cruise control system in lexus

• Dynamic radar cruise control

DYNAMIC RADAR CRUISE CONTROL (DRCC)

For optimum safety when travelling at consistent speeds, a vehicle must be responsive to its environment. Dynamic Radar Cruise Control ensures that you always maintain a sufficient distance from any vehicles in front, by slowing you down before any collision has the opportunity to occur.

DRCC detects slower vehicles in front, using grille-mounted millimetre-wave radar and an in-vehicle camera. When an obstacle is detected, your vehicle will automatically decelerate without having to cancel cruise control. If slowing down is insufficient to prevent a collision, then DRCC will automatically apply the brakes, before getting you back up to speed when the vehicle has passed.

DRCC supports a comfortable journey, in many driving situations. High-Speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control is perfectly suited to the demands of travel at pace, such as motorway driving, while All-Speed Dynamic Radar Cruise functions even below 40km/h, for peace of mind in highly-congested traffic.

Driving with DRCC alleviates the stress that comes from keeping a consistent distance from the car ahead, particularly in urban areas and when unexpected traffic has the potential to hinder your journey.

Disclaimer: Do not use the Lexus safety system instead of normal driving under any circumstances and please read the instructions before operating the system. The driver is always responsible for driving safely.

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• Dynamic Radar Cruise Control

Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC)

DRCC enables you to travel calmly at a consistent speed while keeping you at a safe distance from the car in front. If your car is about to get too close, it will slow to prevent a collision.

For optimum safety when travelling at consistent speeds, a vehicle must be responsive to its environment. Dynamic Radar Cruise Control ensures that you always maintain a sufficient distance from any vehicles in front, by slowing you down before any collision has the opportunity to occur.

DRCC detects slower vehicles in front, using grille-mounted millimetre-wave radar and an in-vehicle camera. When an obstacle is detected, your vehicle will automatically decelerate without having to cancel cruise control. If slowing down is insufficient to prevent a collision, then DRCC will automatically apply the brakes, before getting you back up to speed when the vehicle has passed.

DRCC supports a comfortable journey, in many driving situations. High-Speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control is perfectly suited to the demands of travel at pace, such as motorway driving, while All-Speed Dynamic Radar Cruise functions even below 25mph, for peace of mind in highly-congested traffic.

Driving with DRCC alleviates the stress that comes from keeping a consistent distance from the car ahead, particularly in urban areas and when unexpected traffic has the potential to hinder your journey.

Disclaimer:  Do not use the Lexus Safety System instead of normal driving under any circumstances and please read the instructions before operating the system. The driver is always responsible for driving safely.

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Lexus CT 200h Safety

• Available Pre-Collision Safety System with Adaptive Cruise Control
• Electronically Controlled Braking-Regeneration system (ECB-R) incorporating Brake Assist (BA), Traction Control (TRAC) and Vehicle Stability Control (VSC)
• Standard eight airbags, including side-curtain and driver and front passenger knee airbags
• Whiplash Injury Lessening (WIL) front seats for reduced whiplash injuries

Lexus CT 200h Equipped with Active and Passive Safety Features

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I let the Lexus TX550H+ PHEV take over the steering wheel for me, and it was the biggest leap of faith I’ve had driving a car

One of the exciting things about covering today’s best electric cars is that I’m constantly finding features that show me how much the technology has evolved in the 15+ years since I last bought a car. I have to admit, all-electric vehicles like the Ford F150 Lightning I test drove make me jealous about the long-term savings of EVs , but I found out that many plug-in hybrid vehicles , commonly referred to as PHEVs , are also bundled with impressive driving technology,

After test-driving the Lexus TX550H+ for a week , I became acquainted with a driving feature that I’ve never come across before. It’s called dynamic radar cruise control, which is one of the many safety features that make up the Lexus Safety System+ to keep drivers safe. This feature essentially allows the vehicle to cruise at a specified speed, all while applying appropriate acceleration and braking throughout the ride. And yes, it can even move the steering wheel for you as well.

Honestly, my first time trying it out felt like a roller coaster ride. There’s the apprehension about putting faith in a computer system to drive for me, followed by the increase in heart rate I experienced. I bet that my Apple Watch Series 9 was probably reading over 100 beats/minute at the moment I let my foot off the pedal and my hands from the steering wheel.

Obviously, it’s an experience I’m sure to retell to anyone shopping around for their next car — but I learned some valuable lessons from it.

Driving habits will change

Life’s all about change, so while it may be tough to adapt to something new, you inevitably have to when it comes to operating newer vehicles. For example, I still find myself leaning over to my right side while backing up a newer EV — even though I could rely on the backup camera to guide me. The same applies to dynamic radar cruise control on the Lexus TX550H+ because now I’m leaning on technology to do everything.

Since the system automatically guides the steering wheel on its own, I don’t need to have such a tight grip on the steering wheel. That’s because the lane assist feature uses the vehicle’s cameras and radar to keep the SUV steady in its lane while driving. While I can manually override the steering and drive it myself, the first time trying dynamic cruise control felt jarring because I wasn’t used to the steering wheel ‘fighting’ my guidance.

However, I soon became acquainted with its driving, and it certainly has its merits. While the obvious case for dynamic cruise control would be for long trips driving on highways, I was equally as impressed by its effectiveness on local roads. That’s because it will apply the brakes and come to a full stop when it senses a vehicle is up ahead, while also accelerating the moment traffic starts moving. For those stop-and-go days when there’s congestion, it certainly helps.

It’s called driving assist for a reason and not automated driving

Technology is supposed to help us, but it shouldn’t make us lazy. That’s why Lexus (and many other car makers) often refer to this feature as "driving assist" and not "fully automated driving." During my week driving the Lexus TX550H+, I fully understand why this feature is more of an assistance than anything else.

There’s clearly a limitation on what it’s able to do. Call it nearsightedness, but this technology only adapts to what’s in front of it. For example, it’ll keep the TX550H+ at a set distance from the car in front of it to maintain the cruise control speed I set. However, the computer system lacks our perception to know the upcoming road conditions farther ahead.

An example of this is a steep incline or hill while driving on the highway. Often than not, the dynamic cruise control will maintain its speed and would eventually apply stronger acceleration a little after it first hits the bottom of the incline — rather than anticipating it beforehand and speeding a little to make it less of an effort. So there’s still work to be done before it can match our level of perception.

Frankly, it’s a safety feature that assists drivers, which I think is a tremendous benefit because our safety is paramount. I often think about my own father, who’s at that age when he’s simply not as sharp or reactive with driving. That’s the problem many people face who have older parents who still think they are capable of driving. For that older population, this technology can not only make them safer drivers but also protect other drivers.

This is still much better than the cruise control I’ve been used to all my life, so I’m glad this is increasingly becoming a standard feature in most vehicles.

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Used Lexus RZ for Sale in Moscow, ID

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VIN: JTJABABB7RA001783 Stock: P19944R Certified Pre-Owned: No Listed since: 05-08-2024

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What are tactical nuclear weapons and why did Russia order drills?

FILE - In this photo taken from a video distributed by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service, on Dec. 9, 2020, a Russian Tu-160 strategic bomber fires a cruise missile at test targets, during a military drills, Russia. The Russian Defense Ministry said that the military will hold drills involving tactical nuclear weapons – the first time such exercise was publicly announced by Moscow. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP, File)

FILE Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, walks to attend a welcome ceremony with Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov prior to their talks in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023. Putin has repeatedly reminded the West about Moscow’s nuclear might in a bid to discourage it from increasing military support to Kyiv. (Pavel Bednyakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)

FILE - In this photo taken from video released by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, a Su-25 warplane is seen from the cockpit of another such aircraft as they fire rockets on a mission over Ukraine. The Russian Defense Ministry said that the military will hold drills involving tactical nuclear weapons – the first time such exercise was publicly announced by Moscow. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP, File)

FILE - This photo taken from video provided by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Feb. 19, 2022, shows a Yars intercontinental ballistic missile being launched from an air field during military drills in Russia. The Russian Defense Ministry said that the military will hold drills involving tactical nuclear weapons – the first time such exercise was publicly announced by Moscow. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP, File)

FILE - In this photo taken from video provided by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022, The Russian army’s Iskander missile launchers take positions during drills in Russia. The Russian Defense Ministry said that the military will hold drills involving tactical nuclear weapons – the first time such exercise was publicly announced by Moscow. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP, File)

FILE In this photo released by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Friday, Feb. 2, 2024, Russian troops load an Iskander missile onto a mobile launcher during drills at an undisclosed location in Russia. The Russian Defense Ministry said that the military will hold drills involving tactical nuclear weapons – the first time such exercise was publicly announced by Moscow. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP, File)

FILE Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko watch military drills via videoconference in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022. The Russian military on Friday announced massive drills of its strategic nuclear forces. Last year, Russia moved some of its tactical nuclear weapons into the territory of its ally Belarus that neighbors Ukraine and NATO members Poland, Latvia and Lithuania. (Alexei Nikolsky, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)

FILE Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko shake hands during a meeting of the Union State Supreme Council in St. Petersburg, Russia, Monday, Jan. 29, 2024. Last year, Russia moved some of its tactical nuclear weapons into the territory of its ally Belarus that neighbors Ukraine and NATO members Poland, Latvia and Lithuania. (Dmitry Astakhov, Sputnik, Government Pool Photo via AP, File)

FILE - This photo taken from video provided by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022, shows a Russian Iskander-K missile launched during a military exercise at a training ground in Russia. The Russian Defense Ministry said that the military will hold drills involving tactical nuclear weapons – the first time such exercise was publicly announced by Moscow. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP, File)

FILE - In this photo taken from video provided by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, Su-30 fighters of the Russian and Belarusian air forces fly in a joint mission during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills in Belarus. The Russian Defense Ministry said that the military will hold drills involving tactical nuclear weapons – the first time such exercise was publicly announced by Moscow. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP, File)

FILE - In this photo released by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on April 20, 2022, a Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile is launched from Plesetsk in northwestern Russia. The Russian Defense Ministry said that the military will hold drills involving tactical nuclear weapons – the first time such exercise was publicly announced by Moscow. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP, File)

FILE - In this photo taken from video released by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on April 14, 2023, a Belarusian air force pilot speaks at an unidentified location. The video said that Belarusian air crews have completed a training course in Russia on using nuclear weapons. The Russian Defense Ministry said that the military will hold drills involving tactical nuclear weapons – the first time such exercise was publicly announced by Moscow. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP, File)

FILE - In this photo taken from video released by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service, a long-range Tu-160 bomber takes off from a base in Russia to patrol Belarus’ airspace on Nov. 11, 2021. The Russian Defense Ministry said that the military will hold drills involving tactical nuclear weapons – the first time such exercise was publicly announced by Moscow. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP, File)

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Russia’s Defense Ministry said Monday that the military would hold drills involving tactical nuclear weapons — the first time such an exercise has been publicly announced by Moscow .

A look at tactical nuclear weapons and the part they play in the Kremlin’s political messaging.

WHAT ARE TACTICAL NUCLEAR WEAPONS?

Unlike nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles that can destroy entire cities, tactical nuclear weapons for use against troops on the battlefield are less powerful and can have a yield as small as about 1 kiloton. The U.S. bomb dropped on Hiroshima during World War II was 15 kilotons.

Such battlefield nuclear weapons — aerial bombs, warheads for short-range missiles or artillery munitions — can be very compact. Their small size allows them to be discreetly carried on a truck or plane.

Unlike strategic weapons, which have been subject to arms control agreements between Moscow and Washington, tactical weapons never have been limited by any such pacts, and Russia hasn’t released their numbers or any other specifics related to them.

WHAT HAS PUTIN SAID ABOUT NUCLEAR WEAPONS?

Since launching the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly reminded Western nations about Moscow’s nuclear might in a bid to discourage them from increasing military support to Kyiv.

Early on in the war, Putin frequently referenced Moscow’s nuclear arsenal by vowing repeatedly to use “all means” necessary to protect Russia. But he later toned down his statements as Ukraine’s offensive last summer failed to reach its goals and Russia scored more gains on the battlefield.

Moscow’s defense doctrine envisages a nuclear response to an atomic strike or even an attack with conventional weapons that “threaten the very existence of the Russian state.” That vague wording has led some pro-Kremlin Russian experts to urge Putin to sharpen it to force the West to take the warnings more seriously.

Putin said last fall that he sees no reason for such a change.

“There is no situation in which anything would threaten Russian statehood and the existence of the Russian state,” he said. “I think that no person of sober mind and clear memory could have an idea to use nuclear weapons against Russia.”

WHY DID RUSSIA SEND NUCLEAR WEAPONS TO BELARUS?

Last year, Russia moved some of its tactical nuclear weapons into the territory of Belarus , an ally that neighbors Ukraine and NATO members Poland, Latvia and Lithuania.

Belarus’ authoritarian president, Alexander Lukashenko , had long urged Moscow to station nuclear weapons in his country, which has close military ties with Russia and served as a staging ground for the war in Ukraine.

Both Putin and Lukashenko said that nuclear weapons deployment to Belarus was intended to counter perceived Western threats. Last year, Putin specifically linked the move to the U.K. government’s decision to provide Ukraine with armor-piercing shells containing depleted uranium.

Neither leader said how many were moved — only that Soviet-era facilities in the country were readied to accommodate them, and that Belarusian pilots and missile crews were trained to use them. The weapons have remained under Russian military control.

The deployment of tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus, which has a 1,084-kilometer (673-mile) border with Ukraine, would allow Russian aircraft and missiles to reach potential targets there more easily and quickly, if Moscow decides to use them. It has also extended Russia’s capability to target several NATO allies in Eastern and Central Europe.

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Ukraine war latest: Situation in Kharkiv 'dire' - after world took 'eye off the ball' on Ukraine

The UN says it is "deeply concerned" about the situation in northeastern Ukraine, as Russia claims advances in the region. Defence secretary Grant Shapps has criticised the world for delays in getting support to Kyiv. Submit your question on the war for our experts to answer below.

Tuesday 14 May 2024 14:17, UK

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• Blinken arrives in Kyiv on unannounced trip
• Parts of Vovchansk fall to Russia - reports
• Shapps: World took its 'eye off the ball' with Ukraine
• Dozens of homes damaged in Belgorod attack
• Big picture: Everything you need to know about the war this week
• Analysis:  Putin's 'baffling' reshuffle explained
• Who is Andrei Belousov, Putin's new pick for defence minister?

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Scroll down to catch up on the latest developments in the conflict today.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy will travel to Spain on Friday for a meeting with King Felipe in Madrid, according to a royal palace statement.

Ukraine's defence minister says it is "extremely difficult" for troops to hold ground in Ukraine as they remain outgunned by Russian forces.

Rustem Umerov made a renewed plea for more shells and military supplies as Russia intensifies its offensive in the country's northeast.

"We need more artillery shells as Russia is still many times ahead," he told the Copenhagen Democracy Summit 2024 in an online address.

"Under such conditions it's extremely difficult to hold the ground." 

Russia has put its submarine-launched Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile into service, the TASS state news agency reports.

Russia's state media quoted the missile's chief designer Yuri Solomonov as saying its adoption was announced in a decree on 7 May, the same day that Vladimir Putin began a new six-year term in the Kremlin.

The Bulava was developed under a programme that started in the 1990s, and is designed to be deployed on Russia's Borei-class submarines.

Last November, the defence ministry said one of those submarines had successfully test-launched the Bulava, firing it from an underwater position in the White Sea off northern Russia.

TASS said Russia's Northern and Pacific fleets now include seven Borei submarines and each carries 16 Bulavas.

For context : Vladimir Putin has warned the West since the start of the war in Ukraine that direct intervention by NATO troops there could trigger a nuclear conflict. 

In March he said he did not believe the US was "rushing" towards this, but that Russia's nuclear forces were technically ready.

The world taking its "eye off the ball" led to the position we see in Kharkiv today, defence secretary Grant Shapps has said. 

Speaking at the Sea Power Conference today, the minister reiterated the UK's complete support for Ukraine, saying Russia winning would be "unimaginable and unacceptable".

He said: "I've heard repeatedly, including said to me by [Ukraine's] President Zelenskyy, which is that without Britain, they wonder whether they would still have been in this war at all."

He listed the UK's commitments to Ukraine, and criticised the world for having taken its "eye off the ball" recently.

"The amount of time it's taken to get the rest of the funding through has directly led to the position we see in Kharkiv today," he said.

He added that he did not think the situation was "fatal", however, and said it was "an important lesson to the world not to lose attention about Ukraine".

Ukraine must develop the "strongest possible democracy", Antony Blinken has told officials during a working lunch in a pizzeria in Kyiv.

The US secretary of state said it was "imperative" that fighting corruption in the country continues along with fighting Russian aggression. 

He also said it was important Ukraine developed "the strongest possible democracy" that reflects its citizens and attracts investment.

Mr Blinken's surprise visit follows the approval of a long-delayed foreign assistance package for Ukraine by Congress.

The package sets aside $61bn (£48.1bn) in aid for Ukraine, much of which will go toward replenishing badly depleted artillery and air defence systems.

Russian troops have captured the town of Buhruvatka in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, the defence ministry reports, according to Reuters.

The claim comes hours after Russia's TASS  news agency reported the western and northern parts of Vovchansk in Ukraine's Kharkhiv region had fallen (see post at 9.21am).

Sky News cannot independently verify these battlefield claims.

Russia's supreme court has rejected an appeal by Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza against his 25-year jail sentence, according to Reuters. 

The prominent Russian opposition figure, who has both Russian and British passports, was arrested near his Moscow home in April 2022 and convicted of treason by a court in April 2023.

He has repeatedly condemned Russia's war in Ukraine, criticised Vladimir Putin, and lobbied for Western sanctions against Moscow.

In his appeal, Mr Kara-Murza had argued that he had committed no crime and was convicted solely for exercising his right to free speech by expressing public opposition to Mr Putin and the war.

"This whole case is based on the denial of the very concepts of law, justice, and legality," he said in a written submission to the court.

"But it is also based on a crude, cynical forgery - an attempt to equate criticism of the authorities with harm to the country; to present opposition activity as 'treason'. But there is nothing new in this, either; it is what every dictatorship does."

Evacuations are under way in the town of Vovchansk, in the northeast Kharkiv region.

Local officials fear that Vovchansk's fate may mirror that of Bakhmut and Avdiivka, Ukrainian cities where fierce fighting forced Ukrainian withdrawals.

The Kremlin's forces are aiming to exploit Ukrainian weaknesses before a big batch of new military aid for Kyiv from the US and European partners arrives on the battlefield, according to analysts.

Six children have been rescued from the Russian-occupied Kherson region, the area's governor Oleksandr Prokudin has said. 

Mr Prokudin said on Telegram the children - one girl and five boys - were "rescued from the camps of the Russian occupiers".

The Save Ukraine organisation worked on the rescue mission, he said.

"It was an extremely difficult rescue mission with delays at roadblocks and intimidation," the governor said.

"Fortunately, all the children are safe now. Doctors and psychologists work with them."

The children were aged between five and 12.

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