Buying a new vehicle isn’t necessarily a one-time expense because of the running cost that follows. You become truly aware of the expenses after taking the vehicle out for a spin. Petrol average, vehicle range, and performance are all clear as a day once you have driven the car on a regular basis. The wear and tear of parts is a normal process that happens with time. You don’t have to change the parts frequently unless you have extreme driving habits. Naturally, petrol is an expense which you have to bear every time you take a vehicle out for a ride.
People are on the lookout for ways to increase fuel efficiency and save money. Manufacturers are well aware of people’s obsession with saving petrol, especially with the rising trend of petrol prices in the UAE and around the world. Leading manufacturers have introduced features such as cruise control to help consumers save petrol money. With all the technological advancements, a question that concerns motorists is ‘can cruise control save fuel?’. We have compiled a guide for you to answer this question with facts. Let’s dive into the details and learn if and how cruise control saves fuel.
What is Cruise Control?
Excessive acceleration and braking are some of the main reasons for bad fuel consumption. This can particularly be a problem if you are driving on uneven roads or in some cases when the driver is dozy.
Cruise control is a smart system that allows your car to run at a specified speed without putting much pressure on the accelerator. The advanced system moves your car at the specific speed set by the driver.
With cruise control, you can drive at a constant speed without worrying about outside interventions. Since there’s no excess pressure on the accelerator or brakes, there will be low fuel consumption.
How Does Cruise Control Work?
Cruise control manages the linkage between fuel injector control and accelerator pedal. It uses an actuator to control the throttle rather than putting pressure on the throttle pedal.
The older versions of cruise control had a cable connected to the accelerator. It was used to keep a constant speed by keeping the throttle steady.
However, newer versions of cruise control have no wiring system and speed is controlled by the computer system. The various sensors and accelerator control are connected to the program and are operated by a wireless system. The advanced versions can also adjust your car’s speed based on the speed of the car in front. This can help you keep a safe distance and avoid accidents.
Does Cruise Control Save Petrol?
Sudden and frequent acceleration increases fuel consumption. The same goes for deceleration. Sudden change to a higher speed will prompt the car’s engine to produce maximum torque. Increased torque leads to the engine spinning faster therefore, more petrol is used. Driving with a constant speed needs minimum torque and consumes a lesser amount of fuel.
Cruise control eliminates the usage of extra petrol. However, the advanced system can only save fuel on even roads. If you use cruise control while climbing a hill, the car will use more petrol.
How to Use Cruise Control?
Most cars with cruise control have on, off, cancel, set, and res buttons. Listed below are the steps you can follow to effectively use cruise control and save fuel.
- Press the “On” button to start the system and drive at a specific speed like 30 km/h, 40km/h or whatever seems like the ideal speed for that road.
- Once you have reached the desired speed, press the “Set” button and take your foot off the accelerator.
- If you want to change the speed at any point, press the “+” button to increase the speed and the “-” button to decrease it.
- To stop cruise control mode, simply press the “Cancel” button. You can also press the brake pedal or clutch (for a manual vehicle) to exit the mode.
- To resume cruise control at the same speed you last used, press the “Res” button.
- When you are done using cruise control, press the “Off” button to turn off the system.
When cruise control is activated, you’ll see a light on the dashboard indicating that the system is running. Switching off cruise control will also turn off the light. Additionally, check out these tips for using cruise control to get the best out of the feature.
WHEN SHOULD YOU NOT USE CRUISE CONTROL
Besides being a handy option to save petrol, there are certain conditions when you should avoid using cruise control. The reasons include:
- Bad weather like windy, rainy or snowy conditions
- Slippery roads like wet or icy roads
- When you are feeling fatigued as you should be aware of the surroundings at all times even with the cruise control on
- During heavy traffics as the speed cannot be constant in such conditions
Using the feature aggressively and in the above mentioned conditions can lead to inconvenience like cruise control not working and pre mature deterioration of parts.
Advantages of Cruise Control
You must have gotten the answer by now to the question “Does cruise control save fuel?”. However, it is not the only advantage of the advanced feature. There are several other advantages which are listed as follows:
- Reduces and slows down the wear and tear of engine components and transmission system
- Helps control the car’s speed
- Increases fuel economy and efficiency
- Increases driver’s comfort
Disadvantages of Cruise Control
There are a few disadvantages of cruise control that you should be aware of:
- Use in unfamiliar conditions can be harmful to the car
- Tired drivers might fall asleep
- Hard to use in bad weather conditions
- Not effective in high-traffic areas
This brings us to the end of our guide about cruise control. “Can cruise control save fuel?”. You must have a clear picture of the advanced feature and the answer to this question. Excessive use of anything can be hazardous and it is advised that you use the cruise control only in the suggested conditions. This can help you increase fuel economy and keep your car in good condition for a long time.
That said, if your car doesn’t have the cruise control feature or it requires frequent servicing, you might want to go for a change in vehicle. Check out these used cars for sale in the UAE and select from a wide variety of advanced vehicles.
Stay tuned to UAE’s top auto blog for guides about car features and more.
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