Once a more or less exclusive option, today more and more cars have the so-called cruise control . But what is it about? What are the characteristics of this system? What are the advantages and what are the disadvantages?
We have tried to develop a brief but complete study on this topic!
Contents hide
1 What is cruise control
2 How cruise control works
3 When is cruise control used?
4 Cruise control, between advantages and disadvantages
What is cruise control
The first thing you need to know is that cruise control is an electronic system that allows you to automatically adjust the speed while driving. It is therefore a very useful opportunity, which makes traveling easier, considering that it allows you to set a cruising speed to be kept constant, without necessarily having to press the accelerator.
How cruise control works
Cruise control can be activated using a lever, generally located on the steering column, under the direction indicators. Once activated, you can proceed by accelerating to the desired speed: once the preset threshold is exceeded, the cruise control will keep this speed constant until the driver touches the accelerator, clutch or brake.
Therefore, with cruise control, control is not transferred to an electronic system , but allows the car to set a cruise speed to be kept constant while, for example, traveling on the motorway.
It is a very convenient system, considering that it can allow you to reduce the effort while driving. But, as soon as the driver wishes, he can obviously accelerate, decelerate or brake more or less abruptly if necessary.
We also remind you that the cruise control system can function adequately both in the descent phase and in the ascent phase: the car is able to self-regulate by recognizing whether or not it is necessary to put more “effort” to maintain the desired speed.
When is cruise control used?
Everyone uses cruise control when they want. However, it is clear that its operation will be all the more useful the longer you have to travel along long stretches of road with basically constant speeds. This is the typical case of a long journey on the motorway. On the other hand, it will be more difficult to use cruise control in the city, where it happens very frequently that you have to accelerate or decelerate to adapt to urban traffic.
Cruise control, between advantages and disadvantages
As can be understood from the above we have tried to share with all our readers, the main advantage of cruise control is certainly linked to driving comfort, considering that it will be possible to maintain a constant speed.
Not only. Maintaining a constant speed also allows you to save fuel, given that you can avoid accelerating and decelerating in an inefficient way from an energy point of view.
There are, however, the disadvantages. Or, at least, the points of due attention. For example, an element of “cons” is linked to the fact that cruise control could help make one’s journey on the road “too quiet and comfortable” by lowering the attention threshold while driving.
Fortunately, however, there is a remedy for this too. Some manufacturers have in fact developed the ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) system , which is able to automatically slow down the car, thus maintaining a safe distance with the vehicle in front .
In short, it is an “intelligent” device which, as such, deserves to be the subject of a careful evaluation by the driver. The advantages that can be obtained through a conscious use of cruise control are certainly considerable, but it is also good to remember that it is scarcely usable in an urban environment, and that even in an extra-urban environment, great attention must always be paid to its use, in order to do not lower your gaze and level of attention on the road .
