What is Adaptive Cruise Control? Everything You Need to Know

What is adaptive cruise control all about?

While we talk about the advancements in the technology of a car, we can see many milestones that have been crossed. While seatbelts, airbags, and shatterproof glass paved the way to newer enhancements in terms of safety while in an accident, newer innovations like ADAS proactively work towards avoiding an accident altogether.

The adaptive cruise control is a driver assistance system that creates a maximum speed for vehicles and automatically lowers the car’s speed when traffic is detected in the front. This is a Level 1 ADAS feature.

The standard cruise control allows the driver to opt for a consistent speed and take their foot off the accelerator while on the go! However, it requires the driver’s involvement to turn the cruise control off when the set speed is no longer achievable. The adaptive cruise control technology enables the intelligent, reactive adjustment of a car’s speed without the involvement of a human driver.

ADAS – adaptive cruise control automates reactions in circumstances that would otherwise require driver intervention. Without the need for driver engagement, the system can minimize driver fatigue-related incidents more than regular cruise control while maintaining safety in terms of distance from vehicles ahead of the car on the road.

How does the cruise control work?

ADAS adaptive cruise control uses internal computers and advanced sensors such as radar and laser systems to monitor other vehicles on the road. Therefore, adaptive cruise control is also called autonomous cruise control.

Your car will monitor its surroundings once you have locked your preferred speed into the ACC system.

A signal from the radar of the system is processed by a digital signal processor to measure the distance to the nearest vehicle.

The safe distance between vehicles is determined by a longitudinal controller.

The ACC system transmits a signal to the engine or brakes if the driver’s vehicle in front has insufficient braking distance, thus slowing down your vehicle.

When the path in front is clear, the ACC system returns the vehicle to your selected speed.

The cruise control system aids the vehicle in maintaining a near-consistent pace by minimizing ventilation to the engine when the vehicle is near its set speed and enhancing airflow when the vehicle is lower than its set speed.

Benefits of cruise control

Here are some intriguing benefits of the recent ADAS cruise control system:

• Minimized the possibility of collisions/accidents by controlling speed and increasing spacing between vehicles.
• Minimal stress while traveling/driving long distances.
• Enhanced driving convenience, especially for people with disabilities.
• Easier travel, especially for systems with stop-and-go capabilities.

Limitations of the cruise control system

• Rise of bad driving habits.
• Possibility of ill-timed or inadequately spaced stopping.
• Delayed braking while the device is activated.
• Poor system performance during rain, fog, or snow.

Conclusion

The latest ADAS adaptive cruise control systems try to handle the entire route, allowing the driver to completely relax and not be involved with the driving. It is rather mesmerizing how car technology has progressed and how far we have come in terms of autonomous driving technology.

However, like any other technological advancement, cruise control also has its dimensions to keep in mind. You must know the entire process and the technology to fully utilize the same in daily driving. You must know when to intervene if need be while using the cruise control. Today, many cars and affordable models get this technology. However, it must be carefully used and you must know where you can and where you cannot use the cruise control.