Contents

    – What is adaptive cruise control?

    – Adaptive cruise control: advantages and disadvantages

    – Adaptive cruise control: purchase

Long journeys on fast lanes have the unfortunate tendency to be monotonous. We understand that you want to get there fast! But having a heavy foot on the gas can have serious consequences. Adaptive cruise control can be a solution. This post explains it all to you.

What is adaptive cruise control?

Adaptive cruise control is an autopilot designed to optimize your comfort and safety. It is much more restrictive than a simple speed limiter; it is used to maintain a stable speed on fast lanes.

With a button on the control, you can tell your car to reach a steady speed that it will not exceed until you brake. In practical terms, the vehicle accelerates uphill and slows down downhill. The car becomes almost autonomous, and the driver is only responsible for the steering wheel.

Good to know: you can find this new gadget in all the specialized stores, and nowadays, the latest models of cars that arrive on the market are equipped with it. Accompanied by a speed limiter, both functions aim to make driving easier.

Adaptable cruise control: advantages and disadvantages

Advantages

Cruise control adapts the vehicle’s speed to the desired speed. The driver, therefore, optimizes his travel time: he does not need to check the speedometer; he will always travel at a reasonable speed whatever the landscape: it is a time saver!

The regulator is also a safe bet for your driving license. When driving downhill, it will slow down your speed to not fall prey to a timely radar or an ambush cop.  You will never exceed the speed limit, so it is also a plus for your safety.

Good to know: an official map of fixed speed cameras is available on the Road Safety website. This map details the radars’ location, the type of radar installed (red light radar, section radar, classic fixed radar or two-way radar, etc.), the date they put it in service, and the controlled offense.

Disadvantages

The adaptive cruise control suffers from a bad reputation. The concept is still new on the market, and drivers are often reluctant to use it even though it is already installed on new car models.  And for a good reason: useful and created to guarantee the motorist’s safety, it would tend to cause accidents. There are two reasons for this:

    – The driver no longer uses the gas pedal or brake pedal because the vehicle, once programmed, takes care of this. The driver who only has the function of the steering wheel would tend to feel sleepy more often.

    – A driver who is not used to this function may feel overwhelmed when faced with an unexpected obstacle. In this case, the theory is that the driver takes control of the car by pressing the brake pedal. The system registers the danger and returns the controls. Some users are caught off guard when the system stops and causes accidents.

Good to know: you can only use this system on long journeys without obstacles. Perfect for getting to the vacation destination, it is ineffective in the city center where traffic signs are particularly dense.

Adaptive cruise control: purchase

You can find cruise controls in specialized automotive stores and on commercial websites. Your vehicle will be immobilized for one to two hours at your garage.

If your vehicle is recent, ask the manufacturer. It may be already integrated into your control system.

The price of cruise control is about $100. However, unless you are an expert in the field, we recommend that you call in a professional to install it. With the cost of labor, the price can quickly double.