HP TouchSmart. Touch the future now.
CNET editors' review
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CNET editors' rating:
stars
Good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 06/11/2009
Some high-tech cars include lane departure warning systems as options, and precollision systems have become almost common, but the Mobileye AWS-4000 makes it possible to retrofit a car with this technology. Mobileye's lineup of collision warning cameras covers a range for consumer to fleet applications, with the AWS-4000 designed for large trucks. The AWS-4000 is an installed unit that uses a camera mounted in front of the vehicle to intelligently process information about lane lines and objects, sending the data to a display on the dashboard to warn the driver of potential hazards.
Design
Although well-styled, the AWS-4000 display pod and its associated speakers are bulky, although could be mounted out of site in a track cab. The display pod is mounted on a stalk, which lets it swivel, so it can be aimed at the driver. Given its size, it should be mounted either in the center or very left-hand side of the dashboard, so not to interfere with the driver's forward view, but still have its information accessible at a glance.
The display pod is oval, and its icons are hidden by dark translucent plastic when not lit up. Buttons follow the curve on the lower edge of the display pod, letting you control volume, power, and do some configuration of the system.
The actual icons the system uses are very easy to understand, with a blocky car on the display indicating when you are close to a car in the lane ahead. Lane line graphics are also very obvious in what they mean.
The system's speakers are unnecessarily large, as they merely blast warning tones into the cabin. Each one is about half the size of the display pod and intended to be mounted on either side of the cabin. They could potentially be mounted in the footwells, keeping them out of sight, but they will be particularly noticeable if mounted on the dash or A pillars.
Features
The AWS-4000 does two things: warns you of impending collisions and if you are drifting out of your lane. The first, called Headway Monitoring by the manufacturer, lights up the car icon in the display if you are within a certain distance to the car in the lane ahead. The display shows a number of seconds equal to the amount of time it would take to hit the car ahead if it stopped. As you get closer, the car icon changes from green, to amber, then to red, at which point a warning tone will sound from the speakers.
