Radar Assist Cruise Control

[Ben]

I like it.

I have a loaner today while a recall is being done on my 4Runner. A Corolla with the radar assist cruise control. I played with it on the drive home, and it is surprisingly smooth and accurate. I was set at 70, following a laden big rig, so he was doing 60-70 depending on hills. From what I could tell, the computer was following the "three second rule" (I remember it as the two second rule). Whatever speed it was adjusting to, it always kept me three seconds behind him.

Really nice. I look forward to it in my next vehicle. The only downside will be, and it includes lane assist and other automated features - especially auto-driving, is that it will be difficult for me psychologically to take full advantage of the convenience. I started driving in the pre-computer era, and while I recognize the tech is pretty safe, I'm always going to be a nervous nellie ready to take over the controls. In fact I'll probably be more stressed from anticipation than I am during regular driving when I'm actively driving. Shame, because I'd like to get in my car and just read a book. 

[MechAg94]

I like it for times when I am just going down the highway.  If you are passing people, you do need to get a feel for when it will kick in to slow you down so you change lanes before that.  I tend to turn it off when traffic gets a bit heavier.  The one on my Tacoma wants to strictly maintain following distance.  If someone cuts in front of me, it will cut the gas and engage the brakes to open up the distance.  The cool thing is if someone gets in front of you but is pulling away from you, it sees that and just keeps going. 

The only other issue I noted was someone up ahead of me moved into a left hand turn lane while the road was curving to the right.  The radar thought he was still in my lane and started braking hard.  I had to turn it off to get it to quit then re-engage once I was past.

I still like it.  I just try to keep in mind the limitations. 

[K Frame]

As far as I know, I've never driven a car with it. The 2020 Subaru Forester Sport I had while my Forester was in the shop last week might have had it, but I never got even remotely close to a situation where I'd use the cruise control...

And, to be perfectly honest, I'm not sure I'd use radar cruise control at all. I only use cruise control when I'm pretty much on empty roads, or at least I have a couple hundred yards of space in front of me. Yes, I know the pacing cruise control is different from the old cruise, but... I'm still not sure that I'd ever get comfortable using it to pace off someone.

[griz]

I like it, with these two exceptions:

1. As mentioned already, when somebody doesn't get in the left turn lane but gradually drifts over, straddling the line until near the end of the lane, the cruise slows down (or even stops) with them.  Even when "my" lane has an easy clearance of a car and a half.

2. When going slow, say 30 MPH, it seems to go on distance, and when the car in front slows for a turn it maintains the distance while a normal safe driver would just let off the gas and coast knowing the car will be safely turned long before we get there.

[Fly320s]

I don't like it.  I prefer to maintain a constant speed, not a constant distance from someone.

When drivers slow down going up a hill, or speed or going down a hill, or slow for a curve or bridge, it really bothers me.  That just says to me that the driver isn't paying attention and/or is an idiot.

[dogmush]

At this point I'm really looking forward to good self driving tech.

I love driving.  Actually driving, getting the car to perform well.  But 99% of my time in a vehicle is soul deadening crappy traveling with traffic.  If I could flick it over to self drive for that?  Sign me up.

I've used the active cruise control in a couple of loaners now, and am a fan.  Generally,  for me, if I am driving and worried about my exact spped, I'm not on cruise control. I only use cruise if I expect to be traveling  at the same speed for 35-40 min or longer. (Interstate, usually)  so the car slowing a bit until I change lanes doesn't bother me.

[Fly320s]

In spite of what Tesla says, we have many more years to go before we get self-driving cars.  I have a Model 3.  I do not trust or use the self-steering feature or event the cruise control.  They both suck.

[Pb]

My wife has the cruise control on her van.

I love it.  It makes long trips much more enjoyable.

[Boomhauer]

Regular cruise control is damn near next to useless around here. I’d like the radar cruise control on my next truck

Speaking of technology my wife’s Challenger has blind spot sensors and a rear view camera and you need it in that car. I don’t see how one can drive earlier models of the current style Challenger without them. My truck just has a backup camera but I love it hooking up a trailer is a snap now

[Ben]

Regular cruise control is damn near next to useless around here. I’d like the radar cruise control on my next truck

About the only reason I had cruise control in CA was for trips out of CA, because in most of where I drove in the state outside of vacations to the mountains, it was kinda useless for me too. Turning it off every 5 (or 1) minutes for traffic was more hassle than it was worth. 

I couldn't do long trips without cruise control anymore though, at least not without stopping a lot more than I do. My foot gets a lot more tired now than it did when I was 20. I use it a lot here. Even driving to the Costco, I can use it at least half the way since there are way less cars to deal with. I get 320's point, but I don't mind the slowing down / speeding up here, at least +-5MPH or so, because the roads I find myself on here a lot are roads where you can't easily pass, so having the adaptive cruise control is actually a big plus over normal cruise control.

[K Frame]

My 2015 Forester has a back up camera. REALLY nice feature that I'm using a lot more than I thought I would. The only problem with it is that the screen is a bit on the small side.

The loaner I had the other week had the blind spot warning system and I liked that. It also had a much larger screen for the back up camera/entertainment center, and that was nice, too.

[Ben]

My 2015 Forester has a back up camera. REALLY nice feature that I'm using a lot more than I thought I would. The only problem with it is that the screen is a bit on the small side.

The loaner I had the other week had the blind spot warning system and I liked that. It also had a much larger screen for the back up camera/entertainment center, and that was nice, too.

Yeah, surprising what a little more screen real estate does for the backup cam. Both the truck and 4Runner have them, but the loaner had probably an 8" screen, and that was a huge difference. I think the truck has a 4" screen and the 4Runner has a 6".

[dogmush]

In spite of what Tesla says, we have many more years to go before we get self-driving cars.  I have a Model 3.  I do not trust or use the self-steering feature or event the cruise control.  They both suck.

I know, but we'll get there.

[MechAg94]

Yeah, surprising what a little more screen real estate does for the backup cam. Both the truck and 4Runner have them, but the loaner had probably an 8" screen, and that was a huge difference. I think the truck has a 4" screen and the 4Runner has a 6".

The screen on my Tacoma is big enough, but the Tacoma doesn't have the backup radar detector as well.  My old F150 did.  It did a better job of detecting people or small things that are easy to miss on the camera screen.

[MechAg94]

I don't like it.  I prefer to maintain a constant speed, not a constant distance from someone.

When drivers slow down going up a hill, or speed or going down a hill, or slow for a curve or bridge, it really bothers me.  That just says to me that the driver isn't paying attention and/or is an idiot.

What I like is the radar cruise control will slow down if the person ahead of you slows down, but will speed back up to your speed setpoint if they speed up or get out of the way. 

I will say that I turn it off when I go into Houston.  In heavier traffic the following radar is not very helpful.  But I drive enough in open areas down the highway that I use it quite a bit. 

[Calumus]

Speaking of technology my wife’s Challenger has blind spot sensors and a rear view camera and you need it in that car. I don’t see how one can drive earlier models of the current style Challenger without them.

My SRT8 is pre-sensor. You just have to make sure the mirrors are adjusted, and you have to handle odd angle intersections like you're driving a panel van. The C pillars are huge, and can hide a dump truck. Next car will likely be a Hellcat that has the sensors standard. Looking forward to that... .

As for radar cruise control, I hate it. Rather, I hate the fact that it runs on K band close enough to police frequencys that it has essentially made the built in radar detector in my VW useless. The only way to keep it from going off constantly is to disable K band detection. Unfortunately, there a lot of PDs around here that still use old K units for speed traps.

[dogmush]

Related(ish):

I saw a Facebook post today recommending if you have the forward facing sensor package that you see if it includes auto braking and/or a pedestrian safety feature, and you learn how to turn that off.

Just in case, you know, you have to drive slowly through a crowd for some reason.

[Ben]

Just in case, you know, you have to drive slowly through a crowd for some reason.

Huh. Adding that to "things I hadn't thought of".

[Perd Hapley]

I'm sure no one here would do that.

I've never heard of radar-assist, and I don't think my car has it. It's a 2010, and not the bells-and-whistles package of that model. Hi, Big Brother!