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 Topic: Towing & Cruise Control
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10/2/2024 at 12:47pm
Location: London
Outfit: Lunar Cosmos 524
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I think how useful or otherwise depends on whether an 'intelligent' or 'dumb' system to some extent. I use my 'intelligent' cruise control frequently on motorways and A(M) roads where you are free of junctions, roundabouts etc. and changes of speed limit. On other roads where frequent stopping and/or excessive slowing down, I don't see it as much of an asset, as it will be constantly dropping out and need switching back in.
My car tows the caravan with ease, and will happily exceed the towing speed limit with equal ease, so it's necessary to keep a close eye on the speedo, OR set the speed limiter, or cruise control to let me keep my eye where it should be, on the road, not constantly watching the dash instruments, or risking excessive speed! I use it more perhaps as a speed control than a lazy way of driving when towing.
Mine will maintain a safe distance to the vehicle in front, automatically accelerating or decelerating as necessary, as well as maintain the set speed if not hindered by vehicles in front being slower, or automatically drop out and return to manual control if that distance is seriously compromised and unsafe by say a car pulling into the gap. On long motorway type journeys, I like to tuck in behind a HGV that's doing around 55-60mph and benefit from the slipstream effect to improve fuel economy, the cruise control makes that easy as they tend to slow on inclines and cruise at towing speeds on the flat.
I do tend to do pretty long journeys, often in excess of 5 hours, even up to 10 hours when delayed, so it's nice to be able to relax and move your right leg from time to time to keep cramps and aches at bay, and minimise stops for a 'leg stretch'.
As to being kept alert by 'manual' driving, if you can't manage that on your own, my car at least has a number of inbuilt safety features that monitor your driving and raise alarms if you start nodding off etc., so I have little worry that the cruise control will lead to total loss of attention. With my car, any driver action, like touching the brake pedal, or changing gear (manual gearbox), or involuntary action like getting too close to vehicle in front, or speed dropping below 40mph, immediately causes the cruise control to drop out. You can override the cruise control without disabling it, to accelerate to say overtake, by pressing hard on the accelerator, as soon as you take your foot off, it will return to the set speed or speed of vehicle in front of you if less.
A 'dumb' system that simply maintains speed without any regard to environmental inputs would not be ideal IMHO. Part of the skill of towing is anticipation and smooth transitions, my cruise control (I would assume most intelligent systems would be similar), does not detract from that practice in my experience, largely doing what a driver would normally do anyway. I've been using mine for around 6 years, and some 8k miles since I acquired my caravan, so plenty of experience with it, and very happy to use the technology to ease my journeys.
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11/2/2024 at 2:34pm
Location: London
Outfit: Lunar Cosmos 524
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Quote: Originally posted by Flat at on 11/2/2024
2017 Kia Carens petrol. I have used, non smart, cruise control once whilst towing. I found the acceleration to be extremely fierce when it is re-engaged after a gear change. Solo it is fine.
Mine's a bit 'lead wellie' on the throttle compared to how I'd drive manually, I'm old school and retain and practice the 'skills' I was taught 50 odd years ago, anticipate road ahead to maintain speed, accelerate gently, avoid braking if possible, and then brake gently if forced to do so, etc, etc. Despite an array of sensors, cameras etc. scanning the road and influencing the CC, it's not as subtle as I am! It's not brutal by any means, but it won't better my average MPG figures as it does accelerate quite hard and the dash current MPG figures look quite alarming!
Still find it an asset, just need to be selective when using it.
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