Monday, October 19, 2009
Car Cruise Control for Enhanced Driving Comfort
Car cruise control is also known as autocruise, speedostat or speed control. It is basically a system that automatically regulates the speed of a car. The system literally takes over the car’s throttle in order to maintain a speed as programmed or set by the driver. A number of cars today rolling out of assembly lines have cruise control as one of the standard features. However, even in the aftermarket, car cruise control units can be installed in almost all types of vehicles whether petrol, diesel, hybrid or electric.The modern car cruise control system may have to be activated prior to its use. However, there are some designs where it is always ‘on’ although not always enabled. In other car models, the system has a separate ‘on/off’ button. The most common designs have buttons for ‘set’, ‘resume’, ‘accel’, and ‘coast’ functions. Others have a ‘disengage’ button for brake or clutch use. With some units, stepping on the clutch or brake pedal will inactivate the system so the driver can take control of the car without impedance from the system. The buttons are usually mounted on the steering wheel spokes, on the edge of the hub, or on the turn signal stalk – all easily within the driver's reach.The brain of a car cruise control system is a miniature computer that is typically installed under the hood or just behind the dashboard. The driver must bring the car to a specified speed manually and then set the cruise control to that particular speed. The system takes its signal from the speedometer cable, throttle control, rotating driveshaft, wheel speed sensor or from the engine's RPM. Most cruise control systems do not activate below a certain speed to deter its use in city driving. The normal speed that allows the car cruise control to deploy is at around 35 mph/55 km/h. The car will literally cruise at that speed by adjusting the throttle position, so it requires sensors to inform it about the speed and throttle position. It also needs to track the controls so it can gauge what the optimum speed is and when to disengage. Car cruise control is an invaluable feature in Australian cars especially today when radars and speed cameras are all over the place and fuel prices are constantly on the rise. Cruise control also helps drivers to keep their license by avoiding unintentional speeding. A driver who is likely to unconsciously increase speed over the course of a highway expedition can therefore avoid a speeding ticket. It also reduces fatigue of constantly tracking the speed of the car thereby keeping freeways safe for motorists. The feature is also quite handy during long trips across scantly populated roads and highways. This usually results in better fuel economy. Furthermore, cruise control also helps reduce the toxic gas emissions, making it a green device. Finally, the car cruise control system is not only useful when driving across open highways, it is also useful in helping a driver to maneuver through busy city streets.
|