Cruise control yes or no ?

[Specialeyes]

I've got one of those adaptive radar/camera controlled cruise controls on my Tourneo and I use it an awful lot - not because I'm old or not concentrating, I just like the way it works and gamify 'how much of my journey can I do feet-free'. Takes a little getting used to the bus slowing down all by itself, and I do like the fact that it persists through gear changes (it's a manual). I made good use of it this very afternoon to tiptoe past a police car at 70mph on the A12

I also like the 'ping' it makes when it finally gives up and cancels itself in exasperation, as it's the only instance the system plays that particular noise and it's the same as the 'seatbelts on' noise in an aircraft. Boys and their toys, eh?

 

[CanucksTraveller]

I've got adaptive cruise but I don't even bother with it, I've tried a few times but living in the South East there's little point. It spends most of its life braking as people pull into the gap in front. Again and again.

I can see a point to it (it comes in handy on the M6 north of Lancaster and on up to Glasgow) but it's very ill suited to the M1, M25 etc.

 

[ClichéGuevara]

I've got adaptive cruise but I don't even bother with it, I've tried a few times but living in the South East there's little point. It spends most of its life braking as people pull into the gap in front. Again and again.

I can see a point to it (it comes in handy on the M6 north of Lancaster and on up to Glasgow) but it's very ill suited to the M1, M25 etc.

I thought the distance it leaves was adjustable?

 

[Illaveago]

My Jag has it but I haven't figured it how to use it .
I can see that it could be useful in maintaining a set speed rather than have to keep your eyes glued to the Speedo .

 

[Mr Celine]

Possibly milky, but if they maintain speed uphill then they are using fuel whereas I would feather the accelerator up a gradient allowing the car to scrub off a few mph to get to the top using less fuel and coast rather than brake downhill to use that momentum up the next hill... better use of energy as long as you don't break the speed limit at the bottom!

Mrs A_T thinks it's funny* that I drive to the mpg these days rather than the mph...
{* I think that's the word she uses...]

It takes the same amount of energy to raise your car up any given hill no matter what speed you drive up the hill.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

I thought the distance it leaves was adjustable?

It is yes, but it's set to a decent stopping distance and I don't want to reduce it so that the braking becomes even firmer when people pull in. I imagine it already freaks people out behind me as it is, I'd never normally brake in that situation, just back off the accelerator. Auto systems tend to adjust to that much reduced gap by reducing it as quickly as possible, I.e. braking to achieve it.

 

[stoatsngroats]

Yes for me!

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Another yes from me, won't buy another car without it, use it as much as I can.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Wouldn't buy a car van or motorbike without it ever again

 

[biggs682]

I use it loads mainly to keep to the speed limits .
And then secondly as already mentioned it's great for hills , although current car tends to kick down the auto box more if the hills are steeper .
Not so sure re adaptive cruise control as the few times I have used it I have been using manual cars rather than auto's .

 

[dodgy]

Definitely Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). Had it on my most recent 2 cars and now looking for a replacement I wouldn't buy a car that didn't have it. It's especially useful on very long drives across Europe, but even in the UK it has its uses, such as stop start on the motorway. I also use it in 30mph zones (and no, I don't allow ACC to completely take over, it's not auto-pilot ).

 

[Donger]

Less so in the UK as unless it's quiet then too much traffic. French autoroutes it's wonderful for.

What he said.

 

[Mr Celine]

It's a real boon on French autoroutes, quiet Scottish motorways, motorway roadworks and the A9.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

It’s great on dual carriageways and motorways. Newer ones have adaptive cruise control. But for sitting at 70 mph on long journeys it’s just perfect. As above it also stops those micro accelerations and decelerations people do on motorways all the time when someone is passing them.

 

[figbat]

I use it loads. Pretty much only on multi-lane carriageways with light traffic, and through speed-restricted zones like roadworks and average speed camera zones. Mine is dumb cruise control - I am the ‘adaptive’ aspect of it.