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Active Cruise with Stop & Go

2K views 10 replies 7 participants last post by  aman27 
#1 ·
I am looking into buying a used 5 series - one of the reason being the availability of the active cruise with stop and go. I drive a lot of miles every day, mostly highways with some areas of heavy traffic, and I think this feature can help. My questions are

What was the earliest model 5 series (2007 or 2008) that offered the stop & go?
&
Those who own a 5 series with this feature, how is the experience using it in actual stop and go traffic?

Thanks
 
#2 ·
Active Cruise Control (541) was available on E60s as early as 2004... with auto trans. Very good for stop and go traffic; hi and lo speed.
 
#3 ·
I think the Active Cruise Control was available longer than the Stop and Go feature, but I'm not sure about that.

Anyway, about the experience - I have it and I would not buy another daily driver without it. It works very well even in the heavy rush-hour traffic around Washington DC. It took a while to build up confidence in it to the point where I would allow it to manage my brakes, but it does a better job than I do, especially when the car in front suddenly slows down. In that case, it manages the braking profile in a way that minimizes your chances of being rear-ended.

It works equally well on the open road. On long 4-hour trips I can set and forget, although I usually take over from time to time to stay engaged. I get excellent fuel economy with it, much better than I do by managing the systems myself.

The one and only complaint I have about it is that in the interest of safety, it can be very aggressive about maintaining the distance to the car in front. Let's say someone cuts in front of you. It will immediately slow down and maybe even brake to maintain distance. Of course, all that means is some other d*k will cut in front of you now, and the process repeats. So in d*k-heavy traffic, either reduce the following distance or take over manually until you reach a d*k-free zone. I guess the Germans engineered it with German drivers in mind.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Do keep its limitations in mind at all times. It cannot detect a car that is already stopped when the radar senses it. If you are approaching a red light where cars are already stopped, you MUST take over or you will be unhappy. If the car in front of you is moving and then stops at a red light, you are fine. Your car will stop behind it. But if the car in front suddenly changes lanes at the last moment, exposing an already stopped car, you must take over. Just keep in mind - cannot detect already stopped vehicles, only moving vehicles that then stop.

Always be aware of the "vehicle detected" icon and make sure it is on when you think it should be on. Like an autopilot on a commercial jetliner, it is still up to you to make sure that its actions conform to your mental picture of what should be happening. A HUD will make it that much easier to pay attention to the "vehicle detected" icon. I don't have a HUD, but I wish I had ordered one.

Also, if you are stopped for more than a few seconds, you must manually move off by pressing a button. You will be reminded by the green cruise control light on the speedometer turning orange. Just push the cruise control resume button when the car in front takes off and your car will also take off safely.

Finally, remember to disengage as you leave an interstate to enter the exit ramp.
 
#5 ·
Just confirming that the stop and go feature was added at a later date than 2004. I know for sure that the LCI cars have it (2008+ model year) but I seem to remember that it was also on cars just prior to the LCI (maybe 2007 model year cars...)
 
#7 ·
I think "Stop and Go" was added with MY2008.

Anyway, I'll repeat what one poster has already said. The major issue I have with this system is that it doesn't follow close enough. I know that sounds stupid and unsafe but at the minimum following distance it is a ripe opportunity for people to cut in.
 
#8 ·
Thanks to all for your advices..I am getting a feeling that even the active cruise (without the stop & go) would achieve a good deal of benefit in highway driving.

One question though, do you set the following distance in #of feet or in # of seconds at whatever speed you are at? Please forgive if this is too stupid of a question
 
#10 ·
Thanks to all for your advices..I am getting a feeling that even the active cruise (without the stop & go) would achieve a good deal of benefit in highway driving.

One question though, do you set the following distance in #of feet or in # of seconds at whatever speed you are at? Please forgive if this is too stupid of a question
There are four settings for distance and they are based in seconds, not feet...
 
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