WARNING!

Using cruise control can be dangerous in conditions where vehicle speed must be reduced frequently for safety reasons. The vehicle may be driving too fast in changing traffic conditions. This is fraught with loss of control over the car and a traffic accident. Do not use cruise control under the following conditions:

When choosing a car at a car dealership or on the secondary market, you always ask about its main characteristics and additional options. One of these additional options, among others, is cruise control.

What is this fancy option in a car - cruise control?

If literally translated, it turns out to be “travel control”. In principle, this is how it is. But the system does not monitor the route of your trip or fellow travelers, but your speed. Cruise control allows you to constantly maintain the vehicle speed you set throughout the entire route. It automatically increases the throttle when the speed drops, and decreases it when the car is going too fast, for example, when exposed to centrifugal force on a downhill slope.

This option is usually used when driving long distances - on a highway where there are no frequent speed changes or constant braking, for example, at traffic lights or in a traffic jam. In the city, cruise control is not needed. So, if you plan to drive your car only around the city, in principle, you don’t have to spend money on an additional option.

History of the system

Cruise control was invented more than half a century ago - in 1958. The first car with cruise control was a Chrysler model, the Chrysler Empire. For that time, a car with this option was considered almost a spaceship. Having cruise control was considered the height of automotive prestige. It was only then that the system crashed quite often. And cruise control became firmly established in driver’s everyday life only in the 1970s.

Then gasoline became much more expensive, and drivers were looking for different ways to save on fuel. And we remembered about cruise control. The system was finalized and put into use. After all, when a constant speed is maintained, without sudden accelerations and braking, much less gasoline is spent, and the leg does not get tired - there is no need to constantly press the gas pedal.

Basically, drivers only had to press the cruise control button, select the desired speed and enjoy a comfortable ride, while keeping a close eye on the road, of course. Actually, nothing fundamentally has changed since then. There have been only qualitative improvements to the mechanism.

Types of system control

There are two types of cruise control: passive and adaptive (or active). Passive cruise control is considered traditional. Adaptive is a new product in the automotive industry, it is constantly being improved. Its essence is that such control over the car will take the fundamental factor as the speed of the car that is driving in front of yours.

It reads the speed using special sensors. If the car in front slows down, your cruise control also receives a signal to reduce speed and vice versa. This innovation is designed to make the trip safer and, if possible, prevent a collision.

Adaptive cruise control can be radar or laser. Radar is considered more accurate, but at the same time more expensive. Laser is considered less reliable - its operation may be affected by adverse weather. Adaptive depends entirely on the correct functioning of two systems: and safety - ESP.

If they work properly, the mechanism also functions. However, if at least one of the systems fails, adaptive cruise control warns the driver of the problem and turns off. If the cruise control does not have time to smoothly reduce the speed in front of a car that has sharply braked, the car will begin to “squeak.” So he asks you to take control of the car.

The system and the cruise control control unit itself are located under the hood of the car or behind the dashboard. This is a small computer that is connected to the throttle and special sensors. If you have a high-quality mechanism in your car, it will keep the speed of the car constant even when driving on a hilly road, despite the weight of the car.

How to set the required and constant speed?

Typically, the speed is adjusted by pressing a button, increasing or decreasing by 2 km/h. Such a mechanism may not be very convenient, but it protects the driver from a sharp increase or decrease in speed. In addition, the cruise control system automatically turns off during heavy braking for even greater safety.

Cruise control is not just one button, there are usually five of them. With one button you turn on the cruise control - the Cruise inscription on the odometer lights up. The second is designed to turn off the system. There is also a button to set the speed you need. Now you can take your foot off the gas pedal, the car will drive at a constant set speed.

To turn off your device temporarily, slow down or press the cancel button. The cruise control will turn off, but will save the parameters you entered in its system. Until you turn off the ignition or the cruise control itself, the speed you set will be stored in the device’s memory. To restore it, click the corresponding button. As you can see, there is nothing complicated about the cruise control system.

How does cruise control speed up or slow down?

If you need to overtake the car in front, simply press the gas pedal, as soon as overtaking is completed, take your foot off the accelerator, and the car will return to the set speed. You can reduce the movement speed by several points by pressing the Coast button several times.

Cruise control is usually installed in cars with an automatic transmission. However, the existence of the device is also possible in “mechanics”. But in cars with a manual transmission, the cruise is special.

If the owner of an automatic transmission has turned on the cruise control, taken his foot off the gas pedal and enjoys the ride, and the car itself regulates the speed even when overtaking or an obstacle appears on the road, then the owner of a manual transmission needs to depress the clutch when changing gear, the cruise, accordingly, turns off , and then turn it on again. Other differences in the interaction of cruise control with different types No car gearboxes have been identified yet.

If your vehicle is in rough terrain with long, frequent uphills and sharp downhills, your vehicle's speed will likely increase as you move down and decrease as you move up, even with cruise control on. In this case, it is better to temporarily turn off the cruise control function and return to this option already on a flat section of the road.

In any case, cruise is a useful option and does an excellent job of maintaining a constant speed set by you on the highway. It’s up to you to decide which type of mechanism you choose. It is better to install cruise control, if you have not done this before, with the help of technicians at a service station. So buy yourself this mechanism and enjoy a comfortable ride.

Without cruise control, traveling long distances would become tiresome and contribute to driver fatigue. Let's tell you: what it is and what it is needed for, how to use it, what is the difference between passive and adaptive.

What is it and how to use it

For example, we set the system to 100 km/h (additionally adjusts within plus or minus 5 km/h) in order to keep the highway limit to 90 km/h plus the permitted 20 km/h and not get fined. The driver can only steer. The system may reduce speed on downhill slopes or when approaching a slow vehicle. After passing it, it will automatically dial the specified value.

In urban conditions, where the speed of the car is not constant, it is not needed. For safety reasons, cruise is switched off as soon as you press the brake pedal and is inactive when driving below 40 km/h.

Everything is clear with the on/off buttons. When you press the Set/Accel button, the cruise control will record the speed at which you are traveling. this moment. If you press this button again, it will increase by 2 km/h. If you brake, then to restore the lost speed you need to press the Resume button. If you hold the Coast button, the speed will decrease.

What is adaptive cruise

This opportunity will appear thanks to the installation of a radar and a digital processor. This type is called active. Traditional cruise control is considered passive and does not automatically adjust the speed; you must do this yourself.

Let's look at an example of how active cruise control works on Mercedes cars. It works when they are positioned behind a car and uses a video camera to point at the license plate of the leading car. Then your car will follow the leader as if tied, if he does not change lanes, and the road is not a mountain serpentine with sharp turns.

If the car in front slows down, the system sends a signal to reduce speed. When the road is empty, it gives a signal to restore speed. If you have a passive cruise, then you must slow down and then also independently restore the speed to the set one.

Video review using an example

Active cruise control is designed to help avoid collisions with vehicles ahead. If the system does not have time to reduce speed and there is a possibility of a collision, it signals the driver to apply the brakes or move away from the collision. In advanced systems, it is capable of braking independently without driver intervention.

First, let's define the terms and understand what cruise control is - this is a modern automotive device that is designed to maintain the driving speed set by the driver, and, if necessary, automatically increase or decrease it on certain sections of the road without driver intervention.

In other words, this is the most effective and reliable assistant for any motorist when traveling long distances. In most cases, cruise control is used when driving on highways, but in urban conditions it is usually useless http://propuskavmoskvu.ru/index.php/razreshenie-na-negabarit.

Cruise control is most widespread in the United States, however, European car owners are increasingly purchasing cars equipped with similar systems.

How cruise control works

The system has a wide functionality that allows you to control and maintain a constant speed, increase and decrease it, for example, when ascending or descending, when driving around, etc. And all this becomes possible only by pressing one control button, which allows you to change the speed every 2 km/h.

For example, if you need to reduce or increase your speed by 16 km/h, you just need to press the control button 8 times. Disabling the control system on different cars can be done differently.

Sometimes, to completely stop the system, you need to press the brake pedal and reduce the speed to 35 km/h, and sometimes you just need to press the brake or gas and the car will go into manual control.

What does cruise control consist of?

A few words about the cruise control circuit. So, we have already determined that the system automatically maintains the set speed in a given direction.

A modern cruise control system consists of a computer, a servo drive, a sensor, solenoid valves, a vacuum turbo line, a diaphragm and its cable.

The system coordinates throttle operation through sensors that detect vehicle speed and transmit data to the throttle valve. Among other things, the system monitors the position of the operating buttons and pedals, changing the driving speed, decreasing or increasing it.

Cruise control control

The modern cruise control system is controlled using the main buttons (may vary depending on the model):

• On – turns on the system;
• Off – turns off the system;
• Set/ Accel – sets, increases or decreases the set speed (when pressed again);
• Resume – restores the previous value of the set speed;
• Coast – reduces the speed of movement, sometimes it acts as a brake;

The two main pedals (brake and clutch) are equipped with special switches that allow you to disable cruise control when you press one of the pedals.

The control center of the entire system is a special computer located on the control panel. The computer interfaces with the throttle and sensors to effectively coordinate the entire system.

The cruise control throttle mechanism is controlled using diaphragm cables that connect to a small hinge element that opens the throttle valve.

One cable is connected to the gas pedal, the other to the servo drive. When the cruise control is started, the servo drives a cable that regulates the throttle; another cable allows you to use the gas pedal when the system is already active.

Adaptive cruise control

The calculation of the required driving speed is established based on the main indicators - distance, acceleration and proportions of the car. This is the basic operating principle of the passive cruise control system.

A more advanced and multifunctional system is adaptive cruise control, which allows you not only to set and maintain the desired driving speed, but also to maintain a safe distance between your car and others.

Adaptive cruise control is often equipped with a special sensor, which, using a signal, allows you to monitor and coordinate the required driving speed.

This system consists of the following elements:

• sensitive sensor to determine the required speed and distance between any vehicles;
• electronic type control controller;
• signal processor that executes controller commands

The operating principle of such a system is quite simple. Using a sensor, the system determines the safe distance between cars, setting the desired speed. When the distance decreases, the system transmits appropriate impulses to the engine and braking system for timely braking of the vehicle.

As soon as the distance is restored or the obstacle is overcome, the cruise control picks up the previously set speed.

Currently, adaptive cruise control is considered to be the most effective and promising vehicle control system.

Many novice car enthusiasts ask the question: “What is cruise control in a car?” You could say this is an integral feature of a modern car. Without it, long trips would become a complete stress for the driver, and those with a “chronic uncontrollable need for speed” would spend all their money on speeding fines.

A little history

At the beginning of the twentieth century, only Germany could boast of the best roads in the world. Other countries had no choice but to take German rules as a basis road construction. In the United States, the development of the road network has acquired the status of a state doctrine. By the 60s they had caught up with Germany in terms of road quality. The emphasis was placed not only on the branched structure with cafeterias, gas stations and motels, but also on the greatest length of roads. Multi-lane highways, which do not have single-level intersections with railways and other roads, covered vast territories. Drivers traveled several thousand kilometers a week on highways, traveling the length and breadth of the country. It is not surprising that cruise control appeared in the USA. In our country, this device is not given paramount importance. Although experiments with cruise control were carried out back in the USSR. The first model equipped with this device was the Volga (GAZ-21).

What is cruise control in a car?

Most reference books classify this device as a special device that allows you to maintain the specified speed of the machine constantly. At the same time, it can be either increased or decreased, with or without driver participation. The thing is that when driving long distances it is very difficult to constantly keep your foot on the gas pedal. Cruise control makes this task easier. How exactly he does this, you will find out below.

Cruise control buttons

They are located on Typically, there are only four of them:

ON - switching on;

OFF - shutdown;

SET - setting the movement speed;

RESUME - return to the speed set last time.

Now you know how to turn on cruise control. Let's talk about the benefits promised by this device. They all come down to three advantages: savings, comfort and safety.

Saving

By maintaining a uniform speed, savings can range from 5 to 15% of fuel. For example, when driving without cruise control on a road section 200-210 km long at a speed in the range of 85-130 km/h, the approximate consumption per 100 km will be 11 liters. With cruise control turned on and a stable speed of 110 km/h, you can save 2 liters and achieve 9. As a bonus, you can note the reduced load on the transmission and engine. Consequently, their service life will increase.

Comfort

This advantage reveals to us how cruise control works. While driving, the driver does not need to press on to maintain a constant speed. Cruise control will do this for him. Using the above, the driver can set a fixed speed and not press the gas pedal. In this case, fuel will be supplied independently and in the dosage necessary to maintain the current speed. If the required speed is exceeded, for example on a descent, the car will automatically slow down, and when driving on an ascent it can accelerate. This occurs due to the control of ABS operation, fuel supply, and engine speed. Today this is a fairly technological process, which is regulated by mechanical actuators and electronics.

So what is cruise control in a car? This is, first of all, comfort. After all, the driver does not need to monitor maintaining a certain speed, which means he can relax, which is especially important during hours of tiring driving. And it’s not just the leg that is resting. Thanks to cruise control, it is possible not to exceed the speed due to inattention, which is also a comfort. Due to the fear of speeding, the driver is forced to constantly “monitor” the speedometer data. This makes your eyes tired and your brain tired. If the road situation changes, it is always possible to turn off the “cruise” by pressing the brake or gas pedal (depending on the situation). You can return to this option by simply pressing a button. When the ignition is turned off, the previously set speed is canceled.

Safety

Even those drivers who don’t know what cruise control is in a car put it above all else. This device will help provide it. Thousands of highway features contain specific traffic information. The driver notices signs, signs and markings much better, fully concentrating on the road. Of course, the mode of maintaining a fixed speed is acceptable for urban conditions, but on the other hand, it is of little use for them. But such a useful function as speed limit is suitable for any roads. It allows you to set a certain limit (for example, 70 km/h), upon reaching which the car will forcefully brake. That is, the speed will vary in the range from 0 to 70 km/h, and no more.

This option is very relevant in cities where there is a speed limit (60 km/h). Traffic police officers take full advantage of this, because high speeds in modern cars are achieved quietly and quickly, and straight, wide sections awaken the desire to accelerate. This is where the speed limit mode is needed. If you want to slow down, please, but you won’t be able to accelerate above the established limit.

We hope you understand all the benefits of cruise control. So think about purchasing it. Moreover, installation of cruise control is quite simple and can be done at any car service center.