Anyone know....?

[vforrest]

So when my adaptive cruise is on and someone jumps in front of me and my car auto brakes...does anyone know if my brake lights are also coming on to warn the car behind me?

 

[rubydist]

the adaptive cruise does not hit the brakes, it only has the ability to reduce the throttle.

 

[Dave]

http://corporate.ford.com/doc/Adaptive_Cruise.pdf

I'm sure when the brakes come on, the brake lights do too.

 

[vforrest]

the adaptive cruise does not hit the brakes, it only has the ability to reduce the throttle.

Scary thought hey! My car brakes pretty hard sometimes when someone jumps in front...I can just imagine the guy behind me being too slow!

 

[SHOdded]

Not sure, but from the brochure Dave linked to, that sounds like the collision warning with brake control feature activating. Would be hard to tell if the brake lights come on during pre-charging, but depends on the driver to give the final indication for braking. Doesn't look like an auto collision avoidance system, that part is kind of handled with the adaptive cruise feature.

 

[vforrest]

the adaptive cruise does not hit the brakes, it only has the ability to reduce the throttle.

Now that I re-read what you said I know that's not correct...not only will my throttle lift...my brakes are coming on strong! It reacts like total accident avoidance when someone jumps in front of you and way inside the gap set...without any brake lights getting lit up I could EASILY see someone not being quick enough to notice my rapid decal and smack me.

 

[rubydist]

Well, what we have been told consistently at Lincoln is that the adaptive cruise will not apply the brakes. It can "pre-charge" the brakes so that when the driver applies the brakes they effectively apply faster, but all the training people have said the adaptive cruise / collision warning is a WARNING, not an active braking system. (I have never seen the balloon test, so have no experience with that...) (and of course, it would not be the first time a trainer got it wrong, either.)

 

[SHO_Fast]

I'd like to add my own $0.02 worth to this thread, because I have often wondered the same thing.

I have a 2011 SHO non PP with Adaptive Cruise and I use it every day. When you are gaining on someone at a rapid rate, like the #$&@@#)! :grrr: that just cut in front of you, the system does indeed brake. If it is not braking then it is a form of engine management that accomplishes the same thing in a big all-fired hurry.

And I have wondered the same as vforrest, do the brake lights come on? I too have wondered about getting rear ended when the car does a quick slow down.

I read the pdf file that was linked above and neither system sounds like it operates the way mine does. I also noted that it seemed to reference 2013 cars, so I'm assuming there have been changes since mine.

I would like to learn more, but perhaps the only answer is to have someone follow us (not TOO closely) and tell if and when they see brake lights!

 

[SHOrod]

Here's what the 2011 factory service manual lists as the description for the adaptive cruise control:

Cruise Control — Adaptive
The adaptive cruise control system consists of the following components:

Cruise-Control Module (C-CM) (located behind the left side front bumper cover)
Adaptive cruise control indicator (located in the Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC))
Cruise control switches
Cruise control deactivator switch (part of the stoplamp switch)
Stoplamp switch
Cruise control indicator
PCM
ABS module
Electronically-controlled throttle body
Clockspring
Radar sensor unit (part of the C-CM )
Head Up Display (HUD) module
The adaptive cruise control system operation is similar to the standard cruise control system. The adaptive cruise control system is comprised of the PCM, the ABS module, the C-CM , and inputs from the brake pedal switch and the steering wheel switches. The adaptive cruise control system is controlled by the steering wheel mounted switches ( <--->, ON, OFF, SET+, SET- and RESUME). The <---> symbol on the cruise control switch is the distance gap switch. The adaptive cruise control system maintains a road speed selected by the driver from the steering wheel switches and that speed is displayed in the message center.

The vehicle maintains the selected speed until another slower vehicle is detected ahead in the same lane by the radar sensor unit. The vehicle speed is adjusted automatically to maintain a preset distance gap. When the adaptive cruise control feature is activated, an amber adaptive cruise control indicator illuminates in the IPC and the message center momentarily displays the preset distance gap. The vehicle maintains the distance gap and the brakes automatically apply to slow the vehicle to maintain the gap to the vehicle ahead.

When a MyKey™ is used and the MyKey™ max speed limiter is turned on, the vehicle speed cannot be set to exceed 130 km/h (80 mph).

-------------------------
I would consider it a serious design flaw if the brake lights are not activated when the adaptive cruise applies the brakes, especially since the stoplight switch is listed as one of the connections to the system.

-Rod

 

[vforrest]

Here's what the 2011 factory service manual lists as the description for the adaptive cruise control:

Cruise Control — Adaptive
The adaptive cruise control system consists of the following components:

Cruise-Control Module (C-CM) (located behind the left side front bumper cover)
Adaptive cruise control indicator (located in the Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC))
Cruise control switches
Cruise control deactivator switch (part of the stoplamp switch)
Stoplamp switch
Cruise control indicator
PCM
ABS module
Electronically-controlled throttle body
Clockspring
Radar sensor unit (part of the C-CM )
Head Up Display (HUD) module
The adaptive cruise control system operation is similar to the standard cruise control system. The adaptive cruise control system is comprised of the PCM, the ABS module, the C-CM , and inputs from the brake pedal switch and the steering wheel switches. The adaptive cruise control system is controlled by the steering wheel mounted switches ( <--->, ON, OFF, SET+, SET- and RESUME). The <---> symbol on the cruise control switch is the distance gap switch. The adaptive cruise control system maintains a road speed selected by the driver from the steering wheel switches and that speed is displayed in the message center.

The vehicle maintains the selected speed until another slower vehicle is detected ahead in the same lane by the radar sensor unit. The vehicle speed is adjusted automatically to maintain a preset distance gap. When the adaptive cruise control feature is activated, an amber adaptive cruise control indicator illuminates in the IPC and the message center momentarily displays the preset distance gap. The vehicle maintains the distance gap and the brakes automatically apply to slow the vehicle to maintain the gap to the vehicle ahead.

When a MyKey™ is used and the MyKey™ max speed limiter is turned on, the vehicle speed cannot be set to exceed 130 km/h (80 mph).

-------------------------
I would consider it a serious design flaw if the brake lights are not activated when the adaptive cruise applies the brakes, especially since the stoplight switch is listed as one of the connections to the system.

-Rod

I agree! I saw the stop lamp switch listed so I have my fingers crossed...but SHOFast is right...I need someone to follow me and confirm.

 

[MNRubyRed2013]

I believe the brake lights will go on, if someone cuts in front of you with the adaptive cruise. The car has to cut in relatively close to you to activate the brakes. I was told my lights were going on while my adaptive cruise was set during the caravan through Nebraska to the 2013 SHO Convention in Denver.

 

[SHO_Fast]

Thank you SHOrod. I agree that it would be a major design flaw if the brake lights did not come on when the system automatically applied the brakes.

That said, I love the adaptive cruise and I usually run either the medium or long gap, but for most other drivers it seems to be an invitation to drop in front of me and sometimes the brakes get applied pretty firmly. Overall though it does help to lower my blood pressure and keep me sane(r) during my commute!

 

[rubydist]

I tell people its like a garage door opener - of course you could live without it, but why would anyone want to? It only took me about 5 minutes to fall in love with the idea of adaptive cruise control the first time I got on the freeway in a vehicle that had it...