Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) is an automotive feature that allows a vehicle’s cruise control system to adapt the vehicle’s speed to the traffic environment. A radar system attached to the front of the vehicle is used to detect whether slower moving vehicles are in the ACC vehicle’s path.
If a slower moving vehicle is detected, the ACC system will slow the vehicle down and control the clearance or time gap, between the ACC vehicle and the forward vehicle. If the system detects that the forward vehicle is no longer in the ACC vehicle’s path, the ACC system will accelerate the vehicle back to its set cruise control speed.This operation allows the ACC vehicle to autonomously slow down and speed up with traffic without intervention from the driver.
The ACC vehicle speed is controlled via engine throttle control and limited brake operation(electronic controlled hydraulic brakes).As mentioned, this brake is used in a limited(partial) operation that is controlled electronically (in case of objects detected during cruise).But in general, the mechanical brakes have high priority over the ACC.
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) is an enhancement to a conventional cruise control system which allows the ACC vehicle to follow a forward vehicle at an appropriate distance. Active brake control is a function which causes application of the brakes without driver application of the brake pedal. To summarise,The combination of Cruise Control with automatic control on the brake and acceleration pedal alongwith radar technology to control speed with the minimal driver involvement is known as Adaptive Cruise Control.
This Adaptive Cruise Control system, when associated with GPS satellites with modern control algorithms in the Electronic Control Units will help the driver in easy driving with more safety.Thus ACC truly portrays the foray of artificial intelligence in the automotive world. Nevertheless, in my car i use my own intelligence to dynamically adjust the speed of of the vehicle to avoid collisions.
auto.howstuffworks.com/cruise-control4.htm
