76
ControlsDriving
hour; on curvy, winding ro ads, slippery roads or
roads with sharp curves such as highway off-
ramps; during inclement weather such as snow,
strong rain or fog; or when entering inter-
changes, service/parkin g areas or toll booths.
It is also important to regulate your vehicle's
speed and distance setting within applicable
legal limits. Always be ready to take action or
apply the brakes if necessary, especially when
the system is actively fo llowing a vehicle in front
of you. Otherwise, driving situations could
result that pose the risk of accidents. <
One lever for all functions
1Store and increase desired speed
2 Store and decrease desired speed
3 Deactivate system, refer to page 77
4 Resume stored desired speed and dis-
tance, refer to page 78
5 Select distance to vehicle driving ahead,
refer to page 77
Storing current speed
Briefly press the lever, arrow 1, or pull the lever,
arrow 2, at a driving speed of more than approx.
20 mph or 30 km/h. The car's current speed is stored. It is displayed
on the speedometer and briefly in the instru-
ment cluster.
Increasing desired speed
Press or briefly press the lever to the resistance
point or beyond, arrow
1, until the desired
speed is displayed.
> Each time the lever is briefly pressed to the
resistance point, the desired speed is
increased by approx. 1 mph or 1 km/h.
> Each time the lever is briefly pressed
beyond the resistance point, the desired
speed is increased by up to 5 mph or
10 km/h until the maximum speed of
110 mph or 180 km/h is achieved.
The speed then displayed is stored and
achieved on a clear road.
Decreasing de sired speed
Pull the lever, arrow 2, until the desired speed is
displayed.
The other functions work analogously to those
described under Increasing desired speed.
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 609 333 - \251 08/11 BMW AG
80
ControlsDriving
System limitations
Always remember that the range and abil-
ity of the system does have physical limi-
tations. It will not apply the brakes or decelerate
your vehicle when there is a slow-moving vehi-
cle, stopped vehicle, or stationary object ahead
of you, for example at a traffic light or when
approaching a parked vehicle. Also, the system
does not react to oncoming traffic, pedestrians
or other types of potentia l traffic such as a rider
on horseback. The system may also not detect
smaller moving objects such as motorcycles or
bicycles. Be especially alert when encountering
any of these situations as the system will nei-
ther automatically brake, nor provide a warning
to you. Also, be aware that every decrease in
the distance setting allows your vehicle to come
closer to a vehicle in front of you and requires a
heightened amount of alertness. <
Active Cruise Control is not and must not
be used as a collisio n avoidance/warning
system. <
If while your vehicle is actively following a vehi-
cle in front of you and the vehicle ahead speeds
up or the lane ahead becomes clear, then your
vehicle will accelerate to the speed you have
selected. Be aware that changing to a clear,
unobstructed lane will also result in your vehicle
accelerating.
Be certain to deactiva te the system when
you pull into an exit lane for a highway off-
ramp. < Also, vehicles travelin
g in a staggered manner
on a highway may cause a delay in the system's
reaction to a vehicle in front of you or may cause
the system to react to a vehicle actually in the
lane next to you. Always be ready to take action
or apply the brakes if necessary.
While Active Cruise Co ntrol is capable of
braking your vehicle automatically when
you approach a slower vehicle ahead, it is
important to be aware that the ability of the sys-
tem to apply the brakes is also limited, e.g.
when you reduce your desired speed sharply.
The system cannot stop your vehicle. It uses
only a portion of braking system capacity and
does not utilize the full ca pacity of the vehicle
braking system. Therefore, the system cannot
decrease your speed for large differences in
speed between your vehicle and the vehicle
ahead. Examples: when you approach a vehicle
traveling at a much lower speed than your own
speed such as approaching a toll booth or when
a much slower vehicle cuts in front of you at
close range. <
Active Cruise Control ca n only decelerate the
vehicle to approx. 20 mph or 30 km/h.
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 609 333 - \251 08/11 BMW AG