How Intelligent Is Automatic Cruise Control?
Will your next car be able to drive itself? Maybe not, but automatic cruise control technologies bring your car a step closer to being fully automatic. Automatic cruise control, unlike traditional cruise control, uses either lasers or radar to adjust the car’s speed automatically when approaching another vehicle. First introduced by Mercedes-Benz in 1998, the technology has since become a common feature in luxury brands, such as BMW, Lexus, Jaguar, and Infiniti. However, as the technology becomes more affordable, it’s a safe bet that it will start showing up in more economical models. General Motors is planning to offer automatic cruise control for its 2008 models. GM expects to offer it for under $1,830. Just how effective are these systems? Can you count on them to slow down before you end up in a collision? The good news is that government studies have shown automatic cruise control to reduce your chances of crashing into the car in front of you. Not only that, but it has also been
