Does Cruise Control Really Save Gas?
Andrew Koole
· 3 min read
Gas prices
are rising. The lack of relief at the pump means improving fuel economy is more important than ever. When sharing tips to curb fuel consumption, many suggest using cruise control
as much as possible, but does cruise control save gas?Yes and no. Cruise control only uses less fuel under certain conditions. To understand when to use the driver-assist tech, it’s helpful to know how cruise control works.
Having that knowledge in your pocket will help you know when to keep your foot on the gas and when to let your car’s computer do the work.
How cruise control works
There are many different versions of cruise control in the market today with varying degrees of adaptability. For the most traditional form, the driver reaches a specific speed and then initiates cruise control to maintain that speed.
Another, more advanced system called “adaptive cruise control” uses cameras and/or sensors to adjust the car’s speed to maintain a safe distance between other vehicles. In some cases, the car can even switch lanes and obey traffic stops automatically.
These systems are meant to perform double duty, improving fuel economy while also keeping the car’s occupants safe. But in many cases, your human brain is still more suited to make those decisions than your car’s computer, no matter how advanced it is.
MORE: Recall Alert: Nearly 300,000 Tesla Cars Have Cruise Control Issues
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When to use cruise control to save gas
Sean Cooper of
Car Buying and Selling
says cruise control only saves gas when it’s lowering the workload of your vehicle. The more often you ask your vehicle to accelerate, the more gas it will use. If you can maintain a specific speed for a long period of time, say on open stretches of highway, you can lower that workload and lower your fuel consumption at the same time. Cruise control’s speed maintenance function can do this more accurately than your foot.
On the other hand, if you’re driving in town or you’re stuck in traffic, your fully engaged brain is much more adept at easing the workload of your engine than a cruise control system, no matter how advanced it is. Even systems like Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” have their limitations.
If you’re still unsure when to use cruise control, keep this concept in mind—the more decisions that need to be made, the more likely you are the better choice for making them.
Other ways to save on car ownership
Owning a car is more expensive this year than it ever has been. New and used, car prices are rising along with fuel, parts, and pretty much every other cost related to driving. Whether or not cruise control saves gas, there are still ways to save.
One of the easiest ways to save big is to shop for
car insurance
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This level of service is why Jerry earned a 4.6/5 rating on the App Store and made it the top insurance app in the country.
