Safety features

[Lee H Greidanus]

What everyone's consensus on the JL having features like blind spot monitoring and the like?

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[Cam]

What everyone's consensus on the JL having features like blind spot monitoring and the like?

I'm all for it if it's offered as option or part of a package. I just don't want it standard so that it bloats the starting price of the base entry models.

The 2016 Cherokee and Grand Cherokee are available with the works Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Warning, Blind Spot Monitoring, Parking Sensors, and even Parking Assistant. I'm thinking if the Cherokee has these techs no reason the JL and JLU won't get them too.

 

[Lee H Greidanus]

That's exactly what I was thinking!

 

[BlackRubi]

What everyone's consensus on the JL having features like blind spot monitoring and the like?

All of these safety features will be required soon just like backup cameras so might as well get used to it. I wish the government would help foot the bill if they are going to tell us we can't get a vehicle without it. Seems only fair the industry gets some subsidy or tax breaks like EV cars and that gets passed down to buyers. Just a crazy thought.

 

[JBlackoutK]

I'm all for it if it's offered as option or part of a package. I just don't want it standard so that it bloats the starting price of the base entry models.

The 2016 Cherokee and Grand Cherokee are available with the works Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Warning, Blind Spot Monitoring, Parking Sensors, and even Parking Assistant. I'm thinking if the Cherokee has these techs no reason the JL and JLU won't get them too.

One of the things I love most about mine is that it lacks all the tech/safety bloat. The Cherokee/JGC crowd is different and FCA has to keep it competitive in safety and fancy features with comparable commuter SUVs. I would argue the Wrangler sells well not just in spite of this but because it lacks those things. It goes against the spirit of the vehicle's sense of freedom/adventure. Imagine the buzzkill when you are fully open air on a trail and some safety gizmo starts beeping/blinking as if you're commuting to work.

The only reason the JL will receive the backup camera is due to federal regulations. ESS is also a result of EPA regulations/CAFE. Unless there are laws pushing FCA to include it, buyers asking for it (there aren't), or the competition is offering it (there is none), I don't see things like collision warning/blind spot monitoring or parking assist being baked into the Wrangler. IMO it's total overkill for a vehicle that is built to tackle trails more than anything. It just kills some of the fun for me, which is owning a relatively spartan vehicle in an era of overly digitized and watered down cars.

 

[Vegas_Sirk]

Auto braking will make it a PIA the for the aftermarket bumper manufactures. They will have to include places for all the sensors and what not.

 

[AVENTUS]

Any ESS or auto-braking features I'm quite sure will be able to be disabled or will be optional.

As much as I disagree with this administration's 31% slash of the EPA budget, the resulting lessening of CAFE standards, will ultimately help our new wrangler in many ways.

 

[Milous]

...I don't see things like collision warning/blind spot monitoring or parking assist being baked into the Wrangler...

Uh oh.

 

[The Great Grape Ape]

I don't see things like collision warning/blind spot monitoring or parking assist being baked into the Wrangler.

Uh oh.

Yeah we can see the Parking sensor button on the recent interior spy photos, and by 2022 all vehicles have to have AEB unde the terms of the Automakers' pact with NHTSA/IIHS. So it's coming for sure.

 

[The Great Grape Ape]

I wish the government would help foot the bill if they are going to tell us we can't get a vehicle without it. Seems only fair the industry gets some subsidy or tax breaks like EV cars and that gets passed down to buyers. Just a crazy thought.

No, they shouldn't pass on costs to others, especially to the general population, many of whom can't afford 2/3rd hand vehciels let alone new.
The EV cars have a benefit to those that don't even own vehicles, the other features do not. There are some things that need to be set as table stakes to sell or buy vehicles, that if you can't afford then you must chose an alternative.

Asking others to foot the bill for these safety regulations would be like me getting a tax credit for my pool because the government requires certain features by law. No, these are the costs of ownership, and shold be borne by the owner of the vehicle, not the rest of society.

 

[The Great Grape Ape]

The only reason the JL will receive the backup camera is due to federal regulations. ESS is also a result of EPA regulations/CAFE. Unless there are laws pushing FCA to include it, buyers asking for it (there aren't), or the competition is offering it (there is none)...

Buyers are asking for these features both in general and in the Wrangler community. Rear cameras are quite a popular request and mod, and for the cheap price of the option (less than $300 in retail Mopar parts [less than $35 for the OEM Alpine harness for the 430/730 and 3rd party camera]) we would likely find its way on more vehicles than the all chrome options that 'no "real Jeeper" asked for'. These features become table stakes in the general commuter vehicle group where FCA and others can perfect them and then introduce them to other more sensitive platforms afterwards for less cost per unit once economies of scale are achieved. I make the rear camera feature unlock part of the condition of sale, because it doesn't change the reliability of the platform (no, Siirius updates do that well enough) and it is an incredibly beneficial feature on a vehicle who spare tire, giant wiper motor and possible cloudy windows on the soft top greatly impact visibility. The mopar factory installed option should've been available long ago.

I don't want ESS, but as lng as it can be defeated, then fine give the other majority what it wants trying to make a unicorn 'efficient' Wrangler. However a lot of the wants of owners are not met despite the regulatory/owner/industry benefit, because there are far too many luddites out there with torches ready to burn down the castle over trivial things.

Safety requirements push things along, nut usually long after the market (even the Wrangler market) asked for them. The HEV Wrangler will eventually arrive, but with the reaction of many people who need testosterone shots being negstive because they don't understand the tech, it too will likely arrive long after it should've. Hopefully the demise of diesel in the commuter/passenger class will hasten that route.

 

[attworth]

I think something like Subaru does behind the windshield would be a good idea because of the aforementioned issues with aftermarket bumpers, trail damage, etc.

If you look at the interior spy photos, the rear view mirror stalk looks huge, but I'm not sure if it's large enough to house the cameras necessary for these features, at least not with two to help eliminate tunnel vision.

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