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Adaptive Cruise Control question

TimSuds

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2016 Explorer Sport
When Adaptive Cruise Control approaches slower traffic and slows the vehicle down, does it activate the brake lights when slowing down?

I'm just curious - it slowed me down rather aggressively yesterday and I wondered if the car behind me saw brake lights.
 



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When Adaptive Cruise Control approaches slower traffic and slows the vehicle down, does it activate the brake lights when slowing down?

I'm just curious - it slowed me down rather aggressively yesterday and I wondered if the car behind me saw brake lights.

Absolutely! Think about it...it couldn't work any other way. It is applying the brakes same as you would and the circuitry involved is no different. And if it didn't activate the lights, you would likely have been rear-ended ;-)
 






When Adaptive Cruise Control approaches slower traffic and slows the vehicle down, does it activate the brake lights when slowing down?

I'm just curious - it slowed me down rather aggressively yesterday and I wondered if the car behind me saw brake lights.

Isn't it freaky how aggressively it can slow the vehicle down!

I did not know how much I would like adaptive cruise control until I tested it out on a test drive!
 






Isn't it freaky how aggressively it can slow the vehicle down!

I did not know how much I would like adaptive cruise control until I tested it out on a test drive!

It definitely takes some getting used to. After having it for 3 years, I still don't always trust it completely, and sort of feel like I'm constantly testing it. Of course regardless of how well it works, you still need to be cognizant of what your car is doing and be ready to take over at a moments notice. In that regard, in some way it's made me a slightly less attentive driver than I used to be. That's the downside.

I think one of the best uses is on backroads when you get behind some poke who can't drive and is going rather slowly. If you have no option to pass, instead of having to constantly speed up and slow down, you just set the cruise distance and let it go.
 






Brake lights

Absolutely! Think about it...it couldn't work any other way. It is applying the brakes same as you would and the circuitry involved is no different. And if it didn't activate the lights, you would likely have been rear-ended ;-)

Do you know for a fact that the brake lights come on? I had not thought about it, but I hope they do. I love the cruise control. The biggest danger for me is when I drive my other car and forget that it will NOT slow me down when I approach a slower car!
 






Do you know for a fact that the brake lights come on? I had not thought about it, but I hope they do. I love the cruise control. The biggest danger for me is when I drive my other car and forget that it will NOT slow me down when I approach a slower car!

Don't hope. They do and they must. I was initially curious about this when I got my first adaptive cruise car as well.

Yes, it is a little strange after you get used to when you get in a car that doesn't have it. I think the best strategy is to not use cruise control at all in a car with the old style. You're less likely to get in trouble that way.
 






I was using the Adaptive Cruise on the way home from N. Carolina in heavy traffic that was going at a pretty good clip, but would slow occasionally. I was worried about this so each time the cruise slowed me down, if the guy behind me was close, I'd tap my brakes to let them know I was slowing.

So, to prior question, how do we know this for sure? I don't recall seeing this in the manual, but didn't go back and look. Has anyone tested and confirmed it comes on? The car could be slowed through engine drag couldn't it? I believe that's used in the curb contrail if you take a turn too fast?

I'll agree this is a GREAT feature. I didn't really expect to like it that much, and I didn't buy the package for this, but now I think it is one of the best features. I especially like setting the speed a good bit higher than whoever I'm following (with a gap set) so that if someone else (a new rabbit) passes us by, I can just pull out behind them as they go by and let the cruise/acceleration kick in and just pull me along after them with the same gap set.
 






What can I say? You guys obviously aren't going to believe me no matter what I tell you. This technology has been used by many manufacturers for years and they all work pretty much the same. The system will mimic taking your foot off the gas, or applying a certain maximum amount of braking (not full power least it create more trouble than it needs to). Having said that, you're only going to be satisfied if you see it for yourself. Get in your buddy's car and follow him in your new Ex. That's the only other option you have.
 






I was worried about this so each time the cruise slowed me down, if the guy behind me was close, I'd tap my brakes to let them know I was slowing.

You should also be aware that just like regular cruise, once you tap your brakes the system disengages and you have to re-engage it. Don't forget and then coast into stopped traffic in front of you.

Similarly, the system will not detect cars that are dead stopped. It will detect very slow cars, but not stopped cars. Go ahead and test this and you'll see that you approach them very quickly until the collision warning system alerts you and then you better stand on the brakes. The reason for this is tha the system needs to ignore things like guardrails as you negotiate turns. Would you really want the brakes applied at 70mph as you zip down an off-ramp? :) And the system will not continue to accelerate to your set speed once your turn angle increases to a certain degree. In this case it's trying to prevent you from going into a skid (and needing to use stability control) if conditions are slick. You wouldn't want stability control trying to slow the car as the cruise is trying to speed it up. :rolleyes:
 






Jeez- it's nothing personal... The adaptave cruise doesn't push the brake pedal in, so I would ask the same question too- since the ACC system runs the brakes at each wheel through the ECM and also the brake controller, which is going to be hydraulic with limited electrical application. In theory, it should apply the lights, but it might not. Heck- with the ACC system slowing the vehicle through deceleration to maintain gap, the brakes aren't even applied at all unless it needs more aggresive command.

With that said, I suggest you just follow someone driving your Ex. My buddy's Lincoln with the exact same ACC system does NOT apply brake lights when slowing.
 






Jeez- it's nothing personal... The adaptave cruise doesn't push the brake pedal in, so I would ask the same question too- since the ACC system runs the brakes at each wheel through the ECM and also the brake controller, which is going to be hydraulic with limited electrical application. In theory, it should apply the lights, but it might not. Heck- with the ACC system slowing the vehicle through deceleration to maintain gap, the brakes aren't even applied at all unless it needs more aggresive command.

With that said, I suggest you just follow someone driving your Ex. My buddy's Lincoln with the exact same ACC system does NOT apply brake lights when slowing.

Your friends Lincoln will not turn on the brake lights if it's slowing by releasing the throttle, but I can guarantee you that it turns on those lights when it activiates the brakes! If your car's brakes are applied (by you, your ACC, or devine intervention) it is essentially illegal to not turn on the lights. You get a ticket for it if the cops can prove it.

As for the brake pedal, I haven't checked the Ex yet, but depending on the brake system linkage, most of them actually do move the brake pedal. It's a lot easier to implement that way. Because if you decide to take control and apply the brakes, it would be unsafe for you to have to send the pedal through some distance before you actually get additional application.

My suggestion? Keep playing with your system. It will take you a while, but you'll figure all this out -- likely after a couple of months ;-)
 






Similarly, the system will not detect cars that are dead stopped. It will detect very slow cars, but not stopped cars. Go ahead and test this and you'll see that you approach them very quickly until the collision warning system alerts you and then you better stand on the brakes.
I discovered this last night. Hit the brakes even before the collision warning system activated and just barely got stopped in time. I was quite shocked at how much braking effort I had to apply and how slowly it decelerated. ABS didn't kick in until I was nearly stopped. It was drizzling and foggy out, I hadn't driven far and probably hadn't touched the brakes to dry them off so that may have contributed. I will definitely be doing some additional braking tests soon.
 






Here is a video from Ford on the ACC system.



My point was that the initial response was that it absolutely will activate the brake lights. Not always- as said, it does not light when coasting down utilizing the ECM. When it brakes it will, but it does not light in all instances when slowing the vehicle down.
 






which makes sense. The brake lights dont come on when you take your foot off the gas pedal.
 






...or when you either push or hold the coast button on the cruise which I would imagine is the same thing as the ACC system's control
 






When Adaptive Cruise Control approaches slower traffic and slows the vehicle down, does it activate the brake lights when slowing down?

I'm just curious - it slowed me down rather aggressively yesterday and I wondered if the car behind me saw brake lights.

I hope that Joe Dirt's video clip answered your question and eased your mind. If not, I want to confirm that yes, the Adaptive Cruise Control will activate the lights when automatically slowing down to adapt to your chosen distance. Please note like others stated, it will not activate a brake light when coast (manually choosing to slow down) is being used. If you have further questions, feel free to PM me.

~Seni
 






Seni- what about when the ACC system is coasting to slow, but not actively using the brake system to slow down faster? No lights, correct?
 






Seni- what about when the ACC system is coasting to slow, but not actively using the brake system to slow down faster? No lights, correct?

The ACC system will not create any "light" situation that wouldn't happen with you at the control. It simply can't. Now if you choose to re-wire your car to have a yellow light come on in back when you are coasting, guess what, your ACC will display a yellow light then too.

ACC doesn't control the lights. It doesn't even know if you have working lights or not. It only controls the throttle and brake. Beyond that, all systems operate as they always would. The inputs to ACC are complex (radar and processing -- akin to your eyes and brain), the outputs are very simply (throttle and brake -- akin to your foot). There are no magic outputs from this system. If you can get your foot to not turn on the brake lights in your car when you hit the big pedal, then you might be able to get ACC to do the same.
 






All I'm doing is confirming for the OP that the brake lights do not come on if the system is letting it coast to maintain distance instead of braking. Of course it isn't magic.

ACC braking- brake lights
ACC coasting- no brake lights

That's all I was after, just for clarification to the OP, since this statement led me to initially believe that when he asked about "slowing down" that no matter how it happened, the lights came on:

Don't hope. They do and they must.

Since my buddy's Lincoln does not light up when slowing all the time, I just wondered why, and when they did.

I'll let you have this thread back, since apparently asking questions seems to be some sort of personal attack upon you. Good Lord...
 



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All I'm doing is confirming for the OP that the brake lights do not come on if the system is letting it coast to maintain distance instead of braking. Of course it isn't magic.

ACC braking- brake lights
ACC coasting- no brake lights

That's all I was after, just for clarification to the OP, since this statement led me to initially believe that when he asked about "slowing down" that no matter how it happened, the lights came on:



Since my buddy's Lincoln does not light up when slowing all the time, I just wondered why, and when they did.

I'll let you have this thread back, since apparently asking questions seems to be some sort of personal attack upon you. Good Lord...

No personal attack intended. Just trying to help. All you have to keep in mind is that these systems won't (and aren't able) to do anything you can't do. When you coast there are no lights, so it can't have any lights then either. The one thing you can do that it can't is ride the brake ;) So ACC will never light the brakes while it's on the throttle (unless you get some sort of Toyota-esk failure mode, and then you have a bigger problem :D )

I feel for you. I had the same sort of questions when I first got this system. Once it was explained and made clear, it was very clear that nothing unusual was ever going to take place.
 






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