Finalising order, final options

[Niko]

Have ordered 177 Black, Manual, Daytona, drive select, damper control, tech pack high, high beam, hill hold. Dilemma is do I push out to tech pack advanced which includes ACC. The ACC really appeals but as it is a Manual I am not sure if I will gain much, i.e. will still need to use clutch and stick as speed alters up and down. With an auto box I can see the obvious attraction of ACC. Anyone with ACC and a manual box?

[Zenerdiode]

Anyone with ACC and a manual box?

Yes, me. :)

Having driven both normal CC and now owning ACC - there's just no comparison. Of course I've still got to change gear but that's irrelevent. Plus points are how narrow and selective the radar is. Set the target speed at 70mph behind a car doing 50mph and you stay at a set distance behind it. If the car slows, so do you. As soon as you pull out, the radar senses a clear road ahead and starts to accelerate for you. CC is only really good for a clear open road.

The safety aspect is good too. Even when switched off, it's not off - and will 'bong' if you are getting too close to the car in front. Ignore the bong and it will give a jab on the brakes to remind you...

[SunnyBard]

now owning ACC - The safety aspect is good too. Even when switched off, it's not off - and will 'bong' if you are getting too close to the car in front. Ignore the bong and it will give a jab on the brakes to remind you...

That sounds eminently sensible, but whose definition of "too close" does it use? Presumably the distance is proportional to speed?

[NickH A4]

Can you have hill hold on a manual?

[drmartin]

I have ACC and it just automates the driving experience, mines a manual and no problems here, if you change gear the system stays live while you change.. I would add lane assist, that tells you when its safe to pull out.. with these two options, and you follow them, it makes driving on motorways a much safer experience, mainly as if anything is happening in front, side or behind, the car is reacting and doing something about it.

ACC Good for:

- you cannot, theoretically, crash the car, if your ahead of someone who brakes sharply, the car reacts and stops you before you knew it
- the car can see through rain! yesterday, very heavy rain on concrete motorway, visibility basically nil, car started to slow down, then low and behold a car appeared in front crawling
- set your speed and relax, car slows to anything ahead, pull out, speeds up to the speed you set or next vehicle in front
- you learn to drive at a distance from the car in front, if you don't, all kinds of RED appear on the dash, chimes, then the car puts the brakes on for you
- you can adapt it to driving style, normal, comfort etc as well as setting the distance which is either 1-4 seconds, you can set the default too

And the Bad:

- if your following a vehicle in town, with the system off, ACC will still be alive and looking. If a vehicle in front slows to turn left, you have to be a distance behind, or the system will emergency will put the brakes on to match the speed off the vehicle turning left.
- it cannot cope on motorways when someone driving slower than you pulls in front of you, until the vehicle is fully in the lane it will not react
- if your not careful you do find yourself driving at the speed of the vehicle in front, not the speed you want to do, the system eases down so gradually in comfort mode that unless your watching your speed, you won't realise you have slowed. Im talking the difference between 70 and 60 here..

For me, not having this in a car now would be a serious loss, both for safety and convenience.

M

[drmartin]

That sounds eminently sensible, but whose definition of "too close" does it use? Presumably the distance is proportional to speed?

The system works on time, you set for a gap of say 2 seconds, and the system, based on your speed calculates how long it takes to cover the ground. set to 4 seconds and it locks onto anything thats like 100 years ahead of you!!

Settings are between 1 and 4 seconds.

[NickH A4]

I can't help but think that some of these systems are taking away the need for drivers to pay attention. I guess if it means the car can react quicker than you can then there are some clear safety benefits. But how far do we get down the line when drivers assume the car will stop and then for some reason it doesn't. Reminds me a bit of the story (not sure if it was actually true) where the guy made the cup of tea in the back of his RV whilst the CC was on, crashed and then sued the manufacturer because they didn't explicitly say he couldn't do that.

Technology is great but my eyes can see a lot further ahead than a radar set with a limited range.

I don't see anything replacing common sense and good observation. And to be fair none of the posts have intimated this.

Nick

[Niko]

Can you have hill hold on a manual?
I had it on my first B8 and the configurator allowed it as well as the dealer so I guess it is ok

[legendamongus]

Can you have hill hold on a manual?
Yes, you can. Well worth it as it barely costs anything and is a pretty good feature.

[theskyfox]

I thought you could turn it off? I had it on an A5 hire car and used it a few times...its good, but I had it off on the stalk when I didn't want it and don't remember getting any warnings...

-Andrew

[porty]

I have Auto Cruise Control on both my S4 and A4 and I think it is brilliant. As others have said, even when you're not using the ACC, the radar still monitors the road ahead and would apply the brakes on your behalf if there was a real chance that you would hit the car in front. This is a very good satefy feature which will be standard fit on all cars in a few years time, just as ESP is now.