Following on from the thread on “Interactive Cruise Control”, heres something some of you may not have come across yet. My own truck is a 65 plate DAF, and a nastier piece of junk I havent experienced in years, but this isnt yet another thread slagging it off. (Honest!) Its asking about systems fitted to other trucks and trying to point out some potential dangers of systems on trucks. Firstly I believe the ACC is common on all Euro6 trucks? And isnt the speed limiter a regular fixture too?
Anyway the ACC should keep your vehicle a set (safe?) distance from the preceding vehicle. If youre on a level road and approaching a slower vehicle itll ease off the gas, and follow nicely. If youre gaining more quickly itll close up a “bit too much” then stamp on the brakes. Not very smooth or economical.
The speed limiter (a sort of hill descent thingy) is meant to limit the vehicles speed by engine braking, gear use etc.
Now, if in a situation youre on ACC and following another vehicle, you go down a slope, it is the ACC that will keep you away from preceding vehicle. Not the speed limiter. Youll be coming down hill on the service brakes all the way.
OK, a competent driver should be aware of what is happening. A competent driver wont get into that situation. RE speed limiter again, if you set it at a speed too high, such that the gears engine brake cant cope, it will rev up to the red, then change up gears, so losing engine braking and accelerating. Again a competent driver who knows what is going on wont get into that situation. Is PCC with its contour mapping any different? I don`t know.
Some drivers seem to think setting u these systems absolves them of need to concentrate. And I think the training videos make too much play about the driving experience being more relaxing. For my money too many equate relaxed with uninvolved and quite honestly being ignorant of what is actually going on with their own vehicle.