Adaptive Cruise Control Question

[melsee]

Does anyone know if the brake lights come on when the cruise control slows the vehicle because of traffic?

 

 

[Russael]

Yes it does.  If the car needs to slow hard enough, you'll see the regen swirly over the battery and people have also reported that the brake lights do come on.  :)

[markb]

I read an article about regenerative brakes.  When you depress the brake pedal you are not operating the brakes, you are sending a signal to a computer that controls both the regenerative and the traditional brakes.  It decides which to use based on how hard you depress the pedal which is why gentle, steady braking gets the most energy back.  I would assume the adaptive cruise control uses that same computer and, from its point of view, it may well not matter if the driver or the cruise control systems says to slow down.

[Fat Fusion]

It'd be nice to know if the brake lights come on during basic slowing down while on CRUISE, only when the circular motion image is on, or both.  Anyone know for sure?  Maybe Jared and I will have to go figure it out.

[Griff]

My tests show that whenever the swirly comes on, so do the brake lights. They do not come on during slowing without the swirly.

[Fat Fusion]

Thanks Griff!

 

A couple of observations now that I'm using adaptive cruise about 120 miles per day right now.

 

1.  I try to keep as far as possible to the left side of the carpool lane when traffic is slow or stopped in the lane next to me, and the road is turning/veering left.  If I stay in the middle of the lane it sometimes gets confused and slams on the brakes!

 

2.  I try to keep my thumb on the Resume/Cancel button.  If someone decides they must be between me and the car in front of me I just hit the button which prevents the car from hitting the brakes hard to maintain the distance.  Once my car slows a little bit I hit it again and it avoids the braking and re-acceleration that would have occurred. 

[meyersnole]

Thanks Griff!

 

A couple of observations now that I'm using adaptive cruise about 120 miles per day right now.

 

1.  I try to keep as far as possible to the left side of the carpool lane when traffic is slow or stopped in the lane next to me, and the road is turning/veering left.  If I stay in the middle of the lane it sometimes gets confused and slams on the brakes!

 

2.  I try to keep my thumb on the Resume/Cancel button.  If someone decides they must be between me and the car in front of me I just hit the button which prevents the car from hitting the brakes hard to maintain the distance.  Once my car slows a little bit I hit it again and it avoids the braking and re-acceleration that would have occurred. 

 

An alternate solution to the rapid braking is to just depress the "gas" pedal.  This works for me at least... stops the unnecessary rapid braking.  You might try that instead of canceling the cruise.

[Fat Fusion]

An alternate solution to the rapid braking is to just depress the "gas" pedal.  This works for me at least... stops the unnecessary rapid braking.  You might try that instead of canceling the cruise.

 

I'll try that.  I know I'll have ample opportunities!

[fpliptak]

Not sure if this has anything to do with the adaptive cruise control or not.  My  cruise control works differently from any other CC I have used in the past 30 years (including a 2013 Fusion Titanium EcoBoost).  If I hold down the + button to accelerate the MPH indicator (lower left in display area) keeps increasing much faster than the actual acceleration of the car.  It increases very quickly and then the car accelerates to the listed speed (sometimes over 80 MPH).  In every other car holding down then + button the vehicle accelerates but when you let off the button the acceleration stops.  It acts the same way for deceleration.  I end up going much slower than desired.

 

Is this just my experience?

[jada]

Hi gang, first post. Just traded my 2010 fusion hybrid for a used energi. (every option) Wow, can't say enough about all the technology.

 

Okay, the only draw back to Adap cruise cont is that in moderate traffic, everyone cuts in front of you because of the big gap beween you and the car in front.

 

I discovered a useful highway function of adaptive cc....  (for the bold drivers)  In heavy traffic set the ACC speed at 10 to 15 mph above traffic speed, when the ACC computer applies the brakes, press the thottle to stay close to the car in front and when they slow down, simply back off the throttle and your car will automatically brake.(yes the brake lights will illuminate)

 

The fun part about it is, you can drive in heavy traffic and leave your foot in one position. 

 

Now the first time you try it, it will freek you out.  After that it's a blast. Be sure to post about your experience.

 

Great forum!      J

[meyersnole]

Hi gang, first post. Just traded my 2010 fusion hybrid for a used energi. (every option) Wow, can't say enough about all the technology.

 

Okay, the only draw back to Adap cruise cont is that in moderate traffic, everyone cuts in front of you because of the big gap beween you and the car in front.

 

I discovered a useful highway function of adaptive cc....  (for the bold drivers)  In heavy traffic set the ACC speed at 10 to 15 mph above traffic speed, when the ACC computer applies the brakes, press the thottle to stay close to the car in front and when they slow down, simply back off the throttle and your car will automatically brake.(yes the brake lights will illuminate)

 

The fun part about it is, you can drive in heavy traffic and leave your foot in one position. 

 

Now the first time you try it, it will freek you out.  After that it's a blast. Be sure to post about your experience.

 

Great forum!      J

 

If you trust the cruise enough, you can change how close you travel to the car in front of you by putting it in the aggressive mode.

 

Personally, I keep it at 3 bars... and still find myself hovering my foot over the break from time to time. Love that feature now... and my biggest fear is driving my wife's car and forgetting it wont break for me!

[murphy]

Not sure if this has anything to do with the adaptive cruise control or not.  My  cruise control works differently from any other CC I have used in the past 30 years (including a 2013 Fusion Titanium EcoBoost).  If I hold down the + button to accelerate the MPH indicator (lower left in display area) keeps increasing much faster than the actual acceleration of the car.  It increases very quickly and then the car accelerates to the listed speed (sometimes over 80 MPH).  In every other car holding down then + button the vehicle accelerates but when you let off the button the acceleration stops.  It acts the same way for deceleration.  I end up going much slower than desired.

 

Is this just my experience?

The buttons are used to set the speed that you want in the display.  The car will then adjust to the set speed. 

 

All of my cars have worked that way, even the ones that didn't have an actual speed setting. 

One press of + would raise the speed 1 mph.  Five presses would raise the speed 5 mph.

[tseibel76]

Also, remember the car has ECO cruise which, if on, forces the car to accelerate more slowly to your set speed to save energy. If it is on, you will see ECO lit up in the far left screen. Based on what you described, it sounds like you have it on and it is doing what it is supposed to do. You can turn it off in the settings.

[shaggy314]

I started on one and have graduated to two bars. I only go to 3 or 4 if it is raining.

 

I go back to one on the highway (drafting trucks) or in heavy traffic when people are pissing me off.

 

Otherwise the cancel resume button is my friend.

[meyersnole]

I actually looked at it today, and I am also at 2 bars. Pretty sure that when I am on the freeway on trips I am most comfortable with 3.

 

However, I don't live with a lot of traffic here. If I still lived in DC I would be at 1 or 2 bars to keep the car from going in reverse from the number of cars diving in front of me. Really do not miss driving around DC, 270 or the beltway.