Keeping to 20 mph

[Devonisheaven]

Must admit that I was a bit of a doubter but having used it more yesterday on the M4 I like its benefit. Just set it for 50 mph on average speed lengths and it worked very well. I just sat behind the car in front not affected by any variation in speed as mine adjusted smoothly. On 70 mph stretches I set it at 68mph. Coming up behind slower traffic like lorries it would start to ease off, but prior to that I could just accelerate and move in to lane 2 or 3 as required. Then after re-entering lane 1 I would ease back on the throttle and it would settle back to the set speed.

I think the doubters simply don’t know how it works! No comparison in the two.

 

[GUMPY]

Sorry mate, then it is practically useless in any traffic, or 20mph zones, which are built up areas.

Unfortunately the Yeti was never built with adaptive CC and I can't afford another car just for that when the Yeti ticks all my boxes.
I generally leave a large distance between me and the car in front so it works for me.

 

[Devonisheaven]

Unfortunately the Yeti was never built with adaptive CC and I can't afford another car just for that when the Yeti ticks all my boxes.
I generally leave a large distance between me and the car in front so it works for me.

Yes, the Yeti was a great car, but don’t let anyone tell you old CC is better than ACC……..It simply isn’t! 👍

 

[Dustydog]

Adaptive CC imo takes away the advanced driving techniques that I have enjoyed for decades. You become lazy and cease to look at the long range view.

Clive does yours recognise the ever changing speed limits?

North Wales and Scotland seem to use 20 mph as a form of entrapment. Around Llangollen it changes 4 times in rapid succession , part for only 100 yards varying 40 -20 -30 -40 -20. Clearly a taxation mechanism judging by the very expensive yellow tall stanchions with double cameras. Only one speed sign at the entry, no road markings nor repeaters. Cheats!

 

[Devonisheaven]

Adaptive CC imo takes away the advanced driving techniques that I have enjoyed for decades. You become lazy and cease to look at the long range view.

Was ACC around when you did your Advanced Driver?

 

[Beardy]

Around Llangollen it changes 4 times in rapid succession , part for only 100 yards varying 40 -20 -30 -40 -20.

When I towed across Wales last year the number of speed limit changes in close succession really irritated me. It felt like I was constantly accelerating or braking rather than driving at a steady speed. They also seemed intent on decreasing the limit on downhill stretches and increasing the limit on up hill stretches.

 

[Dustydog]

Was ACC around when you did your Advanced Driver?

No ! But in 1969 I had to see the ACC at Kingston Nick with my mum for a motorcycle offence .A good rollicking 🙀

 

[Mel]

I think the doubters simply don’t know how it works! No comparison in the two.

I had no idea that there were different sorts of cruise control. So I wouldn’t know how it works. Cruise control for Dummies explanation please
Mel

 

[Buckman]

Yesterday we spent a day in Wales where most towns and villages are a 20 mph limit. I turned on intelligent speed control as I entered the first 20 mph zone. Surprisingly it worked very well at that low speed. That was until I arrived at stretches where there were cars parked on the nearside verges, and also in the road on the opposite side. Well the poor old radar was all over the place dropping speed and gently applying brakes then gently accelerating again, before repeating the process. I turned it off and went back to right foot control. Which is a pity as trying to hold 20 mph seems to hack off following drivers, Wheras on speed control it seems to make it much easier for me to ignore them😂

The car's system doesn't like parked cars and cannot cope and brakes get slammed on unexpectedly for no reason.

 

[Buckman]

Perhaps a question that should be asked is why are there so many fatalities with children? Are cars driving on pavements? Are cars racing into the properties of other people. Are cars racing around the school grounds.

In my humble opinion it probably all boils down to lack of education. Are youngsters today being taught any road safety by their parents or are the parents relying on the state once again to educate them? Where we lived there were at least 10 or more schools in close proximity and I do not recall any fatalities, but there may have been one or two in the 20 years I lived there between the fifties and eighties.

With all the schools one needed to cross a main road and sometimes two main roads, but we were taught by our parents and also at school about the danger of cars, motorbikes etc.

 

[Devonisheaven]

The car's system doesn't like parked cars and cannot cope and brakes get slammed on unexpectedly for no reason.

Absolutely no reason to use any CC when you are in and out of parked cars, just would not use it in that situation, why would you want to. Would you want to brake on approaching a parked car anyway? 🤷

 

[Buckman]

Absolutely no reason to use any CC when you are in and out of parked cars, just would not use it in that situation, why would you want to. Would you want to brake on approaching a parked car anyway? 🤷

On some cars the system comes on automatically and you need to physically cancel it by digging through sub menus. I only found this out when we had a newish loan car. It was totally unexpected and unnerving as besides braking the steering wheel twitched as if the car was taking control. Luckily on the Lexus, you need to activate the system.

 

[Devonisheaven]

On some cars the system comes on automatically and you need to physically cancel it by digging through sub menus. I only found this out when we had a newish loan car. It was totally unexpected and unnerving as besides braking the steering wheel twitched as if the car was taking control. Luckily on the Lexus, you need to activate the system.

Blimey, what car was that?

I have never heard ACC was a default setting, certainly not on the cars I have had or the three or four I have hired in the last five years! When looking at cars in the last 6 or 7 years, I have never come across one that you don’t have to activate, like any kind of CC

It would be interesting to know what makes of car use it as a default.

 

[Buckman]

Blimey, what car was that?

I have never heard ACC was a default setting, certainly not on the cars I have had or the three or four I have hired in the last five years! When looking at cars in the last 6 or 7 years, I have never come across one that you don’t have to activate, like any kind of CC

It would be interesting to know what makes of car use it as a default.

Not ACC, but automatic braking and lane departure which both come on automatically when starting the car. You do not need the CC to be switched on for it to work. I dislike these system as they take away driver control. This is the 21st century in case you have forgotten. LOL!

 

[otherclive]

Adaptive CC imo takes away the advanced driving techniques that I have enjoyed for decades. You become lazy and cease to look at the long range view.

Clive does yours recognise the ever changing speed limits?

North Wales and Scotland seem to use 20 mph as a form of entrapment. Around Llangollen it changes 4 times in rapid succession , part for only 100 yards varying 40 -20 -30 -40 -20. Clearly a taxation mechanism judging by the very expensive yellow tall stanchions with double cameras. Only one speed sign at the entry, no road markings nor repeaters. Cheats!

No mine doesn’t have active sign recognition, but the satnav shows speed limit relayed to the message screen in front of me. What makes you think that ACC makes the driver switch off? I could say that being on CC is not as good because at the driver is needing to keep making adjustments either actually, or mentally due to variations in speed of nearby traffic. Is there any evidence to support your view?

 

[otherclive]

The car's system doesn't like parked cars and cannot cope and brakes get slammed on unexpectedly for no reason.

Mine doesn’t slam on the brakes, perhaps your pre set activation distance needs adjusting. Mine is on the medium distance. But that meant it picks up parked cars and gently brakes. But still just as infuriating in an area with high traffic density whether 20 or 30 mph. The Owner Manual gives a lot of examples where its function can be affected. One area being joining traffic coming down M way slip roads, or cutting in drivers etc. So unlike some views I still need to concentrate but ACC can provide a safety fall back if required.

 

[Devonisheaven]

Mine doesn’t slam on the brakes, perhaps your pre set activation distance needs adjusting. Mine is on the medium distance. But that meant it picks up parked cars and gently brakes. But still just as infuriating in an area with high traffic density whether 20 or 30 mph. The Owner Manual gives a lot of examples where its function can be affected. One area being joining traffic coming down M way slip roads, or cutting in drivers etc. So unlike some views I still need to concentrate but ACC can provide a safety fall back if required.

I have driven tens of thousands of miles using ACC, I would no longer have a car without it.

 

[Buckman]

Mine doesn’t slam on the brakes, perhaps your pre set activation distance needs adjusting. Mine is on the medium distance. But that meant it picks up parked cars and gently brakes. But still just as infuriating in an area with high traffic density whether 20 or 30 mph. The Owner Manual gives a lot of examples where its function can be affected. One area being joining traffic coming down M way slip roads, or cutting in drivers etc. So unlike some views I still need to concentrate but ACC can provide a safety fall back if required.

It was in a loan UX. When I stated it braked harshly it was probably a bit of an exaggeration, but the braking is quite aggressive. In the Yaris if the RSA is activated and you set the CC to 30mph and then enter a 60mph zone without cancelling the CC, accelerate to 60mph, if you lift your foot off the accelerator the car will brake down to 30mph as quick as possible. These are things that you find out with use of the car.

 

[RogerL]

I have driven tens of thousands of miles using ACC, I would no longer have a car without it.

Other opinions are available!

 

[Devonisheaven]

Not ACC, but automatic braking and lane departure which both come on automatically when starting the car. You do not need the CC to be switched on for it to work. I dislike these system as they take away driver control. This is the 21st century in case you have forgotten. LOL!

I thought this was about Active Cruise Control, or have I missed something. I think you are getting confused.

I never use Lane Departure, I also don’t like it, I use lane assist, which is a brilliant safety feature. It is simply a push of a button on my steering wheel.

I know exactly what century it is, I would be on my fifth new car this century. LOL! 😂

 

[ProfJohnL]

... don’t let anyone tell you old CC is better than ACC……..It simply isn’t! 👍

The reason so many new cars have ACC is because the EU (and by default the UK) has introduced legislation requiring it on new cars as part of the driver assistance and collision avoidance systems.

Whilst I generally find my VW Passat GTE ACC good and useful, there are occasions where I find its algorithm causes unnecessary braking, and in fact straight CC would be better on those occasions.

Whether ACC is better or not compared to CC is dependant on a lot of factors and everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

 

[Devonisheaven]

Other opinions are available!

Absolutely, but there is a lot of ignorance over how these systems work. Years ago you had to wind a stick on the door to get the window down, and I believe you can still get cars with three pedals and a stick you have to constantly wiggle around. I mean, what is all that about! Totally pointless. 🤷

My old pick up truck has three pedals and a wiggling stick……..🤷🤪

 

[Devonisheaven]

The reason so many new cars have ACC is because the EU (and by default the UK) has introduced legislation requiring it on new cars as part of the driver assistance and collision avoidance systems.

Whilst I generally find my VW Passat GTE ACC good and useful, there are occasions where I find its algorithm causes unnecessary braking, and in fact straight CC would be better on those occasions.

Whether ACC is better or not compared to CC is dependant on a lot of factors and everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

Yep…..But ACC is still far, far superior. 👍

 

[Buckman]

I thought this was about Active Cruise Control, or have I missed something. I think you are getting confused.

I never use Lane Departure, I also don’t like it, I use lane assist, which is a brilliant safety feature. It is simply a push of a button on my steering wheel.

I know exactly what century it is, I would be on my fifth new car this century. LOL! 😂

Aren't Lane departure and Lane assist basically the same thing? If I could find out how to permanently disable either in the Yaris I would be very happy. At least in the Lexus I have to activate it and having tried it once, no interest in using it again. I prefer to be in control of the car and not the car in control as I regard the latter as unsafe and only required by drivers that are "lazy".

Both our cars probably have the ACC, but not sure why it is different to the normal CC. I simply switch on whatever gives me CC and use it.

 

[otherclive]

Absolutely no reason to use any CC when you are in and out of parked cars, just would not use it in that situation, why would you want to. Would you want to brake on approaching a parked car anyway? 🤷

In my case it was the first time I had tried it off off the motorway. But it wasn’t want a normal urban area just a longish 20 mph stretch between two villages with a few terrace houses on my off side. Clearly it works as intended but manual override is better. Live and learn.