With a rise in autonomous and self-driving technology appearing in more and more vehicles, having the latest technology available is something for drivers to consider. While going fully autonomous is not an available option for every make and model out on the roads today, there is technology available to help reduce the stress of driving while also improving your safety. In particular, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) is one of the most common add-ons you’ll find available for your vehicle.
Adaptive Cruise Control is a form of smarter cruise control that will automatically speed up or slow down to keep up pace with the car that is in front of you. You, the driver, set the maximum speed like you would when using cruise control and then a radar sensor watches for the traffic ahead. It will then lock onto the car in a lane and will then instruct your vehicle to stay anywhere from 2 to 4 seconds behind the car that is ahead of you. Adaptive Cruise Control is now almost always paired with a pre-crash braking system that will alert you and will begin braking for you to reduce the risk of an accident and to help keep you safer.
The ideal use for Adaptive Cruise Control seems to be for stop-and-go traffic and rush hour commutes where the speed can drastically change from 60mph one minute to a complete standstill the next.
Before you go running to your trusted auto mechanic to have an Adaptive Cruise Control system installed in your vehicle however, it’s important to know more about the system to determine if it is a good fit for you and your car. Here are just some of the most important things to consider when looking into ACC systems.
With technology going towards completely autonomous vehicles, if you’re interested in reducing the chances of an accident while out on your daily commute, a vehicle armed with adaptive cruise control is a great way to free yourself to pay more attention to the roads and potential hazards and although it’s still a costly technology, it is becoming more and more commonplace in car manufacturers, meaning sooner or later it may become standard in most models of car, further pushing the possibilities of automobiles while improving driver safety.