[Dazzler]

I've mentioned a few times how much I wanted Autonomous Cruise, AKA Radar or smart cruise in my next car (which I now have in the new PD SR)

Now I have it (and it works really well) I am even more convinced of its merits. I'm currently driving a rental Corolla without it and I really notice the difference. 

For those unfamiliar with the feature, here is my brief description. There is probably a better one on Wikipedia.  For the record, the Subaru impreza one seemed to work ok, but found the New Civic one less seemless and messier to activate.

"The autonomous cruise latches on to the car in front and adjusts your speed in line with theirs, its very seemless and clever. So if you are doing say 110 with cruise set and come up behind a car varying between 95 and 100 it will automatically adjust your speed to keep you a preselected distance from that car. If you swing our it will work out what you are doing pretty quickly and power you past up to 110. If the car in front starts going faster than 110 it will just let them pull away.

On say even a 30% down hill incline, if cruise is set to a particular speed it won't let the car go more than a couple of kms over at the most."

The other day I drove for about 50 kilometres behind a reasonably steady driver including through several speed limit changes without touching the accelerator or the brake!

[The Gonz]

That's how it works, mate. Enjoy what radar engineers have brought you.

The AOC

[AlanHo]

My car is similarly equipped and like Dazz I find the autonomous cruise of great benefit. With my hybrid, every time the car is slowed the deceleration energy goes back into the battery to aid economy.

After an agnostic period when I first had the car, I also find the lane keep assist great on long motorway or A road journeys. I don't trust it enough to take my eyes off the road, but you eventually get accustomed to the car steering itself between the white lines.
 

[Asterix]

Alan, do the car actually take control of the steerring..? What if you want to run the lines when e.g passing a cyclist or pedestrian..?

Haven't tried a car with that feature, but would hate the car to work against my corrections.  A friend just bought a Renault Kadjar with lane assist, but it only makes a noise when you get near or cross the lines.

[AlanHo]

I can set it to either lane assist - when it just sounds a warning or lane keep assist where it steers the car itself.

You can over-ride it if you need, plus it ignores you changing lanes or turning off the road if you are using your indicators.

If you take your hands off the steering wheel when lane keep assist is activated and the car is moving - a loud alarm sounds and a message appears in the instrument display telling you to put your hands back on the wheel.

I now leave lane keep assist switched on all the time - it is surprising how little energy you use as a driver using it because you have to manually steer so much less.  With the Niro I can, and have, driven more than 200 miles using Autonomous cruise and Lane keep assist  and arrived at my destination much less tired than with previous cars.

[Asterix]

Thanks for the explanation. 

Maybe it's just me being old fashioned, but I like to drive my car, not being transported... 

[Lakes]

Dazz i'm very worried!!

First you have moved from manual to auto ( past two car's ) now i remember you did not need cruise control with your old FD CRDi , you used to mention that . Now you love Cruise. so next step is a car that drives itself! they give it too you in bit at a time you get lazy the next thing your got a self drive car. 
cheers
i'm not going to an auto!!

[Surferdude]

Dazz i'm very worried!!

First you have moved from manual to auto ( past two car's ) now i remember you did not need cruise control with your old FD CRDi , you used to mention that . Now you love Cruise. so next step is a car that drives itself! they give it too you in bit at a time you get lazy the next thing your got a self drive car. 
cheers
i'm not going to an auto!!

[Dazzler]

Hi John, I still enjoy a manual, especially in something sporty like the SR. If it didn't miss out on half the safety kit I may have bought one. I have to look to the future unfortunately with my Parkinsons also. If my limb weakness spreads to my left side then an auto would be a a help. It does has steering wheel paddles if I want to take some control.

Part of the Parkinson's is fatigue and as Alan says the autonomous cruise and lane keep assist do make driving less tiring. I will still opt for the occasional fang unassisted on some of our winding Targa roads though.

[beerman]

Can it drive me home when I'm drunk yet??? 

[Dazzler]

Can it drive me home when I'm drunk yet??? 

Almost! I had a bit of a try hands free, but chickened out before the warning buzzers sounded!

[Lakes]

Forgot about that Dazz.

hope we don't see anyone of our members on random breath tests or what ever that cop show on TV is.