Adaptive cruise control

Faults and Technical chat for the Kia Niro
AlanW55
Posts: 253
Joined: Sat Mar 11, 2017 4:31 pm

Post by AlanW55 »

Does anyone know if the brake lights come on when the adaptive cruise control causes the car to significantly slow down? A car pulled in front of me today, and braked, and then​ the cruise control kicked in and my car slowed down quite noticeably. I didn't touch the brake pedal so the brake light switch wouldn't have been activated.
UK 2021 Mark 1 HEV 4 in silky silver, standard spec.
previously UK 2017 First Edition HEV in pearlescent white, standard spec.

djbobbins
Posts: 132
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2017 7:57 pm

Post by djbobbins »

I certainly hope the brake lights do come on, otherwise I won't be using my adaptive cruise control. I've got no desire to get crushed by something barreling into my car at 70mph!
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djpfaff
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Jun 02, 2017 4:46 pm

Post by djpfaff »

I have been using adaptive cruise control for some 80k miles in my previous car and never had an issue, so based on that I am pretty sure the brake light does come on, but never actually seen it for myself either. Done about 1200 miles in my new First Edition and most of it on 'smart' cruise control, and again never had any issues.
David P.
Currrent Car: Niro - First Edition (Ocean Blue)
Previous Car: B-Class - 2013
Next Car: Autonomous - 2020
Steve
Posts: 92
Joined: Thu Apr 13, 2017 3:16 pm
Location: Staffordshire

Post by Steve »

When your in standard cruse , and say you set it at 30mph and you start to go down a hill , it will put the breaks on for you , but no break lights comes on .... The best way to test auto breaking , is find a plot of land , and put a cardboard box down , and drive towards it , and have a friend watching to see if the lights do come on . It could be interesting if someone does drive in the back of you if auto breaking kicks in and not showing any break lights , and the other driver has a dash cam . Who's to blame ?
Steve
Niro 2 in Black . LED headlight conversion .
Previous car.... Ford Kuga 163 . 2011
gimball
Posts: 50
Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2016 4:38 pm

Post by gimball »

There are regulations... If there were no brake lights in this case the car couldn't be sold in most of the civilised world.
Fred_Bristol
Posts: 29
Joined: Sun Jul 16, 2017 6:10 pm

Post by Fred_Bristol »

Is the brake light circuit activated by a microswitch under the brake pedal (common method on old cars) or by a brake fluid pressure switch?
In the later case I would expect the brake lights to function whatever actuates the brakes, but regenerative braking alone wouldn't do.
(Of course I'm not taking the inevitable computer into account.)
Fred
AlanW55
Posts: 253
Joined: Sat Mar 11, 2017 4:31 pm

Post by AlanW55 »

Now that I'm driving in the dark more often as winter approaches, I can answer my own question regarding brake lights operating when the adaptive cruise control slows the car down without me pressing the brake pedal. The brake lights definitely do come on, I can see the red glow from the high level light reflecting on the rear wiper.
UK 2021 Mark 1 HEV 4 in silky silver, standard spec.
previously UK 2017 First Edition HEV in pearlescent white, standard spec.
tonybkent
Posts: 35
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2018 8:02 pm

Post by tonybkent »

So it sounds like they do come on under regen braking - something I was wondering about too. If that's the case then that explains why, as a previous driver of a smelly diesel manual car, that I couldn't understand why some drivers kept putting their brake lights on when I was just lifting off. I guess they could have been using Adaptive Cruise Control - I'd just never know!
AlanW55
Posts: 253
Joined: Sat Mar 11, 2017 4:31 pm

Post by AlanW55 »

Just to be clear, I'm talking about braking by the adaptive cruise system, not regen(erative) braking. The latter occurs when you lift off the accelerator, when the brake lights don't come on as you would expect. The latter also occurs when you press the brake pedal, when, obviously, the brake lights do come on.
UK 2021 Mark 1 HEV 4 in silky silver, standard spec.
previously UK 2017 First Edition HEV in pearlescent white, standard spec.
Stepshort
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2018 1:27 pm

Post by Stepshort »

Only had our Niro 4 for 13 days, but had a couple of long trips and impressed by the adaptive cruise control. Only one niggle, if car being tracked brakes and turns off, to the right seems worse, the Niro slows right up and even stops even though the car turning may be in a slip lane. Agreed it is a safe thing to do, but a bit annoying. Otherwise very impressed.
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