Is there a secret to the cruise control?
#11
05-12-2008, 01:36 PM
Re: Is there a secret to the cruise control?
Ford commented on this at the "experience" event in Dearborn. Basically the cruise control is probably better than most drivers at milking the best fuel economy on flat land.
However... the cruise control can't "anticipate" what's ahead and driver's can. On hilly terrain, drivers can take advantage of gravity on the downhill slopes to accelerate (so it doesn't really take much fuel to accelerate), then ease off the pedal on the upslope and let the momentum carry you back up the next hill. Cruise control wont do that. On hilly terrain a driver who knows how to milk it can do much better than cruise control. On flat terrain the cruise control will beat most drivers for milking fuel economy.
However... the cruise control can't "anticipate" what's ahead and driver's can. On hilly terrain, drivers can take advantage of gravity on the downhill slopes to accelerate (so it doesn't really take much fuel to accelerate), then ease off the pedal on the upslope and let the momentum carry you back up the next hill. Cruise control wont do that. On hilly terrain a driver who knows how to milk it can do much better than cruise control. On flat terrain the cruise control will beat most drivers for milking fuel economy.
Now that would be the ultimate CC, where it could sense the upcoming terrain and adjust accordingly. Just a matter of time I'm sure....
#12
05-12-2008, 01:47 PM
Re: Is there a secret to the cruise control?
Seems like it would be as simple as feeding in GPS and topographical data. Wouldn't be too hard for the major highways. It would be a good bit of extra data to read/process/carry. I suspect the NAV/CC/ECU processors has a few extra cycles to spare while you're cruising down the Interstate. Maybe not so much if you're blasting through the mountains.
Also, you'd have to know what the downhill speed buffer is and factor that into what you set your speed at. I can see it now, "It wasn't me speeding officer, it was my Cruise Control anticipating the next hill."
Also, you'd have to know what the downhill speed buffer is and factor that into what you set your speed at. I can see it now, "It wasn't me speeding officer, it was my Cruise Control anticipating the next hill."
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