Dropping the speed using Cruise Control

[Jameze]

I recently had cruise control fitted by jb0o (highly recommended by the way, genuinely nice guy!) and it's got me thinking...

When you've got your cruise control on and you find some chump ahead who's fixated on driving at 1mph below the speed limit, as you lower your speed via the CC module and you feel your brakes gently engage to slow you down, do your brake lights come on?

The reason I ask is that this happens all too often on the drive to/from work and I'd rather not be one of those irritating nervous-looking motorway drivers who seems to have a brake pedal fetish.

 

[Goner]

No they don't because as i understand it, your brakes aren't used anyway.. I think the way the car is told to fuel by the ECU slows you down when you use the CC stalk, not the brakes.

 

[Jameze]

Aah weird, it feels as though they're being gently applied (similarly when you're travelling downhill and it adjusts to maintain a constant speed).

Your theory would make more sense though and be a bit more brake pad friendly!

Cheers for the reply.

 

[jb0o]

Glad you're happy James.

VCDS shows the decrease speed function as 'delay'. Its basically the same as lifting your foot off the accelerator.

 

[Pauljamescaton]

Great question this, as I've never really thought about it but as Jameze says I'd hate it to look like I was forever riding the brakes when driving!!!!

 

[Goner]

Glad you're happy James.

VCDS shows the decrease speed function as 'delay'. Its basically the same as lifting your foot off the accelerator.

What he said!

 

[One Spoke]

My family wagon is a C6 A6. The CC on that uses the brakes to maintain speed (down steep hills etc.) and also when you hold the CC down you can feel the brakes activate. I wondered about the brake lights as well, so one night with a car behind going down hill I put the CC on and the brake lights do come on when it automatically brakes.

Another intersting feature I've yet to have the courage to try is that if you hold the electronic handbrake button up for 5 seconds it will beep and do an emergency stop - without having to touch the brake pedal !

 

[Goner]

My family wagon is a C6 A6. The CC on that uses the brakes to maintain speed (down steep hills etc.) and also when you hold the CC down you can feel the brakes activate. I wondered about the brake lights as well, so one night with a car behind going down hill I put the CC on and the brake lights do come on when it automatically brakes.

Another intersting feature I've yet to have the courage to try is that if you hold the electronic handbrake button up for 5 seconds it will beep and do an emergency stop - without having to touch the brake pedal !

If i needed to brake in an emergency situation i don't think i'd want to be pressing a button for 5 seconds (this is a long time when you're hurtling toward something) to make the car stop, i'd be on the anchors with my foot.

Seems a bit of a pointless if not stupid feature to me that.

 

[paddy]

There is no brake function on A3 cruise...thats a BMW thing

 

[Jameze]

Just found this on Google.

It definitely does feel like the brakes are being applied, especially when you drop speed in 5mph increments. It's a huge difference to just coasting, for example if I go from a 40mph zone to a 30mph zone I'll sometimes just flick the stalk forward to cancel the CC (which will coast the car) then hit 'Set' once I reach 30mph, and this whole process can take quite a while. Whereas if I actively drop the speed of the CC then the car begins to slow down at quite a pace (as if the brakes are being applied).

There's only one way to find out I suppose, I'll get someone to follow me and let me know!

 

[paddy]

Jeeeeeeeeeeeez mate why ask the question if you dont want to listen to the answer............