Motoring experts have stressed the need to be vigilant when using cruise control after police in Dubai were called into action to rescue a driver facing a system failure while travelling on a major road.
Police helped bring the woman's vehicle to a safe stop on Emirates Road in the early hours of Monday morning after the cruise control feature failed to disengage. Such driver-assist technology comes as standard for most modern cars.
Shaheryar Azmat, 45, workshop manager at Excellence Premier Auto Repair in Al Qusais, which manages a fleet of more than 600 vehicles, said maintenance was crucial to avert problems.
“There are a few simple checks a driver can do on a daily basis to ensure their safety on the road when using this system,” said Mr Azmat, who is from Pakistan and lives in Dubai. “As soon as the driver is going to switch on the vehicle and start the engine, it is important to note any warning signs that appear on the dashboard.
“This can be an engine check light, automatic brake system light, direction indicator or an alert for electronic stability control. If any of these lights are on, it could affect how the cruise control performs. Drivers should check their vehicle first at the workshop, and it's not advisable to drive a car in such condition or activate the cruise control.”
How the technology works
Standard cruise control maintains a set speed without the intervention of the driver while adaptive cruise control (ACC) monitors the distance and speed of the vehicle ahead, through a series of radar and lira sensors, and parking cameras.
To engage the technology, the driver must set a maximum speed and following distance, and the system will slow down your car if the vehicle in front decelerates. It will also then accelerate back to the set speed when the path ahead is clear.
Typically cruise control will only activate at speeds above 40-50kmph, and not if the car is driving in first or second gear. When cruise control occasionally fails, poor maintenance is usually the problem, Mr Azmat said.
“Modern vehicles equipped with adaptive cruise control work with ultrasonic sensors and radar cruise sensors,” he said. “It is important to ensure cars equipped with these are washed and clean, so these sensors are clear to give accurate values.
“If the sensors are blocked by dirt or dust, it may disengage the cruise control. In a situation when the driver is unable to disengage the cruise control, emergency steps should be taken.”
Research published in January by the Netherlands Institute for Road Safety Research (SWOV) evaluated crash data related to Advanced Driver Assistance Systems. While adaptive cruise control was not the cause of accidents, it was associated with higher crash rates, it found.
The study published in Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives, an academic journal that covers commercial and private vehicle use, showed adaptive cruise control was linked to an 8 per cent increase in accidents while there was a 12 per cent spike in incidents involving cars with regular cruise control.
Researchers looked at 23 studies assessing real-world crash data and concluded lane assist, driver monitoring systems and automatic emergency braking were most effective in avoiding collisions.
While in many cases the technology itself may not be fault, the use of cruise control features has prompted concerns that drivers may become over-reliant on the system and lose focus.
Stay in control for night driving
Khalid Javed senior manager of operations at the Excellence Driving Centre LLC in Dubai, said cruise control can be helpful, if used correctly and learner drivers should know when it should be engaged.
“Cruise control is a very helpful device, but we have to make sure that we are using it in the right way,” he said. “Good advice is for drivers that they should never use cruise control at night as they can easily fall asleep, particularly after a long drive and they might be already tired.
“If the driver falls asleep, the car will continue moving at a similar speed. That risks any collision with an object on the road or off the road at the same speed. Malfunction is a risk, but is rare.
“Motorists have to be careful when applying cruise control, and not overly rely on it. They should do regular testing and check the mechanical and electrical components of the vehicle at least once a year.”
