Thursday, April 11, 2024

How to Use Cruise Control on a Car: 10 Steps with Pictures

meaning of cruise control

The 77-GHz Autocruise radar system made by TRW has a forward-looking range of up to 492 feet (150 meters), and operates at vehicle speeds ranging from 18.6 miles per hour (30 kph) to 111 mph (180 kph). Delphi's 76-GHz system can also detect objects as far away as 492 feet, and operates at speeds as low as 20 mph (32 kph). The most important input is the speed signal; the cruise control system does a lot with this signal. First, let's start with one of the most basic control systems you could have -- a proportional control. Step 4 - Keep your eyes on the road as it is very easy to get distracted when the car is accelerating automatically. Another inventor named Harold Exline, working independently of Riley, also invented a type of cruise control that he first installed on his car and friends' cars.

What is the difference between cruise control and speed limiter?

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If you must drive in this situation, it may be a better idea to do so manually. Cruise control works best on a clear day with constant traffic flow. In the picture above, you can see two cables connected to a pivot that moves the throttle valve. One cable comes from the accelerator pedal, and one from the actuator. The buttons to activate cruise control or accelerate/decelerate may vary from one car to another.

How to install cruise control in a car?

But with the advent of technology in the automotive industry, the cruise control system in modern cars entirely relies on electronics. Instead of a cable, the system now communicates with the throttle via various sensors connected to a computer (ECU - Electronic Control Unit). So, when you set a speed, the ECU calculates the throttle position and engages the throttle wirelessly. Cruise control in a car replicates the inputs of a driver to control the vehicle’s speed. But instead of pressing the accelerator pedal, it uses a different mechanism to maintain a constant cruising speed. On the latest vehicles fitted with electronic throttle control, cruise control can be integrated into the vehicle's engine management system.

Is cruise control more fuel efficient?

Newly launched cars are equipped with cruise control except for a few entry-level models. So, instead of investing in retrofitting a system, it's better and safer to spend that money on buying a car with a built-in system. Is anyone surprised that carmakers can’t seem to agree on a single term for adaptive cruise control? ” We can sort of forgive Mercedes for its Distronic cruise control. Some call it adaptive cruise control as the root and then tack something onto it.

Cruise Control Acceleration and Deceleration

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The bumper-mounted radar, which is already used in autonomous cruise control, looks out for vehicles in front of and behind the car. The driver sets a maximum speed similar to what one would do with normal cruise control. A radar sensor located in the front end of the car locates traffic ahead of it and locks on to the car ahead.

meaning of cruise control

The experience can differ greatly depending on the time of day and whether it's a weekday or the weekend. The bottom line, though, is that one of these scenarios is a far better fit for cruise control than the other. Cruise control is a feature provided as standard on a wide range of vehicles; it's one of those functions that some drivers adore and others barely use.

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The driver takes full manual controlwhen the congestion clears or Traffic Jam Assist otherwise becomes unsuitable for the situation. In a proportional control system, the cruise control adjusts the throttle proportional to the error, the error being the difference between the desired speed and the actual speed. So, if the cruise control is set at 60 mph and the car is going 50 mph, the throttle position will be open quite far.

Active And Passive Safety Features In Cars: What Are The Things That Make A Car Safe?

You can manage your saved articles in your account and clicking the X located at the bottom right of the article. Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Justin Pritchard is an experienced motoring expert whose work is read and watched by Canadians across the country on a weekly basis.

Instead of constantly changing speeds, cars know how fast you’re driving and can follow safely behind you or pass. Most systems will prevent the vehicle from increasing engine speed to accelerate beyond the chosen speed. However, they will not apply the brakes in the event of overspeeding downhill, nor stop the car from going faster than the selected speed even with the engine just idling. The cruise control system controls the speed of your car the same way you do – by adjusting the throttle (accelerator) position. However, cruise control  engages the throttle valve by a cable connected to an actuator, rather than by pressing a pedal.

All these sensors act perfectly in unison and obtain accurate data of the car’s location, thus providing additional safety. Adaptive cruise control is the next big thing in terms of automated speed management in new cars. It is an intelligent form of cruise control that slows down and speeds up automatically to keep pace with the car in front of you. The purpose of a cruise control system is to accurately maintain a speed set by the driver without any outside intervention by  controlling the throttle-accelerator pedal linkage. If the road surface is snowy, icy, slushy or very wet, you’ll want to think twice about switching your cruise control on. If the cruise control on your car fails to disengage when you want to slow down, slip the vehicle into neutral to disconnect drive power from the wheels, pull over, and address the situation.

Adaptive cruise control is the more advanced version of the standard automatic cruising system. Currently, this system can be seen only in premium cars in India. Below is the list of popular cars with adaptive cruise control.

Cruise control can become dangerous if the driver becomes too reliant on it and fails to remain attentive. Additionally, using cruise control in hazardous conditions, such as heavy traffic or inclement weather, can be dangerous. Google launched its self-driving car a few years back, which completely relies on the technology of autonomous cruise control. Imagine getting all sorts of excited to go on a long road trip that you’ve always dreamed of taking with your best buddies. The road is literally straight for hundreds of kilometers, and the thought of driving for 4-5 hours straight tires you out before you even get behind the wheel.

In essence, not only did the 1999 S-Class introduce the driver-aid technology adaptive cruise control (ACC), but it also set the cornerstone of the foundation for self-driving vehicles. By the early 1990s, Japanese carmakers were adding a form of forward collision warning to their cruise control, but it was still up to the driver to react and apply the brakes. Not until Mercedes-Benz developed its Distronic cruise control did cruise control with self-braking make its first public appearance. Not all cars come with cruise control as a standard feature, but many newer cars do have this option available. Additionally, aftermarket cruise control systems can be installed on most cars. However, drivers should remain attentive and ready to take control of the car at any moment.

It is a complex process to install the system in new cars as you have to fiddle with electronics, and it also requires the fitment of hardware. Moreover, if you try installing an aftermarket kit, you may void the warranty offered by the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer). On top of that, it is not recommended to go for an aftermarket cruise control kit as it may compromise safety. You may install an aftermarket kit if it’s an old car that does not rely on electronics to control all the engine-related functions. But installing such a kit becomes almost impossible in modern cars due to the complex electronics. Yes, you will find aftermarket adaptive cruise control kits available.

Once you’ve reached your desired speed, engage the cruise control. This step will vary widely based on your vehicle make and model, however, many cruise control settings are accessible from the steering wheel controls. Moreover, the more sophisticated systems with full stop and start or a low-speed traffic-jam feature work great for city driving. Typically, ACC gets included in a trim level or some sort of optional driver-assistance package on new cars. Level 2 – To qualify as Level 2, a vehicle must have at least two driver-assistance technologies. This typically includes ACC and another technology like lane-centering assist or lane-keeping assist.

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