The Smart Car - not smart enough to have speed control
Quote:
Originally Posted by yamalude
I suppose the target location is any place other than California. It would be most challenging to drive in California and never drive on a freeway.
The real challenge is finding a freeway in a metropolitan area in California where you could drive long enough at constant speed that you could use speed/cruise control.
If you think about it, a very logical descion. The car was not planned to be a highway cruiser, its meant for congested traffic enviroments. I think alot of people misuse cruise control, it is only really meant for the open road, where there is no traffic whatsoever. Any type of traffic situation, even light should be a place where the driver controls the car, not the other way around.
If you think about it, a very logical descion. The car was not planned to be a highway cruiser, its meant for congested traffic enviroments. I think alot of people misuse cruise control, it is only really meant for the open road, where there is no traffic whatsoever. Any type of traffic situation, even light should be a place where the driver controls the car, not the other way around.
My daily commute is 14 miles each way of blissfully empty, single lane, state highway. The only other cars I see are State Troopers. Cruise control is a big plus!
I realise that this type of driving represents a gross misuse of a smart car anyway, and I deserve to be punished for living in such a beautiful and unconjested area....
If you think about it, a very logical descion. The car was not planned to be a highway cruiser, its meant for congested traffic enviroments. I think alot of people misuse cruise control, it is only really meant for the open road, where there is no traffic whatsoever. Any type of traffic situation, even light should be a place where the driver controls the car, not the other way around.
It is very much true that cruise controls should not be used in amongst traffic. Its for "cruising"... open road use. Highways, freeways and the like. But its an incredible misconception that the smart is not capable or suitable for that kind of driving. The smart is highly capable of freeway speeds and is perfectly safe on the open road. There are a couple hundred thousand of them on European highways every day, and another 10,000 on the Canadian freeways and here in the USA it will be no different.
Like MicroNut, I have a ~14 mile-each-way commute here in the Bay Area. I drive after rush hour and have been using cruise control to gain an extra 2 miles per gallon (by setting it to 65). I also use it in the same way for the occasional trips to San Francisco and points south. I was hoping the smart would have cruise control to see how much I could optimize highway mileage. It's the one option I'm going to miss.
while not used often, when desired to be used, its needed a lot.
it a basic std item today. the car should have it. unless it overburdens something in a small car, causing a shorter life, or worse mpg, etc., by having cruise control.
after all taxes and fees, the cabrio will be nearly a $20,000 vehicle. a few will be over $20,000.
a $20,000 vehicle seems like it should have old tech items like
cruise control,
driver arm rest,
digital ave mpg readout,
smooth solid tramsission, (whether manual or automatic, or semi-automatic manual) and, a
3 year warranty.
the lack of a cruise control, or lack of even an option for cruise control, makes one reminded of a possibly primitive, bare bones, low end, vehicle.
yet, it is a mercedes.
so,
its not low end,
nor primitive,
nor cheaply priced,
being near or over $20,000 out the door.
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