NHTSA Complaint #10649593 — 2013 HONDA ACCORD

WHILE USING THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL (ACC) I WAS TRAVELING AT 75 MPH. THIS SYSTEM IS SUPPOSE TO REDUCE YOUR SPEED WHEN IT SEES ANOTHER VEHICLE IN FRONT OF YOU AND THEN BRING YOU BACK UP TO SPEED WHEN THE OBSTACLE IS NO LONGER PRESENT. I WAS ON A 4 LANE LIMITED ACCESS HIGHWAY (2 LANES EACH DIRECTION). I WAS IN THE LEFT LANE. THERE WERE NO CARS IN FRONT OF ME BUT THERE WAS AN 18 WHEEL TRUCK ABOUT 150 FEET IN FRONT OF ME IN THE RIGHT LANE. WE WERE APPROACHING A LEFT CURVE AND ON A SLIGHT INCLINE TO THE CURVE. AS WE ENTERED THE CURVE THE ACC SONAR DETECTOR SAW THE 18 WHEELER IN THE OTHER LANE AND DISENGAGED THE ACC AND APPLIED THE BRAKES, WITHOUT WARNING. THIS BROUGHT MY SPEED DOWN QUICKLY FROM 75. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS OCCURRED IN SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES. THE REAL DANGER HERE IS THAT THERE WAS NO REASON FOR THE CAR TO BRAKE; THE SONAR SAW AN OBSTACLE IN A DIFFERENT LANE; HAD ANOTHER VEHICLE BEEN FOLLOWING ME THE SURELY WOULD HAVE BEEN A CRASH. I AM A FORMER CRASH INVESTIGATOR. AS SUCH, I CAN TELL YOU THIS SITUATION WILL BE PROBLEMATIC. FORTUNATELY, THE CAR GIVES YOU THE OPTION OF USING THE ACC OR TRADITIONAL CRUISE CONTROL - I HAVE DISABLED THE ACC FOR SAFETY CONCERNS. *TR