I got my T6.1 a few months back and the Adaptive Cruise is infuriating me. I specced as I thought it would be great in traffic like it is on VW cars, but every time the traffic stops completely, I have to push the break to hold it or it disengages which kinda defeats the point of having it. Its a DSG so didn't think i'd have this issue? Thanks
T6.1 Adaptive Cruise
- Thread starter UHF
- Start date
That's exactly the way mine behaves, you get used to the zen of it after a while.
Just make sure you don't brake immediately otherwise it won't restart. So long as you brake at the right moment then when the traffic moves the stop start will kick back in and it will restart ACC as you let go of the brake.
Just make sure you don't brake immediately otherwise it won't restart. So long as you brake at the right moment then when the traffic moves the stop start will kick back in and it will restart ACC as you let go of the brake.
Today I have finally understood how it works .
It’s not that bad if you understand the system limit.
The stop and auto following the vehicle in front is not about Dsg. It’s about electric hand brake which our T6 don’t have. The feature you would like needs the electric hand brake.
If you take that into account you’ll realise this is the best acc you can get on any car/van without electric handbrake.
The next question is, why they didn’t bother to offer this option…
It’s not that bad if you understand the system limit.
The stop and auto following the vehicle in front is not about Dsg. It’s about electric hand brake which our T6 don’t have. The feature you would like needs the electric hand brake.
If you take that into account you’ll realise this is the best acc you can get on any car/van without electric handbrake.
The next question is, why they didn’t bother to offer this option…
This thread is very timely for me as I tried-out ACC for the first time this week as I was driving down the A1. It didn't result in the relaxing, stress-free driving I was hoping for and fuel consumption was marginally higher than when I was in full control of the throttle.
With the ACC range set short, approaching a slower vehicle caused quite severe deceleration, thus necessitating significant acceleration when pulling out for the overtake. Constant speed adjustment = higher fuel consumption.
With the ACC range set long, braking happened way too early, so the optimum point for changing lane was never reached and the lane change had to be initiated from too far back. This extended the duration of the overtake and delayed the faster drivers behind me for longer than necessary (or, worse, enticed impatient drivers to undertake). Getting under other drivers' feet = stress.
I was unable to find a middle-ground with the ACC range and concluded the problem was its constant nature. Compare a constant range approach with the ability of a good driver to vary when and how to decelerate (or even accelerate) in order to change lanes appropriately. Perhaps ACC would work better if the range varied depending upon the speed differential - bigger differential = longer range.
Anyways - just my initial thoughts on ACC. I guess I'll need to use it more before I dismiss completely.
With the ACC range set short, approaching a slower vehicle caused quite severe deceleration, thus necessitating significant acceleration when pulling out for the overtake. Constant speed adjustment = higher fuel consumption.
With the ACC range set long, braking happened way too early, so the optimum point for changing lane was never reached and the lane change had to be initiated from too far back. This extended the duration of the overtake and delayed the faster drivers behind me for longer than necessary (or, worse, enticed impatient drivers to undertake). Getting under other drivers' feet = stress.
I was unable to find a middle-ground with the ACC range and concluded the problem was its constant nature. Compare a constant range approach with the ability of a good driver to vary when and how to decelerate (or even accelerate) in order to change lanes appropriately. Perhaps ACC would work better if the range varied depending upon the speed differential - bigger differential = longer range.
Anyways - just my initial thoughts on ACC. I guess I'll need to use it more before I dismiss completely.
Philgy
Member
I have ACC set short, the pulling out to overtake is “yes” a pain. I fined myself pressing the accelerator to get a wriggle on.
Re the braking part, yes it’s notchy at best. However a Merc cut in front on the A1 the ACC hit the brake and pinned me, the wife and the dog on the windscreen.
Jury is still out with it.
Re the braking part, yes it’s notchy at best. However a Merc cut in front on the A1 the ACC hit the brake and pinned me, the wife and the dog on the windscreen.
Jury is still out with it.
On the motorway I have mine set to medium distance, I set the speed to say 65mph and as I approach slower vehicles I indicate to overtake as soon as it tells me the car in front is detected. The process of indicating accelerates the car back up to the set speed. Its only when you cant indicate and overtake that the speed drops dramatically as you get closer to the car in front, which you would hope and expect. Indicating to overtake from a slower speed does lead to greater acceleration in order to go back up to the set speed. As has been mentioned ACC can disable itself at low speeds.
I have to say on long journeys it works fine for me - Its obviously not totally autonomous so as a driver you do need to contribute and be aware of surroundings in order to allow ACC to work as smoothly as it can.
I have to say on long journeys it works fine for me - Its obviously not totally autonomous so as a driver you do need to contribute and be aware of surroundings in order to allow ACC to work as smoothly as it can.
Do you not think some of you are expecting too much from the system? its a driver aid, its not trying to produce an autonomous Transporter! There are times when it works great and others not so, with practice you will know what it can cope with and use it accordingly. Half the problem is crap drivers dodging from lane to lane on busy motorways, cutting in with inches to spare etc etc and I doubt any ACC will ever be able to handle that like a switched on human brain with good eyesight.....oh hang on, I've just spotted another problem!
Don't just adjust the distance parameters, also adjust the driving profile so it brakes and accelerates in a manner suitable for the traffic and your driving style. I change mine between flowing traffic (usually 2 distance and eco profile) and slow stop start traffic (usually 1 distance and comfort profile)
I use ACC a lot, in fact it was a major reason I got the Caravelle. For me it's the closest thing to automation I'm happy with having. Having to hold the brake in traffic I was initially annoyed at but now I actually like it as it means it's not possible to disengage your attention in traffic.
For overtaking is everyone aware that indicating alters the profile temporarily to be more aggressive and hold the speed longer and closer in anticipation of overtaking? Be aware for both ACC and Lane Assist this means actual indication, sadly it doesn't pick up the "tap and 3 flashes" lane change as indication, the stalk switch has to be on.
In a year now of owning it I've only had the ACC disengage when I have miss timed the hold brake.
I use ACC a lot, in fact it was a major reason I got the Caravelle. For me it's the closest thing to automation I'm happy with having. Having to hold the brake in traffic I was initially annoyed at but now I actually like it as it means it's not possible to disengage your attention in traffic.
For overtaking is everyone aware that indicating alters the profile temporarily to be more aggressive and hold the speed longer and closer in anticipation of overtaking? Be aware for both ACC and Lane Assist this means actual indication, sadly it doesn't pick up the "tap and 3 flashes" lane change as indication, the stalk switch has to be on.
In a year now of owning it I've only had the ACC disengage when I have miss timed the hold brake.
No, I wasn't aware that indication had any effect on ACC speed (but then I've not read the manual
). Makes total sense and would alleviate the issues I encountered. Time to go read the manual I guess!
The ACC on my Mk8 DSG VW Golf works in a similar way to what is described in various posts above. It has an electric handbrake, so will bring the car to a complete halt, then pull away when the car in front moves, with no intervention from me.
I find myself adjusting the distance control, as what the car thinks is fine at 70mph is too close at 30 mph, for the same distance setting.
Using the indicators helps, as it does override distance control etc to help things along.
Overall I don't like it, and would prefer a conventional cruise control, but to be fair, the collision detection saved me from a significant crash into the car in front when I wasn't paying attention.
Pete
I find myself adjusting the distance control, as what the car thinks is fine at 70mph is too close at 30 mph, for the same distance setting.
Using the indicators helps, as it does override distance control etc to help things along.
Overall I don't like it, and would prefer a conventional cruise control, but to be fair, the collision detection saved me from a significant crash into the car in front when I wasn't paying attention.
Pete
I didnt realise about either of these. Need to read the manual about the hold brake as well.No, I wasn't aware that indication had any effect on ACC speed (but then I've not read the manual
Looks like there is a lot of emotion about ACC here, what have i started!?
I find it weird that the electronic hand brake is required, the ACC can clearly operate the brakes, so why couldnt it just hold the car on the brakes in the same way the driver would.
As for all the other comments, couldn't agree more, its too reactive, but agreed, its not autonomous driving, its a crude distance keeping. I use it selectively depending on the situation. When I first had it on my Golf R, I found myself not realising that traffic in my lane was slowing down gradually. That's a wider discussion about the dangers of semi autonomous driving though.
I find it weird that the electronic hand brake is required, the ACC can clearly operate the brakes, so why couldnt it just hold the car on the brakes in the same way the driver would.
As for all the other comments, couldn't agree more, its too reactive, but agreed, its not autonomous driving, its a crude distance keeping. I use it selectively depending on the situation. When I first had it on my Golf R, I found myself not realising that traffic in my lane was slowing down gradually. That's a wider discussion about the dangers of semi autonomous driving though.
I still haven't read the manual, so not attempted any to changes to the driving profile yet, but had another try of the ACC using @roadtripper's advice re indicating once the "detected" warning flashes up. This certainly helped matters go noticeably more smoothly than my initial trial, so I was pleased with that.
I did, though, experience a couple of unnerving moments when the van started accelerating hard towards the vehicle in front (which it had previously detected and slowed down for), only to then decelerate hard a few moments later. This happened twice in quick succession, followed shortly after by a "sensor unavailable" (or similar) message, a triangular yellow warning light on the dash and the ACC disengaging. This all occurred whilst in a single lane contra-flow system that had metal barriers erected on both sides of the lane and 10 mins beyond the contra-flow, the warning light went out and ACC was available again.
Be interested to hear if anyone else had similar ACC issues and whether they occurred whilst driving through a contra-flow system.
I have found the van ACC to be very reliable, much more so than one I had on BMW 330e which regularly in heavy rain went offline and said unavailable.
One time the van did accelerate unexpectedly and this was when I was in roadworks on the motorway with those metal crash barriers close by on both sides, overload of metal around a factor?
One time the van did accelerate unexpectedly and this was when I was in roadworks on the motorway with those metal crash barriers close by on both sides, overload of metal around a factor?
Yeah, the radar signal bouncing around off all that metalwork was my guess at a culprit.
