Cruise control radar

[EXBMWGUY]

Our "motoring" society does have a lot of very ignorant members. There was one on this forum who won't add oil (even though his oil light comes on when cornering) because it's not time for an oil change). More to the point, it is the lawyers and our overly sympathetic that has taken over.

This behavior by car companies is just defensive behavior and risk avoidance. Some people truly are stupid, but many people in our culture as a whole have learned that when they fxxk up, they can easily figure out a way to blame someone else. I even heard a radio commercial today on XM Fox Talk Radio -- "if you lose money in the stock market, call us and we'll make your broker take responsibility." So the lawyers do what lawyers do -- exploit opportunities. And these aren't just poor, uneducated folks who think this way. Many are quite savvy. Most companies would rather lose a customer than be sued by one. Remember Audi's five- year unintended acceleration nightmare. Maybe I'm getting too old, or have spent too much time dodging bullets.

 

[CanukV6]

Maybe there should be a test or something before you are allowed to drive a car.....oh wait a minuite

 

[EXBMWGUY]

Maybe there should be a test or something before you are allowed to drive a car.....oh wait a minuite

. . . and walking while chewing gum, drinking coffee in public, and breathing while eating.

 

[Mark_888]

. . . and walking while chewing gum, drinking coffee in public, and breathing while eating.

Spilling coffee while drinking it (which probably happens thousands of times per day somewhere in the US) has significantly different consequences than forgetting that the adaptive control is turned off.

 

[EXBMWGUY]

Spilling coffee while drinking it (which probably happens thousands of times per day somewhere in the US) has significantly different consequences than forgetting that the adaptive control is turned off.

I like my adaptive cruise control AND my coffee. I just don't like the way many people shirk many forms of personal responsibility.

 

[CanukV6]

Spilling coffee while drinking it (which probably happens thousands of times per day somewhere in the US) has significantly different consequences than forgetting that the adaptive control is turned off.

Or forgetting to close the drivers door, or forgetting to buckle your seatbelt, or forgetting to press the brake pedal to slow down..... Where does the stupidity end? I think Darwin called it "survival of the fittest".

I could argue that potentially, adaptive cruise control could cause a rear-end accident by applying the brakes suddenly for no reason that's obvious to the drivers behind you. Isn't that also a liability concern? Don't get me wrong, I like the adaptive cruise feature, but I see no valid reason why the 'adaptive' function should not be driver selectable.

 

[Mark_888]

Or forgetting to close the drivers door, or forgetting to buckle your seatbelt, or forgetting to press the brake pedal to slow down..... Where does the stupidity end? I think Darwin called it "survival of the fittest".

I could argue that potentially, adaptive cruise control could cause a rear-end accident by applying the brakes suddenly for no reason that's obvious to the drivers behind you. Isn't that also a liability concern? Don't get me wrong, I like the adaptive cruise feature, but I see no valid reason why the 'adaptive' function should not be driver selectable.

It is question of changing the way something works, not whether one forgets to do something. People rely to a large degree on habit and instinct when driving a car, not necessarily always rational thinking.

I agree that this it is not a clear cut case, but I can understand why Hyundai (or its adaptive cruise control supplier) has made that choice (for the time being anyway). And don't shoot the messenger, since I had nothing to do with the decision, and I don't even have that feature on my 2009 Genesis.

 

[Mike Davis]

The cruise control nearly always works fine, but I find the following issues.

There are times I want to manual disengage the auto-follow feature.

I find the adaptive cruise control annoying, and nearly dangerous. Two issues:
(1) I am happily in my lane with the cruise control set and there is a car going considerably slower in the other lane. Usually I am in the left lane at 70 passing a car or truck in the right lane going 45. The cruise control occasionally sees the other car and slams on my brakes intending to slow me to 45. 70 to 45, slam the brakes and the car nearly goes out of control. On wet roads I am sure it would. This happens about 1 in 5 occurrences of passing another vehicle.
(2) I come up on a car going nearly the same speed in the right lane. Because of the distance issue in (4) below, the Genesis very smoothly matches the front car's speed. A few minutes later I notice I am going 63 instead of 70.
(3) I come up on a car going a lot slower than me and because of the distance issue in (4) below, it slams on the brakes before I notice I should drift to the left lane to pass.
(4) The follow distance scales up. The distances in the manual are for 50 or 55 as I recall. They are *much* longer at higher speeds (like 70).
(5) I am in the left lane passing a line of semis in the right lane. The left lane is going 66, the right lane is going 64. At 66, the Genesis leaves 5 or 6 car lengths, just enough room to let each car in the right lane, as it comes up to the slower line of semis, to drift nicely in front of me, where the Genesis obligingly drops back to let the next car in the right lane in next. Repeat for 100 miles through Georgia.

Very simply, I would like to turn off the auto follow feature. Current the 'distance follow' has three settings. It simply needs a fourth: off. It causes me to behave as an earlier poster - I drive with my thumb hovering over cancel concentrating on cars 1/4 mile in front of me in case I happen to be drifting into them so I can hit cancel before the car slams the brakes.

 

[Mark_888]

The cruise control nearly always works fine, but I find the following issues.

There are times I want to manual disengage the auto-follow feature.

I find the adaptive cruise control annoying, and nearly dangerous. Two issues:
(1) I am happily in my lane with the cruise control set and there is a car going considerably slower in the other lane. Usually I am in the left lane at 70 passing a car or truck in the right lane going 45. The cruise control occasionally sees the other car and slams on my brakes intending to slow me to 45. 70 to 45, slam the brakes and the car nearly goes out of control. On wet roads I am sure it would. This happens about 1 in 5 occurrences of passing another vehicle.
(2) I come up on a car going nearly the same speed in the right lane. Because of the distance issue in (4) below, the Genesis very smoothly matches the front car's speed. A few minutes later I notice I am going 63 instead of 70.
(3) I come up on a car going a lot slower than me and because of the distance issue in (4) below, it slams on the brakes before I notice I should drift to the left lane to pass.
(4) The follow distance scales up. The distances in the manual are for 50 or 55 as I recall. They are *much* longer at higher speeds (like 70).
(5) I am in the left lane passing a line of semis in the right lane. The left lane is going 66, the right lane is going 64. At 66, the Genesis leaves 5 or 6 car lengths, just enough room to let each car in the right lane, as it comes up to the slower line of semis, to drift nicely in front of me, where the Genesis obligingly drops back to let the next car in the right lane in next. Repeat for 100 miles through Georgia.

Very simply, I would like to turn off the auto follow feature. Current the 'distance follow' has three settings. It simply needs a fourth: off. It causes me to behave as an earlier poster - I drive with my thumb hovering over cancel concentrating on cars 1/4 mile in front of me in case I happen to be drifting into them so I can hit cancel before the car slams the brakes.

I have regular cruise control on my 2009 (not adaptive). I frequently have to cancel and then resume. It is just part of the deal with any cruise control and I don't find it to be a problem doing that.

 

[waveman]

(1) I am happily in my lane with the cruise control set and there is a car going considerably slower in the other lane. Usually I am in the left lane at 70 passing a car or truck in the right lane going 45. The cruise control occasionally sees the other car and slams on my brakes intending to slow me to 45. 70 to 45, slam the brakes and the car nearly goes out of control. On wet roads I am sure it would. This happens about 1 in 5 occurrences of passing another vehicle.

I haven't seen this behavior, at least not on straight roads. The system isn't supposed to detect traffic in adjacent lanes. I wonder if yours needs to be looked at.

(2) I come up on a car going nearly the same speed in the right lane. Because of the distance issue in (4) below, the Genesis very smoothly matches the front car's speed. A few minutes later I notice I am going 63 instead of 70.

Definitely have had this happen. I'd like an audible or visual warning when my speed drops X MPH below the set point.

(4) The follow distance scales up. The distances in the manual are for 50 or 55 as I recall. They are *much* longer at higher speeds (like 70).

Shouldn't it be that way, since stopping distances are greater at higher speed?

I do agree that it would be nice to be able to turn the adaptive function off, maybe with a backup that would give a warning if your closing speed exceeded a certain threshold.

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[Kevinc5a]

...

I do agree that it would be nice to be able to turn the adaptive function off, maybe with a backup that would give a warning if your closing speed exceeded a certain threshold.

I've had cruise control on my E320 for ten years and about the only time I use it is when I have to change my socks while I'm driving. I prefer the "foot down means faster, foot up means slower" method of cruise control.

 

[Big_tugg]

Our "motoring" society does have a lot of very ignorant members. There was one on this forum who won't add oil (even though his oil light comes on when cornering) because it's not time for an oil change). More to the point, it is the lawyers and our overly sympathetic that has taken over.

Just became oil light come on doesn't mean u need oil.

 

[427435]

Just became oil light come on doesn't mean u need oil.

Dream on---------------from a 48 year member of SAE.

 

[Big_tugg]

Dream on---------------from a 48 year member of SAE.

Oil pump in that crankcase, bad sensor... there my friend of SAE of 48 years.

 

[427435]

Oil pump in that crankcase, bad sensor... there my friend of SAE of 48 years.

And the specific example I originally gave was of an oil light going on when cornering. When that happens, the engine needs oil added (or at least checked).


In the cases you mention, you best shut the engine down now.

 

[dinodiesel]

All very interesting points. However:
1. I don't think you should be using cruise control of any kind in limited traction conditions, such as ice, snow, or slush.
2. I drive in California; very bad drivers; lots of slow cars left lane, lots of reckless passing on the right. Maintaining a safe following distance means you will be cut off by someone passing on your right.
3. Best way to get the worst gas mileage ever: set cruise control 10 mph over the flow of traffic. Change lanes frequently to whichever lane has the car furthest away from you. Shaves about 5 min off a 50 mile commute. Hard on the brakes too.
4. I wish the car had a throttle that could be set at a constant, and let the speed vary with load. Best fuel economy. Probably irritating as hell to other drivers.
5. Happy that the radar does not set off my Valentine One.

 

[Big_tugg]

And the specific example I originally gave was of an oil light going on when cornering. When that happens, the engine needs oil added (or at least checked).


In the cases you mention, you best shut the engine down now.

True, well I didn't, I took to dealership, found out engine oil levels were good and they couldn't find the problem...that means I did my part and when something happens its been documented!

 

[CanukV6]

All very interesting points. However:
1. I don't think you should be using cruise control of any kind in limited traction conditions, such as ice, snow, or slush.

I agree with you, but to give one example, I was on a 900km trip recently, all highway and drove through a localized snow shower, bad enough to cover the cruise radar sensors with slush and dirt. During the snow I obviously was not using cruise control, but soon after we were back to clear dry pavement. The temperature was cool enough that the snow covering the sensors did not melt very quckly and in combination with the dirt it was enough to disable the cruise control. When I stopped a while later I cleaned the sensors and all was good again, but the inconvenience of losing cruise control completely, just because the 'adaptive' sensors were blocked is a PITA and in my opinion totally uneccessary. It should just default to 'normal' cruise control.

 

[Mark_888]

I agree with you, but to give one example, I was on a 900km trip recently, all highway and drove through a localized snow shower, bad enough to cover the cruise radar sensors with slush and dirt. During the snow I obviously was not using cruise control, but soon after we were back to clear dry pavement. The temperature was cool enough that the snow covering the sensors did not melt very quckly and in combination with the dirt it was enough to disable the cruise control. When I stopped a while later I cleaned the sensors and all was good again, but the inconvenience of losing cruise control completely, just because the 'adaptive' sensors were blocked is a PITA and in my opinion totally uneccessary. It should just default to 'normal' cruise control.

Snow? WTF is that?

 

[homeofstone]

I agree with you, but to give one example, I was on a 900km trip recently, all highway and drove through a localized snow shower, bad enough to cover the cruise radar sensors with slush and dirt. During the snow I obviously was not using cruise control, but soon after we were back to clear dry pavement. The temperature was cool enough that the snow covering the sensors did not melt very quckly and in combination with the dirt it was enough to disable the cruise control. When I stopped a while later I cleaned the sensors and all was good again, but the inconvenience of losing cruise control completely, just because the 'adaptive' sensors were blocked is a PITA and in my opinion totally uneccessary. It should just default to 'normal' cruise control.

Sounds like a cause for a radar sensor heater option, kinda like heated side mirrors. Lets call Hyundai.