Adaptive Cruise Control: The Ultimate Guide to Its Types, Safety, and Advantages

Today car owners are looking for cars that offer safety, comfort, and efficiency while driving.

That is why the driving assistance system provides a great driving experience by offering safety on the road. One of its innovations at the forefront is Adaptive cruise control.

In the automotive industry, it has advanced as a remarkable technology that offers drivers a safer, more comfortable, and pleasant driving experience.

Whether to commute daily or on road trips, here is a guide about its types, safety, advantages, and more about the adaptive cruise control system to make your journeys enjoyable and safer.

What is Adaptive Cruise Control?

An adaptive cruise control (ACC) system is a driver assistance system that adjusts your vehicle speed automatically to create a safe distance from the vehicle ahead.

It can adjust the throttle and apply brakes if needed to maintain a safe distance by detecting the vehicle's speed and distance with the help of sensors.

You can drive your car comfortably and conveniently, especially during long highway journeys or heavy traffic. This allows you to drive safely while reducing the risk of collisions.

You can also set the speed and preferred distance you want but if it detects the slowly moving vehicle ahead of you, it reduces the speed to maintain a safe distance. Otherwise, you can drive at the set speed if the road ahead is clear.

Components and Working of ACC?

The components of an Adaptive cruise control are important to ensure the smooth working of the system.

Components of ACC

1. Sensors: Sensors such as radar or camera are used to monitor the road ahead and detect the distance between the vehicle to keep a safe distance, The radar sensor detects the speed and distance while the camera sensors provide visual data and help to recognize the object.
2. Control Modules: The vehicle speed is adjusted after the central processing unit interprets the data given by sensors.
3. Braking System Interface: The braking power is modulated to maintain a safe distance.
4. Throttle Control: The distance can be maintained only by adjusting the acceleration to match the traffic flow.

Working of ACC

1. Detection: The sensors detect the distance and speed of the vehicle in the same lane by monitoring the traffic ahead.
2. Set Speed and Following Distance: The driver can set the speed and the preferred distance between the vehicles and the one ahead of them according to their preference.
3. Automatic Adjustment: The speed is automatically adjusted by adaptive cruise control to maintain a safe following distance.
4. Throttle and Braking Control: In case, the gap between the vehicle and the one in front decreases, it will maintain the distance by applying the brakes. It will accelerate or decelerate to maintain a consistent speed by controlling the throttle as needed.
5. Resuming Speed: Once the road ahead is cleared, you can drive the car at a preset speed.

Types of Adaptive Cruise Control

Adaptive cruise control has different types that you can choose depending on the driving needs and conditions.

1. Radar-based ACC

Radar-based ACC uses radar sensors to detect the speed and distance of the vehicle in front of you. They allow you to drive easily in various weather conditions.

2. Camera-based ACC

The camera-based ACC uses a camera instead of radar sensors. They are mounted on the rearview mirror and analyze the visual data.

This data helps to determine distance and speed while monitoring the road ahead to prevent collisions. This type is cost-effective but may not help much in adverse weather conditions.

3. Traditional ACC

Traditional ACC is the most common type of adaptive cruise control. It maintains a fixed distance and a speed within a certain range.

You can drive your vehicle effectively on highways but may face problems during stop-and-go traffic.

4. Full-range ACC

Full-range ACC is suitable for urban traffic conditions and brings your vehicle to a complete stop. It handles the vehicle speed from a complete stop to highway speed.

Safety Features of Adaptive Cruise Control

The ACC ensures you experience a secure and enjoyable ride with all its safety features. But ensure the maintenance of your car to keep the adaptive cruise control safety features and your car in prime condition.

1. Collison Warning: ACC has a collision warning system that prevents the risk of collision. It alerts the driver regarding the potential collision by detecting the vehicle ahead.
2. Brake Assist: Brake assist becomes helpful in emergency braking situations by providing extra braking force to quickly and effectively stop the vehicle.
3. Lane-keeping Assistance: ACC has a lane-keeping assistance safety feature that keeps the vehicle in its lane. If by any chance, it drifts to another lane, the system will provide steering input and alert the driver to bring it back to its lane.
4. Reduced Traffic Accidents: Adaptive cruise control recognizes predictable driving behaviour, reducing the risk of traffic incidents.

Advantages of Adaptive Cruise Control

1. Safety

The ACC system provides safety on the road by maintaining a safe distance between the vehicles.

This reduces the risk of rear-end collisions and promotes safer driving habits. It provides enhanced safety because it features a braking assist system.

2. Comfort and Convenience

You don’t need to constantly adjust the speed while driving on long highways journey or heavy traffic.

The adaptive cruise control system takes care of the speed and distance while maintaining the gap with the vehicle ahead.

3. Reduced Congestion

The ACC facilitates smooth traffic flow and reduces congestion by keeping the vehicle at a safe distance from the other vehicle in front.

Limitations of Adaptive Cruise Control

With advantages, an adaptive cruise control system also has some limitations.

• During adverse weather conditions, the sensor can be affected by heavy rain, snow, or fog. This doesn’t allow them to operate effectively.
• One of the challenges faced by the ACC system is that it is not able to provide help in an urban complex environment. It means the area where there are many obstacles and unpredictable pedestrian movements.
• A vehicle that is equipped with an adaptive cruise control system has higher upfront costs. Its components require costly maintenance and repair.

Difference Between Adaptive Cruise Control and Cruise Control

Adaptive cruise control and cruise control are different from each other because of their features and functionalities.

How to Use Adaptive Control Cruise?

Here are the steps you can follow to use the ACC system.

• On the steering wheel or dashboard, find the ACC button. Press it to activate the system.
• Then you can set the speed and preferred following distance you want by using the controls.
• The system may give you alerts and warnings, in case, manual intervention is needed. So, pay attention to them.

Future Prospects of Adaptive Cruise Control

Automotive technology keeps evolving and so does the adaptive cruise control system. In the future, its advancement will play an important role in the development of autonomous vehicles.

With the developing smart city infrastructures, the ACC system will also benefit because of the vehicle-to-infrastructure communication, resulting in improved traffic management and safety.

The vehicles will be able to cooperate and coordinate their movements efficiently through the vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication system.

Conclusion

An adaptive cruise control system is important in maintaining your safety while driving.

It even takes care of your comfort and convenience by adjusting the speed automatically and preventing the risk of collisions. You can choose which type of ACC system you want based on your preferences.

It has various advantages and maintains a safe distance from the vehicle ahead. You can drive your car conveniently in different weather and traffic conditions.

Hence, you will experience safe and convenient driving with an adaptive cruise control system.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1 Which sensor is used in Adaptive Cruise Control?

Ans A radar sensor is used in the adaptive cruise control. Other than that a camera sensor is also utilized but is less effective during adverse weather conditions.

Q2 Is Adaptive Cruise Control safe?

Ans ACC provides safety by reducing the risk of rear-end collisions but the driver should pay attention to take control of the vehicle at any time, as ACC may not handle all driving situations.

Q3 Do all vehicles come with Adaptive Cruise Control?

Ans ACC comes in newer vehicle models, especially in mid-range to high-end vehicles but can be limited to certain trim levels in some vehicles.

Q4 Can Adaptive Cruise Control save fuel?

Ans ACC reduces unnecessary acceleration and braking and optimizes speed, improving fuel efficiency.