Adaptive cruise control

[Geo68]

Checked out the adaptive cruise control today, glad I had my seatbelt on, it worked, maybe not as fast as I would have liked but that might have been in the settings.

 

[admiralross2400]

Yeah, I find it's generally braking later and harder than I normally would (for stopping traffic...for moving traffic it's fine)

 

[Geo68]

Yeah was doing about 50 when the car in front slowed down for a roundabout. Don't normally drive like that but was a good test ?

 

[smokie]

That's why I have more or less given up using it around town. I know it is safer and more reliable and consistent than me but I can drive smoother (and maybe more economically)

 

[Geo68]

That's why I have more or less given up using it around town. I know it is safer and more reliable and consistent than me but I can drive smoother (and maybe more economically)

Yeah I've switched off lane keep assist around town, warning was doin my nut in. ?

 

[Gomev]

Yeah was doing about 50 when the car in front slowed down for a roundabout. Don't normally drive like that but was a good test ?

Disengage ACC before you get to roundabouts or traffic lights with a little tap of the footbrake whether round town or on the open road. If not and there is no car in front it will just carry on same as ordinary cruise control taking no notice of lights or cars on roundabouts.

 

[Flwul]

Adaptive cruise control, lane warning/assist are imo best used on motorways and major dual lane A roads only. Even with the distance setting to max, it will react later than you'd want to, to extreme acceleration or deceleration. After all this is just a last resort reaction by the car, not the default. The default for this car is that we drive it, not sit there inactive as this is NOT a self driving technology. So, we shouldn't use it as such. Adaptive cruise control makes only sense in a situation where traffic flows naturally, everybody driving with similar speed and only slight and slow variances upon that. The only other alternative situation where it should be relied upon is the opposite to free flowing traffic and that is extremely slow start and stop traffic, e.g. when speed varies only between 0 and a couple of miles per hour.
As an advanced motorcycle rider, I can pick out the drivers that rely on adaptive cruise control inappropriately, they always brake too late (where instead they could come off accelerator earlier) and accelerate way too late too, creating big gaps and waves of unnecessary braking that makes the traffic flow stutter and hence cause more congestion. These systems are purely reactive whilst as competent drivers we would be looking way ahead and predict what is going to happen proactively. Please drive your car instead of relying on inadequate software that is NOT self driving!

 

[admiralross2400]

Adaptive cruise control, lane warning/assist are imo best used on motorways and major dual lane A roads only. Even with the distance setting to max, it will react later than you'd want to, to extreme acceleration or deceleration. After all this is just a last resort reaction by the car, not the default. The default for this car is that we drive it, not sit there inactive as this is NOT a self driving technology. So, we shouldn't use it as such. Adaptive cruise control makes only sense in a situation where traffic flows naturally, everybody driving with similar speed and only slight and slow variances upon that. The only other alternative situation where it should be relied upon is the opposite to free flowing traffic and that is extremely slow start and stop traffic, e.g. when speed varies only between 0 and a couple of miles per hour.
As an advanced motorcycle rider, I can pick out the drivers that rely on adaptive cruise control inappropriately, they always brake too late (where instead they could come off accelerator earlier) and accelerate way too late too, creating big gaps and waves of unnecessary braking that makes the traffic flow stutter and hence cause more congestion. These systems are purely reactive whilst as competent drivers we would be looking way ahead and predict what is going to happen proactively. Please drive your car instead of relying on inadequate software that is NOT self driving!

Totally agree. I, much like the first poster, just tried it out the first time (on a motorway but coming up to stop start traffic). The dealer had said it'll stop for traffic that's stopped so I let it do that, but found out it does brake later (much later) than I would. So I only use it on the motorway either when we're flowing normally or in stop/start traffic. In town, I use the speed limiter if the roads are quiet to stop me edging up over the limit since there's no engine noise to warn me. The lane keep assist I generally don't touch because in town I'm not going fast enough since it only kicks in above 37mph and on other roads I don't generally cross the lines so it never bothers me (if I overtake then I use my indicator which shuts it off anyway).

 

[biffo]

I use ACC lots - generally I cancel it when approaching traffic and let KERS slow me - and reactivate to crawl with slow moving traffic - at least I think I do, it's all a bit instinctive now. Like all aids, it doesn't need to be a 'set and forget' - it can be enabled, disabled and adjusted dynamical by the driver, the same way the brake and accelerator are modulated to control the car.

 

[smokie]

Despite what's been said, it is seen as a safety aid, and my insurance was apparently lower because the car is fitted with it (which assumes you'll use it).

Biffo is right, it oughtn't be set and forget. Constant awareness and anticipation are really the key to safe driving but where possible I do use the ACC ( and lane keep) as it is much more reliable at concentration and not being distracted than I am.