Comparative Analysis of Following Distances in Different Adaptive Cruise Control Systems at Steady Speeds

Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) systems have emerged as a significant advancement in automotive technology, promising safer and more efficient driving experiences. However, the performance of ACC systems can vary significantly depending on their type and underlying algorithms. This research presents a comprehensive comparative analysis of car-following distances in different types of Adaptive Cruise Control systems. We evaluate and compare three distinct categories of ACC systems using three different commercial vehicles brands. The study involves extensive real-world testing at Zalazone Proving Ground, to assess the performance of these systems under various driving conditions, including driving at multiple speeds and applying different car following scenarios. The study investigates how each ACC system manages the minimum following distances according to the type of ACC sensors in each tested vehicle. Our findings revealed that at low to medium ranges of constant driving speeds, there was an approximate linear increase in the average clearances between the two following vehicles for all applied scenarios, with comparatively shorter clearances obtained by the vision-based ACC system, while unstable measurements with a high level of dispersion for all ACC systems were observed at high range of driving speeds.