- published: 19 Apr 2012
- views: 161112
Cruise control (sometimes known as speed control or autocruise) is a system that automatically controls the speed of a motor vehicle. The system takes over the throttle of the car to maintain a steady speed as set by the driver.
Speed control with a centrifugal governor was used in automobiles as early as the 1910s, notably by Peerless. Peerless advertised that their system would "maintain speed whether up hill or down". The technology was invented by James Watt and Matthew Boulton in 1788 to control steam engines. The governor adjusts the throttle position as the speed of the engine changes with different loads.
Modern cruise control (also known as a speedostat) was invented in 1945 by the blind inventor and mechanical engineer Ralph Teetor. His idea was born out of the frustration of riding in a car driven by his lawyer, who kept speeding up and slowing down as he talked. The first car with Teetor's system was the 1958 Imperial (called "Auto-pilot"). This system calculated ground speed based on driveshaft rotations and used a solenoid to vary throttle position as needed.
Where do you go
When the cold wind blows
What do you see
When you're staring down victory
Well, hey mister, this one's gonna pass you by if you let it fly
Let it go, oh
You're not here, you're not in love...
You're on cruise control
You're on cruise control
You're on cruise control
You have no taste for
What is too known
You have to ignore something
Once it is shown
Well, hey mister, this one's gonna pass you by if you let it fly
Let it go, oh
You're not here, you're not in love...
You're on cruise control
You're on cruise control
You're on cruise control
You can't get it back,
It's like a heart attack
Once you lose track,
You can never find the track back home
You lost a friend and you lost something great
You sold yourself
Just to save a little faith
Just like a razor with nothing left to cut through
You throw yourself on everyone around you
Oh you're invincble, you (blah blah blah blah blah)
You catch cleverness up around your heart
You were always like the rest of us
But you'll be lonely tonight
Lonely tonight
Lonely tonight
You can't comprehend hunger
Before it begins
You can't appreciate good love until it's too late
Well, hey mister, I'm gonna pass you by if you let me fly
Let me go, oh
You're not here, you're not in love,
You're on cruise control
You're on cruise control