Your car’s cruise control might not follow QLD safety guidelines, finds study

Adaptive cruise control (ACC) systems in many of the most popular cars in Queensland might not adhere to the State Government's safe following distance recommendations, according to new research from the University of the Sunshine Coast.

ACC is a feature in modern cars that adjusts a driver's selected cruising speed to maintain a designated gap with the car ahead.

The study, led by Dr Michelle Nicolls from the MAIC/UniSC Road Safety Research Collaboration, found that just two of the 20 car manufacturers analysed had available settings that expressly followed Queensland guidelines.

"The Queensland Government recommends maintaining at least a two-second gap between you and the vehicle in front," Dr Nicolls said.

"But the majority of vehicle manuals explored in our study either did not specify what gap they employed or used metres to describe gap distances, which may make it difficult for drivers to set their car to follow the guidelines.

"It's possible that many drivers aren't aware of the discrepancy, given the lack of clarity and specifics listed in car manuals."

It's not the only unsafe way motorists might be using the technology either.