System is
always on by default every time you restart the car. Same sensors and camera, very strong
application of brakes when (certain shaped) objects appear in front of you.

MythicOne

That is really ballsy to do that on the offramp... I don't think I am there with the trust factor - I guess that is my problem, my trust in the tech!

GolfnCPA

GolfnCPA

jordanhigg

so 2016+ gs350 have this lexus safety system+

How can I tell if the 2016 I am looking to buy has all the options (private party sale)

GolfnCPA