[richardglover]

Now that I'm retired (doesn't that sound good?) I am finding myself inside the M25 a lot more but coping with the sat-naff and avoiding bus lanes I think I would like a Legal Mode button to press when I don’t want also to have to worry about breaking the speed limit. This magic button would simply change the limit of the car automatically to keep me legal.
Would you use it?

 

[Paul_Moxhay]

One of the features of the Leaf I adore is the speed limiter. I use it all the time both in town and on faster roads. In town it keeps me legal (generally under 30!) on faster roads it makes sure I don't go too fast and waste EV range.

I have frequently wished that there was a transponder by the side of the road where the speed limit changed which could then automatically reset the limiter to the new speed limit. This way I could drive in "legal mode" as you call it and not have to worry about speeding.

So, would I use it... definitely yes.

 

[planetf1]

I rarely use the speed limiter, but do often use the cruise control to set the limit at around +10% (well 35 on 30 mph, 46 on 40 mph, 56 on 50mph). But of course it depends on conditions - sometimes less is needed. These are relatively ok with a overread of around 10% on the speedo. Motorway my speed can vary between 50, 60-65 (most typical), 70-75, or "see how little battery I can have left" mode. Again if conditions ok (ie empty, dry)

I did enjoy grant's BMW i3 review and like the idea of adaptive cruise control. Though my future EV direction is a little thwarted by today's budget....

 

[Steamrunner]

Both my cars have the magic button (C4 Grand Picasso and Zoe) and I use it all the time - it's pretty much the only part of the Zoe that I'll miss when the i3 arrives in a few months. Not only does it keep me legal so I don't have to worry about speed cameras, it also means that if I'm involved in an accident then there's no risk that I was accidentally going too fast and making things worse - a collision at 30 is better than one at 40. And on top of that, it means you're also going to be driving at a consistent speed and not slowing down or speeding up all the time.

When I had to drive a car without a limiter recently, I found it quite annoying to be constantly checking my speed and watching out for cameras.

 

[Paul]

Didn't see this thread.

Nope, don't like limiters and don't speed either, it's really easy to know how fast you're going even in a new car.

Many GPS systems get the limit wrong for many roads so I'd rather handle that than an automated system.

Cruise control I like and use infrequently. I think a limiter and cruise combined on motorways would be OK, I just think on minor roads and city roads people pay so little attention that they may just "set it and forget it" and become even worse/lazier drivers.

This is weird as a self driving car I could see myself having in the future, I think it's the idea of certain parts being auto and the rest open to human error that bugs me somehow.

 

[RayG]

I find the cruise control invaluable and use it most of the time, even around town it just makes life so much easier. It does have its foibles though and seems to have a mind of its own when it does not seem to know the difference between set and resume especially when your current speed is 10mph over the current resume setting.

 

[SteepJim]

Is it my imagination, or does the economy go down when I use the cruise control?

 

[harrisop]

Is it my imagination, or does the economy go down when I use the cruise control?

Yes, the cruise control is not efficient on hills. It breaks on the way down only to accelerate going up the next Hill. So it's guessing there are some hills around.

 

[Paul]

Yes, the cruise control is not efficient on hills. It breaks on the way down only to accelerate going up the next Hill. So it's guessing there are some hills around.

I guess it can't predict what's coming so that makes sense, whereas humans can take advantage of the road ahead, as well as traffic and such beyond the next few vehicles.

 

[fenlander]

Many GPS systems get the limit wrong for many roads so I'd rather handle that than an automated system.

I think the modern systems work by actually reading road signs as you pass them using a camera mounted behind the rear-view mirror.

There is an amusing comment in the i3 manual about it being 'inaccurate under certain conditions', for example 'On overtaking buses or trucks with speed stickers'.

So now you know how to slow an i3 driver down. Wear a t-shirt with a speed symbol on it.

 

[RayG]

The cruise control is efficient as it always manages to keep the little ball in the right place, as for braking when going down hill, well using regen really, I would say that the speed limit applies when going down hill as well as on the flat in fact all the time so I see nothing wrong with that. In fact around my stomping ground there are quite a few cameras at or near the bottom of hills to catch those who don't slow down. The Ampera is capable of doing this where a conventional car is not (does depend of how steep the hill is of course).

Use the cruise control and be safe & legal

 

[richardglover]

On my return leg of the school runs I go the back route and much of that is 30 limit, so I like using the speed limiter on my Leaf. That allows de-acceleration and acceleration up to the limit set. Cruise control does the opposite, allowing acceleration and de-acceleration down to the cruise speed set, apply the brake and cruise control is unset.
A legal mode button when activated would allow braking and de-acceleration, and acceleration up to the speed limit of the road your on.

 

[RayG]

legal mode button

Sounds a good idea at first until one day you are overtaking something and suddenly the car slows down because it thinks the speed limit has changed.

 

[Andy Parr]

I'd love cruise.control on our czero. I find the lack of an engine note and the lack of motor noise/tyre roar makes it difficult to maintain a constant speed, not helped by the digital speedo rather than an analogue needle.

Whilst I'm at it, a better foot pedal would be lovely. If it had a soft spring and weak detent to press down to a coast position, with a stronger spring to then apply power. You'd then lift off to coast at the detent and then lift off again to apply and modulate regen braking. As it is its difficult to coast using the throttle pedal.

And Wifey sometimes feels sick when sat in the back. We think her brain is used to hearing an engine note to assess the car's acceleration, and it's confused in the lekkie car with nothing to tell her when the car is going to romp away.

 

[Steven Barrett]

Now that I'm retired (doesn't that sound good?) I am finding myself inside the M25 a lot more but coping with the sat-naff and avoiding bus lanes I think I would like a Legal Mode button to press when I don’t want also to have to worry about breaking the speed limit. This magic button would simply change the limit of the car automatically to keep me legal.
Would you use it?

Yes definitely as I use the car to get from a to b for business and I like my license to be clean so a couple of minutes later isn't an issue so long as I don't arrive clutching a pile of tickets !

 

[Simon Hewison]

Cruise control is less efficient than speed limiter. It will needlessly throw away energy at trying to maintain a speed going uphill, when a human wouldn't usually try.

Automatic speed limiter would be fine if the speed it limited it to was the actual speed limit, not some dumbed down actual speed - 10%. (The Leaf knows what the actual speed is - it uses GPS to tweak the average wheel rotation calculations, but then dumbs it down by subtracting 10%). I would never rely on the satnav's speed limit data, given how stupidly out-of-date they are.

Knowing when bus lanes suddenly are active is also difficult for both humans and machines.

I've heard it mentioned that the hardest thing for self-driving vehicles to do legally is find a parking bay and park.

 

[billysielu]

In town, yeah that sounds useful.

On motorways, no chance - speeding is practically a requirement to travel safely.

 

[Parax]

Does this thread need a Zombie thread warning?

The Tesla adaptive cruise control is speed limit aware and limit over-speed configurable, it is also adaptive to traffic.. so pretty ideal.. but it wont stop at a red light or give way!

 

[richardglover]

Does this thread need a Zombie thread warning?

The Tesla adaptive cruise control is speed limit aware and limit over-speed configurable, it is also adaptive to traffic.. so pretty ideal.. but it wont stop at a red light or give way!

Yes it does need a Zombie thread warning.
I started the thread 18 months ago and it has popped up no doubt through Possible Related Discussions which is a feature I like but does have you asking "did I really write that" at times.
I have seen peoples comments on Tesla's ACC and it sounds good for motorways.
I was after simply being restricted to stay within the speed limits in city driving and having in resent months been out with our 17 year old learner I would super-glue the button on.

 

[billysielu]

Maybe it would help a 17 year old's insurance