Is adaptive cruise control worth it?

You might have heard drivers raving about adaptive cruise control, or maybe you're just curious. It's hard to deny the progress that the car industry has made in the Philippines and in the world as a whole. There are new models coming in left and right and from far and wide, touting the "latest" in smart technologies that aid drivers and promote the experience in the car. However, there is one such feature that has been in vogue lately, especially with manufacturers that want to make a dent in the market. 

Everyone's talking about it these days, and it is popping up in more and more models, touted as a breakthrough in driving technology. That “me too” feature is adaptive cruise control, and having it is great, but it’s a bit of a double-edged sword. Not having the feature might put a chink in the armor of quite a few cars but in the absence of it a deal-breaker or a viable value-add? So, is it really the must-have feature it's made out to be?

In a nutshell, it’s a radar-based system that is smarter than the basic cruise control system. The radar will sense if there is a car in front of you, and slow down your vehicle based on its speed relative to your car. Essentially, it adds a layer of safety to an otherwise one-dimensional system. Think of it as a safety net just in case or a comfort adds for those long drives out on the highway. 

Adaptive cruise control (ACC) is like an advanced version of the old cruise control that could only keep your car at a set speed. ACC uses radar and sometimes cameras to see the road ahead and adjust your speed to keep a safe distance from the car in front of you, where this feature is great for long drives on highways where it can maintain a constant speed and automatically slow down or speed up depending on the traffic. It’s made to make driving less tiring and safer by handling some of the speed controls for you.

We wouldn’t recommend that you use adaptive cruise control in the city, but there have been innovations made such as the case with the adaptive cruise found in Toyota’s Safety Sense, Honda SENSING, Nissan Intelligent Mobility suite, Subaru’s EyeSight, and others that go under the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) packages found in a lot of cars these days. 

Sp, even though adaptive cruise control is mainly for highway use, it’s getting smarter and more adaptable for city driving with recent tech upgrades, which means it can now handle stop-and-go traffic better than before. As car technology improves, the accuracy and reliability of ACC systems are also getting better, making modern cars with this feature easier and safer to drive.

Once a luxury, adaptive cruise control has found its way into more accessible car models, raising the question: has it become a standard necessity? Adaptive cruise control has quickly moved from a high-end luxury to a common feature in many new cars. It started as something you'd find in expensive cars, but now it's available in more affordable models too. Every major car brand seems to be offering it, which might make you wonder if it's really special or just another standard feature.

The other brands that followed include but are not limited to, Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Subaru, Isuzu, Mazda, and others. What’s interesting is that even the Chinese brands are also throwing their hat into the adaptive cruise control ring with brands like GAC, Changan, Geely, and even newer entries like GWM. Now, pretty much everyone has it, so is it even worth considering if another brand will do the same thing but for much less? 

While it’s true that ACC is becoming more common, this competition among car makers is good for drivers. It pushes brands to keep improving their systems, making them more accurate and easier to use. So, the benefit of ACC isn’t just about having it; it’s about how well it works in your car. Better technology in ACC systems can make driving much more pleasant and safer, giving you good reason to look for it when choosing a new car.

It’s not enough for a car to just have adaptive cruise control—it needs to work well with the car’s overall system. If it’s not properly adjusted to the car's specific handling and driving conditions, it might do more harm than good, which means that when you’re looking at cars with ACC, you shouldn’t just check the box that it’s included. You should test how well it works and see if it adds real value to your driving experience.

Good adaptive cruise control systems react smoothly and make driving easier, not more complicated. They should feel like a natural part of the car, helping you drive more safely without much effort. When this technology is done right, it really makes a difference, especially on long trips or in tricky driving conditions.

For us, adaptive cruise control alone shouldn’t be a deal maker or deal breaker. For a good chunk of your time driving, you probably won’t use the feature anyway. However, it is the rest of the things that are bundled in that make having adaptive cruise control worth it. 

On its own, adaptive cruise control might not convince everyone to pay more for a car. But when it’s part of a package of safety features, it becomes much more attractive. Many cars combine ACC with things like automatic braking and lane-keeping assist, which can prevent accidents and make driving much safer.

For people who spend a lot of time on highways or long commutes, ACC can be a (real) game-changer, since it minimizes the stress of driving by handling speed control for you, which can make a long drive feel a lot shorter and more enjoyable. Even though you might not use ACC all the time, when you do need it, you’ll be glad to have it.

In the end, whether adaptive cruise control is worth it depends on your personal driving needs and habits. If you’re often on the highway or value having the latest safety technology, then ACC can be a great addition to your car. But remember, it’s not just about having the feature—it’s about the overall safety and convenience it brings to your driving experience.