2005 technology in review

AEI editors look back at some of the most significant engineering and innovation stories of the past year.

The next phase of adaptive cruise control has been developed by Continental Automotive Systems, whose Full Range ACC (adaptive cruise control) system went into production on the latest Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The system aids the driver in keeping a safe distance from the vehicle in front even in stop-and-go traffic with the help of an additional 24-GHz radar for scanning the immediate vicinity in front of the vehicle. In previous systems, the driver had to take over as soon as the speed dropped below 30 km/h. When the vehicle in front starts off again, the Full Range ACC advises the driver, who then only has to dip the gas pedal or press a button to signal that the car can move off. It picks up speed automatically, always maintaining a safe distance. The Active Distance Support (ACDIS) is the first system of its kind to network the distance sensors at the front of the vehicle with a force feedback gas pedal that was developed in collaboration with partner company AB Elektronik.