Adaptive Cruise Control - Settings?

[SDHXIII]

Advice please.
When I set the ACC up it works fairly well, can't say I totally trust it, but it works. Comes up behind another vehicle and slows to match the speed. Job done.

My only issue is what you might call the undercut. If I filter to the left to leave at a junction for example, if there is a slower moving vehicle to my right the van will slow down and match its speed. A bit dangerous first time because I wasn't expecting a sudden drop in speed.

My question. Is there a setting that allows the radar to only take into account what is in my lane.

Failing that the system isn't worth turning on.

Stuart.

*************
2021 T6.1 T28 DSG. Cambridge Campervans Conversion.

 

[Salty Spuds]

Advice please.
When I set the ACC up it works fairly well, can't say I totally trust it, but it works. Comes up behind another vehicle and slows to match the speed. Job done.

My only issue is what you might call the undercut. If I filter to the left to leave at a junction for example, if there is a slower moving vehicle to my right the van will slow down and match its speed. A bit dangerous first time because I wasn't expecting a sudden drop in speed.

My question. Is there a setting that allows the radar to only take into account what is in my lane.

Failing that the system isn't worth turning on.

Stuart.

*************
2021 T6.1 T28 DSG. Cambridge Campervans Conversion.

Do you indicate when filtering left?
Not sure about filtering left, but if I put my indicator on to overtake the car in front, the ACC will accelerate in anticipation, assuming it’s clear in the overtaking lane.

 

[Robert]

Is there a setting that allows the radar to only take into account what is in my lane.

There is no setting to adjust radar detection zone.

ACC is a very cool and enjoyable feature but to really appreciate it the driver has to understand the principles of technology and limitations associated with it as well.

First of all the radar recognises vehicles on the move in the same direction only. The lane that you are driving in is seen by the radar and always adjusted accordingly to steering angle sensor reading. And it doesn't necessarily need to match the physical lane painted on the road surface. Especially when you are taking turn at the junction or driving through tighter corner.

 

[Alster]

Mines the same-it won’t pass a car turning off down a slip road sometimes. If you just ease on the throttle it overrides it. Although I only use mine occasionally as I prefer to judge a safe distance from the other traffic depending on the conditions.

 

[Dannyb6467]

Do you indicate when filtering left?
Not sure about filtering left, but if I put my indicator on to overtake the car in front, the ACC will accelerate in anticipation, assuming it’s clear in the overtaking lane.

Really...this would make the ACC acceptable to use, can't wait to try it now

 

[Skyliner33]

There is no setting to adjust radar detection zone.

ACC is a very cool and enjoyable feature but to really appreciate it the driver has to understand the principles of technology and limitations associated with it as well.

First of all the radar recognises vehicles on the move in the same direction only. The lane that you are driving in is seen by the radar and always adjusted accordingly to steering angle sensor reading. And it doesn't necessarily need to match the physical lane painted on the road surface. Especially when you taking turn at the junction or driving through tighter corner.

There is a little more to it than this. On my 6.1 if there is a car travelling in the middle lane of an otherwise empty motorway, the ACC will allow an overtake on the outside lane. However it won't allow an "undertake". I seem to remember seeing an option about this in the menus on the head unit.

I remember thinking about this and what would happen if I go into Europe and would it automatically swap.

 

[LondonLad]

I remember thinking about this and what would happen if I go into Europe and would it automatically swap.

I think it does swap over in Europe, from what I remember of my recent trip to France. I remember once in U.K. the ACC switched to thinking overtaking was undertaking and slowing down for cars in the left lane, sorted it by switching off and on but shows it does have two modes.

 

[Robert]

However it won't allow an "undertake". I seem to remember seeing an option about this in the menus on the head unit.

Can you safely record a video of such a scenario?
And take a photo of the setting in the menu?

 

[Skyliner33]

Can you safely record a video of such a scenario?
And take a photo of the setting in the menu?

I will try to work out a way to video it. Either export from dash cam or mount a go pro somewhere.

 

[MORGS777]

I use my ACC all the time but hate when traffic stops acc switches off after 5 secs of being stationary, er indoors toyota does not switch off when stationary !

 

[Salty Spuds]

I use my ACC all the time but hate when traffic stops acc switches off after 5 secs of being stationary, er indoors toyota does not switch off when stationary !

It doesn’t switch off per-se, when you are stationary, it’ll nag you to put your foot on the brake. As soon as you do this, it cancels the ACC. When you set off again, just press the “RES” button on the steering wheel, & it’ll continue as before.

 

[Skyliner33]

It doesn’t switch off per-se, when you are stationary, it’ll nag you to put your foot on the brake. As soon as you do this, it cancels the ACC. When you set off again, just press the “RES” button on the steering wheel, & it’ll continue as before.

What @MORGS777 was implying was why dont they set it so that when the car in front sets off the can follows it. My Golf used to do this so its just software not hardware preventing it.

 

[Salty Spuds]

What @MORGS777 was implying was why dont they set it so that when the car in front sets off the can follows it. My Golf used to do this so its just software not hardware preventing it.

Ah! Probably an elf & safety feature for our comfort & convenience then.

 

[dubber36]

What @MORGS777 was implying was why dont they set it so that when the car in front sets off the can follows it. My Golf used to do this so its just software not hardware preventing it.

Our Tig will do that. I suppose it's an electric parking brake/autohold thing which the Transporter doesn't have, that doesn't allow this feature.

 

[Samro]

It doesn’t switch off per-se, when you are stationary, it’ll nag you to put your foot on the brake. As soon as you do this, it cancels the ACC. When you set off again, just press the “RES” button on the steering wheel, & it’ll continue as before.

Mine definitely does not need me to "resume"! It does however require me to put my foot on the brake. Lifting off brake automatically "resumes" if the radar sees it is clear in front.
Failure to put the foot on the brake when prompted will result in my van punishing me by cancelling ACC and driving into whatever is in front of me! Seems daft to me! Why can't it just brake fir me?

 

[sparkywig]

Mine definitely does not need me to "resume"! It does however require me to put my foot on the brake. Lifting off brake automatically "resumes" if the radar sees it is clear in front.
Failure to put the foot on the brake when prompted will result in my van punishing me by cancelling ACC and driving into whatever is in front of me! Seems daft to me! Why can't it just brake fir me?

I've driven from Bristol to Birmingham city centre using ACC. All I did was steer, braking and acceleration was done for me.

 

[Salty Spuds]

Mine definitely does not need me to "resume"! It does however require me to put my foot on the brake. Lifting off brake automatically "resumes" if the radar sees it is clear in front.
Failure to put the foot on the brake when prompted will result in my van punishing me by cancelling ACC and driving into whatever is in front of me! Seems daft to me! Why can't it just brake fir me?

That’s odd & not the way mine works. If the traffic comes to a halt, the acc will stop the van & I get a beep & a warning to apply the brake. When I apply the brake the acc cancels. Mine is a DSG, manuals will presumably behave differently. I don’t know what yours is.

 

[Skyliner33]

That’s odd & not the way mine works. If the traffic comes to a halt, the acc will stop the van & I get a beep & a warning to apply the brake. When I apply the brake the acc cancels. Mine is a DSG, manuals will presumably behave differently. I don’t know what yours is.

Mine does not behave like @Samro either. DSG here.

 

[Shaun Witts]

I love the ACC on mine (since it was “enabled”). It took a bit of getting used to and I find it can drop back a bit too far when approaching a vehicle in the same lane on the motorway. If that is the outside lane, then when that vehicle pulls in it takes so much longer to accelerate up to the set speed and overtake. However, when pulling out sharply behind an overtaking vehicle, the ACC seems to recognise that the overtaking vehicle is travelling faster and allows a much closer distance without slowing. On minor roads it is so much more relaxing to use when following one of those “variable speed” drivers.

It seems to me (from the ACC display) that the system “captures” a leading vehicle and holds onto that vehicle for a while if it veers to the side. It’s probably a function of your steering angle and approaching speed for it to release that vehicle. I remember an identical scenario to that described by the OP (filtering to the left with a vehicle slowing in front of me) led to my first experience of the city braking activating (frightened the hell out of me!). This uses the same hardware as for ACC and may even use the same algorithms.

Ultimately, as with all such automatic driver aids, the driver should remain in control of their vehicle and once you become familiar with any limitations of the system, it’s not great hardship to disengage the ACC if approaching a situation were you may be unsure how the system will react. Sure newer systems are better for the most part, but as @Skyliner33 reports, the ACC on his 6.1 wont let him undertake (not technically illegal), whereas mine will (I checked specifically when a car was slowing to turn right on a dual carriageway).

 

[Stueyphoenix]

A little off topic potentially for which I apologise... Does anyone know if the brake lights are illuminated when you feel the vehicle slowing during acc use? Specifically I mean the "sharper" reductions in speed other than engine braking?
During an overtake early last week the van slowed sharply as I was clearly closer than it liked during the mirror, signal manoevre phase (i was indicating right to perform the overtake) . At the same time a Tesla travelling at roughly a tonne in Lane three decided I wasnt accelerating fast enough so undertook and squeezed through the gap which I was rapidly closing.
Amongst other things... It made me wonder of the van had lit up the brake lights during the lane change making the tesla driver drive in a more twatish way than normal...
Sincere apologies for the sweeping generalisation regarding Tesla drivers... I cover 40k miles a year with my job and see more unsafe driving in Teslas than any other motor.