Maybe you bought your car or truck without cruise control, and now you think you would like to have one added, but you are not sure how much an aftermarket cruise control will cost.
Purchasing and installing an aftermarket cruise control cost will essentially be dependent upon the vehicle you are trying to install the system on and its requirements.
You should expect to pay a minimum of $190 to $375 for a non-adaptive aftermarket cruise control unit plus labor. Labor to install the unit can be as low as $55 to $70 and up to $250 to $300.
If you buy an adaptive cruise control, you can expect up to $2500 for an aftermarket cruise system depending on what benefits you want.
| Cruise Control System | Cost and Labor | Total Costs |
|---|---|---|
| Dakota Digital CRM-100-1 Cruise Control for GM LS Drive by Wire Engines Diagnostic Port Connection with HDN-1 Universal Cutoff Handle | $375.25 + Labor between $55 and $250. | $430.25 minimum to $625.25 on the high end with labor. |
| Rostra 250-9000 Complete Cruise Control Kit for 60-11 Chevy Aveo | $199.95 + Labor between $55 and $250. | $254.95 Minimum to $449.95 on the high end with labor. |
| Dakota Digital Cruise Control Kit for Electronic Speedometers w/HND-1 Universal Cutoff Handle CRS-3000-1 | $274. 55 + Labor between $55 and $250. | $329.55 minimum to $524.55 on the high end with labor. |
| Rostra 2509636 Cruise Control Kit for Full-Size Ford Transit | $299.95 + Labor between $55 and $250. | $354.95 minimum to $549.95 on the high end with labor. |
| Rostra Complete Cruise Control Kit 250-9617 for 2007-2012 Silverado/ Sierra | $299.95 + Labor between $55 and $250 | $354.95 minimum to $549.95 on the high end with labor. |
| Rostra 250-1223 Universal Electronic Cruise System works on vehicles with an accessible mechanical throttle cable assembly. | $209.95 + Labor between $55 and $250. | $265.95 minimum to $459.95 on the high end with labor. |
| Rostra 250-1775 Complete Cruise Control Kit for Chevy Cobalt | $189,95 + Labor between $55 and $250. | $244.95 minimum to $439.95 on the high end with labor. |
These aftermarket cruise systems are off Amazon and are plain aftermarket cruise systems that are not adaptive, typically much higher as described below.
Cruise controls like everything else have evolved and gotten much better over time. Now, most vehicles can come with adaptive cruise control.
What is adaptive cruise control? How does it work, and why would you want to pay more than regular aftermarket cruise control, which costs much less?
Cruise Control
When cruise control first came out, it allowed you to set your speed and remain at a constant speed without having to keep your foot on the gas pedal all the time so that you could rest your leg.
It also helped people who had trouble keeping their speed within limits from constantly getting tickets.
It was entirely up to the driver to keep a safe distance from other cars and know when to adjust his speed. Drivers also had to resume the speed after slowing down manually.
Adaptive Cruise Control
They designed adaptive cruise control to help vehicles on cruise control maintain a safer distance between themselves and other cars on the highway while still maintaining the speed limit.
The care knows when to adjust your car’s speed without you having to slow yourself down physically. You may have it called by another name, such as intelligent cruise control or dynamic cruise control.
Is it Safe to Use an Adaptive Cruise Control System on Your Car?
It is perfectly safe to use an adaptive cruise control system on your vehicle as long as you remain in control of your car at all times.
You can rest your leg and rely on the system as long as you stay alert and watch for problems that might pop up suddenly. Remember, no autonomous system works 100 percent accurately.
Weather and other conditions can limit the accuracy of assisted programs. A car speeding by too fast may not pick up on blind-spot monitoring. Stay ready to take control if needed actively.
How to Set Cruise Control
Setting cruise control is relatively easy. Start by turning it on. You must get the car’s speed over a minimum threshold, and then once you reach the speed, you want you set it by pushing the button.
To slow down or stop cruise temporarily, you tap your brakes.
Advantages of Adaptive Cruise Control
There are some advantages to adaptive cruise control that make it worth the extra cost of adding to a vehicle that does not have any cruise control.
The most important of which is road safety. Cars with adaptive cruise control technology will automatically keep adequate spacing from other cars and trucks on the road.
Adaptive cruise control uses cameras, lasers, and radar equipment to tell how close cars are to each other and other objects on the road. It alerts the driver with red flashing lights to the impending dangers ahead.
It will also say “Brake Now” on the dashboard. Some systems even have an audible warning to get the driver’s attention.
Making sure that the vehicles stay a safe distance apart helps prevent accidents while maximizing traffic flow at the same time.
The driver doesn’t have to worry about maintaining speed or slowing when needed and can concentrate on what is going on around them.
Limitations of Adaptive Cruise Control
The adaptive cruise control system is not entirely autonomous, so the driver must use safe driving practices to prevent wrecks.
Certain weather conditions such as snow, rain, or fog can confuse the system’s sensors making it hard for the system to judge distance as well as in normal conditions.
Unusual things like tunnels can also make the sensors react less accurately.
Types of Systems of Adaptive Cruise Control
There are several types of adaptive cruise control systems, including:
- Radar-Based Systems
- Assisting Systems
- Laser-Based Systems
- Binocular Computer Visions Systems
- Predictive Systems
- Multi-Sensor Systems
Radar-Based Systems
Adaptive cruise control systems that are radar-based can work because they place sensors around and on plastic fascias to help figure out where and what surrounds your vehicle.
All the radars work together to help create a comprehensive picture of your car’s proximity to the other cars near it. It can also detect dangerous things on the road.
Laser-Based Systems
Laser-based systems typically operate out of a big black box placed into the grill of your car or truck that uses laser technology to detect the distance objects are to your vehicle.
The laser-based system, however, does not always work well in bad weather conditions.
Binocular Computer Visions Systems
This technology uses small cameras in your rearview mirror to look for objects facing your vehicle from behind.
Predictive Systems
Predictive systems are a type of adaptive cruise system that uses sensory data to help it predict what other vehicles near your car will probably do.
If your truck indicates traffic is fixing to slow down, it may slow your vehicle to prevent a wreck. Companies are constantly upgrading this technology to improve the safety of everyone on the road.
Multi-Sensor Systems
Some adaptive cruise systems use more than one type of sensor to help provide a more cohesive experience and promote a safer environment.
Using more than one makes sense to help give the best picture of what is going on around your car when it is on the road.
The more accurate data gathered by your sensors, the better protection for you, your family, and everyone on the road near your vehicle will be.
Adaptive Cruise Control Paired with Other Capabilities or Assisted Systems
You can add several things to go with your adaptive cruise control to make your driving experience safer and more pleasant.
Lane Centering Technology. Lane Departure Warning and Lane Keeping Assistance
These three assisted systems are great at keeping your vehicle where it needs to be. They help keep you from drifting or driving off the road.
You can purchase all of these three together for just under $1000.
Lane Centering Technology
The lane-centering add-on helps you stay in your line between the lines. Unlike some technologies where the car makes corrections for you, this technology monitor and alerts the driver.
The driver has to correct any issues themselves. A potential problem is if the lanes are not marked. It cannot read what it cannot see.
Sometimes it has issues in bad weather such as rain or snow. If your blinker is on, it doesn’t warn you because it thinks you are turning or moving to another lane.
Lane Departure Warning Monitor
The lane departure warning monitors the position of your vehicle within the driving lane. It alerts the driver if the car approaches or crosses into another lane or the shoulder.
The system kicks in at between 30 to 40 miles per hour. The system gives an audible warning when your car crosses a solid or dotted line. Some systems vibrate the steering wheel to get your attention that you are drifting out of your lane.
The windshield camera is mounted high up in the windshield of a lane departure warning system. The camera can get a view of the road at least 150 feet in front of the vehicle.
If the car veers in either direction between the two lanes, a warning is given to the driver by visual alert, and probably an audio one, a vibration in the steering wheel, or the set might vibrate.
Lane-Keeping Assistance
The lane-keeping assistance helps keep the car steering within the lane. If you let the car drift too far to one side, the system steers your vehicle away from the edge of the lane.
Then you have to recenter the vehicle in the lane.
Blind Spot Monitoring
Designed to add safety while driving, blind-spot monitoring systems use radar to detect other vehicles traveling in the lanes next to your car.
Typically, you will see notifications on or near your mirror on the side of the vehicle where a vehicle is in your blind spot.
Generally, if you turn on a blinker indicating you are changing lanes, the light will start flashing to get your attention. Some vehicles will also have an audible alert.
Some blind-spot monitoring systems are more accurate than others. Systems using microwave sensor blind spot detection systems give drivers a much better response time than ultrasonic systems.
Ultrasonic systems sometimes have trouble differentiating between cars and trees or other objects on the side of the road. You can get this add-on for around $750.
Other Systems Available
Several other assisted systems that are compatible with your adaptive cruise control system that is designed to protect you and your family include:
| System | Designed to: |
|---|---|
| AEB or Automatic Emergency Braking | Detects potential wrecks while going forward. Provides a warning and applies the brakes. |
| Rear AEB or Rear Automatic Emergency Braking | Detects potential collisions while backing. Automatically applies the brakes to avoid impact. |
| RCTW or Rear Cross-Traffic Warning | Detects vehicles approaching from the side and rear of your car and alerts you so you can react accordingly. |
| CAEB or City Automatic Emergency Braking | Automatically applies brakes to prevent a collision when traveling at city speed. |
| PD or Pedestrian Detection | Detects pedestrians, issues a warning, and brakes if needed. Sometimes sees bikes too. |
| HAEB or High-Speed Automatic Emergency Braking | Brakes automatically reduce collision severity when going at higher speeds. |
| FCW or Forward Collision Warning | Warns you of impending collisions from forward. |
Older cars and trucks will not have any of these things available without aftermarket installation.
However, newer models may come with some if not all of these add-ons, or you can ask for them to see if they are available on your new vehicle.
The costs will vary depending on the car you want them installed onto and the company you choose to buy them.
Installation costs will also vary depending on how many modifications your vehicle needs and the rate per hour the shop you select charges for labor.
Automatic or Manual Transmission
You can usually install an adaptive cruise control on both manual and automatic transmission vehicles. However, you may not get much out of manual cruise control in town.
When you remain in top gear for more extended periods on the highway, you can get a lot of use and savings on fuel by having adaptive cruise control.
In town, you will be disengaging your cruise every time you clutch, not just when you break.
Depending on your car and the brand you buy of aftermarket cruise control, you may need a clutch disengagement switch for a manual transmission.
Adaptive Cruise Control for Motorcycles
You can even install an aftermarket cruise control for your motorcycle. The cruise control system costs around $550 if you install it yourself.
It is a rather large control switch for a bike but works great when installed correctly.
They are very accurate and smooth. The McCruise cruise control system is compatible with most bikes and is priced at $550 without installation.
McCruise is throttle-by-wire compatible. Many others on the market have cable-operated throttle assemblies, so you will need to figure out which one you need.
To Conclude
Getting an aftermarket adaptive cruise control system can unlock some pretty impressive technology to help protect your family.
Units cost between $500 and $2500 depending on what type of car you have and the add-ons you select. And labor costs to install your systems.
Even if your car had no option for a cruise control system, many companies offer aftermarket adaptive cruise systems for most cars and trucks on the market.
Motorcycles can also have installed aftermarket cruise control systems to them, as well. The different technology helps make your vehicle safer for you, your family, and those driving around you.