Cruise destination
Like many other electronic systems in a car, cruise control is designed to make life easier for the driver. Every motorist knows how hard it is to keep the accelerator pedal for a few hours. This is a problem solved by the cruise control that was invented at the end of the fortieth years. The system maintains the specified speed, while the driver's right leg is resting.
History of the cruise control
The American engineer Ralph Tator invented and patented the device that was regulating the throttle position by the electromagnetic valve.
The first vehicle, which was equipped with such a system, was Chrysler Imperial 1958. Cruise control (which has been called "Auto Pilot"), measured the rotation speed of the shaft and measured the required amount of fuel to feed into the carburetor.
Modern system of cruise control
Modern Cruise Control is made up of several elements.
The speed sensor determines the speed of the vehicle.
The cruise control module (CCM) receives a signal from the speed sensor, a sensor on the accelerator pedal, a joystick control of the system on the steering wheel, or a friend switch, and processes them.
Cruise control is required by the fuel crisis of the 1970s. Car owners in the United States were prepared to pay for any fuel-saving options
The cruise control system opens and closes the throttle control by means of a pneumatic actuating mechanism. If the electronic throttle is used, the same function is performed by its electric motor. These elements may vary depending on the design of the throttle.
The CRUISE master switch. Located in the passenger car. Activates the machine speed at constant level.
The SET/RESUME switch. It is used to configure the device operating mode
The cancel check box. Sends a cancellation signal to the cruise control control module.
The switch to the brake pedal or, depending on the type of gearbox, the clutch pedal switch. Disables the cruise control system.
The statistics show that 80% of modern motorists either do not know that their cars have cruise control, or do not fully understand how it works
The control block algorithm controls the speed of the vehicle by simulating the behaviour of the accelerator pedal-accelerator-opens or closes the throttle. The shale increases or decreases the supply of oxygen, which affects engine speeds and, ultimately, the speed of the vehicle.
Adaptive Cruise Control
Many modern models of automobiles feature an enhanced version of cruise control, which is called adaptive. The system also maintains a certain speed. However, in contrast to routine cruise control, adaptive control focuses on the road situation and allows the choice of speed based on a given distance to the next car. The system uses radar sensors to determine the distance. For example, when the vehicle in front of the car is dropping speed, the sensor detects the distance between two machines and sends a signal to the electronic block that gives the command to close the throttle, reducing the speed.
Interesting facts about the cruise control
The first mechanism, which became a cruise control, was a centrifugal regulator, set up for American cars of production Peerless. In turn, the owners of the Peerless Motor Company used the invention of James Watt, a well-known Scottish engineer with the name of the Watt unit. By the way, for the first time he proposed as a measurement of power the unit of measure "horse power".
Due to the "comfort" properties of cruise control, because of which the driver, who has been driving for a long time on the highway, is constantly at risk of falling asleep, the public organizations of different countries have repeatedly suggested the construction of the so-called "dead man's switch", which is used in locomotives. The essence of the device in the secondary pedal, which shall be placed on the foot of the driver, which includes the cruise control. If the driver fell asleep or lost consciousness and kicked the foot off the pedal, the car automatically stops to prevent possible accidents. However, since the crub is the essence of the cruise control, it is not the case that the proposal is to be removed from the foot of the pedal.
