adaptive cruise control

noun

: a system in an automobile that can automatically adjust the settings of the cruise control in response to external driving conditions
Jaguar's adaptive cruise control … tracks the speed and position of the car in the lane ahead and automatically adjusts the speed to keep a safe time interval.—Bruce McCall

Examples of adaptive cruise control in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For example, the adaptive cruise control can be slow to respond to changes in traffic, and the constant warning beeps to remind you to keep your hands on the steering wheel can get annoying. — ABC News, 24 June 2026 Combined with adaptive cruise control – which handles the braking and maintaining the distance from the car in front of you – the bZ can take over driving on long stretches of highway. — Brooke Crothers, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 Safety features are extensive, from forward and reverse collision warning to traffic sign recognition and front and rear parking sensors to stop-and-go adaptive cruise control. — James Raia, Mercury News, 8 June 2026 The central software is the digital foundation for a growing array of safety features like automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance and adaptive cruise control. — New Atlas, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for adaptive cruise control

Word History

First Known Use

1988, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of adaptive cruise control was in 1988

Rhymes for adaptive cruise control

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Browse Nearby Words

adaptive
adaptive cruise control
adaptive optics
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Cite this Entry

“Adaptive cruise control.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adaptive%20cruise%20control. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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