Possible stupid question - ACC

[Bud]

21 hours ago, daveo138 said:

 

I totally agree. 

 

I've had normal cruise control for years and have used it all the time. 

 

I now find that I'm not using ACC, because it is more trouble than it's worth. 

I've had ACC for years and found it excellent.

 

Now on the Superb I have it linked with an auto box it is no trouble at all and even use it around town.

 

The system works extremely well, what it cannot do like all semi automated systems is understand what the human is going to do.  Some pop up targets may cause the system to intervene, you may wish to override those interventions dependent upon your tolerance to risk. Other drivers chopping into gaps the system has left, according to your preferences, being a prime example.  But if you were on manual CC then you would have to cancel or brake the vehicle yourself and then resume anyway so do not see the extra hassle. In fact hitting resume on normal CC would probably be less safe as the acceleration rate is probably fixed rather than considering potential targets and time differences as ACC will to moderate acceleration. 

 

Driving in average speed controlled roadworks, such as M25 or "Smart motorway" transformation is easy with ACC, you set 55mph and leave it.  Things slow down, you slow down, no intervention, but on manual you have to go through the brake/cancel resume cycle many times which lead to more pulsing in the speed and traffic flow as well as introducing extra effort (strain) on the driver.

 

It is not quite self drive but as it can reduce speed to halt the vehicle and accelerate away again it is getting close but you are still in charge. That is why the disclaimers are there.  

 

[Skodafanmaybe]

I use cruise control all the time on the motorway, even in quite heavy UK traffic. I use the stalk to make adjustments to my speed, sometimes frequently and in small increments, based on traffic conditions and my anticipation.

I am about to get a Superb with ACC and so I was interested to read the comments here.

The comments seem to concentrate on motorway driving. Despite my first sentence, I do not use cruise control much on single carriageway A roads, because of the constant adjustment needed in traffic and when mostly one cannot overtake. I thought that ACC would be of great benefit in that sort of driving.

Any comments?

Edited 30 April, 2017 by Skodafanmaybe
Sorry, Bud's post appeared just after I had posted and whilst I was writing and seems to make the same sort of point.

[Gizmo]

On single carriageways ACC comes into it’s own, you really just have to steer (and Lane Assist will do most of that if you let it!) 

The only issues I have with ACC (and therefore would prefer normal CC in these circumstances is when approaching a slower vehicle with moderate traffic around you, the car will slow down a bit too early for my liking, if you pull out to overtake the moment the vehicle in front appears on the maxidot then you are in the outside lane for longer than is ideal, this is no problem if you are travelling much quicker of course but is not ideal if you are only going a few mph quicker, yes I know i can just put my foot down but that kind of defeats the whole point of CC,

[CheshireBumpkin]

I agree with the last three posts in many ways - it's in 'normal' (ie. generally busy) motorway traffic I find it particularly annoying. In contraflow / average speed checks / single carriageway 'A' roads it can be very useful.

 

It's the interaction when overtaking and encountering traffic in other lanes you might want to pass I find frustrating. Without it, you 'flow' in these circumstances as an experienced driver - you back off the gas without braking to slot smoothly into a gap in a different lane, you speed up slightly at times to prevent a jarring manoeuvre in or out of another lane. All of this is usually done without consciously thinking about it. With ACC it's nowhere near as smooth, and requires far more 'conscious' thought to achieve a result that isn't quite as good.

 

Horses for courses I suppose. Maybe better and more experienced drivers get on better without ACC than others?   

 

PS: Heavy dose of leg-pulling intended with the last comment!

 

 

Edited 30 April, 2017 by CheshireBumpkin

[rickyang]

2 hours ago, Gizmo68 said:

The only issues I have with ACC (and therefore would prefer normal CC in these circumstances is when approaching a slower vehicle with moderate traffic around you, the car will slow down a bit too early for my liking, if you pull out to overtake the moment the vehicle in front appears on the maxidot then you are in the outside lane for longer than is ideal, this is no problem if you are travelling much quicker of course but is not ideal if you are only going a few mph quicker, yes I know i can just put my foot down but that kind of defeats the whole point of CC,

I suspect that you've probably found yourself too close to the car in front when driving without ACC as do most of us probably so the ACC is making us all safer drivers.  On my usual commute home on Friday my journey was delayed twice by crashes, bet these were caused by cars being too close together.

[daveo138]

7 minutes ago, rickyang said:

...On my usual commute home on Friday my journey was delayed twice by crashes, bet these were caused by cars being too close together.

 

 

Yes, I believe that is the definition of a crash 

[Ju1ian1001]

3 hours ago, rickyang said:

I suspect that you've probably found yourself too close to the car in front when driving without ACC as do most of us probably so the ACC is making us all safer drivers.  On my usual commute home on Friday my journey was delayed twice by crashes, bet these were caused by cars being too close together.

But thats the problem with these gadgets, my octy only has normal CC so i am in control of the brakes which keeps me thinking ahead on what i'm doing. ACC does not in opinion make us safer drivers, it make us rely to much on "driver aids" as that is what it is.

 

I have driven a few different type's of vehicle with ACC, and to be honest i rather not have it, i like being in full control of the vehicle i'm driving; normal CC only controls speed not distance, i as the driver has to control that so my mind and concentration stay switched on.

 

AS drivers we should not rely on these gadgets to do basic stuff defo not rely on them for braking and such stuff as they can go wrong just like that.

[Bud]

13 minutes ago, Ju1ian1001 said:

I have driven a few different type's of vehicle with ACC, and to be honest i rather not have it, i like being in full control of the vehicle i'm driving; normal CC only controls speed not distance, i as the driver has to control that so my mind and concentration stay switched on.

 

AS drivers we should not rely on these gadgets to do basic stuff defo not rely on them for braking and such stuff as they can go wrong just like that.

So what happens if normal CC freezes on?

What happens when the FBW throttle sticks open?

What happens if the DSG sticks in a gear?

Or the steering response fails?

Or the Parking brake jams?

 

They are all vehicle controls "gadgets" to manage as part of a safe and progressive driving plan.

[Ju1ian1001]

15 minutes ago, Bud said:

So what happens if normal CC freezes on?

What happens when the FBW throttle sticks open?

What happens if the DSG sticks in a gear?

Or the steering response fails?

Or the Parking brake jams?

 

They are all vehicle controls "gadgets" to manage as part of a safe and progressive driving plan.

This is what i mean apart from DSG, parking brake and the FBW the rest are aids in which we as humans have come to rely on, don't get me wrong i love my octy 2 with its CC tractcion control and abs, but i love driving cars with no electric this or electronic that because I as in me has to "drive". and get to do this quiet often as my brother owns a 1971 mk2 cortina 1600e, i just so nice to control everything on it, no leccy window, no servo assisted brakes, no power steering, no luxury whats so ever. It's just so much fun, coz there is no aids or gadgets as i call them. Not relying on these in my opinion has made me a safer driver.

Edited 30 April, 2017 by Ju1ian1001

[freelunch]

I had cruise control on my Brera and never used it: the constant speed fluctuation on two-lane roads meant I was shutting it off all the time. I love (in all caps) ACC.

 

On my 300 mile round trip this bank holiday, I followed heavy traffic to and through a roundabout with my speed set to 60 mph. I never once touched the brake or the loud pedal. Sure, if someone had been coming from the right, I would have had to brake, but no one was coming. 

 

I was in a five car formation down the A52. We must have all had our cars on ACC. Perfect spacing and pacing, right on the speed limit. No brake lights in the curves. I have to think this helps with fuel mileage, the car managing the petrol.

 

One scary moment was on the M11. I was paying attention, so I had my foot hovering over the brake. Traffic came to a sudden stop. My car started to brake, then a piercing tone sounded (I swear, it sounded like a girly shriek) and a bright red warning light came up on the dash (YOUR TURN, MATE!!) and I slammed on the brakes. Once this happened while on ACC, another time it happened when I was not using ACC.

 

The lesson: NEVER drive on a bank holiday.

[2slo]

1 hour ago, freelunch said:

 NEVER drive on a bank holiday.

 

Quite agree. If the weather's decent, cut the grass or wash the car in the morning, have a bbq and a couple of cold ones in the afternoon, enjoy the day off remembering that traffic will be lighter for the next few days as people use 4 days holiday to get a week off 

[Jaytip]

20 hours ago, Ju1ian1001 said:

This is what i mean apart from DSG, parking brake and the FBW the rest are aids in which we as humans have come to rely on, don't get me wrong i love my octy 2 with its CC tractcion control and abs, but i love driving cars with no electric this or electronic that because I as in me has to "drive". and get to do this quiet often as my brother owns a 1971 mk2 cortina 1600e, i just so nice to control everything on it, no leccy window, no servo assisted brakes, no power steering, no luxury whats so ever. It's just so much fun, coz there is no aids or gadgets as i call them. Not relying on these in my opinion has made me a safer driver.

On a short little blast, I couldn't agree with you more, but if you have a 300 mile motorway round trip coming up I would gladly take the newer car with driver aids over a 1971 mk2 cortina.

[knfruitbat]

I drove my '81 mini from London to Newquay and then to the Lake District via Derby and loved it. I would not do the same with a modern large Estate without the Power Steering or Cruise Control, it would be totally undriveable and late night 50mph average speed camera motorway stretches would be a total pain.

As it says in multiple places these things do not replace the driver, having used an ACC system in low speed heavy traffic in town I love it. I can cover the brake if I need to and pay attention to the road, very helpful at school kicking out time, and people using gadgets (particularly with earphones) and not looking when crossing the road. Stop, Look, Listen (and Mirror, Signal, Manoeuver) seems to be a thing of the past, so anything that can help me pay more attention to the road and think about not only what I am doing, but what others around me may do is always welcome. If it stops one Lemming from driving straight into me all the better.

[Skodafanmaybe]

For those who don't like the ACC...why not use the speed limiter? OK, you need to use the accelerator pedal but it keeps you in control whilst (hopefully) preserving your driving licence.

[Gizmo]

The speed limiter was only introduced on MY17, the whole point (to me anyway) of CC is so you don't need to use the throttle. 

[daveo138]

My car was delivered December 2016 - no speed limiter. 

 

I was was leant a Fabia by the local dealer which had speed limiter but no CC.