Single Pedal Driving safety question

[Tttait]

When driving in Low, with the seatbelt engaged of course, the car will come to a full stop without the use of the brake pedal. Many of us drive this way.

My question is how the car will react if we are rear ended, in low, with our foot off the brake? How will the electric drive motors, parking brake, and hydraulic brakes react if the car is either struck from behind, or pushed even without an impact?

Tom Tait

 

[SeanNelson]

No reason it wouldn't work exactly the same as it does when you're parked on a downslope - in other words, it won't try to keep the car from rolling. When the car is moving it may try to slow the car down the way regen braking in "L" always does, but it's not as if it's going to lock the brakes or anything.

So it's prudent to apply pressure to the brake pedal once you're stopped to prevent the car from being knocked into whatever is ahead of you in the event of someone hitting you from behind.

 

[Tttait]

I'd like to see Chevy on the record here...

As of last week they seemed to be monitoring this board again, so let's see what they say officially.

 

[michaellax]

In addition to Sean's point:

The last time I took a "drivers safety class" they always emphasize to keep your foot on the brake pedal at a stop to provide additional safety in case you are rear-ended.

Of course the impact may push you forward anyway; but having your foot on the brake will lessen that impact and in some instances eliminate it completely.

I do not recall this point being codified in the California Vehicle Code; just good driving practice.

That rule applies no less to EVs with regeneration.

 

[Bacardi]

You may receive a faster response by trying Chevy chat or Chevy electric on twitter/facebook...

 

[Tttait]

I doubt Chevy will reply, too much liability setting a precedent in writing for how the car should automatically react. The marketing department can push legal to approve text when they are trying to sell a car, but post customer support will not be important enough to Chevy to let them commit to anything in writing.

Right Chevy?

 

[SmokingRubber]

I doubt there's a hidden safety feature like that that they didn't advertise. The car has enough active radar going that it COULD foresee an accident like that and deploy whatever countermeasures appropriate, but that is a bit next generation AI. They could make that an over-the-air update, but I doubt they will.