Speed regulator

The speed regulator is a system equipping the motor vehicles, intended to stabilize the speed of the vehicle automatically or to fix a maximum speed not to be exceeded (one speaks then about limiter speed ). The driver fixes the speed to which he wants to roll and the electronics of the system manages the mode of rotation of the engine to maintain speed definite.

Invented in 1945 by the inventor and Engineer American mechanic Ralph Teetor, the first speed regulator was installed in the Chrysler Imperial in 1958. In XXIe century, majority of the vehicles marketed with the E. - U. are equipped with it.

This system is ideal on long distances and on highway, it also generally allows an optimal use of fuel consumption. It also makes it possible to avoid the excess speed.

Operation

The system is made up mainly:

Of a velocity pick-up of the vehicle, placed at the level of a wheel (possibly coupled with the detector of blocking ABS), or at exit of the gear box;
Of a Servomechanism or Actuator by taking over accelerator pedal;
Of a electronic Calculator.

The system carries out only the corrections of the driving mode according to the profile of the road, accelerating in the rises and slowing down by making driving brake in the descents. The driver has one or more orders, preferably at the wheel on only one lever, enabling him to activate the regulator, to choose its cruising speed, and to return to the traditional mode.

Various functions can be added, like the return in mode regulation after a mode switch-over traditional, the choice of the limiting device mode rather than regulating, for example.

The most recent vehicles not having more cable of accelerator, it is the micro engine of throttle control which is directly ordered by the general calculator of the vehicle, which provides from now on many other functions by managing all the electronic .

Safety measures

Many safety measures are coupled with this system, thus it is impossible that it only engages, an action on: (I) the brake pedals, (II) the accelerator, (III) the clutch (for the manual gear boxes) or (iv) the lever of selection speeds, decontaminate the regulator immediately and make pass by again the vehicle in traditional mode of control. Generally, the system cannot be engaged before to have reached a sufficient speed (from 50 to 70 km/h), and is active only for the higher reports/ratios of box.

Training

Control under speed regulator, although presenting not difficulties particular (according to the various provisions of the orders which is not standardized yet), requires some small behavioral adaptations however. The control of the vehicle always having to remain with the driver, its attention should not be slackened. Usual orders of the vehicle: brake, clutch and, generally, the accelerator, must keep at the driver their function “reflex”, because in the event of problem, by decontaminating the regulator automatically, they will take again their traditional operation.

The principal difference in mode of control comes owing to the fact that in the traditional case, when the driver actuates the accelerator of a vehicle, it orders the couple engine and that it is its brain which calculates the corrections to be brought according to the profile and of the state of the road (and of many other parameters); the speed regulator, while seeking to maintain speed constant, and only this parameter, reduces the driver only of this load.

However, by releasing the driver of the obsession of the going beyond authorized speed limits and, while enabling him to defer the part of its attention formerly reserved for this task to the other aspects of driving of a car, and to adopt a control more slackened definitely, the speed regulator constitutes a great progress in the field of safety.

In the descents rather stiff the system atteind its limits, the driver must is to retrogress on the lower report/ratio and, if necessary, to slow down by the traditional means. It is not advisable to maintain the system in function, as soon as circulation densified or on sinuous road. Its use is completely excluded downtown.

New functionalities

A recent development allows, with the coupling with a Radar anti-collision, additional projections in the field of safety. It is from now on possible to fix a limiting distance from safety with the preceding vehicle and to prohibit crossing of it. Moreover, by the measurement of the rate of variation the speed of the preceding vehicle (deceleration) an alarm can be started, active even until the activation of the brakes of the following vehicle.

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