Tips for using Pilot Assist*

Pilot Assist is a convenience function that can provide steering assistance and help you maintain a set distance to a vehicle in front of you. Pilot Assist helps you steer the vehicle and you may need to drive a few miles with Pilot Assist before you feel fully comfortable with the function.

Get to know Pilot Assist

The first few times you use Pilot Assist, it may be a good idea to drive in a calm traffic situation on a roadway. Pilot Assist is designed to work best on dry roadways with clear lane lines and a smooth flow of traffic.

Give yourself plenty of time to get to know the function. After a while, you will feel comfortable with how it works and learn the situations in which Pilot Assist can help you. It is important for you always to pay attention to your driving and keep your hands on the steering wheel. You are always ultimately responsible for driving in a safe manner, even when using Pilot Assist.

In curves and forks in the road

Pilot Assist interacts with you, the driver. You should therefore always be prepared to increase your own steering input, particularly in curves. Do not wait for the vehicle to provide steering assistance. Perform the necessary steering maneuvers.

If you are approaching an exit or a road junction, drive towards the lane you want to aim for – this tells Pilot Assist where you are going.

Pilot Assist attempts to keep your vehicle in the middle of the lane

When Pilot Assist helps to steer, it attempts to place your vehicle halfway between the visible road lines. For a smoother drive, it is a good idea to allow the vehicle to find a good position. You can always adjust the position yourself by increasing your steering input. It is important for you to make sure your vehicle is positioned safely in the lane.

If you think Pilot Assist is not positioning the vehicle in a way that is suitable to the traffic situation, or in a way you want to drive the vehicle, you can simply switch off Pilot Assist or switch to Adaptive Cruise Control1 using the steering wheel buttons. You can switch from active Pilot Assist to active Adaptive Cruise Control by pressing the left arrow button on the steering wheel. If you want to reactivate Pilot Assist, press the right arrow button on the steering wheel.

How do I know when Pilot Assist is providing steering assistance?

When the steering wheel symbol in the instrument panel is green, Pilot Assist is helping you to steer. If the steering wheel symbol is gray, no steering assistance is provided. You can clearly feel from the steering wheel when Pilot Assist is helping to steer. You can always steer the vehicle yourself in a manner that differs from what Pilot Assist suggests. When you do so, you will feel slight resistance in the steering wheel as long as Pilot Assist is active.

P5-1846-Pilot assist grey and green steering wheel
P5-Icon gray box 2When the steering wheel symbol in the instrument panel is green, Pilot Assist is helping you to steer.

Steering assistance can toggle between off and on at any time

It is important to be aware that steering assistance may toggle between off and on at any time, without prior warning. This may be because the road lines are not clear enough for the system to see them, for example.

Focus on your driving and keep your hands on the wheel

It is also important for you always to continue to be active and alert when driving as Pilot Assist is unable to read all situations and the function may toggle between off and on without prior warning. If the system discovers that you are not keeping your hands on the steering wheel, a warning will sound and a text message will be shown on the instrument panel. Pilot Assist will be switched off if you fail to comply with the request.

Conditions for Pilot Assist

The following is required in order for Pilot Assist to help drive the vehicle and contribute to steering assistance:

  • Pilot Assist must be on switched on using the steering wheel button.
  • The driver must have their safety belt on and the driver's door must be closed.
  • The side markings of the lane must be clearly visible and detected by the vehicle. If the vehicle cannot detect the lane markings, steering assistance may not operate/resume operation without warning.
  • The speed must not exceed 140 km/h (87 mph).
  • The driver must keep their hands on the steering wheel.

 Warning

The driver is always responsible for ensuring that the vehicle is operated in a safe manner. The driver is advised to read all of the sections in the Owner's Manual about this function before using the function.

 Warning

  • The function is supplementary driver support intended to facilitate driving and help make it safer – it cannot handle all situations in all traffic, weather and road conditions.
  • The driver is advised to read all sections in the Owner's Manual about this function to learn of its limitations, which the driver must be aware of before using the function.
  • Driver support functions are not a substitute for the driver's attention and judgment. The driver is always responsible for ensuring the vehicle is driven in a safe manner, at the appropriate speed, with an appropriate distance to other vehicles, and in accordance with current traffic rules and regulations.
  1. * Option/accessory.
  2. 1 (Adaptive Cruise Control - ACC)