[subtlesilver]

Has anyone specced their car with the adaptive cruise control? I wanted to hear real-life reviews on the v40 from members here. Is it easy to use on those slow moving motorways? (like heavy traffic of 40mph/65km/h) What about start-stop heavy traffic below 19mph/30kmh? The queue assist tech that comes with this newer generation of adaptive cruise control supposedly fixes this.. i was wondering if it really works or it would just annoy other motorists? (because of the system reaction time? or it leaves a too big gap? or it brakes suddenly, which protects you, but does not protect others from rear-ending you)

Thanks!

 

[louisdoberman]

I had this on a loaned V60 and it annoyed me. It is a clever piece of kit and you can adjust the distance to which it activates. The issue for me was the inconsistent driving from people who cannot maintain their speed. I then found myself doing what they were because of the system so turned the adaptive side of the cruise control off.

 

[volvo154]

i have adaptive cruise control but the motorways i have been on, the traffic conditions so far have not allowed me to use it, and i guess in the forseeable future i still wont be able to use it, was probably a waste of money nowadays

volvo 154

 

[subtlesilver]

i have adaptive cruise control but the motorways i have been on, the traffic conditions so far have not allowed me to use it, and i guess in the forseeable future i still wont be able to use it, was probably a waste of money nowadays

volvo 154

@volvo 154 - can you share why the motorway conditions don't allow for it? is it because its fairly empty that you don't need to use it? or too much traffic that this doesn't work?

 

[volvo154]

i have adaptive cruise control but the motorways i have been on, the traffic conditions so far have not allowed me to use it, and i guess in the forseeable future i still wont be able to use it, was probably a waste of money nowadays

volvo 154

@volvo 154 - can you share why the motorway conditions don't allow for it? is it because its fairly empty that you don't need to use it? or too much traffic that this doesn't work?

Hiya

Basically too much traffic and people cutting in on you, just easier not using it

 

[Twister]

I have difficulties understanding these previous comments. In my experience, roughly 4000km now, it works absolutely perfectly. I use it all the time. Works OK also in city. If someone cuts in between, it adds distance smoothly.

In city environment, when turning such angle that it loses the car in front, it does not speed up to set speed in the middle of turn. Only when you are going straight again. Brilliant!

Also works in heavy snowing weather. Will never get a car without ACC anymore...

 

[subtlesilver]

@twister- great to hear.. That's exactly what I'm hoping for when I specced the acc in the options list.. I travel quite often on motorways and its the 40mph crawl which gets to me the most..

 

[Twister]

Actually motorway crawl is one thing where ACC really shines in my opinion.
Instead of focusing on maintaining the distance in constantly changing irritating slow speed, I can just sit back and do nothing...think something else...listen to music...
I am not constantly reminded about the "crawl situation" by needing to adjust speed. So it is a lot easier on my nerves

 

[Bugsy]

ACC is simply brilliant IMHO,
EXCEPT when on a steep climb, approaching a tightish bend with a very slow truck in the outside lane.
ACC loses the car in front, picks up the truck in the next lane and brakes dramatically.
Almost had 2 rear-enders in the first week until I learned to turn it off in that particular section of road. Can just imagine drivers behind muttering "bloody Volvo drivers" (great TV ad here a few years ago.)
Everywhere else, use ACC always.

 

[MrJTA]

Acc is brilliant, I use it all the time. It is smooth and economical. When you get used to it you know when to touch the accelerator (this does not cancel the acc) to stop it braking. This is mainly when the car in front is turning off onto a slip road or if you are overtaking too slowly. Motorways are perfect for it, it makes driving more relaxing. I'm never going to get a car without it.

 

[Bugsy]

Just a quick question on ACC please folks.

When the car is braking under ACC, I presume the brake lights are activated?

 

[Burfordmatt]

I actually really like it. It does make you anticipate your next move- just be careful pulling out from behind something when you have your minimum distance selected. Be prepared to override it with the accelerator to match the speed of the outer lanes. The other minor niggle I have is if you pull in from a lane of traffic in the outside lane to a clearer lane, as you suddenly start undertaking people! Other than this I think it's a great piece of kit and certainly makes the journey more relaxing.

 

[Bugsy]

Acc ..... is smooth and economical.

This is interesting. I've noticed for freeway driving, if you are being limited say 10kph or more under your preferred speed for any length of time, it's significantly more economical to reduce the cruising target speed than to be limited by the ACC.
Anybody else noticed this?

 

[Trevor Langfield]

You guys who are reporting great results from ACC are either very lucky or you haven't used it in the wide range of situation I have.
Sure it works great SOMETIMES but it's so unpredictable that it scares my wife to death (as passenger), when it often fails to recognise that it is rapidly closing on a slower car in front.
That coupled with it's propensity to brake unpredictably when not needed, makes the whole Volvo driving experience with ACC very 'interesting'. As mentioned by a previous poster, I hate to think what ACC is doing to damage the reputation of Volvo drivers. One day it was driving the car so erratically (as I was being followed by a Police car), that I expected to be pulled over and checked for alcohol and was already prepared to blame the Volvo ACC for it.

I love using it and wouldn't be without it and agree with all the positive comments posted BUT it is so UNRELIABLE & UNPREDICTABLE, that you certainly should NEVER depend on it to work correctly.

 

[Trevor Langfield]

You guys who are reporting great results from ACC are either very lucky or you haven't used it in the wide range of situation I have.
Sure it works great SOMETIMES but it's so unpredictable that it scares my wife to death (as passenger), when it often fails to recognise that it is rapidly closing on a slower car in front.
That coupled with it's propensity to brake unpredictably when not needed, makes the whole Volvo driving experience with ACC very 'interesting'. As mentioned by a previous poster, I hate to think what ACC is doing to damage the reputation of Volvo drivers. One day it was driving the car so erratically (as I was being followed by a Police car), that I expected to be pulled over and checked for alcohol and was already prepared to blame the Volvo ACC for it.

I love using it and wouldn't be without it and agree with all the positive comments posted BUT it is so UNRELIABLE & UNPREDICTABLE, that you certainly should NEVER depend on it to work correctly and always be ready for someone to rear end you, when it brakes for no reason.

 

[parvenu]

I have used ACC and couldn't be happier. However, I don't use it on roads that have traffic lights and pedestrians. I use it on country roads and highways.

The key is to predict what the ACC will do. If you are closing in on a slow moving car, you have to slightly press the gas pedal to prevent ACC from braking. The bigger the speed difference, the earlier and heavier it starts to brake. Also you shouldn't keep the cruise set too high because then, whenever the car computer/radar sees a stretch of clear road, it will floor it, and then starts to brake again when something is in front of you. The trick is to keep the ACC set to +5km/h (or +3 mph) above the speed of the traffic flow. Then the speed transitions are smooth.

So in my opinion, ACC is working perfectly. Keeping constant distance to the car in front and slowing smoothly when needed. When it slows under certain speed the ACC will disengage with a sound alarm to notify the driver to take full control.

 

[freds]

pity the radar keeps loosing itself and volvo cannot sole it

 

[HPsauce]

I think parvenu has it pretty much sorted. It's not perfect, it's not a substitute for driving awareness but it is ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT and a huge stress remover.
There are plenty of times when it doesn't pick up what an observant driver does, learn to live with that and enjoy what it does do.


I've just driven across London from inner East to outer West in the Friday evening rush hour, normally a total nightmare. Started before 5pm finished after 6pm, a 90-minute 25-mile journey that when quiet would take a fraction of that time.
But overall I arrived relaxed, the ACC made what would in the past have been a horrible journey a quite bearable one.
Plus the SatNav with RTTI enabled was keeping me up to date (rather too much to be honest!). I didn't vary my pre-planned and known route, despite a few suggested variations, as I know it has a lot of bail-out options as well as a number of known unavoidable hot-spots and long slow crawls.


(Londoners will know the wonders of Shoreditch, Islington, Kings Cross, the Marylebone Road, Westway, Gypsy Corner, Hanger Lane, etc.)

 

[Apostolos]

After reading all the replies, i am finally convinced i did very wrong not to install it at the first place.
I would gladly install it now and pay the overprice.
Does anyone know if this is possible?
I think it is, guessing that the system uses the city safety radar. It would only need a different set of knobes on the steering wheel and some kind of reprogramming.
Am i wrong or very wrong?

 

[HPsauce]

You'd guess wrong, it has it's own radar in the front grille. No chance of a retrofit I'd think.....
So, VERY VERY wrong I'm afraid.