Adaptive cruise control users

[podge]

Hi there

Long time lurker, first time poster. Great forum, and it's helped to narrow down the options that we're looking at in a new cali.

Looking at quite a well spec'd Beach as it would be my main car, and we're looking to keep it for 8-10 years so want something decent.

The only bit I am really stuck on now is the adaptive cruise control...

We rented an Ocean last year, which had ACC. I've always driven manual cars - and with the automatic gear box + ACC it was just very relaxing to drive it. Almost too relaxing though - and on the 3 hour journey to our camp site it would have been very ease to lose concentration and focus, and doze off....

Has anyone with ACC had the same sort of experience, and find they switch off ACC a lot of the time?..

We'd be looking to drive around Europe in it, and ACC would be very useful for the long slogs - but only if it was safe. I clearly understand that I could just switch it off, but I wouldn't want to be buying it - plus the automatic gearbox if it was off most of the time (significant extra cost of these two optionas over just a manual)

Should also say that I'm very interested in the Petrol model if it appears in the UK in the next few weeks. I have a 2.0 TFSI Audi A4 at the moment, and the engine is just brilliant - there's constant, strong acceleration in 3rd gear from 30 to about 70 if you wanted. If the VW engine is modeled on this one in the A4 in anyway - it could be very, very good..

But I did very much like the tech behind the automatic + ACC, and it would be a great way to drive around Europe...

Thanks!

 

[Hotel California]

Welcome , on your first post .
I prefer not like any technical stuff that takes away the focus on driving and having control of the verhicle . But for me it it is a easy call as i don't have those on my 2012 SE ....
The most who have it are happy with it by the reading on here, lots have been discussed in other topics.

I find DSG more than comfortable enough for long trips .

 

[treecity]

We had ACC on our last car and wasn't a fan.

We went for standard cruise control on our Ocean and more than happy with it, no regrets.

 

[stephen watson]

I have ACC and am still getting used to it. I think I would have been happy with the much cheaper option of normal cruise control, but also suspect that I will really come to appreciate the multi function steering wheel which I think may have been an extra on top of normal cruise control.

 

[B J G]

I didn't opt for ACC for the reason you say, lack of concentration when the rare critical moment occurs when someone does something stupid and you need to be very quick to react.
Have standard cruise but never driven with ACC.
Cruise plus DSG is great for scenic trips as you have no need to worry about gearing or speed control.
I do find that the cruise cancel button is in the wrong position on the multi-function steering wheel. Bottom right, as far from your thumb when driving in the 10 to 2 hand position as it could be. Every other vehicle I've driven had it in a more natural to reach position.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Glad you have come out and no longer a lurker!
Welcome.

 

[Bellcrew]

I didn't opt for ACC for the reason you say, lack of concentration when the rare critical moment occurs when someone does something stupid and you need to be very quick to react.
Have standard cruise but never driven with ACC.
Cruise plus DSG is great for scenic trips as you have no need to worry about gearing or speed control.
I do find that the cruise cancel button is in the wrong position on the multi-function steering wheel. Bottom right, as far from your thumb when driving in the 10 to 2 hand position as it could be. Every other vehicle I've driven had it in a more natural to reach position.

The ACC brakes a lot harder than I would when someone moves quickly into space in front, I cannot fault its performance in that respect.
It is necessary to understand how it operates, for instance when approaching a roundabout and the car in front moves out of the vision of the radar the van will try to accelerate, not a welcome event at times. I also dislike the way it brakes going down hill when set at an easy cruising speed particularly at night, it must be confusing pain for those behind. Still a useful tool on long motorway trips.

 

[hirsty]

I'm the fourth reply without ACC, but I don't see how it's more dangerous from a nodding off perspective?

If you're on a long continental journey at a fairly constant pace then you wouldn't be changing gear very often (DSG or manual) and if you're on cruise control anyway (standard or ACC) then all things are equal & these are potentially the circumstances when ones attention could wander regardless ...

I'd have thought in that situation ACC would be a huge safety benefit when the unexpected happens eg: the car in the inside lane suddenly decides he does have time pull out from behind the truck he's been tailgating & you need to react promptly.

People who don't like cruise control seem (generalisation) to feel like the car 'is running away with them' and to me the benefit of ACC is that it has some additional sense built into it. I appreciate that could maybe lull you into a false sense of security, but to me I don't see how it's overall worse for that than standard cruise.

 

[Yorkie]

I have a Cali with standard and a Range Rover with Adaptive so can give a direct comparison.
The adaptive is great and much more relaxing than the standard and i think it is safer as it brakes earlier than i would.

I do have to watch for some things:
When the car in front pulls back in to an inside lane, mine accelerates up to my set speed so i have to be aware of this happening. No danger just a waste of fuel.
When a car pulls into my lane in front, mine will brake to keep the appropriate distance. Again its safer but normally you would let it decelerate naturally.
I use mine almost everywhere but have to be careful on bends as if the radar loses the car in front it will again accelerate to the set speed until it sees the car in front again, you just need to be aware of this on bends, i don't drive a rocket so its no bid deal as i just disengage it if i need to.

On a really positive note; in fog i use it and extend the radar distance to maximum and the car will slow or stop even if it finds a pedestrian crossing the road.

I would swap my Cali standard one for adaptive in an instant.

 

[T6 CFO]

You need to know how it works and what it's doing. It's not an automatic pilot. It can be turned off. If you can afford it I would have it.
I like it but don't use it all the time. I use it mostly for keeping me under the speed limit especially those annoying ones where on one stretch of road you need to go 50, 30, 40 30 50 etc you get my drift.
On busy motorways where there is much slowing down and speeding up I set it so that I leave plenty of gap to the car in front. Probably more than I would if left to my own devices. It might just save me from rear ending someone. You need to be aware of how it works so that you are not surprising the driver behind you with sudden breaking. It's not a reason to pay less attention. On balance I would have it again as I have the side assist as well which is excellent.




Mike

 

[leightonjthomas]

ACC is the only thing about my T5 that I miss. I love the DSG (including coast facility) and use the cruise as often as possible. I have ACC on my Golf and regret that it wasn't available when I bought the Cali two years ago.

 

[podge]

Hey, thanks for the replies all - lots of them

Very interesting reading all the comments, i didn't get to see the ACC in emergency brake mode when we rented last year (thankfully) - but I can imagine it would be nice and tight braking

For me the biggest thing would be getting so relaxed whilst driving, and during the rare moment the kids in the back aren't screaming madly, that I just doze off... (I'm used to working manual gearboxes and having to pay attention to braking and all that)

But I do agree with all your comments hirsty - and maybe it was just me at the time of driving last year being worn out for whatever reason. I don't tend to be though

I know on Audi's at least that you can get a monitor that alerts you when you take both hands of the wheel - which would be the sort of additional option I'd get as well. Lane assist i think it's called in Audi speak - don't think there's a similar option on the cali though(?)

I did very much like the ACC when i tried it though, so I think I'm leaning to getting it - and making a conscious decision to switch it off if i start to feel wary for whatever reason.

 

[podge]

Glad you have come out and no longer a lurker!
Welcome.

Thanks!

 

[podge]

Welcome , on your first post .
I prefer not like any technical stuff that takes away the focus on driving and having control of the verhicle . But for me it it is a easy call as i don't have those on my 2012 SE ....
The most who have it are happy with it by the reading on here, lots have been discussed in other topics.

I find DSG more than comfortable enough for long trips .

Thanks as well!

 

[Nottledim]

We've just got back from a 5 week 2500 mile trip in Spain. The ACC/DSG system was brilliant. We previously had standard cruise control and had to switch it on and off to cope with the changing traffic speed. It is relaxing but not to the extent that you can doze off. I would not now be without it.

Our Cali performed flawlessly for the whole trip. Fantastic vehicle.

 

[soulstyledevon]

Massive massive fan of standard cruise control. Wouldn't buy a vehicle without it...!!!

ACC I really don't like it. I had it for a week on a loan Caravelle and found it slow to react and quite annoying.
With cruise you should very rarely need to brake. I am constantly monitoring traffic ahead and behind. Accessing speeds of vehicles around me to use cruise correctly and safely.

As for DSG, having driven a couple of golfs and a transporter with the gearbox, it's grown on me and I would consider buying into that gearbox.

 

[inthemidnighthour]

Been in slow moving traffic on the m25 several times over the weekend and the acc worked effortlessly
Don't use it all the time but would always have it where possible
Dave and lisa

 

[Lewis]

I love ACC and do tend to let it take the strain in slow moving traffic. On freeflowing motorway journeys I just use it as a backup and tend to look ahead and change lanes as you would with standard cruise. I've never felt likely to fall asleep.

 

[ElsJan]

Interesting obervations . I'm also hesitating between ACC and regular CC.

 

[SimonB]

I've looked through the posts about ACC and most of them are not completely relevant to my thoughts on it.
Coupled with DSG it makes a perfect combination and keeps traffic moving. The research by Ford in this article seems to bear this out. Human drivers don't react to stopping or starting at a constant rate and the ripple effect builds up as people slow down for traffic and then accelerate again as it clears.

It isn't perfect, but then not many drivers are. It sometimes reads information incorrectly, but when it brakes in an emergency it brakes harder but more comfortably than most human drivers.
Ours did an emergency stop on the M25 and the auto tensioning of the seat belts stopped us being jerked forward in our seats, the braking was fast from 60mph to 30 in a very short time but not uncomfortable. As soon as the perceived danger had passed us it accelerated smoothly up to the set speed again. In stop start traffic it is more efficient and less jerky than many human drivers I have travelled with and far more fuel efficient. I tried it in a manual Golf and is more difficult to judge as you have to be ready to change gear when the car's speed dictates it and then you would probably instinctively accelerate up through the gears afterwards. What do other ACC & DSG members think?

 

[DaNish]

I've looked through the posts about ACC and most of them are not completely relevant to my thoughts on it.
Coupled with DSG it makes a perfect combination and keeps traffic moving. The research by Ford in this article seems to bear this out. Human drivers don't react to stopping or starting at a constant rate and the ripple effect builds up as people slow down for traffic and then accelerate again as it clears.

View attachment 36410
It isn't perfect, but then not many drivers are. It sometimes reads information incorrectly, but when it brakes in an emergency it brakes harder but more comfortably than most human drivers.
Ours did an emergency stop on the M25 and the auto tensioning of the seat belts stopped us being jerked forward in our seats, the braking was fast from 60mph to 30 in a very short time but not uncomfortable. As soon as the perceived danger had passed us it accelerated smoothly up to the set speed again. In stop start traffic it is more efficient and less jerky than many human drivers I have travelled with and far more fuel efficient. I tried it in a manual Golf and is more difficult to judge as you have to be ready to change gear when the car's speed dictates it and then you would probably instinctively accelerate up through the gears afterwards. What do other ACC & DSG members think?

I totally agree with you. I think the combination of DSG and ACC is far better than combining ACC and manual gearbox. Especially in queying traffic it is very relaxing to use the ACC. It is not automatic driving, you still have to keep an eye out for the situations it has trouble handling. Like when the car in front of you slows down and turns off, it is quite slow to find out it has a clear run again. So in that sitution you just speed up to let it know the road is clear. And if someone changes lane right in front of you I prefer to brake myself. But generally I use it for all driving situations except country roads with no traffic.

 

[B J G]

I can't see how ACC could work with a manual gearbox so not a relevant comparison.

 

[GrannyJen]

Having had it on my vehicles for years I really missed it on my first T5. I then bought Alfie, who came complete with it, and was a little underwhelmed, not as good as I remember.... however after a few months would not be without it.

either human brain conditioning or just rediscovering it's full potential I'm not sure but it certainly makes for stress-free motoring, especially on those long, boring and busy stretches.

 

[DaNish]

I can't see how ACC could work with a manual gearbox so not a relevant comparison.

Since it is possible to order ACC with manual gearbox just as you can get ordinay cruise control, I believe it is relevant. But you definetely do not get the full benefits of the ACC, so I would always combine it with DSG.

 

[Wongo]

Agree we have it on our car as well, agree you still need to act as needed but hopefully next week when we are heading south in France it will lessen the chore on the autoroute.
DSG/ACC is the way to go.