Adaptive cruise control (ACC)

This term is part of the following categories: Safety, Technology and Vehicle system.

Version: 5.0, Release date: April 2023

Defintion: System that attempts to maintain the vehicle at a driver-selected target speed and following distance, using sensors and actuators to regulate vehicle speed.

NOTE 1 The purpose is to keep a safe distance relative to other slower moving vehicles ahead before reverting to the set speed when the lane clears.

NOTE 2 Some early adaptive cruise control systems, especially those vehicles with manual transmission, are not capable of bringing the vehicle to a complete stop and require the human driver to intervene to do so. Systems that are capable of controlling the vehicle to a stop have a variety of additional names such as ‘Stop & Go’.

NOTE 3 Some adaptive cruise control systems (e.g. those conforming to Regulation (EU) 2019/2144, known as the General Safety Regulation), do not allow the driver to set the maximum speed above the speed limit. Some manufacturers offer adaptive cruise control systems that automatically slow the vehicle in advance of a change to a lower speed limit (see intelligent speed assistance).

Previous versions:

Version: 3.0, Release date: October 2020

Definition: System that attempts to maintain the vehicle at a driver selected target speed following distance, using sensors and automation to regulate vehicle speed.

NOTE 1: The purpose is to keep a safe distance relative to other slower moving vehicles ahead before reverting to the set speed when the lane clears.

NOTE 2: Some early adaptive cruise control systems, especially those vehicles with manual transmission, are not capable of bringing the vehicle to a complete stop and require the human driver to intervene to do so. Systems that are capable of controlling the vehicle to a stop have a variety of additional names such as ‘Stop & Go’.

Version: 2.0, Release date: June 2020

Definition: System that attempts to maintain the vehicle at a driver selected target speed following distance, using sensors and automation to regulate vehicle speed.

NOTE 1: The purpose is to keep a safe distance relative to other slower moving vehicles ahead before reverting to the set speed when the lane clears.

NOTE 2: Some early adaptive cruise control systems, especially those vehicles with manual transmission, are not capable of bringing the vehicle to a complete stop and require the human driver to intervene to do so. Systems that are capable of controlling the vehicle to a stop have a variety of additional names such as ‘Stop & Go’.

Version: 1.0, Release date: January 2020

Definition: System that attempts to maintain the vehicle at a driver selected set speed and uses sensors and automation to regulate vehicle speed.

NOTE 1: The purpose is to keep a safe distance relative to other slower moving vehicles ahead before reverting to the set speed when the lane clears.

NOTE 2: Some early adaptive cruise control systems, especially those vehicles with manual transmission, are not capable of bringing the vehicle to a complete stop and require the human driver to intervene to do so. Systems that are capable of controlling the vehicle to a stop have a variety of additional names such as ‘Stop & Go’ and ‘Traffic Jam Assist’.