Adaptive Cruise Control

If you’re interested in buying a Ford vehicle, you’ll be glad to hear that the manufacturer has advanced driver assistance technology to make your life easier. A timeless feature is Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), with newer iterations offering even more convenience and safety. Here at Brewster Ford, we’re eager to discuss all the rage surrounding Ford’s ACC and share vehicles that come with this essential feature.

What Is Ford’s Adaptive Cruise Control?

Ford’s Adaptive Cruise Control is a driver assistance feature part of the manufacturer’s Co-Pilot 360 technology suite. At its most basic level, ACC allows you to set your preferred cruising speed and distance from the vehicle in front of you. It uses sophisticated radar and camera technology to slow your car down when it detects the vehicle in front of you slowing down. The technology automatically resumes your preset speed and distance when the traffic speeds up.

ACC comes with additional features to make your driving experience as convenient as possible. For instance, ACC with Stop-and-Go enables your vehicle to come to a full stop when the vehicle in front of you stops. The ACC’s Lane Centering system analyzes lane markings to detect when your vehicle might be drifting and guide you back to your lane. If your Ford has Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control, you get all the features above plus Speed Sign Recognition. This innovative feature automatically adjusts your set cruising speed based on posted speed limits.

History of Ford’s Adaptive Cruise Control

Ford originally introduced its ACC feature in 2006. The feature is now available in 71% of the manufacturer’s American models, with many of the newer models accessing ACC through the Co-Pilot 360 technology suite which came out in 2018. Ford originally designed driver assistance features like ACC to optimize highway driving, but the suite is useful for combating congestion. It can ease commutes by smoothing out traffic and helping reduce distracted drivers’ mistakes.

What Vehicles Have Ford’s Adaptive Cruise Control?

While ACC is available with new and used Fords alike, the type of ACC features you get depends on your vehicle’s year, model, and trim. Some vehicles come with standard ACC features, while more advanced ACC features are available on other vehicles. Here’s a list of newer Ford vehicles that have standard or optional Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control:

• 2021 Ford Ecosport.
• 2021 Ford Escape.
• 2021 Ford Bronco Sport.
• 2021 Ford Bronco.
• 2021 Ford Explorer.
• 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E.
• 2021 Ford Expedition.
• 2021 Ford Mustang.
• 2021 Ford Transit Connect.
• 2022 Ford F-150.
• 2021 Ford Super Duty.
• 2021 Ford Transit.
• 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning.
• 2022 Ford Expedition.
• 2022 Ford Edge.
• 2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E.
• 2022 Ford E-Transit.
• 2022 Ford Transit CC-CA.
• 2022 Ford Transit.
• 2022 Ford Maverick.
• 2022 Ford Ranger.

Adaptive vs. Traditional Cruise Control

Traditional cruise control is similar to adaptive cruise control in that you can set your desired miles per hour and cruise without pressing the accelerator. Both technologies are useful for maintaining consistent speeds on long trips. The difference is that ACC is a newer and more advanced technology, as it automatically adjusts your set cruising speed based on surrounding conditions.

For instance, imagine you set your cruise control to 70 miles an hour and you’re following a car that’s traveling the same speed. If the car in front of you slows down to 60 miles per hour, traditional cruise control would cause you to close the distance between your vehicle and the car in front of you.

If you have a vehicle with ACC, you would slow down to 60 miles per hour to match the other car’s speed and maintain a safe traveling distance. Many drivers believe that ACC is more convenient than traditional cruise control, though neither system is a replacement for your attention to the road.

Is Ford’s Adaptive Cruise Control the Same as Self-Driving?

At first glance, Ford’s ACC might appear to let the vehicle drive itself. After all, it analyzes surrounding conditions and slows down, speeds up, and stops your vehicle automatically. It can also keep your vehicle in its lane and adjust your speed based on posted speed limits, so can you sit back and let ACC do its thing? Not quite.

ACC is a driver assistance technology and doesn’t allow the vehicle to drive itself. Ford has issued multiple warnings that the entire Co-Pilot 360 technology suite is supplemental and doesn’t replace the need for the driver to pay attention to the road and make critical decisions. Additionally, your interference is necessary when the vehicle stops for more than three seconds. System operation will only resume when you press the “RES” button or push the accelerator pedal.

How To Use Ford’s Adaptive Cruise Control

Below are steps for using Ford’s Adaptive Cruise Control. Note that the instructions might vary depending on the year and model of your vehicle.

1. Press the “ON” button on the steering wheel.
2. Accelerate to your desired cruising speed.
3. Press the “SET” button on the steering wheel.
4. Remove your foot from the acceleration pedal.

Aside from setting your desired speed with ACC, you can use it to determine how much distance you want to maintain between your car and the car in front of you. Ford indicates driving distances by displaying between one and four bars in front of your vehicle icon on the information display. Select the gap-setting button on your steering wheel and continue pressing this button to cycle through the different driving distances. Stop pressing the gap setting button once you select your desired driving distance.

Know that setting your desired cruise speed automatically activates the ACC’s Stop-and-Go feature. If you want to turn on Lane Centering, press the Lane Centering button on your steering wheel. This feature detects when there has been no steering activity for a certain amount of time and alerts you to put your hands on the wheel. If you want to cancel ACC, tap your brake or press the “CNCL” button on your steering wheel.

We hope this article helps you understand the benefits and limitations of Ford’s Adaptive Cruise Control. If you have questions about your system or want to get a vehicle with this useful feature, call us at (845)205-7019 or contact Brewster Ford today. We have a wide selection of new SUVs, used pickup trucks, and everything in between so you can drive with confidence.

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