Hi all! Today we’ll talk to you about what cruise control is in a modern car, why it is needed and how to install it on cars yourself.
We have already talked about the main essence and purpose of cruise control (CC) in the previous article. Therefore, I will leave you a link, and you can follow it and read interesting and useful information. From it you will learn what cruise control means, what it is like and what its key features are.
In this material we focus on mechanics. That is, let's talk about how possible it is to equip the steering wheel with special buttons and connect equipment for the cruise to work if you have a manual one.
Many people believe that the system for maintaining a predetermined speed on a car is purely the prerogative of an automatic transmission. But you are wrong. Even in the standard brain of a car with a manual transmission, it is possible to install, if not active, but at least the simplest cruise control. The circuit is quite complicated, but if you understand how the device works, you can even do the work yourself.
Jetter and booster pedal
After installing such a device, the car, as a rule, begins to react differently to the gas pedal, without the characteristic delay. This immediate response creates the illusion of improved dynamics. It is clear that there is no real improvement and cannot be, since the gadget does not change the firmware of the “brains” of the motor. It only slightly changes the operating characteristics of the gas pedal: at the same accelerator position, more fuel is supplied to the engine, which is why it seems that the car drives easier and more dynamically. At the same time, the maximum speed and intensity of acceleration with the pedal pressed to the floor will not increase one iota. The same effect can be achieved without any jetters - just press the pedal harder. Note that such systems do not cause any harm to the engine - however, they do not bring any benefit.
When installing the Drivenge system, be prepared to attach this set of wires, connectors and blocks.
When installing the Drivenge system, be prepared to attach this set of wires, connectors and blocks.
General information
To understand how cruise control works on a manual transmission, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the features of its operation in more detail and at least approximately knowing the structure of such complex electronics.
Cruise control is designed to maintain a constant vehicle speed without driver intervention.
In other words, the driver will not have to put his foot on the pedals again to adjust the speed and constantly ensure that the car does not lose speed on the highway.
Many claim that cruise control, as such, is a useless system and not so necessary on modern cars. The main argument in such a debate is that many cars in the recent past a priori did not have such an option even in the maximum configuration, and only a certain and fairly narrow range of premium models were equipped with the coveted set of keys on the steering column lever.
However, in a certain number of cases it will be quite easy to do without this option. To understand whether it makes sense to purchase an option package that includes cruise control, it is worth understanding where the car is most often driven.
If the car spends most of its time in the city, being pushed around in traffic jams and driving at variable speeds, there is no point in cruise control. Otherwise, you will have to constantly “play” with the controls and thereby constantly load the already sensitive and expensive electronics.
Things are completely different if the driver constantly needs to move along the highway, away from cities. For example, long-term driving on a flat, straight road requires constant effort applied to the accelerator pedal. If the driver constantly keeps his leg in the same position, it will quickly get tired and go numb. To prevent this from happening, you just need to activate the desired button, and the leg can be immediately released.
Features of operation
Those who have driven cars equipped with standard cruisers will most likely not be attracted to such products - they are not very convenient to use and look unrespectable. But if such toys are new to someone, they may well come in handy.
Isn’t it dangerous to drive with these devices if they suddenly fail? After all, we interfered with the standard electrical equipment, breaking some of the car’s control circuits... We checked that when the power from both systems is turned off, the ability to control the car remains. Therefore, the manufacturers of both devices did not violate the old principle of “do no harm.”
Drivenge.
I constantly want to press the new steering column “lever”, which also “breathes” along with the steering column casing.
Jet-cruise KH.
The remote control is not backlit - on a dark country road you will have to manipulate it by touch. The indication only works at the moment of operation.
After installing the Drivenge system, you will have a steering column “lever”, which in fact is not a lever at all, but simply a fixed element with three buttons. |
The Jet-cruise KH system is controlled from a wireless remote control, which can be glued anywhere. |
Types of cruise controls
There are two main types of cruise control - passive (PCC) and adaptive (ACC). The first type is a classic system that has been used on cars with manual and automatic transmissions for over 40 years. It is activated via buttons or levers on the steering wheel and simply maintains a constant speed.
Passive Cruise Control is deactivated when the driver presses the brake pedal. However, these settings can be changed. You will find detailed information in the manual.
Adaptive cruise control
However, adaptive cruise control . What it is? This is a complex that not only maintains a constant speed, but also regulates it depending on the obstacles that arise on the road (vehicle ahead, obstacles, and so on). To do this, it constantly measures the distance to the vehicle ahead (usually at a distance of up to 200 meters).
Based on the principle of operation, adaptive cruise controls are divided into two types - laser and radar . As the name implies, the former use a laser beam for their work, the latter use radio waves. Laser systems are much cheaper, but have significant drawbacks, which is why they are not widely used. In particular. the laser does not work well in cloudy and foggy weather, and it is also difficult to distinguish between dirty cars. Radar systems, in turn, do not have these disadvantages, which is why they are installed on expensive cars (business and luxury class).
ACC indicator
The ACC radar sensor is installed behind the radiator grille and constantly sends signals, recording the distance to the nearest car in front. If it slows down or a third object appears between your car and another car, the sensor sends a signal to the Cruise Control System to reduce speed. In this case, not only the engine is used, but also the car's braking system . If the road is cleared again, speed will be restored. On Toyota and Lexus, a similar sensor is used by the pre-crash safety system. You can read about this in another article.
PCS system error
The pre-collision safety system (PCS) is responsible for avoiding a collision and in the event of a failure of the sensors or control unit, it displays the check pcs error on the instrument panel in order to warn the driver Read more
The distance at which the system operates is 200 meters, and the speed range is 40...210 km/h (these values may vary slightly for different cars). The device can completely stop a car in a traffic jam and start moving within the first three seconds when the road ahead is clear.
Available Brake Assist alerts the driver to danger even when adaptive cruise control is turned off.
ACC work
In addition, ACC has a number of additional functions. For example, it can be used to change the speed of a car. This is done by gradually increasing or decreasing the speed by 1...2 km/h (depending on the car model). In this case, the complex does not care how loaded the car is or how steep the slope you are climbing. Also, adaptive control, in the event of danger or the likelihood of an emergency, notifies the driver using visual or audio signals (sometimes both).
| Car brand name | ACC name |
| Toyota | Radar Cruise Control |
| Mitsubishi | Preview Distance Control |
| Mercedes-Benz | Distronic (Distronic Plus) |
| BMW | Active Cruise Control |
| VAG (Volkswagen, Audi) | Adaptive Cruise Control |
| Honda | Adaptive Cruise Control |
Adaptive Cruise Control always works in conjunction with the vehicle's two safety systems - ABS (anti-lock braking) and ESP (electronic stability control), if equipped. If at least one of them does not work, ACC will not turn on.
Remember that cruise control is not intended for driving in difficult conditions (including in the city). It only needs to be turned on on country roads where there are few cars, or all of them are driving at approximately the same speed. This also applies to adaptive cruise control.
To bet or not to bet?
There is no clear answer. For gadget lovers, the positive emotions from “cruises” and jetters will probably outweigh the negative from the high price and unsightly appearance. Obvious disadvantages include interference with the car’s control electronics, which neither the warranty, nor the service, nor the law welcomes.
We liked the Jet-cruise KH better: it is more expensive, but easier to install. And the location of the remote control in the cabin can be adjusted to your taste.
Do-it-yourself cruise control - ZR instructions
Mechanics and cruise control
Not everyone has the opportunity to buy a car like the latest generation Toyota Camry, where adaptive cruise control is installed along with an automatic transmission. Someone also got an ordinary Vesta on their handle. But I still really want to equip the car with the function of maintaining a speed preset by the driver.
Installation as optional equipment
To install cruise control, you can purchase a set of additional equipment. Various models are developed for many car brands.
Drivenge Lada Priora MT - a set of equipment optimized for installation on Lada Priora cars with a manual transmission. This device is certified by the manufacturer and has a warranty period of 3 years.
Drivenge Lada Priora MT has three preset modes:
- sport;
- drive;
- economy
There is no need to explain their purpose - everything is very clear. The cruise control is activated by pressing the button, and turned off by pressing the brake or clutch pedal or pressing the activation button again.
The main feature of the device is that there is no need to install additional mechanical devices. The block emulates the accelerator pedal. Essentially, the device works instead of the driver, automatically making a decision to increase or decrease the “gas”. The driver's right foot can rest until the time comes to press the brake when traffic is obstructed or the road situation changes.
Functionality:
- speed adjustment with discretization of 1 km/h using buttons;
- memory of the last set speed;
- automatic shutdown of cruise mode using the clutch or brake pedal;
- selection of booster pedal modes (sport-economy-drive);
- the ability to update software by connecting to a computer;
- saving user modes in eeprom.
The package includes:
- Control block;
- steering column controller;
- wires with special clips for connection to standard electrical wiring without stripping or soldering;
- clamps for fastening harnesses, electrical tape;
- installation and operating instructions.
Almost any car enthusiast can install additional equipment, even without special electrical installation skills.
The cost of such a kit starts from 7,000 rubles, installation – from 1,500.
More expensive kits are available for other car models. For example, Jet-Cruise Kia Soul MT (for cars younger than 2014) will cost from 11,000 rubles. Its kit includes a special key fob, with the help of which modes are programmed and activation is activated. To connect, just connect the device to the OBD2 connector and the gas pedal plug.
The device is certified and can be installed on warranty vehicles.
Video - how to install cruise control on a Ford Focus:
Advantages and disadvantages of the system
The advantages of this device are obvious - reducing the load on the driver. This is especially important during long trips along the highway, lasting more than one hour. The driver's leg does not get tired, because the control unit automatically increases or decreases the fuel supply, so the speed does not change. However, this device is not without its drawbacks. Any malfunction in its operation can lead to an accident, because it independently regulates the fuel supply to the engine. Another drawback is that this device relaxes the driver, which causes his concentration to decrease. This can also lead to an accident.
Is it possible to do a cruise on your own?
When making a CC yourself, the following questions arise:
- where to get a diagram that does not need to be altered to fit your car;
- how to ensure overall system reliability;
- how to avoid mistakes that can lead to tragedy.
where to get a servo drive with suitable characteristics;
A large number of different diagrams taken from production cars of the end of the last century are posted on the Internet. Finding parts for them is problematic because they are no longer produced. If you use modern circuits with microcontrollers, then no one knows how such a circuit will behave during some kind of failure. Perhaps it will lower the engine speed to idle, or maybe it will sharply increase it to maximum. If this happens at a sharp turn, tragedy cannot be avoided. Another problem is the servo drive, the pitch of which is tenths of a millimeter. This will allow you to smoothly regulate the speed of the car and avoid jerking.
Many DIYers suggest using a motor and gearbox from windshield wipers for this, however, this option is not very good due to high inertia and difficulties with adjustment. If you use the electronic gas pedal drive from a damaged foreign car, then why not take the control unit from there? Installing such a drive on a car with a throttle cable will require installing and connecting a servo drive to the throttle valve. All this allows us to conclude that you can do cruise control yourself if you are well versed in electronics, have access to the component base and can carry out a serious modification of the car yourself.
Getting to know your device
Manual cruise control is designed to save gasoline and other types of existing fuel. The system is designed for use on premium cars. After all, the movement process occurs in such a way that the driver constantly has to change the level of speed, increasing and slowing it down. Then he is guided by the speedometer. Such speed fluctuations result in uneven fuel consumption and constant driver distraction.
Installed - looked
If you do not have the proper skills to communicate with the electrical equipment of modern cars, it is better not to undertake the installation of such devices yourself. First of all, this applies to the Drivenge system: we spent more than two hours fiddling around. Jet-cruise KH was able to install in half the time.
Drivenge.
Quite a lot of fuss. Drivenge is an extensive system with many connectors that need to be connected in the depths under the front panel. You will have to drill the steering column housing to install the steering column stalk. This control looks somewhat clumsy: you can’t press it - it’s just a place for buttons! And the design is frail: the attachment to plastic cannot be any other way. And the wires in the connectors are rolled loosely - unreliably.
Jet-cruise KH.
Much easier to install. You can place the self-powered remote control on two common batteries in any convenient place - either under your left hand or under your right hand. A drill will only be needed when installing the indicator LED. You don’t have to drill anything at all if you remove the indicator through a suitable slot, which is what we did in the first experiments. It will do for a short time, but, in general, it’s a little undignified to do so.
Approximate price 8600 rub.
The device allows you to turn on cruise control both at the current and at the last set speed. Changing settings - using the gas pedal or buttons in increments of 1 km/h. Automatic shutdown - when you press the brake or clutch pedal. The operating range is from 20 to 160 km/h. The “booster pedal” function has three operating modes: “economy”, “dynamics”, “sport”. It is possible to maintain an increased crankshaft speed at idle, for example, to warm up the engine. In the “sport” mode, the pedal seems too sharp, but the “economy” mode was quite pleasant as a winter mode on snowy and slippery roads.
Approximate price 11,200 rubles.
There is an audible warning when the speed limit set by the owner is reached or exceeded. The installation step is 1 km/h. The operating range is from 40 to 150 km/h. Changing settings - using the gas pedal or buttons. Automatic shutdown - when you press the brake or clutch pedal. The self-powered jetter implements one of three modes: “speaker”, “economy” or “sport”.
Install and connect the steering column switch
Required
- steering column switch (article 1119-3709340-20)
- Steering column switch connector (part number AMP 174922-1)
- terminals to the dashboard connector (part number AMP 963715-1)
Installation
:
- Remove the steering column cover (unscrew the fastening screws from the bottom and side).
- Squeeze the clamp and remove the standard steering column switch.
- Install a new steering column switch with buttons. Connection
- Remove the instrument panel
- Connect the new steering column switch to the dashboard (green -> 23 panel pin, red -> 24, yellow -> 10, black -> “ground”)
On Standard configuration
: Do the first start of the dashboard with a test (press the daily mileage reset button and turn on the ignition), the cruise control and speed limiter indicators should light up.
