Most drivers wonder how they ever lived without a rearview camera in their cars. As tech innovation paces, auto manufacturers continue to integrate safety features in their vehicles. Hyundai has been no different. With its dramatic styling, comfy cabin, and prominent grille, the 2021 Hyundai Sonata is also equipped with adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality. 

The cruise control system keeps the car centered in its lane, enables drivers to maintain highway speed limits, and keeps a reasonable distance from the car in front. Unlike conventional cruise control systems, the adaptive system uses radar to detect relative motions of preceding vehicles and adjust speed to keep a safe distance. 

According to MotorTrend, the adaptive cruise control system or previous Sonata models accelerates slowly once the vehicles begin moving faster. Also, the Highway Driver Assist feature is not so much useful in curves but awesomely reliable in straight sections of the road. The system tends to veer to the left of the lane but within the lane markings. 

So, with the 2021 Hyundai Sonata, is adaptive cruise control any good? Let’s have a quick look. 

The basics of adaptive cruise control 

The Driver Assist tool uses the front camera and a radar system to monitor the distance from the vehicle ahead and the level of acceleration. With the AI in place, the data is combined with the driver’s driving style. This is different from the conventional system where the driver sets a specific speed and a following distance. 

The addition of AI to the Hyundai Sonata adaptive cruise systems has assisted in improving the overall dependability of the system. However, MotorTrend notes that the system either accelerates too slowly, brakes harshly, or brakes early.

Even with these known issues, the NHTSA gave the Hyundai Sonata a five-star rating in regard to its safety features. The sedan also earned the Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Indeed, it can be difficult to fine-tune the settings of the system to suit individual drivers’ needs.

The 2021 Hyundai Sonata’s smart cruise control

The 2021 model maintains these features and adds more cruise control functions to bolster the driving experience. Most new Hyundai Sonata models are equipped with adaptive/smart cruise control that enables you to maintain a preselected distance from the vehicles ahead in the same lane.

As with other systems, the 2021 Hyundai Sonata system keeps your vehicle traveling at a particular speed on the highway without the need for continuous adjustments.

The 2021 Hyundai Sonata cruise control system is better since it can detect when preceding vehicles slow down or stop. Your Hyundai will adjust the speed accordingly to maintain a safe distance. With the stop-and-go functionality, your Hyundai can be set back to speed while keeping a safe preset distance. 

Blind-spot monitoring 

As Hyundai claims, the 2021 Sonata model is equipped with the latest Hyundai SmartSense technology, which consists of a raft of features that alert and help in various driving situations. Blind view monitoring feature is one of the key safety features in the 2021 hybrid Sonata. 

The blind-spot detection tools in the 2021 Sonata assist you to know if there are other cars in the blind spot section. It senses the rear side of the vehicle when the speed is above 20 mph. The efficiency of the system depends on the distance, size, angle, and relative speed difference between your sedan and other cars. Nonetheless, it is a good idea to invest in a powerful blind view monitor tool to enable you to detect traffic in blind spots easily. 

Well, the new 2021 Hyundai Sonata system is much better

The cruise control in the 2021 Hyundai Sonata is among the advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) Hyundai introduced to improve driving experience and safety. With its sleek and sharp design, the ADAS in this Hyundai sedan has pedestrian detection, automatic braking, and a blind-spot warning system. It also features a lane departure warning and rear cross-traffic warning capabilities. 

With the new adaptive control system, the mechanism responds smoothly to changing traffic situations ahead. When traffic is clearing, there is a small delay in raving up to the set speed but once the transmission kicks in, the car cruises decently.  The 2021 Hyundai Sonata adaptive cruise control system is better and comes with additional options such as setting the safety distance and monitoring the traffic behavior of preceding vehicles.