Anyone else feel like ACC is too aggressive?

[Bobby Two Two]

I don't have ACC on my XLT so I can't comment on Ford's implementation. I did have it on my 2018 Tundra Off Road. Using it on the highway it was very gentle on the slowing down side, but had a heavy foot when speeding up. It would cause the transmission to drop down at least one, and often two gears when it accelerated. I was sure I could see the fuel gauge registering the insane amount of gas the 5.7L was guzzling while this was going on.

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[Wendy]

I agree it is too slow, especially when Elaine opens up in front of you or someone change his lanes. It responds too slowly to aggressively once it does.. it also accelerates way harder than necessary once it finally starts to move, which was usually three or four seconds too late. I am a mechanic and a CDL. A holder , I drive Town plow trucks and lots of heavy equipment.. when you’re driving a big rig you need to be looking way ahead. I am accustomed to this and I do it in everything I drive. For this reason along, I can’t even use Ford system. It is so reactive. Honestly, I feel this system promotes car crashes because they will be all kinds of people in front of you slowing down and you’ll see all the brake lights on and if you’re looking your head like you’re supposed to be that your clue to lift off the throttle and prepare to break, but the truck just keeps
Barreling forward , it doesn’t even apply the brakes until it’s too late. It’s already too close and while it’s not gonna hit the car in front of it, it’s gonna force it to do almost an emergency breaking situation and this happens every single time you get a bottle back in front of you. It’s no good for your vehicle. It’s no good for your mental being and if the roads are white, it’s scary.. I think they should get rid of the system until they can make it better. It’s just too slow to react and It cannot see far enough ahead.

I think you should be worried if Elaine is driving in front of you

I never had CDL, but I used to drive a vanpool. And the desire there was to keep all passengers asleep! Except of course if you had a beef with one of them.

 

[JRDM2]

I agree it could use some refinement.

That gap setting doesn't change as much as you'd think but the four bar gap is too big and it still slams on the brakes harder than it needs to. Especially when it thinks someone is "ahead" but they're actually leaving the lane and slowing down while doing so.

 

[rizzomeister]

I just drove 1000 miles of mostly freeway and it was my first time using ACC with any vehicle. I did enjoy it immensely. My only regret was not having bluecruise. The nagging voice telling me to keep my hand on the wheel, even though I was, was pretty annoying.

 

[JRDM2]

I just drove 1000 miles of mostly freeway and it was my first time using ACC with any vehicle. I did enjoy it immensely. My only regret was not having bluecruise. The nagging voice telling me to keep my hand on the wheel, even though I was, was pretty annoying.

Right. That's a drag and what it's actually looking for is control input not your hands on the actual wheel. I wish they phrased that better because it can't detect the presence or location of your hands. Minor steering input force every few seconds is enough to keep the warning at bay. It doesn't have to be enough input force to noticeably steer the vehicle.

 

[roddiaz1]

I think the BlueCruise on the Mach-E (1.5?) is a bit smother than the Lightning’s 1.4 BC. Specifically, I think it is less aggressive or jerky. Not sure why there is such a difference between 1.4 and 1.5 (and 1.3, for that matter). Oh, well.

 

[leejimerson]

This is my first vehicle with ACC, so maybe they are all this way, but I feel like it both accelerates and brakes harder than I'd like at times due to not looking far enough ahead. It often maintains speed until it gets fairly close to a slowed or stopped car, then hits the brakes hard enough to make passengers feel an uncomfortable jolt. I'd rather it start letting off the accelerator earlier and slow down gradually as it approaches the lead car.
Then there are the times that the car in front of me finally makes it's left turn, so the truck quickly tries to get back up to the speed limit. As a human driver looking ahead I can see that we've got less than a block before we have to stop behind another vehicle at the traffic light, so I wouldn't hit the pedal so hard trying to get up to speed. The ACC just sees that the road in front of the truck is clear though and accellerates quickly then hits the brakes hard as the truck approaches the next stopped car in front of it.

I know the ACC is strictly radar based, so it can't analyze the road ahead visually, but I wish it were paying attention to obstacles a little further out than it does. I've got the follow distance set to the max setting, but it still waits too long to react and then does so too quickly. It almost feels like I've got a teenager on a learner's permit driving...

I regularly disengage ACC when I know it’s going to have a sudden braking issue. Before, I just let it do its thing and knew it was going to do harsh braking. At least it’s consistent.
But I have USAA Safe Pilot, which monitors my driving and cell phone usage while driving, which gives me about a 25% discount.. USAA Safe Pilot would regularly ding me for harsh braking while using ACC. So USAA’s Safe Pilot doesn’t like how Ford’s ACC drives Until Ford’s ACC gets better, I’ll just continue to use it manual-matically. It’s better than not having it. Just need to use it with its current limitations in mind.

 

[Effonefiddy Lightning]

This is my first vehicle with ACC, so maybe they are all this way, but I feel like it both accelerates and brakes harder than I'd like at times due to not looking far enough ahead. It often maintains speed until it gets fairly close to a slowed or stopped car, then hits the brakes hard enough to make passengers feel an uncomfortable jolt. I'd rather it start letting off the accelerator earlier and slow down gradually as it approaches the lead car.
Then there are the times that the car in front of me finally makes it's left turn, so the truck quickly tries to get back up to the speed limit. As a human driver looking ahead I can see that we've got less than a block before we have to stop behind another vehicle at the traffic light, so I wouldn't hit the pedal so hard trying to get up to speed. The ACC just sees that the road in front of the truck is clear though and accellerates quickly then hits the brakes hard as the truck approaches the next stopped car in front of it.

I know the ACC is strictly radar based, so it can't analyze the road ahead visually, but I wish it were paying attention to obstacles a little further out than it does. I've got the follow distance set to the max setting, but it still waits too long to react and then does so too quickly. It almost feels like I've got a teenager on a learner's permit driving...

Yes. And its so irritating.

 

[ItzElectric]

Have you driven other cars with ACC? Toyota about throws you through the windshield, and then redlines the engine to catchup. Ford has the best implementation of all self driving features in my option. I rent cars regularly for business travel, so I sample other manufucturers frequently. Hyundai and Kia are runners up, then Subaru, then GM. Honda, Toyota are the worst. I rarely get german cars since most rental companys don't carry them due to the low quality/high repair rate (I'm assuming).

I’ll have to disagree on this. I just came from a 2021 Toyota Venza and the ACC was butter smooth compared to the 2022 Lightning Platinum I just purchased. I drive a lot of miles, around 3k a month for work. And I have to totally agree with OP on how aggressive and rudimentary Ford’s system is compared to the Venza. Maybe because they are built in Japan??

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