In short:
Cruise control can improve fuel efficiency by up to 14% on flat, open highways, but may increase consumption on hilly terrain or in heavy traffic. Wyndham drivers can make the most of the feature on long freeway stretches by combining it with other fuel-saving habits.
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The fuel-saving facts
It’s one of the most common assumptions in motoring — set the cruise control and watch your fuel costs drop. But the reality is more nuanced, and for drivers navigating the roads in and around Wyndham, it’s worth knowing when the feature works in your favour and when it doesn’t.
The short answer is yes — but only under the right conditions.
How cruise control works
Cruise control takes over throttle management from the driver, maintaining a set speed without the need to keep a foot on the accelerator. Modern vehicles often come equipped with adaptive cruise control (ACC), which goes further by using forward-mounted sensors to monitor the distance to vehicles ahead, automatically adjusting speed in response to traffic flow.
The fuel savings evidence
Research does support fuel savings in specific driving conditions. On study found that maintaining a steady speed used about 20% less fuel than fluctuating between speeds, and an Edmunds study reported fuel savings of up to 14% when using cruise control, with an average closer to 7%.
Adaptive systems show similar promise. A Volvo and National Renewable Energy Laboratory study of more than 18,500 trips in daily traffic found that consistent use of adaptive cruise control resulted in a 5 to 7 per cent increase in fuel efficiency compared to manual throttle management.
Where it works best
Cruise control is most effective on long, flat highways where it can maintain a consistent speed and keep the engine running at an efficient RPM range. For most vehicles, speeds between 88 and 105 km/h represent the sweet spot for fuel efficiency.
Some government energy departments have noted that using cruise control on the highway helps maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, will save fuel.
When cruise control costs you more
The feature has clear limitations. On hilly routes, trying to hold a set speed causes the car to add throttle on climbs where a driver would typically ease off — working against fuel efficiency rather than improving it.
In stop-and-go city traffic, cruise control offers little benefit. Experts also advise against using it on mountainous terrain or in wet and icy conditions.
How well cruise control performs also depends on the make and model of the vehicle — there are no hard and fast rules that apply across the board.
The bottom line
Auto expert Dmitry Novikov has noted that the real strength of cruise control isn’t fuel economy but comfort and reduced fatigue on long drives — and that it’s the smooth driving style itself, not the electronics, that remains the surest path to saving fuel.
For Wyndham drivers heading out on the Princes Freeway or Western Ring Road on long, flat stretches, cruise control is worth switching on. For those navigating hilly terrain or heavy suburban traffic, manual throttle management may serve better.
Other fuel-saving habits worth combining with cruise control include:
- Accelerating gradually rather than sharply from a standstill
- Turning off the engine if stopped in traffic for more than a minute or two, which can save up to 19% on fuel costs
- Keeping tyres inflated to the correct pressure
- Removing unnecessary weight from the vehicle
