Does Adaptive Cruise Control Work?

All drivers are susceptible to accidents and collisions on the road. The usual reasons for these circumstances are speed and mishandling. With the danger that you may experience on the road, you can install devices that increase your safety. In these instances, does adaptive cruise control work?

Adaptive cruise control (ACC) works efficiently on the road. It consists of sensors, cameras, and GPS to fully deliver you enough information and manage your speed. The control it can bring to the driver prevents them from getting into collisions.

ACC is commonly designed for cars. It provides intelligent driving that can detect incoming obstacles on the road. Keep reading as we will discuss the ACC in this article.

What Is Adaptive Cruise Control?

Adaptive cruise control is a safety system control that is devised in vehicles to control their speed and brake. By maintaining the speed limit of a car, the driver can ensure its safety as it prevents car crashes or collisions.

The ACC is usually seen on the steering wheel of the car. There are instances when drivers find it hard to control their speed which results in accidents. It’s an essential technology that helps to prevent drivers from bumping into the vehicle in front.

ACC is installed in parts where it can detect if there are cars ahead. The device may have radar or laser sensors to determine the vehicles approaching.

Once the system can find a vehicle in front, the sensor will automatically alert the driver of the possible collision. Some ACCs also have a sound warning to notify the driver to activate its brakes.

How does Adaptive Cruise Control Work?

You can typically set the ACC of the car using the buttons found on the steering wheels. Several factors regarding the driving controls are found in the buttons.

An ACC contributes greatly to providing safety when driving on the road. It assists such as adjusting the brakes and acceleration of the car. It feeds you important driving information like speed limits, road data, and its curvature.

Since ACC uses sensors, the system can identify if there are incoming objects in front of your car. You can guarantee safety as long as you can set the desired controls for the car.

The system allows you to adjust the speed you want and it’ll calculate the distance of your car to another car. Through its radar, the ACC immediately controls the brakes and engines to alleviate the speed of the car.

If there are no cars found on the road, the control will resume the speed set by the driver.

Types of Adaptive Cruise Control

Although ACC has one purpose, there are several types of this system that you can choose. The following are the different types:

Laser System

The laser type of ACC is commonly found in the car’s grille or the middle of headlights. Its sensor uses laser technology to detect the distance of the object to the car. It’s inefficient to use during rainy weather.

Radar System

The radar is installed in the car’s dashboard and shows the estimated distance of the object or other vehicles. With the help of its sensor, you can determine through the radar if vehicles are approaching.

Predictive Systems

The most common type of ACC is predictive systems. It can predict the vehicles near your car and adjust the speed.

Assisting System

Assisting system is an additional device for radar systems. You can buy both which increases the efficiency of the safety on the road. This system provides collision controls for the vehicle lane, brakes, and more.

Multi-sensor System

Multi-sensors help in improving the ACC operation. This type of system requires the installation of several sensors to give sufficient information to the driver. It might include GPS and cameras.

Binocular Computer Vision System

This kind of ACC is usually installed at the back of the rearview mirror. The position of the camera is directed to the front to detect the objects in front of the car.

Advantages of Adaptive Cruise Control

The major purpose of ACC is to prevent car accidents caused by collisions. Drivers are sometimes put into situations where they can’t completely visualize the proximity of their car to another car. Here is the notable advantage of ACC:

Control speed

Speeding is one of the major causes of collisions. There are instances when drivers unnoticeably increase their speed while driving. With ACC, it helps the drivers to slow down their speed if there are obstacles detected on the road.

Lessen control activity

You can comfortably let the ACC operate the car with the desired speed your set. If you are going for a long trip, your feet might experience being tired from the pedals.

ACC helps you to prevent accidents during a long trip. If you’re exhausted, the system can assist and detect the approaching vehicles or obstacles.

Reduce fuel usage

Since ACC aims to control the speed, it will also impact fuel usage. Less pumping in the pedal is equivalent to minimal burning of fuel. It means you can save more.

What Is the Difference Between Normal Cruise Control and Adaptive Cruise Control?

The basic definition to focus on the differences between Normal Cruise Control (NCC) and ACC is their operation. NCC is the standard model and ACC is the modern type.

NCC is useful as it can maintain the speed if the driver sets it. The system will automatically run the vehicle even and the driver doesn’t need to step on the pedal. You just need to watch out for the breaks.

The ACC, on the other hand, mainly focuses on the radar in the detection. It’s more convenient as it automatically manages the speed of the car on the road with high and low traffic. NCC lacks this feature which is a huge advantage for drivers nowadays.

What Use Cases Are Supported by Modern Adaptive Cruise Control?

ACC systems have a massive contribution to the safety of drivers. Although some cars don’t have this feature, you are allowed to install it. Here are some of the causes why a driver needs this system:

Speed limit control

Modern technology allows the ACC to control the speed of the car. It can recognize the speed limit traffic signs and set them to your car’s system.

Stop-and-go situations

Driving on the road, especially with heavy traffic puts the driver into stop-and-go situations. With the help of ACC, you can prevent your car from colliding with another car. It can automatically detect, accelerate, and brake the car.

Fuel savings

Eco cruise control allows a driver to adjust the energy of the car for its fuel consumption. With this setting, you can ensure to save fuel throughout your journey.

Parking speed control

ACC for parking is extensively useful. Since the driver steers the car to the parking slot position, the system can identify the obstacles and alleviate the speed of the car.

Road risks warning

Not all the time drivers can see the obstacles on the road. With the use of ACC, it can warn you of the incoming vehicles and manage your speed automatically.

Turn-by-turn

This feature is usually found in phones giving direction to the navigation point. The system can immediately control the speed and brakes when dealing with roundabouts.

Conclusion

Vehicles commonly adapt to changes in technology. As the year passes, manufacturers improve the mechanism and features of the cars. ACC is the best example of this. You can increase your road safety if you have this in your car. With its sensor detection and audible warning, you are aware of the obstacles and cars surrounding you.