[Tarun]

Installing a cruise control

How a cruise control can be installed in a car ? I think its really a necessity for all who drive long on highways. Its a pain to have you right foot on accelerator all the time when the drive is nothing but cruising at 100-120 on stretch.

Tarun

P.S. I would love to have it in my zen.

[Shan2nu]

Well from what i hear cruise control is the most useless thing you can have on your car - especially in India.

Using the cruise control takes away your attention from the road and the driver tends to relax. And you don't want that to happen, do you? I preffer to be alert all the time.

All my relatives in the US have cruise control on their cars but, none off them ever use it. They preffer to use their right foot instead.

Shan2nu

[Steeroid]

I'm curious - where in India (excepting a couple of expressways) do you get to cruise at 100-120 kmph uninterrupted?

Personally, I'd say you should concentrate on driving regardless of the state of the roads. Remember you (and your family) are sitting in a projectile travelling at those speeds, and SOMEBODY better be in control.............

Not worth the trouble, mate. I live in a place where you could technically use it, but I'm not comfortable with being driven around by a machine.

Steer

[normally_crazy]

Originally Posted by Shan2nu

cruise control is the most useless thing you can have on your car - especially in India.

i agree.....my uncle has it on the merc and he has used it only twice..that too on the expressway..and for a very very very short stretch.

beleive me --its more fun with your right foot !

[iceman91]

also knowing our indian mechs the guy will definitely do a stupid job...and tomorrow when we are approaching traffic and wanna switch it off...IT WONT!!

[amitoj]

Or, if you still wanna have cruise control, adopt the most common form of cruise control on indian roads... used by the truckers!

[Samurai]

Cruise Control in India? C'mon...

I've had 3 cars with cruise control, I probably used cruise control 1% of the time, that too in US roads. Using CC is the probably the fastest way to fall asleep on a long drive.

One more problem I noticed when I used it. When in CC, you tend to pull your legs back to relax. If you suddenly have to brake, your legs can lose the reference to the brake pedal and instead hit the gas pedal. I am not joking, it does happen. Because of this problem I used to lightly rest my foot on the brake even while on CC. So, I couldn't really relax on CC. That was the main reason why I stopped using CC.

[speedsatya]

Originally Posted by amitoj

Or, if you still wanna have cruise control, adopt the most common form of cruise control on indian roads... used by the truckers!

yeah thats the best form of CC.
for those who didnt know,most of our truckers place a biggg stone on the accelerator pedal at nite and just drive keeping their legs folded.

[Tarun]

All:

Its ok for 4--5 hours highway drive. Beyond that, it becomes tiring and you would want your leg to ease off a bit. Talking off attention, i think if you are constantly driving by just having the foot on accelerator, clear view of road, what difference that would make when you do not have your right foot in action. Nothing. Its a mere press of a button that is equally in your reach as is the accelerator. Its your leg that requires an ease not the mind. Being alert while being more comfortable, should better your reflexes.
Also for that available long stretch you would tend to push your car, wont' you. Here i would prefer CC to maintain nominal good speed. Small breaks of 5-10 minute cruising would relieve a lot of your leg (without any halts).

I usually drive to Jaipur, Chandigarh and Punjab and these are capable of good speeds ("Uninterrupted " is a big ask). The point is to have less fatigue on your body. If i know that my days driving would be of around 10 hours, i would prefer to use CC at nominal speeds for that substantial time that it has to be there.

"A stone on the accelerator" nice input there. Never knew that truckers drive that way also. Nope not with me, i would rather look for a cheap alternative. This can work out to be too damn expensive.

Installation has to be precise. I do not believe in unsafe workaround fixes. BTW, which cars on India have this facility?

I do see everybody's point and it seems that its not very popular. However, i am still open for its usage as the thought came owing to my necessity which i think i can put to good use.

Tarun

[Shan2nu]

BTW, which cars on India have this facility?

I think all the Mercs here, have it. The Accord V6 has it too. Not sure about the Camry, Sonata and the Mondeo.

Shan2nu

[Harrie]

Hey tarun dude I had well some sort of cruise control if you can call it that on my TATA estate. well it was actually the fast idle knob. when i was going on the high way i would screw the lever all teh way back. the car would cruise at 60kmph with my feet off the gas pedal.

not sure if you could do that for your car. but give it a try. i am sure we can work up with some sort of a contraption.

[aveek]

The Vectra has it, so do all Beamers, and I think that I've seen it on the Camry...

[Boom Shiva]

Originally Posted by Tarun

Installing a cruise control

Its a pain to have you right foot on accelerator all the time when the drive is nothing but cruising at 100-120 on stretch.

Where exactly is this heaven?

[zaphod]

Esteem in 2nd gear
Choke pulled out
Profit !!!

errrr I don't think thats for youre looking for but in the Indian context CC is virtually useless, even on NH8 (Delhi - Jaipur) whiule I've touched 170 , it always pays tpo be alert, pedestrians,. tractors pulling out in front from nowhere, trucks without working brake lights etc.....

edit : Hiring a driver is perhaps the most cost effective way of getting 'cruise control'

[vance0712]

cruise control
in india
Trucks can have it
what about the millions of cows people rickshaws bicycles etc that just pop in and out