Porsche to Offer Computerized Assistant for Cornering

Two separate cruise control systems

The Panamera hybrid is outfitted with the standard "Active Cruise Control," which uses radar to sense and slow down for traffic. Nowadays, this is an option on most non-luxury cars. However, the other type of cruise control Porsche is introducing, which is the one worth covering here, is called InnoDrive.

What is Innodrive?

Innodrive is a computerized control system designed to help the driver navigate twisting rural roads. Besides the aforementioned radar that lets it detect cars ahead and slow down, the system also relies on map data to know when curves or hills are coming up. That is, the Panamera won't necessarily steer around the curve (that's up to the driver), but it will automatically slow down and even apply the brakes as necessary to get to a safe speed for the curve, and accelerate back up to speed on the way out.

>>Join the conversation about Porsche's InnoDrive System right here in the Rennlist Forum!

Taking the Panamera out on the road and testing out InnoDrive

Author Peter Valdes-Dapena, who reviewed the car and InnoDrive system on behalf of CNN Business, reports the following experience:

“The Panamera charged up the mountain. As I approached the first couple of curves, the Panamera didn't change speed at all. It just went right through. That didn't mean the car was unaware of the curves. It just meant that, even at the higher speed I'd set, those bends were no big deal. There was no need for the Panamera to slow down.

Then came that sharp left-hander with nothing but a railing and a partly cloudy sky straight ahead. A blue arrow, curving to the left, appeared in the gauge cluster. It was the car's way of saying "Yeah, I know."

The brake pedal moved down and the car's 8-speed transmission downshifted. I had set the car to Sport mode so the Panamera was moving pretty quickly. I had been warned it might be scary, but it wasn't. I had used the InnoDrive system a bit already and I'd learned to trust it.”

>>Join the conversation about Porsche's InnoDrive System right here in the Rennlist Forum!

Additional features worth noting about the Panamera

Similar to other luxury cars, the Panamera has multiple driving modes including Hybrid, Sport and Sport Plus, which alters how quickly it responds to the gas pedal and steering wheel as well as when it shifts and gears, and how firm the suspension is. The InnoDrive system reacts to these different driving modes and will drive differently depending on which mode is selected to give the driver a seamless driving experience.

For instance: When the car’s driving mode is set to the Hybrid mode (the car's default), the Panamera slows way down and moves carefully through each turn.

In the Sport mode, though, it’s a bit more aggressive, but never unsafe (per Valdes-Dapena’s review).

>>Join the conversation about Porsche's InnoDrive System right here in the Rennlist Forum!

So, is the InnoDrive system really all that innovative?

Porsche is supposed to represent a driving experience that puts the driver as close to being in tune with the road as possible. Doesn’t InnoDrive take away from that? For the most part, yes, it does, but for the purpose of increased safety. The fact of the matter is that a growing segment of the Porsche audience is interested in getting from Point A to Point B in a luxury sports car, safely and without risk. The InnoDrive system accomplishes just that on their behalf.

>>Join the conversation about Porsche's InnoDrive System right here in the Rennlist Forum!

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