Unexpected acceleration

[MightyMike]

So I was pulling into a parking spot the other day, and I was turning the wheel and my palm accidentally pressed the cruise control (blue cruise) button. I wasn't going more than 10 or 15 mph, but it set the speed anyway.

Then when I took my foot off the brake (with one-pedal drive turned on) it kept velocity to what the speed was set at .

Obviously I was expecting it to slow quickly, and it didn't, and I had to jam on the brakes.

No harm, but in other cars I recall there being a 2 step process to set the cruise control (or a minimum speed you must be at for it to take affect).

This feels like an operability problem.

Anyone else seen this?

Mike

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[JohnFoxeSheets]

So I was pulling into a parking spot the other day, and I was turning the wheel and my palm accidentally pressed the cruise control (blue cruise) button. I wasn't going more than 10 or 15 mph, but it set the speed anyway.

Then when I took my foot off the brake (with one-pedal drive turned on) it kept velocity to what the speed was set at .

Obviously I was expecting it to slow quickly, and it didn't, and I had to jam on the brakes.

No harm, but in other cars I recall there being a 2 step process to set the cruise control (or a minimum speed you must be at for it to take affect).

This feels like an operability problem.

Anyone else seen this?

Mike

Hmmm. Cruise control should not engage at speeds under 15 MPH, but you said you were driving 10 or 15 MPH, so maybe you were coming in hot? But the thing that I don't get is that press the brake should cancel Cruise Control, so if you let your foot off the brake, the cruise control should have been canceled...?

As for one vs two step process, in the MME a single press of the cruise control button on the steering wheel will activate it as long as either you're going greater than 15 MPH or you're stopped with a car is in front of you.

I suggest you thoroughly read about cruise control in the owners manual. It's a great feature, but a lot can go wrong if not used correctly.

 

[Sam2084]

Add it to the list of why I don’t use 1PD.

 

[Mach-Lee]

So I was pulling into a parking spot the other day, and I was turning the wheel and my palm accidentally pressed the cruise control (blue cruise) button. I wasn't going more than 10 or 15 mph, but it set the speed anyway.

Then when I took my foot off the brake (with one-pedal drive turned on) it kept velocity to what the speed was set at .

Obviously I was expecting it to slow quickly, and it didn't, and I had to jam on the brakes.

No harm, but in other cars I recall there being a 2 step process to set the cruise control (or a minimum speed you must be at for it to take affect).

This feels like an operability problem.

Anyone else seen this?

Mike

There is a minimum set speed of 15 mph, so you must have been pulling into the parking spot at least that fast. Pay attention to where you put your thumbs on the wheel or slow down more before parking.

Post title is misleading, this was unintended cruise control activation, not acceleration (car didn't go any faster).

 

[newmme]

Sounds like a safety issue for sure.

 

[Tampamike]

Add it to the list of why I don’t use 1PD.

I din’t think 1pd had anything to do with it. He inadvertently turned cruise control on. It would do the same thing with 1PD on or off.

 

[Sam2084]

I din’t think 1pd had anything to do with it. He inadvertently turned cruise control on. It would do the same thing with 1PD on or off.

In 2PD their foot would’ve been on the brake already and CC would’ve never actually engaged since it would’ve cancelled instantly. If they were still coasting at slow speed they would be covering the brake pedal and could more quickly come to a stop. Covering the break pedal at slow speed is a huge safety advantage of 2PD.

 

[Jimrpa]

Assuming they were using adaptive cruise control, the system would have sensed an object in front and slowed or stopped. If there was no object in front, then the driver could have disengaged the system by hitting the brake (normal reaction to stop a car). Either way, I’m not sure I see the safety issue. Also, as others have noted, cruise control can’t be set below 15 MPH (unless you’re following another vehicle).

 

[benk016]

There is a minimum set speed of 15 mph, so you must have been pulling into the parking spot at least that fast. Pay attention to where you put your thumbs on the wheel or slow down more before parking.

Post title is misleading, this was unintended cruise control activation, not acceleration (car didn't go any faster).

I have turned on cruise at speeds much lower than 15mph and it engages, but sets to 15mph. It has definitely thrown me off when it happens.

 

[Vulnox]

It is driver error, not operability. I don't say that as a knock against you, we are all human and make driver errors. If I go to change my vent position and my palm accidentally hits the Start/Stop button and turns off the car while driving, that is human error, not operability. The car did what it was told.

Glad you are okay and nothing bad came of it, but I don't see this as a vehicle design issue. I am glad it's one button activation on initial turn on to set cruise. It never made sense that I had to turn on cruise each time and then do another action to set it. If I want cruise on then I am ready for it to be set. There can be that one in a million where you accidentally turn it on like this, but I would imagine in most cases you would realize you pressed a button.

 

[Mach-Lee]

I have turned on cruise at speeds much lower than 15mph and it engages, but sets to 15mph. It has definitely thrown me off when it happens.

OK, so I tested mine. Below 12 mph cruise will not set. Between 12-15 mph cruise will engage and be set to 15 mph. So there is a small acceleration window from 12-15 mph with a single button press.

 

[Tampamike]

In 2PD their foot would’ve been on the brake already and CC would’ve never actually engaged since it would’ve cancelled instantly. If they were still coasting at slow speed they would be covering the brake pedal and could more quickly come to a stop. Covering the break pedal at slow speed is a huge safety advantage of 2PD.

Lot of assumptions there. Maybe he would’ve been slowing down with his foot on the brake or maybe he would’ve been coasting and covering the brake pedal (like you do) or maybe neither of those things.

I get It. You hate 1PD. I love it. It’s not dangerous, IMHO. You moderate your speed constantly for the conditions with the go pedal. When you need to slow down more, you use the brake pedal as necessary. I haven’t hit anything yet.

 

[benk016]

OK, so I tested mine. Below 12 mph cruise will not set. Between 12-15 mph cruise will engage and be set to 15 mph. So there is a small acceleration window from 12-15 mph with a single button press.

Well, maybe it wasn't "much" lower. Haha. I know it surprised me to engage at the speed I was going when it started taking off while my foot wasn't touching the accelerator.

 

[Nemy]

OK, so I tested mine. Below 12 mph cruise will not set. Between 12-15 mph cruise will engage and be set to 15 mph. So there is a small acceleration window from 12-15 mph with a single button press.

My wife has the car so I can't test it but I'm fairly certain I've activated it below this. But that's what I want - where I'm in stop and go and need to activate it and it defaults to 15mph. So I agree this thread is about user error vs. a safety issue.

I'm also confused because OP says his foot was coming off the brake but he was also in 1PD and parking... I don't think I've ever touched the brake pedal parking in 1PD. Either way, it would've happened 1PD or not since his foot was coming off the pedal. And I actually think at slow speeds, 1PD has an advantage. It starts decelerating as soon as the pedal is lifted instead of coasting until the brake pedal is engaged.

 

[Sam2084]

Lot of assumptions there. Maybe he would’ve been slowing down with his foot on the brake or maybe he would’ve been coasting and covering the brake pedal (like you do) or maybe neither of those things.

I get It. You hate 1PD. I love it. It’s not dangerous, IMHO. You moderate your speed constantly for the conditions with the go pedal. When you need to slow down more, you use the brake pedal as necessary. I haven’t hit anything yet.

It’s actually pretty cut and dry. Since he was attempting to park, he would’ve had his foot on/near the brake or he’d crash, there aren’t other options here.

There have been a lot of instances of unintended acceleration that caused collisions with walls, garages, and parking barriers and they have pretty much all been with people using 1pd. It most likely won’t happen to you, but is that worth the risk?

I don’t hate 1pd. Just don’t see the point. It makes sense for Tesla since they don’t have blended braking and want to take advantage of regen. The Mach e has blended braking though so what’s the advantage of 1pd? Given 2PD makes it easier to coast and therefore be more efficient, it’s really no contest.

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