Lexus ES: Dynamic radar cruise control with full-speed range

In vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode, the vehicle automatically accelerates, decelerates and stops to match the speed changes of the preceding vehicle even if the accelerator pedal is not depressed.

Use the dynamic radar cruise control with full-speed range on freeways and highways.

• Vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode
• Constant speed control mode

System Components

■ Meter display

1. Multi-information display
2. Set speed
3. Indicators

■ Operation switches

1. Vehicle-to-vehicle distance switch
2. +RES switch
3. Cruise control main switch
4. Cancel switch
5. -SET switch

WARNING

■Before using dynamic radar cruise control with full-speed range

• Driving safely is the sole responsibility of the driver. Do not rely solely on the system, and drive safely by always paying careful attention to your surroundings.
• The dynamic radar cruise control with full-speed range provides driving assistance to reduce the driver's burden.

  However, there are limitations to the assistance provided.

  Read the following conditions carefully.

  Do not overly rely on this system and always drive carefully.

  • When the sensor may not be correctly detecting the vehicle ahead
  • Conditions under which the vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode may not function correctly
• Set the speed appropriately depending on the speed limit, traffic flow, road conditions, weather conditions, etc.

  The driver is responsible for checking the set speed.

• Even when the system is functioning normally, the condition of the preceding vehicle as detected by the system may differ from the condition observed by the driver. Therefore, the driver must always remain alert, assess the danger of each situation and drive safely. Relying solely on this system or assuming the system ensures safety while driving can lead to an accident, resulting in death or serious injury.
• Switch the dynamic radar cruise control with full-speed range setting to off, using the cruise control main switch when not in use.

■Cautions regarding the driving assist systems Observe the following precautions, as there are limitations to the assistance provided by the system.

Failure to do so may cause an accident resulting in death or serious injury.

• Assisting the driver to measure following distance
  The dynamic radar cruise control with full-speed range is only intended to help the driver in determining the following distance between the driver's own vehicle and a designated vehicle traveling ahead. It is not a mechanism that allows careless or inattentive driving, and it is not a system that can assist the driver in low-visibility conditions.

  It is still necessary for driver to pay close attention to the vehicle's surroundings.

• Assisting the driver to judge proper following distance
  The dynamic radar cruise control with full-speed range determines whether the following distance between the driver's own vehicle and a designated vehicle traveling ahead is within a set range. It is not capable of making any other type of judgement. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary for the driver to remain vigilant and to determine whether or not there is a possibility of danger in any given situation.
• Assisting the driver to operate the vehicle
  The dynamic radar cruise control with full-speed range does not include functions which will prevent or avoid collisions with vehicles ahead of your vehicle. Therefore, if there is ever any possibility of danger, the driver must take immediate and direct control of the vehicle and act appropriately in order to ensure the safety of all involved.

■Situations unsuitable for dynamic radar cruise control with full-speed range Do not use dynamic radar cruise control with full-speed range in any of the following situations.

Doing so may result in inappropriate speed control and could cause an accident resulting in death or serious injury.

• Roads where there are pedestrians, cyclists, etc.
• In heavy traffic
• On roads with sharp bends
• On winding roads
• On slippery roads, such as those covered with rain, ice or snow
• On steep downhills, or where there are sudden changes between sharp up and down gradients
  Vehicle speed may exceed the set speed when driving down a steep hill.
• At entrances to freeways and highways
• When weather conditions are bad enough that they may prevent the sensors from detecting correctly (fog, snow, sandstorm, heavy rain, etc.)
• When there is rain, snow, etc. on the front surface of the radar or front camera
• In traffic conditions that require frequent repeated acceleration and deceleration
• During emergency towing
• When an approach warning buzzer is heard often

Driving in vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode

This mode employs a radar to detect the presence of vehicles up to approximately 328 ft. (100 m) ahead, determines the current vehicle-to-vehicle following distance, and operates to maintain a suitable following distance from the vehicle ahead. The desired vehicle-to-vehicle distance can also be set by operating the vehicle-to-vehicle distance switch.

When driving on downhill slopes, the vehicle-to-vehicle distance may become shorter.

1. Example of constant speed cruising
   When there are no vehicles ahead

The vehicle travels at the speed set by the driver.

2. Example of deceleration cruising and follow-up cruising
   When a preceding vehicle driving slower than the set speed appears

When a vehicle is detected running ahead of you, the system automatically decelerates your vehicle. When a greater reduction in vehicle speed is necessary, the system applies the brakes (the stop lights will come on at this time). The system will respond to changes in the speed of the vehicle ahead in order to maintain the vehicle-to-vehicle distance set by the driver. Approach warning warns you when the system cannot decelerate sufficiently to prevent your vehicle from closing in on the vehicle ahead.

When the vehicle ahead of you stops, your vehicle will also stop (vehicle is stopped by system control). After the vehicle ahead starts off, pressing the +RES switch or depressing the accelerator pedal (start-off operation) will resume follow-up cruising. If the start-off operation is not performed, system control continues to keep your vehicle stopped.

When the turn signal lever is operated and your vehicle moves to a left lane while driving at 50 mph (80 km/h) or more, the vehicle will quickly accelerate to help to overtake a passing vehicle.

3. Example of acceleration
   When there are no longer any preceding vehicles driving slower than the set speed

The system accelerates until the set speed is reached. The system then returns to constant speed cruising.

Setting the vehicle speed (vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode)

1. Press the cruise control main switch to activate the cruise control.

Dynamic radar cruise control indicator will come on and a message will be displayed on the multi-information display. Press the switch again to deactivate the cruise control.

If the cruise control main switch is pressed and held for 1.5 seconds or more, the system turns on in constant speed control mode.

2. Accelerate or decelerate, with accelerator pedal operation, to the desired vehicle speed (at or above approximately 20 mph [30 km/h]) and press the -SET switch to set the speed.

Cruise control "SET" indicator will come on.

The vehicle speed at the moment the switch is released becomes the set speed.

Adjusting the set speed

To change the set speed, press the +RES or -SET switch until the desired set speed is displayed.

1. Increases the speed

(Except when the vehicle has been stopped by system control in vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode)

2. Decreases the speed

Fine adjustment: Press the switch.

Large adjustment: Press and hold the switch to change the speed, and release when the desired speed is reached.

In the vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode, the set speed will be increased or decreased as follows:

For the U.S. mainland and Hawaii

Fine adjustment: By 1 mph (1.6 km/h)*1 or 1 km/h (0.6 mph)*2 each time the switch is pressed
Large adjustment: Increases or decreases in 1mph (1.6 km/h)*1 or 1 km/h (0.6 mph)*2 increments for as long as the switch is held

Except for the U.S. mainland and Hawaii

Fine adjustment: By 1 mph (1.6 km/h)*1 or 1 km/h (0.6 mph)*2 each time the switch is pressed
Large adjustment: Increases or decreases in 5 mph (8 km/h)*1 or 5 km/h (3.1 mph)*2 increments for as long as the switch is held
In the constant speed control mode, the set speed will be increased or decreased as follows: Fine adjustment: By 1 mph (1.6 km/h)*1 or 1 km/h (0.6 mph)*2 each time the switch is pressed
Large adjustment: The speed will continue to change while the switch is held.

*1: When the set speed is shown in "MPH"
*2:When the set speed is shown in "km/h"

Changing the vehicle-to-vehicle distance depending on the situation.

distance (vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode)

Pressing the switch changes the vehicle- to-vehicle distance as follows:

1. Long
2. Medium
3. Short

The vehicle-to-vehicle distance is set automatically to long mode when the power switch is turned to ON mode.

If a vehicle is running ahead of you, the preceding vehicle mark A will also be displayed.

Vehicle-to-vehicle distance settings (vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode)

Select a distance from the table below.

Note that the distances shown correspond to a vehicle speed of 50 mph (80 km/h). Vehicle-to-vehicle distance increases/decreases in accordance with vehicle speed. When the vehicle is stopped by system control, the vehicle stops at a certain vehicle-to-vehicle distance depending on the situation.

Resuming follow-up cruising when the vehicle has been stopped by system control (vehicle- to-vehicle distance control mode)

After the vehicle ahead of you starts off, press the +RES switch.

Your vehicle will also resume follow-up cruising if the accelerator pedal is depressed after the vehicle ahead of you starts off.

Canceling and resuming the speed control

1. Pressing the cancel switch cancels the speed control.

The speed control is also canceled when the brake pedal is depressed.

(When the vehicle has been stopped by system control, depressing the brake pedal does not cancel the setting.)

2. Pressing the +RES switch resumes the cruise control and returns vehicle speed to the set speed.

Approach warning (vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode)

When your vehicle is too close to a vehicle ahead, and sufficient automatic deceleration via the cruise control is not possible, the display will flash and the buzzer will sound to alert the driver.

An example of this would be if another driver cuts in front of you while you are following a vehicle. Depress the brake pedal to ensure an appropriate vehicle- to-vehicle distance.

■ Warnings may not occur when In the following instances, warnings may not occur even when the vehicleto- vehicle distance is small.

• When the speed of the preceding vehicle matches or exceeds your vehicle speed
• When the preceding vehicle is traveling at an extremely slow speed
• Immediately after the cruise control speed was set
• When depressing the accelerator pedal

Selecting constant speed control mode

When constant speed control mode is selected, your vehicle will maintain a set speed without controlling the vehicle- to-vehicle distance. Select this mode only when vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode does not function correctly due to a dirty radar, etc.

1. With the cruise control off, press and hold the cruise control main switch for 1.5 seconds or more.

Immediately after the switch is pressed, the dynamic radar cruise control indicator will come on. Afterwards, it switches to the cruise control indicator.

Switching to constant speed control mode is only possible when operating the switch with the cruise control off.

2. Accelerate or decelerate, with accelerator pedal operation, to the desired vehicle speed (at or above approximately 20 mph [30 km/h]) and press the -SET switch to set the speed.

Cruise control "SET" indicator will come on.

The vehicle speed at the moment the switch is released becomes the set speed.

■Dynamic radar cruise control with fullspeed range can be set when

• The shift lever is in D.
• The desired set speed can be set when the vehicle speed is approximately 20 mph (30 km/h) or more. (However, when the vehicle speed is set while driving at below approximately 20 mph [30 km/h], the set speed will be set to approximately 20 mph [30 km/h].)

■Accelerating after setting the vehicle speed The vehicle can accelerate by operating the accelerator pedal. After accelerating, the set speed resumes. However, during vehicle- to-vehicle distance control mode, the vehicle speed may decrease below the set speed in order to maintain the distance to the preceding vehicle.

■When the vehicle stops while follow-up cruising

• Pressing the +RES switch while the vehicle ahead stops will resume follow-up cruising if the vehicle ahead starts off within approximately 3 seconds after the switch is pressed.
• If the vehicle ahead starts off within 3 seconds after your vehicle stops, follow-up cruising will be resumed.

■Automatic cancelation of vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode Vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode is automatically canceled in the following situations.

• VSC is activated.
• TRAC is activated for a period of time.
• When the VSC or TRAC system is turned off.
• The sensor cannot detect correctly because it is covered in some way.
• Pre-collision braking is activated.
• The parking brake is operated.
• The vehicle is stopped by system control on a steep incline.
• The following are detected when the vehicle has been stopped by system control:
  • The driver is not wearing a seat belt.
  • The driver's door is opened.
  • The vehicle has been stopped for about 3 minutes

If vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode is automatically canceled for any reasons other than the above, there may be a malfunction in the system. Contact your Lexus dealer.

■Automatic cancelation of constant speed control mode Constant speed control mode is automatically canceled in the following situations:

• Actual vehicle speed is more than approximately 10 mph (16 km/h) below the set vehicle speed.
• Actual vehicle speed falls below approximately 20 mph (30 km/h).
• VSC is activated.
• TRAC is activated for a period of time.
• When the VSC or TRAC system is turned off.
• Pre-collision braking is activated.

If constant speed control mode is automatically canceled for any reasons other than the above, there may be a malfunction in the system. Contact your Lexus dealer.

■Brake operation A brake operation sound may be heard and the brake pedal response may change, but these are not malfunctions.

■Warning messages and buzzers for dynamic radar cruise control with fullspeed range Warning messages and buzzers are used to indicate a system malfunction or to inform the driver of the need for caution while driving.

If a warning message is shown on the multi-information display, read the message and follow the instructions.

■When the sensor may not be correctly detecting the vehicle ahead In the case of the following and depending on the conditions, operate the brake pedal when deceleration of the system is insufficient or operate the accelerator pedal when acceleration is required.

As the sensor may not be able to correctly detect these types of vehicles, the approach warning may not be activated.

• Vehicles that cut in suddenly
• Vehicles traveling at low speeds
• Vehicles that are not moving in the same lane
• Vehicles with small rear ends (trailers with no load on board, etc.)

• Motorcycles traveling in the same lane
• When water or snow thrown up by the surrounding vehicles hinders the detecting of the sensor
• When your vehicle is pointing upwards (caused by a heavy load in the luggage compartment, etc.)

• Preceding vehicle has an extremely high ground clearance

■Conditions under which the vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode may not function correctly In the case of the following conditions, operate the brake pedal (or accelerator pedal, depending on the situation) as necessary.

As the sensor may not be able to correctly detect vehicles ahead, the system may not operate properly.

• When the road curves or when the lanes are narrow

• When steering wheel operation or your position in the lane is unstable

• When the vehicle ahead of you decelerates suddenly
• When driving on a road surrounded by a structure, such as in a tunnel or on a bridge
• While the vehicle speed is decreasing to the set speed after the vehicle accelerates by depressing the accelerator pedal

READ NEXT: