It takes skill to drive safely

Novan Iman Santosa and Primastuti Handayani, The Jakarta Post, Sentul/West Java

Certain limits are assigned to almost everything, including driving.

The increasing concern for safety -- of car drivers, passengers and other road users -- has forced carmakers to govern the top speed of their products.

However, the temptation to speed remains in most drivers' hearts, although they know that the speed limit on toll roads here is "only" 100 kilometers per hour (kph) and 60 kph on most city roads.

To minimize the possibility of accidents that could jeopardize drivers, passengers and road users, carmakers have installed a variety of safety mechanisms, including passive features like air bags and seat belts, and active features like antilock braking systems (ABS), electronic brake-force distribution (EBD) and brake-assist (BA).

Each brand also has its own technology with, for example, BMW offering technology such as active driving, dynamic stability control (DSC), dynamic brake control (DBC) and cornering brake control (CBC).

Meanwhile, Audi is relying on an electronic stabilization program (ESP) and Quattro all-wheel drive system.

Since some of the technology is advanced and may not be familiar to car users, it is necessary for them to have direct driving experience. This was organized for the first time ever by PT BMW Indonesia and PT Garuda Mataram Motor, the sole distributor of Audi, on two separate occasions recently at Sentul circuit in Bogor, for prospective customers, brand loyalists and the media.

The Audi driving experience was launched in 1980, when Freddy Graf Kottulinsky started training employees from Audi's motor sport department.

More than 100,000 participants took part in the Audi driving experience, with Audi organizing an average of 600 training sessions per year in more than 20 countries.

While the details varied, both carmakers included a slalom session to experience the handling ability of a variety of car types, emergency braking sessions to test the ABS, as well as hot laps on the track.

A hot lap is a session where participants are driven by a qualified instructor, usually those from a racing background, to experience every bend and curve of the race track.

Audi instructors drove two 4,200cc, V8, bi-turbo RS6s brought directly from Germany, while BMW had two inline 3,200 cc BMW M3s from Australia.

While both BMW M3s were coupes, the RS6s were saloon and estate types. The cars easily reached 150 kph and topped speeds of 210 kph.

BMW also included a pace-lap driving session in which participants could test the race track on their own, led by instructors, to get first-hand experience, although the speed was lower than in the hot-lap session.

In what was essentially a convoy on the race track, participants took turns in driving four BMW models -- the 330i, 530i, 730i sedan and X3 sports utility vehicle (SUV) -- at a moderate speed as the instructors said it was not a racing nor speeding activity, but an opportunity instead to experience handling the cars.

There were two rules: no overtaking and no speeding.

Cones were placed at certain corners to show drivers when and where to turn.

The pace-lap driving session was without a doubt the most valuable experience, as it is almost impossible to drive on a race track unless you have the requisite skills. BMW instructor Alistair Bye showed off his skills, particularly on sharp corners.

Thanks to BMW, participants were allowed four laps on the Sentul circuit.

As for the slalom and ABS sessions, Audi separated each of them, while BMW bundled them into only one session.

Audi provided the Audi A6 and Audi Allroad for the slalom test, as both cars were equipped with the Quattro all-wheel-drive system, to ensure more stable driving around the cones.

"Do not depress and release the accelerator pedal hastily. Do it gradually and find the rhythm," said Audi instructor Jerry Ahlin. "Also, in moving the steering wheel, find the rhythm. Make it natural and smooth."

Another Audi instructor, Harald Buettner, said it was important to keep looking forward and anticipating what was to come, as shown in the ABS session, using the Audi A3 and Audi A4.

"Once you hit the brake pedal, upon seeing an obstacle, you must immediately find the exit and drive as under normal conditions," he said.

A typical ABS session started with an approach to get maximum speed before entering the braking area and activating the ABS upon seeing an obstacle. Once the ABS was activated, the car could be maneuvered as usual.

BMW provided a wider choice of vehicles for the integrated slalom and ABS session in 318i, 325i, 330i, 520i, 530i and 730i sedans, and X3 and X5 SUVs.

All in all, the driving experience was invaluable to help car users handle vehicles better, particularly as accidents can so easily occur in everyday driving.