ADAS - Adaptive cruise control

Driving in heavy traffic and maintaining a safe distance from the vehicle ahead of you requires intense concentration. Adaptive cruise control can reduce the resulting stress and prevent rear-end collisions in traffic. 

Adaptive cruise control can also include a feature that adjusts the cruising speed based on traffic signs or the contours of the road.

Adaptive cruise control uses radar sensors to measure the distance to the car driving ahead of you and adjust your driving speed to ensure that the predetermined safe distance is maintained and the set cruising speed is not exceeded. The system will also make your car accelerate if a slower vehicle ahead of you turns away. 

With traditional cruise control systems, the driver only sets the desired cruising speed – with adaptive cruise control, the driver also sets the desired safe distance from the vehicle ahead. The driver can usually select from three to seven different distances. The safe distance is selected using buttons on the steering wheel or a separate stalk. 

A cruise control system that adjusts driving speed based on traffic signs and the contours of the road scans traffic signs and the road using a camera, but it may also utilise map data from the car’s navigator. 

Adaptive cruise control does not always function reliably in certain situations. The system may not be able to detect narrow vehicles, such as motorcycles. 

The functioning of adaptive cruise control can also be hindered by curving roads. If the road is curved, the system may sometimes fail to detect vehicles driving ahead of you on the same lane, which may cause the system to accelerate your car to the set cruising speed and then brake suddenly when the road straightens and the system is able to detect the car ahead of you again. Similarly, a vehicle suddenly switching to your lane ahead of you may “surprise” the system as it detects a car within the set safe distance. 

Familiarise yourself with your vehicle’s manual. The manual will tell you exactly where the system’s sensors are located. Adaptive cruise control sensors are usually located at the front of the car. The manual will also provide you with the manufacturer’s detailed instructions on how to use the system and tell you what to do in situations where the system might not function correctly or at all.

Keep in mind that as the driver, you are always ultimately responsible for your driving speed and keeping a safe distance. You should always keep your driving speed at a level that allows you to react to other traffic. For example, winter conditions in Finland necessitate keeping a considerably greater safe distance than during the summer. 

Adaptive cruise control may also not work during heavy snowfall or in dense fog. Systems that adapt to speed limits based on traffic signs may not always be able to identify traffic signs correctly, especially if a sign is partially obscured or crooked.

Adaptive cruise control systems that rely on map data need to have access to up-to-date data, so be sure to take care of map updates in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure that the system works as intended.

Always keep your car’s sensors, cameras and radars clean to ensure that the system functions correctly.