Dubai Police want drivers to remain calm and not to panic if the cruise control of their vehicle malfunctions. This came after the police rescued a motorist whose vehicle failed to respond as he was cruising on the Sheikh Zayed Road towards Abu Dhabi.
Almost all cars are now equipped with cruise control system, which locks the accelerator at one speed and drivers can take the foot off the pedal and relax. But there have been instances in the past when the electric system malfunctioned and the authorities jumped in to rescue the drivers.
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In an advisory, Dubai Police urged motorists always to wear their seatbelts to ensure their safety. If the electric system fails, a driver must switch on the hazard lights and immediately contact the emergency number 999, explaining the dire situation.
If a driver experiences this malfunction, Dubai Police urged them to follow the below steps:
1. Put the gear on N (neutral), turn off the engine, and restart it immediately.
2. For more modern models, motorists should push and suppress the start button for a long time until the engine turns off.
3. If that fails, motorists should put the gear on N (neutral) and push on the brakes firmly and steadily until the car eventually stops.
4. If the previous method also fails, they should slowly pull up the handbrake while firmly holding the steering wheel.
5. If all methods fail, motorists must change the gear setting between N and D (drive) repeatedly.
6. If any of the previous methods work before a patrol car reaches, the police said that a motorist should stop the car off the road and make sure he/ she is safe and wait for the arrival of the concerned units.
What is a cruise control
Cruise control is a feature in cars that comes in handy when you drive at a constant speed. It is an electric system that allows you to set your car to a specific speed, letting you take your foot off the accelerator pedal. So, it can ease foot-fatigue and stress over a long drive.
Another great benefit to using cruise control is that you are going to have greater fuel efficiency. Your vehicle will consume much less fuel if you cruise at a steady speed rather than accelerating at each section of the open road. When you accelerate sharply, it makes your engine use more energy, and you could be using 60% more fuel than one who uses cruise control.
According to Kia, the leading edge of cruise control today is adaptive cruise control. Just as conventional cruise control, adaptive cruise control allows you to set a desired travel speed. But the difference is that the adaptive cruise control maintains a safe distance between the car in front of you and your car at a consistent pace by using the forward-mounted sensors.
For instance, if the car ahead of your vehicle begins to slow, adaptive cruise control will use the engine brake to automatically slow the pace of your vehicle and maintain the selected distance.