Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Cruise Control shopping experience:
1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Cruise Control offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Cruise Control at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.
2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about
3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Cruise Control? Wrong! If the Cruise Control is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.
4. Questions - Got a question about Cruise Control then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....
5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Cruise Control? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Cruise Control and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.
6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Cruise Control wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.
7. Feedback - happy with your Cruise Control then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.
8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Cruise Control site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site
9. Contact - got a question about Cruise Control, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.
10. Payment - ready to pay for your Cruise Control, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.
Cruise control (sometimes known as
speed control or
Autocruise) is a system that automatically controls the rate of motion of a
motor vehicle. The driver sets the speed and the system will take over the
throttle of the car to maintain the same speed.
History
Speed control with a centrifugal governor was used in automobiles as early as the
1910s, notably by Peerless. Peerless advertised that their system would "maintain speed whether up hill or down". The technology was invented by
James Watt and Matthew Boulton in
1788 for use in locomotives. It uses centrifugal force to adjust throttle position as the speed of the engine changes with different loads (e.g. when going up a hill).
Modern cruise control (also known as a speedostat) was invented in
1945 by the blind inventor and mechanical engineer Ralph Teetor. His idea was born out of the frustration of riding in a car driven by his lawyer, who kept speeding up and slowing down as he talked. The first car with Teetor's system was the Chrysler Corporation
Chrysler Imperial in 1958. This system calculated ground speed based on driveshaft rotations and used a solenoid to vary throttle position as needed.
Theory of operation
In modern designs, the cruise control may or may not need to be turned on before use — in some designs it is always "on" but not always enabled, others have a separate "on/off" switch, while still others just have an "on" switch that must be pressed after the vehicle has been started. Most designs have buttons for "set", "resume", "accelerate", and "coast" functions. Some also have a "cancel" button. Alternatively, tapping the brake will disable the system, a required feature to prevent the vehicle from accelerating against braking as it attempts to maintain speed. The system is operated with controls easily within the driver's reach, usually with two or more buttons on the
steering wheel spokes or on the edge of the hub like those on
Honda vehicles, on the turn signal stalk like in some
General Motors vehicles or on a dedicated stalk like those found in Toyota and Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Early designs used a dial to set speed choice.
The driver must bring the car up to speed manually and use a button to set the cruise control to the current speed. The cruise control takes its speed signal from a rotating driveshaft,
speedometer cable, speed sensor (found on the wheels) or from the engine's RPM. Most systems do not allow the use of the cruise control below a certain speed (normally 35 mph/55 km/h) to discourage use in city driving. The car will maintain that speed by pulling the throttle cable with a solenoid or a
vacuum driven servomechanism. On the latest vehicles fitted with
electronic throttle control, cruise control can be easily integrated into the vehicle's engine management system. Most systems can be turned off both explicitly and automatically, when the driver hits the brake or
clutch. Cruise control often includes a memory feature to resume the set speed after braking and a coast feature to reset the speed lower without braking. When the cruise control is in effect, the throttle can still be used to accelerate the car, but once it is released the car will then slow down until it reaches the previously set speed.
Cruise controls currently being developed include the ability to automatically reduce speed when the speed limit decreases. This is an advantage for those driving in unfamiliar areas.
Advantages and disadvantages
Cruise control has many advantages but also some serious vices.
Some of those advantages include:
- Its usefulness for long drives across sparsely populated roads. This usually results in better fuel efficiency.
- Some drivers use it to avoid unconsciously violating speed limits. A driver who otherwise tends to unconsciously increase speed over the course of a highway journey may avoid a speeding ticket. Such drivers should note, however, that a cruise control may go over its setting on a downhill which is steep enough to accelerate with an idling engine.
However, cruise control can also lead to accidents due to several factors, such as:
- The lack of need to maintain constant pedal pressure, which can help lead to accidents caused by highway hypnosis or incapacitated drivers; future systems may include a dead man's switch to avoid this.
- When used during inclement weather or while driving on wet or snow- and/or ice-covered roads, the vehicle could go into a skid. Stepping on the brake — such as to disengage the cruise control — often results in the driver losing control of the vehicle.
Driving over "rolling" terrain, with gentle up and down portions, can usually be done more economically (using less fuel) by a skilled driver viewing the approaching terrain, by maintaining a relatively constant throttle position and allowing the vehicle to accelerate on the downgrades and decelerate on upgrades, while reducing power when cresting a rise and adding a bit before an upgrade is reached. Cruise control will tend to overthrottle on the upgrades and retard on the downgrades, wasting the energy storage capabilities available from the inertia of the vehicle. The inefficiencies from cruise control can be even greater relative to skilled driving in hybrid vehicles.
Many countries establish that it is illegal to drive within city limits with the cruise control feature activated.
Autonomous cruise control system
Some modern vehicles have
autonomous cruise control (ACC) systems. These use either a
radar or laser setup to allow the vehicle keep pace with the car it is following, slow when closing in on the vehicle in front and accelerating again to the preset speed when traffic allows. Some systems also feature
forward collision warning systems, which warns the driver if a vehicle in front - given the speed of both vehicles - gets too close (within the preset headway or braking distance).
Trivia
Most early cruise control units may also be set to provide back pressure upon the accelerator, to warn the driver against excessive speed. This was separate from holding a set speed.
The earliest Ford speed-control systems used controls on the steering wheel (On/Off on the left, Accelerate/Coast on the right - Resume was added later), a feature that only became common in recent years.
See also
External links
- Overview of intelligent vehicle safety systems
- Intelligent Transport Systems
- Preventive safety applications and technologies
- Article at HowStuffWorks
- Cruise [Un]Control: Driver sets the cruise control on his vehicle, then slips into the backseat for a nap at Urban Legends Reference Pages
- How to automatically reduce speed when the speed limit decreases. gpscruise
Cruise control (sometimes known as
speed control or
Autocruise) is a system that automatically controls the rate of motion of a motor vehicle. The driver sets the speed and the system will take over the
throttle of the car to maintain the same speed.
History
Speed control with a centrifugal governor was used in automobiles as early as the 1910s, notably by Peerless. Peerless advertised that their system would "maintain speed whether up hill or down". The technology was invented by
James Watt and
Matthew Boulton in
1788 for use in locomotives. It uses centrifugal force to adjust throttle position as the speed of the engine changes with different loads (e.g. when going up a hill).
Modern cruise control (also known as a speedostat) was invented in 1945 by the blind inventor and mechanical engineer
Ralph Teetor. His idea was born out of the frustration of riding in a car driven by his lawyer, who kept speeding up and slowing down as he talked. The first car with Teetor's system was the
Chrysler Corporation Chrysler Imperial in
1958. This system calculated ground speed based on driveshaft rotations and used a solenoid to vary throttle position as needed.
Theory of operation
In modern designs, the cruise control may or may not need to be turned on before use — in some designs it is always "on" but not always enabled, others have a separate "on/off" switch, while still others just have an "on" switch that must be pressed after the vehicle has been started. Most designs have buttons for "set", "resume", "accelerate", and "coast" functions. Some also have a "cancel" button. Alternatively, tapping the brake will disable the system, a required feature to prevent the vehicle from accelerating against braking as it attempts to maintain speed. The system is operated with controls easily within the driver's reach, usually with two or more buttons on the
steering wheel spokes or on the edge of the hub like those on
Honda vehicles, on the
turn signal stalk like in some General Motors vehicles or on a dedicated stalk like those found in Toyota and
Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Early designs used a dial to set speed choice.
The driver must bring the car up to speed manually and use a button to set the cruise control to the current speed. The cruise control takes its speed signal from a rotating
driveshaft, speedometer cable, speed sensor (found on the wheels) or from the engine's
RPM. Most systems do not allow the use of the cruise control below a certain speed (normally 35 mph/55 km/h) to discourage use in city driving. The car will maintain that speed by pulling the
throttle cable with a solenoid or a
vacuum driven
servomechanism. On the latest vehicles fitted with
electronic throttle control, cruise control can be easily integrated into the vehicle's engine management system. Most systems can be turned off both explicitly and automatically, when the driver hits the
brake or clutch. Cruise control often includes a memory feature to resume the set speed after braking and a coast feature to reset the speed lower without braking. When the cruise control is in effect, the throttle can still be used to accelerate the car, but once it is released the car will then slow down until it reaches the previously set speed.
Cruise controls currently being developed include the ability to automatically reduce speed when the speed limit decreases. This is an advantage for those driving in unfamiliar areas.
Advantages and disadvantages
Cruise control has many advantages but also some serious vices.
Some of those advantages include:
- Its usefulness for long drives across sparsely populated roads. This usually results in better fuel efficiency.
- Some drivers use it to avoid unconsciously violating speed limits. A driver who otherwise tends to unconsciously increase speed over the course of a highway journey may avoid a speeding ticket. Such drivers should note, however, that a cruise control may go over its setting on a downhill which is steep enough to accelerate with an idling engine.
However, cruise control can also lead to accidents due to several factors, such as:
- The lack of need to maintain constant pedal pressure, which can help lead to accidents caused by highway hypnosis or incapacitated drivers; future systems may include a dead man's switch to avoid this.
- When used during inclement weather or while driving on wet or snow- and/or ice-covered roads, the vehicle could go into a skid. Stepping on the brake — such as to disengage the cruise control — often results in the driver losing control of the vehicle.
Driving over "rolling" terrain, with gentle up and down portions, can usually be done more economically (using less fuel) by a skilled driver viewing the approaching terrain, by maintaining a relatively constant throttle position and allowing the vehicle to accelerate on the downgrades and decelerate on upgrades, while reducing power when cresting a rise and adding a bit before an upgrade is reached. Cruise control will tend to overthrottle on the upgrades and retard on the downgrades, wasting the energy storage capabilities available from the inertia of the vehicle. The inefficiencies from cruise control can be even greater relative to skilled driving in hybrid vehicles.
Many countries establish that it is illegal to drive within city limits with the cruise control feature activated.
Autonomous cruise control system
Some modern vehicles have
autonomous cruise control (ACC) systems. These use either a radar or laser setup to allow the vehicle keep pace with the car it is following, slow when closing in on the vehicle in front and accelerating again to the preset speed when traffic allows. Some systems also feature
forward collision warning systems, which warns the driver if a vehicle in front - given the speed of both vehicles - gets too close (within the preset headway or braking distance).
Trivia
Most early cruise control units may also be set to provide back pressure upon the accelerator, to warn the driver against excessive speed. This was separate from holding a set speed.
The earliest Ford speed-control systems used controls on the steering wheel (On/Off on the left, Accelerate/Coast on the right - Resume was added later), a feature that only became common in recent years.
See also
External links
- Overview of intelligent vehicle safety systems
- Intelligent Transport Systems
- Preventive safety applications and technologies
- Article at HowStuffWorks
- Cruise [Un]Control: Driver sets the cruise control on his vehicle, then slips into the backseat for a nap at Urban Legends Reference Pages
- How to automatically reduce speed when the speed limit decreases. gpscruise
CruiseControl Home
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Cruise control - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cruise control (sometimes known as speed control or Autocruise) is a system that automatically controls the rate of motion of a motor vehicle. The driver sets the speed and the ...
Cruise Control - vnunet.com
Hundreds of software downloads reviewed and rated, including screensavers, games, audio players, internet tools, utilties, business and office programs, and many freeware titles
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Amazon.co.uk: Steve Morse - Cruise Control: Steve Morse: DVD
Amazon.co.uk: Steve Morse - Cruise Control: Steve Morse: DVD ... Price: £26.99 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
Cruise Control Kits - Model Descriptions, Conrad Anderson UK, Cruise ...
Cruise Control Kits, Supplied and Installed. designed to fit almost any vehicle. ... Conrad Anderson L.L.P., 57-59 Sladefield Road, Ward End, Birmingham B8 3PF.
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