artificial_airspeed
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- Joined
- Aug 1, 2021
- Threads
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- Location
- Fort Worth, Texas
- Vehicles
- 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning | Lariat SR
- Thread starter
- #1
Let’s talk about default cruise control behaviors in our Lightning’s. My thoughts are based on my vehicle in its present state August 2024. My Lightning was fully updated all available modules via FDRS as of March 2024.
Cold Start Scenario: The truck has been sitting overnight on the charger, 1st startup of the day. All vehicle available driver aids are enabled in the configuration. The cruise control system is completely off, not armed (ready state w/o set speed), but completely off. Lane related driver aids are off.
Open to feedback and suggestions from others experiences. I’m not a ‘my way is the highway’ kind of guy by any means. I do hold the opinion that Ford is an oddball in terms of the above behaviors.
@Ford Motor Company
Cold Start Scenario: The truck has been sitting overnight on the charger, 1st startup of the day. All vehicle available driver aids are enabled in the configuration. The cruise control system is completely off, not armed (ready state w/o set speed), but completely off. Lane related driver aids are off.
- Most vehicles I’ve had in the past, the cruise control system wasn’t completely turned off every time the vehicle was turned off. Most vehicles return the cruise control system to an armed condition so it’s ready to set a speed when the vehicle is driven next time. Ford should consider implementing this convenient behavior.
- Takeaway: If Cruise Control was in an armed state when the vehicle was turned off. Keep it in an armed state for the next drive cycle. If Cruise Control was off, leave it off. These are basic startup states, make it happen! The extra step of turning the system on and then setting a speed is minor but unnecessary.
- Yes I know if you wait to engage cruise control until at speed, it will automatically set the speed. Armed startup states makes sense though right?
- Takeaway: If Cruise Control was in an armed state when the vehicle was turned off. Keep it in an armed state for the next drive cycle. If Cruise Control was off, leave it off. These are basic startup states, make it happen! The extra step of turning the system on and then setting a speed is minor but unnecessary.
- Additionally, if Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS) was turned off when the vehicle was turned off, don’t automatically turn it back on when the next drive cycle occurs. Leave it off. I’ll turn it on when needed. The default ON condition of the LKAS causes erratic behavior once cruise control is engaged. It always catches me off guard because it tries to grab the lane alignment and does something insensible and ignorant.
- Takeaway: As a safety and sanity suggestion for Ford Drivers, always default the Lane Keeping Assist System to OFF at the end and beginning of a drive cycle. The system is erratic and unpredictable when engaged in a suboptimal lane position, poor road markings, or in-climate conditions. It is an easy command for the driver to turn on LKAS when ready.
- Blue Cruise Activation: There are several ways that I think this could be done better, in terms of user experience. The Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS) button on the steering wheel could be cycled through for different levels of driver aids. As stated previously, the default startup state for a drive cycle should be OFF. Next, for a vehicle in motion…
- 1st press of activation button on steering wheel: Standard Lane Keeping Assist (LKAS)
- 2nd press: Lane Keeping Assist System with Lane Centering
- Conditional Blue Cruise Activation, indicate to the drive that Blue Cruise is available and then 3rd press: Blue Cruise activates.
- If Blue Cruise becomes unavailable, revert to next lowest level (lane centering).
- If lane centering is unavailable, revert to lane keeping assist system (LKAS) base level.
- If LKAS is unavailable, your truck is probably broken…..
- Cruise Control Tolerance: Implement a driver adjustable cruise control tolerance and tuning interface. I have seen this in Hyundai/Genesis vehicles. It was very nice to be able to tune the speed tolerance of the adaptive cruise control. Ford seems to go for a very strict enforcement of set Speed. Within 1 or 2mph above the speed limit, it’s engaging brakes/regen. Seems like unnatural driving behavior and inserts unpredictability for other vehicles & drivers around you.
- Cruise Control tuning could include:
- Above and Below Speed Tolerance how fast above or below the set speed is acceptable.
- Reaction tuning, how aggressive is the response in maintaining a set speed.
- Braking reaction - unless there is a vehicle avoidance factor, let’s be a little less aggressive with slamming on the brakes to make sure the vehicle isn’t more than 1mph over set speed… Smh Ford…
- Acceleration, let’s calm down a little with that yeah? A little speed oscillation and variation is pretty normal when driving. It’s reasonable to expect this from everyone. Often I find my Lightning in a pattern of accelerating too much because it got behind on the set speed, but then the road elevation changes and it’s on the brakes too much to maintain within 1mph of the set speed.
- Adaptive Cruise Distance tolerance - allow there to be some space gained and lost between the preceding vehicle without aggressively reacting to maintain that 1ft of set distance.
- Cruise Control tuning could include:
Open to feedback and suggestions from others experiences. I’m not a ‘my way is the highway’ kind of guy by any means. I do hold the opinion that Ford is an oddball in terms of the above behaviors.
@Ford Motor Company
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