General: Cruise Control Usage

[BigBadRob]

Originally Posted by CJL

I actually find that you need more planning to maintain speed with ACC.

Let's say you are going along at about 70 and closing on a vehicle doing say 56. The ACC starts slowing very early because it tries not to use brakes to begin with. This means that to maintain your speed you have to move out earlier than you would with passive cruise control.

not sure I like the active system that much for normal free flowing motorway conditions, but it can be very good in heavier conditions.

Wish you could switch between active and passive.

That being said, if you're in the outside lane with nowhere to the right and coming up to a vehicle that's overtaking something that's overtaking something and they're all going sub-70, the ACC will allow natural deceleration to occur well before it goes near the brakes. Especially if you have set your time interval at 0.5 or 1 second as the car can see the target at around the 3 second gap mark and slows you down gradually. Which is a nice use of software.

You're right though, on a reasonably quiet stretch it can catch you unaware if you come up behind a HGV and don't pull out in time...but for the record I use it everywhere it's physically possible!

[tt82]

Ha ha. When we went to Silverstone for the WEC, my brother commentated on how early I pull out to overtake vehicles. Having ACC has definately had an effect on my driving style, though as an IAM member the rule is 'You should always be able to stop in the distance you can see to be safe'. I suppose this means you should never get closer than the 2 second rule and should be pulling out in plenty of time.

Anyway, I'm generally found in lanes 1 & 2 and that means that mainly, the only people I'm holding up are the middle lane idiots! And I don't just mean the lane hogs, but those who want to do 5,000 mph but in the middle lane only. They come charging up behind you, brake heavily, tailgage you until you move over and the charge up to the next person in front of them and repeat the process. They tend to be completely oblivious to the lanes to either side of them, though some will eventually move out once they slowed completely to your speed! Sod 'em, they can wait!

[CJL]

Originally Posted by BigBadRob

That being said, if you're in the outside lane with nowhere to the right and coming up to a vehicle that's overtaking something that's overtaking something and they're all going sub-70, the ACC will allow natural deceleration to occur well before it goes near the brakes. Especially if you have set your time interval at 0.5 or 1 second as the car can see the target at around the 3 second gap mark and slows you down gradually. Which is a nice use of software.

You're right though, on a reasonably quiet stretch it can catch you unaware if you come up behind a HGV and don't pull out in time...but for the record I use it everywhere it's physically possible!

Yes, it's very good at that.

Had an instance once on the A41. Dual carriage way downhill to a right had curve, with an exit ramp to the left, so that if you were to keep straight you would take the exit. Lorry had taken the exit at a much slower speed and well down the slip road, but the ACC though I was going to follow and braked pretty hard.

That's what I'm not sure I like. You almost have to be more attentive.

[jay87]

So when ACC brakes, do the brake lights illuminate?

[CJL]

Yes they do.

[tickedon]

Originally Posted by stephend

if he (like a lot of people seem to these days) decides to speed up, I'm stuck beside him doing the same speed. So I accelerate to get past, pull back in, slow back down to the set speed, and now he gets frustrated, pulls out and overtakes me...

I get this too. It really annoys me when I've set my cruise control and then find people overtaking me and then slowing things down later on. How hard is it to do a set steady speed?!?

Sometimes I wish cruise control would be mandatory, as some people just cannot drive (or enjoy watching their mpg plummet with acceleration and braking constantly!).

[Paul240480]

Oh yes, the one that has his set 1kmph faster than you. Takes about a mile to overtake and has queue as long as behind him........

[Proghound]

When you're trying to keep up 75+ on the cruise you're always having to come off it because you catch up something slower that can't or won't get out of the way, or something else slower pulls out on you.

When you're trying to keep up 65-70 on the cruise, often so is everyone else in lanes 2 & 3, and there's always someone on your offside rear corner and/or no speed differential in the next lane to get past.

About the only thing that works for me on the cruise is 60. You don't catch up much except the lorries, and you get plenty of warning of that. You're mostly in lane 1, where you're supposed to be unless passing something. A quick dab sees you up to 65 with enough differential to pass the lorries when you get there, and not slow enough to really inconvenience people in lane 2.

[Bill_56]

There seems to have been no discussion of the fact that CC has adjustment buttons, it is not intended to be a 'press and forget' constant speed.

On the S60, if I want to overtake on the motorway, a couple of taps on the 'up' button helps. If I'm being overtaken and the other car isn't naking much headway, a couple of down taps sorts it.

Same applies in lower speed limits too, it needs to be adjusted from time to time to suit the behaviour of other traffic. That still allows good confidence that you are within the speed limit, and leaves the right foot free to make a leap for the brake pedal, poised for the proverbial small child that may suddenly run out in front of you.

[BigBadRob]

On the Adaptive cruise it only changes in increments of 5mph which is a slight annoyance if I'm honest as I used to do just what you described in both my Skodas and found it quite easy to manage the traffic without ever needing to go near the brake pedal.