In prasie of the Adaptive Cruise Control

[Sootchucker]

Bit of a strange title I know, but since having the GTD (over 2 years now - wow doesn't time fly), I've just taken having ACC for granted. I've never really done any really long journeys in the car, so have only really dabbled.

Well, on Saturday last, we took the car (with a brimmed full tank of fuel) from home to my father in laws home in Scotland (as he's quite ill at the moment). A door to door distance (according to the trip meter) of 237 miles. I joined the motorway (M6) about 3 miles from where I live, and used motorway to within 6 miles of my father in laws place (M6, M74, M73, M80, M876), so about 228 miles of pure motorway, and for the whole distance I had ACC set to on (set at 75 mph). I used the speed adjust feature where I had to for roadworks and 50mph average speed cameras etc, but never once took it off.

Now from near Wigan all the way up to nearly Hamilton, it was thick fog (and going though the lakes - pea soup), this coupled with drivers shooting past at 80+ mph with no lights on, made it rather hairy. Well, here's where the ACC came into it's own, I set the distance to a medium (3 up from shortest), and the radar was picking up cars and trucks ahead of me (indicated on the dash)and slowing me down no problem in the fog even though I couldn't actually see them until about 50-75 meters ahead ! As a safety feature this was incredible.

Another side affect was after almost exactly 4 hours of non stop driving, I got out of the car fresh as a daisy, with no leg or back ache at all (these really are terrific long distance cruisers). On returning home, having clocked up 532 miles since refuelling (with an indicated 105 miles left), I returned to the garage to refuel. Two clicks of the pump cut out (as usual) and it was full. 42.13 litres (9.268 gallons), which was a real 57.4 mpg - and the killer - the fuel computer showed 57.8 ! Not too shabby.

I think we all take this tech for granted now, but I for one will be making sure my next car has this on it when the GTD eventually goes in a few years time, and I guess the technology would even have moved o0n from where we are now.

Now ACC with heads up display - that would be cool.....

[fredgroves]

Yes!

It is incredible just as you describe and its not about convenience - the getting there non-frazzled and ready to do stuff thing is most important.

I had a hire car the other week in Sweden, without ACC.... it was meh!

[CraigW]

Bit of a strange title I know, but since having the GTD (over 2 years now - wow doesn't time fly), I've just taken having ACC for granted.

Really strange title sootchucker   

I'm the same as you. I have hardly ever used the ACC up until recently when average speed cameras appeared on the M74 due to works on the Raith interchange. It is a fantastic piece of technology, I just set it at 50 when I hit the cameras and then just cruise along. It's incredibly relaxing with the only exception being when a vehicle comes in right in front of you and then it slams on the brakes. The car behind me must be thinking what the hell is he doing.

[Booth11]

I haven't yet tried it yet.  On my first 'road trip' last weekend, decided better to get to know the car a bit first before trying it out just in case I had any of the slamming brakes on suddenly incidents.  But very keen to use it and really good to hear positive reviews about it. 

Off up to Yorkshire in Feb so that will be the first real test.  Agree with the comments about it making the long journey stress free (well from a driving point of view) and arriving fresh after hours at the wheel.  That will be very welcome.

[Eccie]

I like the technology and use it whenever, used it last weekend cruising up and down to the Lake District with the suspension set to comfy and the engine to Eco it was very relaxing.

Still wish i could shorten the distance - still feels a big gap even when I set it to the shortest gap - it works very well with DSG 

[Watts]

Lovely photo Eccie, I haven't been up to thr Lake District for years, never seem to be able to get past Yorkshire (nothing to do with all the fantastic beer of course).

I haven't yet dabbled with the ACC yet, it might be a gadget too far but will give it a go. On my recent trip to Yorkshire I used the digital speed display to assist me through the 50mph roadworks and found that very useful (still can't understand how so many drivers manage to go so much faster than me, are they all getting booked?). Will try it out at some point but will need to have a better glance at the manual first.

Booth, don't go to Yorkshire on a Friday, the traffic is always atrocious! Unless you go in the evening. Took me 7.25 hours during the day last time!

[Jimble]

Hands down my favourite feature on the Golf! Especially with DSG as you literally don't need to touch the pedals even in traffic, i would never use it on normal roads but motorways and A roads it's superb!

[KyleB]

I didn't think you'd be able to acheive good MPG with it on (as I'm under the assumption that cruise control is really bad for MPG) so I haven't used it as much as I should.

Might give it a go next time.

[fredgroves]

Can't say I notice any significant impact to MPG on a like for like speed on the motorway.

The aircon has a minor MPG impact, but the main killers (on my GTD) are ambient temperature above/below about 10 degress, stop start traffic and hilly terrain. If all of those things are good, then I can easily get 50+ mpg on a 15 mile plus run.

Whether its much better without ACC, if it is, then its not much.

I'm a fuel miser but I don't fear switching it on, much like the aircon!

[Moro]

This is the #1 thing I miss when driving my other car.

On long main road trips, it really does ease the pain of the driving on today's congested roads.