Earlier, the cruise control feature used to be a myth for cars labeled as mid-range cars; however, as the demand for the feature has increased in recent times, almost every mid to high-range car is getting it. And why not?
If you are someone who undertakes long highway journeys more often, you won’t like getting yourself tired, something prevalent with cars without cruise control.
Hence, car manufacturers have come up with a mechanism or system that allows you to set the accelerometer at a specific speed and take the foot off the pedal.
It will keep the car running at the set speed, and the system will get deactivated once you apply the brakes.
Hence, the main idea behind the cruise control feature is to make driving more convenient than before.
However, some doubts are still making way into the minds of people whether this feature is terrible for cars or not.
So, if you find it challenging to put your hands on a cruise control car, this article will help you in this.
Is cruise control terrible for your car?
Talking about the various advantages the cruise control feature offers to the drivers on long and straight trips with minimal to no need to change gears, cruise control is a boon.
Plus, as per the various findings and surveys, it’s OK to say that cruise control is not bad for cars.
It gives a significant boost to your journeys, improves your fuel efficiency, and is good on gas-powered cars too. To know its various pros and cons, continue reading.
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Pros of having a car with cruise control
Below are the top benefits of cars with cruise control.
It keeps you relaxed
As said above, the cruise control’s primary purpose is to lock the accelerometer at a specific speed and allow you to take your foot off the pedal.
In this way, the cruise control system will take care of maintaining a constant throttle for you.
Hence, it keeps you, especially your legs relaxed on long journeys where you often need not change the speeds.
It is also great for someone who’s learning how to drive as cruise control is becoming an affordable option.
It improves the fuel economy.
In a car, almost all elements or in-built systems influence the fuel economy, and so does the cruise control, however, in a positive sense.
Since cruise control means running the car at a constant speed, it also means that the engine is not doing any additional work to keep the vehicle running.
In mechanical terms, the car runs on constant RPMs, and this signifies less consumption of fuel. As per initial reports, the cruise control feature tends to improve your car’s current fuel economy by at least 10-15% on highways.
It keeps your speed in check.
Most drivers usually go at optimal speeds on roads; however, if the same road has more visibility and is more expansive, there are chances of overspeeding.
The same makes it difficult for them to adjust to the changing road conditions, leading to mishaps. Here, cruise control can do wonders. Set the car at an average speed that’s not too slow nor high and relax.
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It goes very well with automatic transmission
If you’re fond of automatic transmission, you should always go for models with cruise control.
Since automatic transmission itself keeps you away from the hectic work of changing gears for every speed, having cruise control will further simplify the driving for you.
It’s also worth noting that cruise control was initially made for automatic cars so that you can focus on the steering only with the computers onboard doing the rest for you.
Cons of having a car with cruise control
Below are some possible reasons to avoid cruise control in your car.
It is not suitable for every sort of road.
For perfect implementation and use of cruise control, you need wider roads with minimum to no turns.
Plus, it would help if you had good visibility over the road to use the cruise control feature. Hence, the feature isn’t an option for most countries with poor roadways.
It increases the reaction time
Here, reaction time means the time taken to move your foot to the brake pedal to deactivate the cruise control and slow down the car.
If you are using cruise control, your right foot will most probably rest on the floor and off the accelerometer. Hence, if any emergency arises, you will take more time to reach the brake pedal to slow down your car.
It increases drowsiness and hampers alertness.
Yes, continuous use of cruise control means increased somnolence and less alertness. When you are using cruise control, you have to sit and enjoy driving.
However, the same induces drowsiness and hurts your alertness which can also lead to mishaps while driving. Hence, you should shift to manual driving every 10-15 minutes of driving on cruise control.
It is not a good deal with manual transmission
If you love the manual transmission, you won’t find the cruise control feature useful to a great extent. It is because you’ll still need to manually change the gears to make the car run at optimum RPMs.
Thereby, it will become tedious for you to change the speed from one level to another. Hence, cruise control isn’t a good deal with manual transmission.
Can cruise control damage your car?
No, it’s another myth associated with the cruise control feature that it tends to damage your car’s engine. It is not valid.
In reality, cruise control tends to enhance the car’s engine’s working abilities.
Due to this feature, the engine keeps the car constantly running without indulging in additional work. Hence, cruise control is beneficial for cars.
Is cruise control bad on gas?
No, be it any type of fuel your car uses like diesel, petrol, or gas, the cruise control enhances fuel efficiency, which isn’t possible without the feature.
Any form of aggressive driving involves frequent speeding, rapid acceleration, and braking waste gas (or fuel in general).
Statistically, the fuel wastage is around 15-30% at highway speeds. Using cruise control, on the other hand, reciprocates this.
Any cruise control feature can increase fuel efficiency by a considerable amount of 10-15% on highway speeds. Hence, cruise control is not bad on gas or any fuel in general.
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Conclusion
So, you’re planning to buy a new car and cannot decide between one with cruise control and the other without it.
If yes, you must have got a detailed explanation of the above feature, namely cruise control and its benefits and issues.
Though cruise control isn’t a perfect feature with just advantages, it has some issues. However, they can take the side seat in most cases.
All in all, cruise control is a must-have feature, especially if you’re going for a car with automatic transmission. The mechanism was initially introduced for such transmission systems.
