Cruise Control Stalks

[pjjoh1]

I find the new(ish) cruise control stalk a bit of a pain. It has a nicer and higher quality feel than the VX-I and earlier stalk, but is a real pain to use.

You have to take your hand off the wheel to resume and this feels dangerous.

I really liked the cruise on my old E36 328. Even though it was a separate (small) stalk, it was just a flick up and down, in and out and it was superb. It made me want to use it all the time because of it's ease - great for 50 km zones.

The Commodore one is so tedious that I find myself only using it for longer trips...

PJ

[kane_tools]

I'd agree with the word tedious. I never use my cruise anymore because of the stalk design, it lacks any intuitiveness. Resuming is a bitch!!
At least on my last car a VPII I could resume/set without taking hands off the wheel and used it constantly.

[m@w8]

I find the cruise in my JS Vectra to be very easy to use. You can reach the stalk without removing your hand from the wheel, and its very intuitive.

The cruise in my Subaru is also nice to use, however it has an ON/OFF button which is very low down on the dash, and requires taking your eyes off the road to hit it. Stupid really! The Vectra doesn't have an ON/OFF switch, nor does it need one.

[Rt!]

I keep high beaming when I use it, and it confuses other drivers..
hate the twisting action.
maybe put it on the wiper arm?

[muzza]

Sorry - dont agree.

Sure, it's not as straight forward as the older VN-VP style, but it still works the same: up/+/Res, down/-/set, but one push on the button to cancel is easier than pushing two buttons on the VN/VP style. It's not too bad IMHO and beats the shit out of the previous VR-VT (VX?) style ones with tiny buttons on the end of the indicator.

For my money the Toyota or Mitsubishi ones are the best - finger tip controls on a stubby wand between the RH spokes of the steering wheel - easily visible and a simple pull back to cancel with a push on/off switch on the end.

As for the hand off the wheel - well if conditions are that dangerous then why would you be using cruise?

[vk8zlx]

Well, I really think the VR, VS, VT & VX ones were the best. It was the ultimate in tactile design (I had a VS Calais). There was a button with a dimple, one with a raised dot and the on-off had corugations in it.

It was a matter of just extending a finger from the wheel and pushing the one you wanted. Easy to locate and easy to be sure you had the right button, no need to take your eyes off of the road, as I find I tend to look at the stalk in my VY when operating it.

I gave holden 10/10 for that design. While the new VY style one looks slick (I have an SS ute), it requires you to take a hand off of the wheel to operate it... BAD BAD holden .... you went backwards in safety. Surely a tactile design could have been adapted on the new stalk profile.

I know some will think its a petty point but it has a real impact on driver safety. The old control could be operated with both hands firmly grasping the wheel.

My last pick... WHY oh Why does cruise turn its self off when the motor is stopped. VN-VP remembered it was on and the last speed used, VR-VX would stay turned on but forget the last speed used. VY-VZ forgets everything. is it a case of forgetfullness in the design team or is there a good reason why it has to tun its self off?



Sorry - dont agree.

Sure, it's not as straight forward as the older VN-VP style, but it still works the same: up/+/Res, down/-/set, but one push on the button to cancel is easier than pushing two buttons on the VN/VP style. It's not too bad IMHO and beats the shit out of the previous VR-VT (VX?) style ones with tiny buttons on the end of the indicator.

For my money the Toyota or Mitsubishi ones are the best - finger tip controls on a stubby wand between the RH spokes of the steering wheel - easily visible and a simple pull back to cancel with a push on/off switch on the end.

As for the hand off the wheel - well if conditions are that dangerous then why would you be using cruise?

[VeeTee346]

I gave holden 10/10 for that design. While the new VY style one looks slick (I have an SS ute), it requires you to take a hand off of the wheel to operate it...... a safety concern. Surely a tactile design could have been adapted on the new stalk profile.

Couldn't agree more.

I recall all the journo's applauding the new design (I think it came to be on the VX series 2) and bagging the old one as being flimsy.

[muzza]

Well - each to their own - I was never a fan of the old pimple on the end of the stalk trick!

But I take your point(s) about being within fingertip reach of the wheel, convenient I agree - but again I have to ask, if it's such a risk to take your hand off the wheel why on earth are you using cruise in the first place?

I think the cruise turns off for safety - to protect the dumbest 99th percentile "driver" who may not know what cruise is/does and accidentally hits "resume" in a suburban street approaching a children's crossing and the previous setting was 110 km/hr............

[SSFreak]

I must be weird (probably true) then because I like the cruise control on my VY. One thing I did prefer though was the cruise control lights on my VX - they were better because they were easier to see.

[vk8zlx]

Muzza, I some times have a drink in one hand .... or at other times might be having a snack ... all seemingly low risk until you have to take your hand off the wheel to blip the cruise on. Before I could do all this by the flick of a finger. Sorry to labour this point, I just find it a step backward. Maybe GM can find a NEW better way to do it :D in the up comming models.


But I take your point(s) about being within fingertip reach of the wheel, convenient I agree - but again I have to ask, if it's such a risk to take your hand off the wheel why on earth are you using cruise in the first place?..........

[mmciau]

VS system is better in my opinion than the twist systems

Mike

[ROK350]

I reckon the system in the VX is much better then that fitted to the VXII >. I had a VR Clubby prior and I could never fault the Cruise and I s'pose I was just used to it. The girly has a Tribute Luxury and the Cruise fitted to that although the buttons fit nicely on the steering wheel there is nothing to tell you that Cruise is on in the first place and using it in the dark is woeful as the buttons have no lighting or feel differentiation to tell you which button yu are pressing. I reckon in these days of Speed cameras etc the cruise is a everyday item and should be easy to use all the time. Hence why the Pimple/Indent system is one of the best I have come across.

[HSV_Punk]

I used to like the fat pimple dimple stick fitted to my parents VS caprice, but since i got my VY, i prefer the new system much more. I think its a move forward in safety, because it requires safe conditions so you can turn it on, otherwise if you were using it where u can't take your hand off the steering wheel, it may not be safe enough to use cruise.
The new system feels much better to use from a quality sense and i really like the fact in my VY it comes up on the display, making it obvious it just turned on or off.

[galah]

I too agree I prefer the VR-VX Series 1 Cruise stalk, though its quality feel was lacking.

I have had the stalk break apart in my hands when I rushed to turn off the high beam, which left me with Cruise Activated, the two halves of the stalk on the ground and no way of turning off the high beam.

The new one is definately a better build and has a quality feel to it, but I feel having to remove your hand from the wheel to activate is a step backwards.

[SSbaby]

If I could add my 2c worth...

I believe Holden need look no further than the latest Camry or BA Falcon to see how they could impove the usability of their cruise control system. The current system isn't exactly terrible but there's a perception that the quality is somewhat lacking.

I'd much prefer to see cruise control buttons on the steering wheel (like in the BA and several GM vehicles in the USA) as these are often used functions... much like the radio buttons and IMO should be placed within eye-shot.

[lumina ss]

Well ive converted my VX1 and VT1 to the later stalks because I find I dont have to "fiddle" to make things happen, chunky and solid is good, no pissy little buttons.

[JA SV8]

My last pick... WHY oh Why does cruise turn its self off when the motor is stopped. VN-VP remembered it was on and the last speed used, VR-VX would stay turned on but forget the last speed used. VY-VZ forgets everything. is it a case of forgetfullness in the design team or is there a good reason why it has to tun its self off?[/QUOTE]

Havnt read all so sorry if already mentioned.
I agree its anoying when u turn the engine off and it turns off, but if i have been on the highway and turned the car off, cruise at 110.. then went to put it on again in an 80zone and car did 110 and got booked, i would be pissed and think it was crap.
I think its a safety feature :)

Ps i think its an good design, not to hard to use.. but get confused with the twist...

[JasonBB]

Personally I prefer the VY design, I thought the old design was fiddly, I also agree with some of the previous posts, if its dangerous to take 1 hand off the wheel you shouldn't be using cruise.
Just my 2 cents worth.

[Holden]

We've been watching this thread for a while and it's a perfect example of everyone having a different opinion! We're always looking to improve the useability and practicality of our controls and instrumentation and clearly, there is wide variety of view on this issue. Not sure there's actually a question in there for us other than "are you going to do anything different for VE" to which the answer is fairly predictable - hold on to find out.

[VeeTee346]

Personally I prefer the VY design, I thought the old design was fiddly, I also agree with some of the previous posts, if its dangerous to take 1 hand off the wheel you shouldn't be using cruise.
Just my 2 cents worth.

I dunno.. I was always taught to keep my hands on the wheel. My view is that surely anything that makes you take a hand off the wheel unnecessarily is compromising safety (to whatever degree you want to debate).

Sure on a flat straight road, safe distance to others etc it might be safe to take your hand off the wheel to adjust the cruise, but it has to be even safer setting cruise and not having to.

I don't think it's proper to dictate function (ie instill only to use the stalks when it's "safe" to do so) by form (so make the intended action a bit more involving to perform) because you're making it all a little less safe even during the most appropriate time to do it. Cruise controls aren't killers, I'd imagine most people quickly tire from resetting cruise using brakes or stalk if they're improperly engaging it in built up traffic at varying speeds, and so stop the practice.

Anyway, I think a lot of complaints here are over the quality and tactile design of the pre-VXII stalks compared to the current design. If the VE comes out with VT style stalks with bigger, more solid end buttons with better feel, or perhaps the cruise buttons get moved onto the wheel hub, we might be all be saying how inconvenient and fiddly the VXII/Y/Z stalks were in comparison!

[Devil CV8]

I test drove a VX series 1 SS and hated the fiddly buttons for the cruise, but the single button from the series 2 and on is great. I use cruise in some 50 zones without any drama, and don't seem to have an issue taking my hand off the wheel... Its better than the cruise fitted to the astra, back to fiddly buttons and NO indicator light to let you know its on...

[DK-3800]

i love the cruise control on my vx, press the button, flick the wrist and youre in action, no complaints from me on that one.

[Aus8]

I drive BA's at work and love the system Ford uses on the steering wheel. If we could get something similar to that it would be a good move.

Cheers

Aus8

[lumina ss]

look at it this way, if it isnt a safe stretch of road to take one hand off the wheel for 5 seconds then what the hell are you on cruise for anyway? I use it on the highway and selected lonnnnnnnnnnnng streches of speed limit with low traffic flow, anything else is more dangerous than its worth.

[SCiFiRE]

looking from a safety perspective, you dont look at 'if its so dangerous why are you using cruise?', it would be looked at 'the less time you spend with your hands off the wheel, at any time, the better. if something can be done while keeping your hands on the wheel, its safer.'

[JA SV8]

I just was thinking alot of people are complaing about taking their hands of the steering wheel for crusie control, personaly when i turn it on or adjust it my hand is off the steering wheel for about/if not less than the amount of time my hand is off the wheel to change gears, so i am thinking maybe people are over reacting? I can even do it without taking my full hand off the wheel!
Like others have said it is mainly used on highways or roads with few corners.

I have tried the BA one and found it difficult, but if i owned a BA i would be used to it, all you have to do is get used to useing it and you shouldnt find it hard at all.
In the VY and on anyways.

My 2cents