The great thing about the aftermarket is it corrects omissions of the designers and/or manufacturers. It also points to opportunities for the manufacturer to improve the customer experience.
Modifying the Smart to meet US requirements adds cost. Where do you compromise? What can you leave off to save a few hundred dollars and stay in the game?
Smart's timing entering the US market ahead of $3.50 - $5 per gallon gas suggests it is on the rise - beyond the quirky appeal of driving a car very few others have. It's in the right place at the right time. So, if it's going to stay in the US market now that it has entered, and spawn more competition, how do you add to that already full list of basic equipment? Add cruise control.
If the management of Smart is as smart as the car it created, it's listening to the discussion and taking notes. Even if they didn't respond in a satisfactory manner for everyone to the problem of delivery dates, they did respond. That's clearly the toughest problem. Which options or standard features are included as part of which packages, that seems to be a little easier. Perhaps the people who want the comfort package consider cruise control a comfort. Or it's a more universal preference and it should be offered as a free-standing option (or, better, made standard equipment).
Judge Smart by its response to market demand - the future - not some of the initial market judgments (mis-judgments) - the past. Drivers say they want cruise control - as an option or as standard equipment. Either make it easier for the aftermarket products or incorporate the best-in-class solution into the Smart.
The trouble is the US market is an aberration as far as cruise control goes. Big question for Smart: do the Italians want it? We're just a good new market, not their biggest.
The first generation smart had a cruise option from 2003-2006 and it was not all that uncommon in Europe. I have this in my car. The reason they haven't done one in the 451 is not certain, but surely it's not R&D cost, as the good aftermarket effort in the USA and Canada shows.
You never know. They might just be reading these posts and since the US is a BIG country. And ppl are driving more then just urban with their smarts, that they might offer it as an OPTION. If you pay 150 and have to install it yourself. Or just offer it as an OPTION and get it for same price. They make some money off it and you don't have the hassle.
I have no interest in CC, but for those who do, perhaps a complete OEM kit could be supplied by M-B/smart as a dealer-installed accessory. That way, the additional time involved in fitting the occassional CC wouldn't affect the assembly flow at smartville, and if Europe has no interest in the kits, send them all to the US and Canada.
For some reason which I cannot fathom, the smart fortwo is being marketed as a being a "city car" -- to the point that many casually looking at the brochures and website actually expect that it can't attain highway speeds. It's like they think that en extremely fuel-efficient, inexpensive car would only be appealing to someone with a 2 mile commute on 25mph roads. In that environment, the cruise control makes little sense.
I think that part of the reluctance to install a cruise control might be the much-maligned transmission. We've all felt the car lugging in the wrong gear and many of us have adapted by varying gas pedal pressure to "encourage" a downshift when necessary. With a cruise control, we could find our cars lugging themselves to death at 38mph in 5th for miles at a time.
For some reason which I cannot fathom, the smart fortwo is being marketed as a being a "city car" -- to the point that many casually looking at the brochures and website actually expect that it can't attain highway speeds. It's like they think that en extremely fuel-efficient, inexpensive car would only be appealing to someone with a 2 mile commute on 25mph roads. In that environment, the cruise control makes little sense.
I think that part of the reluctance to install a cruise control might be the much-maligned transmission. We've all felt the car lugging in the wrong gear and many of us have adapted by varying gas pedal pressure to "encourage" a downshift when necessary. With a cruise control, we could find our cars lugging themselves to death at 38mph in 5th for miles at a time.
Fortunately with the Area451 cruise control that hasn't been a problem, even in "D." But, if it is - say on a very, very steep hill- you can always shift to manual and change gear without disengaging the cc. Kudos to the designers.
Last edited by mvaldes; 10-03-2008 at 10:51 AM.
Reason: yet another glaring typo
My Area451 CC never lugs or searches for gears and I use it on hilly terrain at highway speeds every day....It is better than any other CC unit I've ever used at maintaining speed..... It's better than I am at keeping constant speed without lugging on hills and is increasing my mpg on my daily commute.... Don't knock it until you try it!
I wonder sometimes where folks get the notion that Europe does NOT desire or use Cruise Control
Fact: previous models of the smart fortwo and roadster had a CC from the factory
Fact: I have lived in Italy and Germany through much of the 70s, 80s, and 90s (5 tours and 13 years). I bought or rented many euro spec cars. All (Porshe, Audi, Opal, Ford, VW) had factory cruise control. There are many many areas where the device is used a lot. There are also some restricted sections of motorways (certain roads in Belgium) where the use is prohibited. READ for clarity, the USE is prohibited, not the CC ownership or vehicle it is installed in.
Fact: There are literally hundreds of thousands of smart fortwos on the road in central Europe. Every day, smart owners drive long distances at high speeds between major cities on the Autobahn, Autostrada, or other National highway systems
Why smart did not offer a CC on the 07~09 451 version is a mystery. Especially considering that all the logic and control is built into the ECU already (all that is missing is the operator controls and the enable code)
I am betting the 2010~2011 will see standard or optional CC on every smart version
For now, I too, have the Area451 CC on hand for one smart (install this weekend) and second CC coming for second smart in a month
V/R
Mr and Mrs von4s... truly lazy American smart owners
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