markcincinnati

The closest setting really is the setting that will allow the car to stop without a crash -- you may wish it would close the gap, but if it did, there is a possibility the car would not have the "assured clear distance" required for stopping based on a calculation of speed, distance, and deceleration capabilities. The fact that you may want it to close the gap means that you would have to take over the braking duties -- unfortunately, we humans do not have the reaction time required for a crash-free stop, especially when the competition is the technology in the Audi. I just set mine to "#1" (the smallest gap). If "everyone" did this and if "everyone" had this technology, the incidence and prevalence of crashes (rear enders) would likely diminish. If you have confidence that you will NOT likely to catch the eye of the highway patrol, you can set the ACC's speed to "limit +20" even if the actual average road speed is "limit -20" then when the traffic opens up, the car will zoom right up to 80, 85 or 90 (assuming the base limits are 60 or 65, etc.)

If someone tries to squeeze in when there is clearly insufficient space, no technology (human or computer) can prevent incomprehensibly illogical and, downright foolish behavior. At least with the computer, you have a chance of enjoying reaction time shorter than a human could muster.

Bozman5000

I disagree with your speculation.

rsilvers129

Not sure that is true. I can stop a car manually with a much closer gap than the minimum, unless maybe a Z06 did a full ABS brake stop in front of me.

The most likely reason why they dont allow a smaller gap is it would be too small a gap for driving in snow / ice.

Well no duh. If I were driving in snow and ice I would not set a closer gap. In dry weather I want to.

markcincinnati

With all due respect, it is unlikely you will get the requisite appreciation for the ACC in 24 hours. It takes some time to understand how the ACC+nav+lane keeping work together -- I'd say sometime within the first 1,000 miles I had learned enough of "when" it would do things and "why" it did those things to have a fuller appreciation for the tech.

Initially you may find yourself NOT trusting the ACC to brake -- sometimes it seems it tailgates (despite other posts lamenting the opposite) and waits too long to brake. Other times it seems to slow down and you can't figure out what in the heck it's doing (usually it comes to you kind of like "ohhhh, now I get it."

24 hours is enough time to make you feel unsettled and wonder who's bright idea this technology was in the first place.

When you finally get an understanding of Traffic Jam Assist, it will be like sticking your finger in a wall socket -- "damn this is sooo coool" you will say.

quattro0323

Thanks for your informed response.

Bozman5000

You don't need to drive 1000 miles to know whether it a good choice or not. I had a salesman demonstrate the systems and talk about how they work in a 25-30 minute drive. That was plenty of time to determine it was a must have. You can discover any intricacies later on your own.

AndroidRobot

All you need to do is find some traffic. If watching the car drive itself while vaguely touching the steering wheel doesn't sell it not much else will. I love having the DAP on my car, it takes the hassle our of traffic and even longer trips.

quattro0323

Cool, will see if I’m sold on a long test drive in Jersey traffic.

markcincinnati

Some people -- apparently like you and me -- knew we wanted this set of technologies BEFORE I/we ever used them. However, if you were simply given the car for 24 hours and you turned the ACC on and programmed a destination into the Nav, it is possible there will be "events" that the uninitiated could find confusing or perhaps even troubling. The first time I programmed a destination into the nav and turned on the cruise control, I was 100 miles from "my exit." Close to 100 miles later, my wife says, "Let's go up to Costco." This request meant I would NOT be taking my exit as I normally would. As we approached the exit, I moved into the left lane of an Interstate to pass a slow moving truck.

What happened next -- because I had forgotten that I had (100 miles ago) set the destination for home (not Costco) -- I was moving into the left lane just as the exit I would take loomed ever closer. The car began to slow (a little "two lane highway graphic" showed on the dash and on the heads-up display) to a speed that would allow me to take the exit ramp AT THE EXACT MOMENT I was moving into the left lane to pass the slow moving truck.

I had been through my dealership's DAP delivery training on ACC -- but this exact combination of circumstances was beyond the scope or anticipation of the training class (I was one of the first customers to pick up a new S4 -- that I had ordered 100 days previously). As the car began to automatically brake, I did recall the training: When ACC does something that you don't want or don't like you can press the accelerator or brake pedal. The accelerator will override the ACC -- but NOT disengage it. The brake will override the ACC and will disengage the ACC until you re-engage it.

Yet, for a second or second and a half, the car slowed appropriately for what I had programmed the nav system to do: Take me home.

I had been driving the car and using the ACC frequently for a couple of hundred miles by this point. Pressing on the accelerator caused: Acceleration and a recalculation of the route home. Had I been loaned this car for 24 hours and this "event" had occurred, it could have been the opposite of persuasive with respect to this feature.

Perhaps you and I are some of those who are in the minority in that we read the owner's manual.

I am certainly not suggesting it would require 1000 miles to decide if you like the DAP features -- especially ACC. However, if you have never experienced level 2 automation, as implemented by Audi, and you are on the fence regarding this tech, simply turning the keys over to someone not already predisposed to loving these features for 24 hours might be an invitation to turn the prospective customer off with respect to DAP.

I have had my S4 for less than 7,000 miles and I'm already wanting the level 3 (A8) feature.

My assumption is that DAP or something that is "nearly DAP" will become standard equipment perhaps initially for the Prestige versions of Audis, then it will be made optional in the P+ models and so on until the cars will simply come with DAP just like they come with anti-lock brakes, ESP and brake-based torque vectoring. I'm pretty much positive this tech will even become standard on Audi's "sister" cars from VW.

I can't imagine NOT having DAP. It is a vital safety net of systems -- and, I am certain it will progress and become widespread apace.

Built4Sin

Just used the ACC for a trip from Pensacola, FL to Orlando, FL (450miles)... WOW! Its so much easier on a roadtrip with this baby! Set your cruise and it will slow down and then re-accelerate on its own without any input. I set my cruise for 92, setting Dynamic and then just stopped for fuel and pee breaks. After having ACC I don't think I could ever revert back to the leg pain and irritation of slowing down and speeding back up for drivers who lane swap and force manual intervention.

I had a 2018 Q7 for a few weeks that I got to use the Traffic assist with, and for what traffic we have here in upper Florida I couldn't get the use out of it that I thought I might enjoy. The problem is that the assist leaves car lengths for safety and that means gaps people will slide into and trigger the safety distance braking... Not fun!