Cruise Control In A Car - What Is It, Working & Applications

Nowadays, most modern cars are equipped with the helpful feature of cruise control. However, it necessitates long periods of steady speed. So, you must continuously pressure the accelerator pedal in order to accomplish that, which can get tiresome after a while. When that happens, your car's cruise control feature comes to play.

So, what does it actually do and how does it operate? In this article, we'll scrutinise cruise control in cars in detail.

Cruise control is a technology that precisely and autonomously maintains the speed selected by the driver. Also, it automatically regulates a car's speed and only permits the vehicle to reach the speed that the driver has set. Most importantly, the car is not permitted to exceed that speed restriction.

The cruise control system adjusts the throttle (accelerator) position in the same manner that you do to regulate the speed of your vehicle. But, instead of using a pedal, a cruise control opens the throttle valve via a cable attached to an actuator. Additionally, since the engine is an internal combustion engine, the throttle valve regulates the amount of air the engine can intake to determine its power and speed.

The cruise switches typically include ON, OFF, RESUME, SET/ACCEL, and COAST, which the driver can adjust the cruise control. These are typically found on the poles of the turn signal or wiper blades. Further, the steering wheel and the car's speed is controlled via the SET/ACCEL knob.

In most cases, it will speed by 1 mph with just one tap, 2 mph with two taps, and so on. In addition, the vehicle will accelerate if you turn the knob the other way. Lastly, the cruise control system will turn off as a safety precaution as soon as you press the brake pedal.

Before turning it on, you should remember that using a car's cruise control in bad weather is not recommended. For instance, if it's pouring fiercely outside, you might decide against driving the automobile at cruising speeds. Driving at such speeds is dangerous due to poor vision and erratic road conditions. So, before using the system, always be aware of the weather and your surroundings.

Regardless, the steps to use cruise control are as follows:

Step 1: First, accelerate your vehicle to gain speed before engaging in cruise control. Also, do not exceed the posted speed limit on that specific route or highway.

Step 2: You should only turn on cruise control once your automobile has reached the appropriate speed. Typically, the steering wheel will have the system activation button.

Step 3: The next step is to release your foot from the accelerator pedal. Then the car should maintain the cruising speed if the cruise control is properly set.

Step 4: Keep your focus on the road because it's simple to become sidetracked when a car is accelerating on its own.

Step 5: When the cruise control is active, you can briefly engage the accelerator pedal by pressing the '+' button on the steering wheel.

Step 6: Press the '-' button on the steering wheel to slow down. Additionally, for the same, you can also tap the brake pedal. However, almost all vehicles will turn off the cruise control as soon as you depress the brake pedal as a safety measure.

The functionality of standard cruise control is deteriorating due to the increased number of vehicles on the road. Hence, adaptive cruise control is becoming more and more popular.

This upcoming innovation in automatic speed management in new cars is an intelligent cruise control feature that automatically slows down and speeds up to keep up with the vehicle in front of you. Although in most cases, you will encounter these in premium models, a few manufacturers are proving it in other variants also.

In adaptive cruise control, a maximum speed is set by the driver, much like with conventional cruise control. The car's front end has a radar sensor that scans the road ahead and locks on to the vehicle in front of it. Then the speed of your car is managed by this sensor so that it always maintains a distance of 2-3 seconds from the vehicle in front.

A computer system then determines the speed relative to the car in front by measuring its distance using data from the radar sensors. The sensor automatically determines which vehicle the system should track if there are many vehicles in its field of coverage at the same time.

For instance, adaptive cruise control slows down the car by starting corrective measures in engine management. Also, if you are approaching a slower vehicle up ahead or if another car suddenly cuts in front of you, the brake system will come into action.

When it comes to safety, ACC is highly diligent. For example, it will give you two warnings if you move too close to the car in front of you. It will first warn you visually and audibly and then briefly apply the brakes to shock you awake. The system will also stop your automobile completely if necessary. Others use an optical system based on stereoscopic cameras, while some units use lasers.

Adaptive cruise control is a useful technology that deserves continued investment primarily due to its advantages. For instance, it offers longitudinal vehicle control, including braking and acceleration.

Nevertheless, it is becoming increasingly possible to automate lane changes by combining them with steering aid technology like lane centring. However, the next mobility revolution, autonomous driving, which is predicted to develop quickly over the following ten years, is made possible by the cooperation of longitudinal and lateral control systems.

Pros of the cruise control system in a car are as follows:

1. Saves Fuel

You must be questioning how cruise control might reduce fuel consumption. By using cruise control, your car will maintain a steady speed during its journey, which helps you save fuel because maintaining a constant speed improves fuel efficiency.

2. Controls Speed

With cruise control, a driver can limit their propensity to speed up while driving, reducing the number of accidents that result from speeding in modern society. However, particularly when travelling long distances by car, people have a tendency to over-speed, which leads to accidents.

3. Provides Mental Peace

As cruise control will keep the vehicle moving at the desired pace the entire time, you don't have to worry about maintaining a constant speed. This factor is particularly pleasant while travelling long distances and provides ease of mind.

Cons of the cruise control system in a car are as follows:

1. Less Awareness on Road

Even though cruise control is reliable, one must take extreme care because it doesn't negate the need to be aware of their surroundings. Additionally, cruise control will keep you moving at the desired pace, so you must be alert to rapidly use the brakes if someone suddenly crosses the road or if the car in front of you abruptly brakes.

Imagine that you are using cruise control, and they only respond to provided speed. In this case, the driver would need to slow down because cruise control cannot automatically change speeds unless the driver does.

2. Fault in Technology

An uncommon but potential scenario would be when you are in cruise control and need to hit the brakes quickly. Nevertheless, if the brakes do not engage, it is difficult for you to bring the car to a stop. Although this is an extremely unusual circumstance, it is possible since technology can malfunction.

3. Limitations in Indian Roads

Cruise control is appropriate for wide, long highways with law-abiding drivers. But, although India has several fantastic roadways, many drivers choose to break regulations, which makes traffic unpredictable. Additionally, cattle, dogs, and other animals may wander onto public roads, complicating matters further. Consequently, it becomes exceedingly challenging to cruise at high speed on Indian roads.

Although cruise control can significantly ease your driving experience, you should also remain cautious about it. But, most importantly, if used properly with sufficient safety measures, this can be a great addition to your vehicles.