07.09.202327.05.2017

Cruise control (English cruise control, German Tempomat) is a system for automatically maintaining vehicle speed without driver assistance, regardless of external factors - ups and downs of the road, wind direction, load on the car. In pre-computer times, equipping a car with such a device was problematic, although some craftsmen managed to fix the throttle valve in a certain position, creating the illusion of maintaining a constant speed on a flat road. When electronics came to power, the task became simpler: you just need to pair the cruise control with the powertrain control system.

Manufacturers produce ready-made kits for self-installation, consisting of an electronic unit, wiring and controls. To simplify connection to specific connectors on the on-board network, such sets are usually unified for a group of cars; they are not universal. In particular, for such popular models with an electronic gas pedal as Hyundai Solaris, Renault Duster and Lada Granta, Drivenge and Jet-cruise KH devices are suitable. We decided to evaluate them - the complexity of installation, ease of use, clarity of operation.

Both gadgets are Russian, their declared capabilities are similar. Both are suitable for cars with both manual and automatic transmissions. True, on a manual transmission, after each gear shift, the set speed value will be reset and a new switch will be required. They also provide similar options: Jet-cruise KH has a jetter, Drivenge has a booster pedal.

Jetter and booster pedal

After installing such a device, the car, as a rule, begins to react differently to the gas pedal, without the characteristic delay. This immediate response creates the illusion of improved dynamics. It is clear that there is no real improvement and cannot be, since the gadget does not change the firmware of the “brains” of the motor. It only slightly changes the operating characteristics of the gas pedal: at the same accelerator position, more fuel is supplied to the engine, which is why it seems that the car drives easier and more dynamically. At the same time, the maximum speed and intensity of acceleration with the pedal pressed to the floor will not increase one iota. The same effect can be achieved without any jetters - just press the pedal harder. Note that such systems do not cause any harm to the engine - however, they do not bring any benefit.

Installed - looked

In the absence of modern cars, it is better not to undertake the installation of such devices on your own. First of all, this applies to the Drivenge system: we spent more than two hours fiddling around. Jet-cruise KH was able to install in half the time.

Drivenge. Quite a lot of fuss. Drivenge is an extensive system with many connectors that need to be connected in the depths under the front panel. You will have to drill the steering column housing to install the steering column stalk. This control looks somewhat clumsy: you can’t press it - it’s just a place for buttons! And the design is frail: the attachment to plastic cannot be any other way. And the wires in the connectors are rolled loosely - unreliably.

Jet-cruise KH. Much easier to install. You can place the self-powered remote control on two common batteries in any convenient place - either under your left hand or under your right. A drill will only be needed when installing an indicator LED. You can avoid drilling anything at all if you remove the indicator through a suitable slot, which is what we did in the first experiments. It will do for a short time, but, in general, it’s a little undignified to do so.

Approximate price 8600 rub.

The device allows you to turn on cruise control both at the current and at the last set speed. Changing settings - using the gas pedal or buttons in increments of 1 km/h. Automatic shutdown - when you press the brake or clutch pedal. Operating range - from 20 to 160 km/h. The “booster pedal” function has three operating modes: “economy”, “dynamics”, “sport”. It is possible to maintain an increased crankshaft speed at idle - for example, to warm up the engine. In the “sport” mode, the pedal seems too sharp, but the “economy” mode was quite pleasant as a winter mode on snowy and slippery roads.

Approximate price 11,200 rubles.

There is an audible warning when the speed limit set by the owner is reached or exceeded. Installation step - 1 km/h. Operating range - from 40 to 150 km/h. Changing settings - using the gas pedal or buttons. Automatic shutdown - when you press the brake or clutch pedal. The self-powered jetter implements one of three modes: “speaker”, “economy” or “sport”.

Features of operation

Those who have driven cars equipped with standard cruisers will most likely not be attracted to such products - they are not very convenient to use and look unrespectable. But if such toys are new to someone, they may well come in handy.

Isn’t it dangerous to drive with these devices if they suddenly fail? After all, we interfered with the standard electrical equipment, breaking some of the car’s control circuits... We checked that when the power from both systems is turned off, the ability to control the car remains. Therefore, the manufacturers of both devices did not violate the old principle of “do no harm.”

Drivenge. I constantly want to press the new steering column “lever”, which also “breathes” along with the steering column casing.

Jet-cruise KH. The remote control does not have a backlight - on a dark country road you will have to manipulate it by touch. The indication works only at the moment of operation.

What is cruise control? This is a special system that automatically maintains the speed set by the driver. Thanks to cruise control, long trips become less tiring, the driver can allow himself to relax a little by taking his feet off the pedals.

Cruise control is more common in America than in Europe, since in the States there are quite long distances, in addition, the roads themselves are much wider. Constantly increasing traffic leads to the fact that the functions of conventional cruise control are becoming less and less useful every day, so simple cruise control has been replaced by adaptive cruise control systems. The latter are distinguished by the fact that they allow you to follow the car in front, while constantly maintaining a safe distance and a given speed. In my article today, I will talk about how cruise control works, as well as the main advantages and disadvantages of adaptive cruise control.

How cruise control works

This system has many useful functions, in addition to being able to control the speed of the vehicle. For example, some systems are capable of accelerating or slowing down a car by one km, all you need to do is press a button. Therefore, pressing the button five times will speed up by 5 km/h. To stop automatic cruise control, just press .

Cruise control control panel

It’s easy to guess that the “On” and “Of” buttons turn cruise control on or off. By pressing the On button, you will not feel anything, the system will simply go into, as they say, a “combat” state and wait for other buttons to be pressed. "Off" key - turns off the system, even while it is running. It should be noted that some cruise control systems do not have these buttons at all; activation occurs after pressing the Set button, and deactivation occurs after pressing the brake pedal.

The "Set/Accel" buttons allow you to set the speed you need. To do this, you need to speed up or reduce your speed to the desired value and press this button. Each repeated press will accelerate the car by 1 km/h. After the driver presses the brake pedal and reduces the speed, you can press the Resume button, it will return the car to the speed that it had before braking. Coast is an analogue of the brake pedal; after pressing this button, the car will slow down in the same way as if the driver took his foot off the gas. The brake and clutch pedals are equipped with a switch that disables cruise control, so if necessary, the driver can deactivate the system by simply pressing one of these pedals.

Acceleration and braking using the cruise control system

With this system, the driver can control the vehicle's speed in the same way as using the throttle. However, it should be noted that cruise control controls the throttle valve using a pneumatic actuator, and not by pressing the pedal. and the speed of movement is controlled by the throttle valve by limiting the amount of air entering the engine.

Cruise control throttle control

The throttle valve is controlled by two cables that are connected to a hinge that moves the throttle valve. One of these cables is connected to the gas pedal, and the other to the pneumatic drive. When the cruise control is on, the pneumatic actuator moves the cable that is connected to the throttle control rod, in addition, it pulls the cable connected to the gas pedal, which allows the pedal to move up and down freely, even when the cruise control system is on.

Some cars use pneumatic drives in which the engine acts as a vacuum pump. Such systems use a medium-sized electronically controlled valve that regulates the vacuum in the diaphragm. Similar to a brake booster that provides power to a vehicle's braking system.

Cruise control control

The brain center of the cruise control system is miniature, which is usually located in the engine compartment or behind the dashboard. As I already said, it connects to the throttle control and several sensors.

Cruise control diagram

A high-quality cruise control system is capable of quickly and effectively accelerating the car to the speed required by the driver, after which it is able to maintain it with minimal deviation, regardless of the vehicle’s load and the steepness of the climb. Speed control occurs according to the classical principle. The cruise control system regulates the throttle position and therefore needs sensors to tell it the vehicle's speed and throttle position. The system also monitors the pressing of buttons and pedals, after which it adjusts the speed, instantly responding to the need to turn it on or off.

Many modern cruise control systems use the proportional-integral-derivative principle ( Proportional-Integral-Derivative - PID). I will not go into details of all these “three-story” definitions, because in order to understand this principle it is necessary to understand that: the integral of speed is distance, and the derivative of speed is acceleration.

The PID control system works with these three coefficients - proportional, integral and derivative, calculating each of them separately and adding them to obtain the throttle position.

We have already discussed the proportional coefficient, now I propose to talk about the integral coefficient. The integral coefficient is based on the time integral of the vehicle speed error. Translated into “human” language - the difference in the distances that the car actually covered and the distance that it could have covered provided that the movement occurred at the required speed, which is calculated for a certain period of time. This coefficient is responsible for the acceleration of the car when moving downhill, and also helps to achieve and maintain the speed required by the owner. For example, a car starts moving downhill and begins to slow down. After this, the proportional system begins to open slightly wider, but the car may still slow down. After some moment, the integral control gives the command to open the throttle valve even more, this is due to the fact that the longer the vehicle moves below the set speed, the greater the distance error the cruise control system will receive.

Now it's time to discuss the final coefficient - the derivative. As we have already said, the derivative of speed is acceleration. Thanks to this coefficient, cruise control is able to instantly respond to any changes on the road, such as hills and descents. The principle is this: if the car slows down, the cruise control notices this in time until the moment when the speed drops significantly and instantly reacts to this by opening the throttle.

As I promised, a few words about adaptive cruise control

Adaptive cruise control is a more advanced system that can automatically adjust the speed of the vehicle, taking into account, in addition to the speed limit, also maintaining a safe distance to the car in front. Adaptive cruise control is equipped with a radar, which is installed just behind the radiator grille. The radar constantly sends a signal, which actually determines the need to speed up or slow down the car, based on the speed of return of the signal sent forward.

Adaptive cruise control is very similar to ordinary cruise control, since it, like its less “advanced” brother, is capable of maintaining the speed set by the driver. However, compared to conventional cruise control, adaptive cruise control is able to automatically adjust speed to maintain an optimal safe distance between vehicles driving in the same lane.

This is achieved, as you already know, using a radar sensor, longitudinal controllers and a digital signal processor. If the speed of the vehicle in front slows down, or any other object appears, the system quickly sends appropriate signals to the engine and brake system for immediate deceleration. Once the obstacle has moved to a safe distance and there are no obstacles on the road, the adaptive cruise control system will again begin to set the speed set by the driver.

The Autocruise radar system, which operates at a frequency of 77 GHz, has a range of about 150 m, and is capable of operating correctly at speeds from 30 to 180 km/h.

Today, adaptive cruise control is one of the most promising actively developing systems of its class, successfully used in the automotive industry in many European countries. The system not only improves driver comfort, but also prevents the possibility of a collision, increasing the safety of all passengers. Modern adaptive cruise control systems are capable of providing audible as well as visual signals when there is a risk of collision. Moreover, they are able to make decisions themselves if the driver hesitates and perform evasive action or emergency braking when necessary.

Not all cars have a cruise control system. This is mainly the prerogative of modern models, stuffed with a scattering of electronic systems, most often with an automatic transmission. A similar function is also found in cars with mechanics, but this design is not very common. Today's article will tell you about the purpose, operating principles and basic rules for the safe use of cruise control.

What is cruise control for?

When making long intercity trips, the driver may experience some leg fatigue. The right leg suffers especially badly, as it exerts constant pressure on the accelerator pedal. To eliminate the need to use the pedal, the car owner can activate the cruise control, which will maintain the speed set by him. This function has some similarities with the aircraft autopilot system. When cruise control is activated, the driver can apply the brakes. After performing this action, the machine itself will return to the set speed level.

The system can be activated using the gas and brake pedals, but such solutions are used extremely rarely. Basically, the on/off function is given to special buttons located in the area of the steering wheel. There are several of them:

"ON"— activates the device;
"OFF"— turns it off;
"SET/ACCEL"— fixes the speed and increases it. The first press of the button sets the current speed of the car as a basis, the second and subsequent presses increase it by 2 km/h.
"RESUME"— command to accelerate to the set speed. If for some reason the driver slowed down, pressing this key will give the command to the vehicle to accelerate to the specified speed level.
"COAST"— has the opposite effect of the “ACCEL” key. Pressing the “COAST” button reduces the recorded speed limit.

How does cruise control work?

The main device that maintains a constant speed value is the servo drive. It is he who adjusts the throttle assembly. The throttle valve controls the air supply inside the combustion chambers of the vehicle's power unit. The higher its quantity, the more mixture will be released by the fuel injection system, with a corresponding increase in engine power and an increase in speed. Having examined the appearance of this valve, you can notice a pair of drive cables: one is connected to the gas pedal, which the driver presses during a trip, the second is connected to the cruise control actuator, which is controlled electronically.

In some models, adjustment is carried out using a vacuum formed inside the intake manifold of the internal combustion engine. Changes in pressure affect the location of the membrane, depending on the value of the specified speed level. The membrane, in turn, selects different positions of the throttle valve.

Before activating the function, the control unit always checks the current driving speed. If it goes beyond the limits of 40-135 km/h, cruise control will not activate.

Adaptive cruise control

In modern cars, especially well-known expensive brands, you can increasingly find adaptive cruise control. In the vehicle specification it is designated "ACC". It has a number of useful differences from conventional classical systems. To set the driving mode, the driver needs to not only fix the speed of the trip, but also set the distance to the nearest car moving in front. This value is determined by special sensors mounted in the front of the car. The control device makes a constant request for data and if it reaches the minimum specified by the driver, the system either gives an audible signal or independently reduces the speed to increase the distance. In addition, many adaptive cruise controls are equipped with the ability to maintain a given lane and can also read lane markings. This system is very convenient, but, unfortunately, quite expensive.

Rules for safe use of cruise control

Cruise control should not be used on roads with steep inclines. If the car has to overcome many mountains, it will operate in a constant maximum load mode, which will negatively affect the condition of the internal components of the engine and the overall fuel gluttony.
Under no circumstances should you use cruise control in icy conditions. Such use will most likely cause the car to fly into a ditch or cause a serious accident.
Cruise control should be turned on while maintaining a clear speed level. If you activate the function while accelerating, the cruise control may not lock the current speed limit, but will continue to accelerate, which could result in the vehicle losing control of the driver.
Never use cruise control on busy roads. In such a situation, the system simply will not be able to quickly respond to emerging obstacles.

Let's sum it up

To summarize the article, let's say that automatic cruise control systems are an undoubted convenience, designed to make life much easier for the driver. It is important to understand that help will be useful only if you follow a certain set of operating rules listed in the text. And further. Even if you own a car with adaptive cruise control, try not to relax too much. No matter how “smart” electronics are, it is much safer if they work under the constant supervision of a person.

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Cruise control system - device and characteristics

Reading the characteristics of various cars, you can see that some trim levels are equipped with a cruise control system. What kind of system is this, what does it control and why is it needed at all?

First of all, it must be said that many people still cannot understand the principle of operation of cruise control, and therefore either do not use it at all, or try to use it, but they do not succeed.

Cruise control, in simple terms, is a device that allows you to maintain a constant set speed of the car. First of all, it is best used during long journeys along country highways, because there is no need to constantly press the gas pedal, and therefore the leg will not get tired.

Why did cruise control become popular?

For the first time, such a development was used back in the 50s of the last century, but was used extremely rarely due to technical problems and shortcomings. The real understanding of the benefits of using cruise control came in the 70s, when the financial crisis broke out and gasoline prices soared.

With a cruise control system, fuel consumption when traveling along long routes is significantly reduced, since optimal engine operation is maintained.

Drivers could only watch the road. American drivers really liked the invention, because in the USA distances are measured in thousands of kilometers, and the car is the favorite means of transportation for the majority of the population.

The device of the cruise control system

The cruise control system consists of several main parts:

control module - a mini-computer that is installed in the engine compartment;
throttle valve drive - this can be a pneumatic or electric drive connected to the throttle;
switch - displayed on the steering wheel or on the instrument panel;
various sensors - speed, throttle, wheel speed, etc.

If the car leaves the assembly line with this option, then cruise control is integrated into the overall vehicle control system. Ready-made systems are also sold that can be installed on a car with any type of engine or gearbox.

How does cruise control work?

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The essence of its operation is that throttle control is transferred from the gas pedal to the cruise control servo. The driver selects the driving mode, enters the desired speed value, the system itself orients itself and, depending on the conditions, selects the most optimal engine operating modes in order to maintain the desired speed level.

The systems are different, but cruise control is controlled according to the same scheme:

On/Off — turn on or off;
Set/Acceleration - set the speed - that is, you can transfer throttle control to the cruise control and the speed that was at the time of activation will be maintained, or you can enter another higher speed indicator;
Resume — restore the last settings that were at the time of shutdown (disconnection is done by pressing the brake pedal);
Coast - speed reduction.

That is, the operating algorithm is approximately this: On - Set (activation and setting the speed) - pressing the brake (disabling) - Resume (recovery) - Coast (reduction, if you need to switch to a lower speed mode.

Typically, cruise control is activated at speeds above 60 km/h, although the system itself can operate at 30-40 km/h.

Adaptive cruise control

At the moment, the most advanced system is adaptive. It is almost close to the analogue of an autopilot in aviation, with the difference that the driver still needs to turn the steering wheel.

Adaptive cruise control differs from ordinary cruise control by the presence of a radar, which analyzes the distance to vehicles in front and maintains the desired distance. If the front cars begin to slow down or accelerate, the impulses are transmitted to the control module, and from there to the throttle valve pneumatic drive. That is, the driver does not need to press on the gas or, conversely, reduce speed.

Development of more advanced systems is underway, the capabilities of which will be significantly expanded.

How to use cruise control, using the example of a SKODA Octavia car

Cruise video from KIA

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There are two types of cruise control - Passive and Adaptive.

Passive Cruise Control (PCC) maintains a constant vehicle speed (set by the driver). Very convenient on long trips when your foot gets tired of constantly holding the gas pedal. The set speed remains unchanged until the driver changes it himself by pressing the brake or gas pedal (for example, when overtaking another car or during forced braking).
In this case, Cruise Control is turned off, but as soon as the driver releases the brake or gas pedal, it again sets the set speed and maintains it until the next “intervention” by the driver. You can change Cruise Control settings while driving.

Adaptive cruise control(ACC - Adaptive Cruise Control) is an advanced version of passive cruise control. ACC prevents you from approaching the vehicle in front within a specified distance. If the vehicle in front slows down, ACC activates the brake system. The operation of ACC is very similar to the operation of the City Safety system, with the only difference being that City Safety operates at speeds up to 30 km/h. Unlike passive, adaptive cruise control depends on the operation of the ABS and ESP braking safety systems. If any of these systems is faulty, ACC is switched off, warning the driver with a signal on the display.

There are two types of adaptive cruise control - laser and radar. Laser ones are the most affordable, but have a significant drawback: the laser loses its properties in bad weather and does not “see” a dirty car well. The ACC type radar is much more expensive and, accordingly, much more efficient, so for now it is installed only on luxury cars and expensive sports cars. However, you should not trust ACC completely. There are times when ACC may mistakenly detect the presence of a vehicle ahead, so the driver should always keep their eyes on the road.

When did the first Cruise Control appear?

The first car equipped with this system appeared in 1958. It was a Chrysler Imperial. The system used on this car read the rotation speed of the propeller shaft and controlled the flow of fuel into the combustion chamber through a solenoid. Later, systems began to appear that controlled the fuel supply by measuring the speed of rotation of the wheels and reading the speedometer.
or engine speed level.

Adaptive Cruise control appeared much later - in 1999 on Mercedes-Bens cars. In 2006, the so-called Full Adaptive Cruise Control appeared, capable of completely “tying” your car to the one in front, i.e. This system is capable of stopping and accelerating the vehicle to the speed of the vehicle in front.

Based on site materials