When asked, some study participants expressed strong interest in having a vehicle that could drive itself, particularly for long trips when lane centering and full-speed range adaptive cruise control could help lighten the driver's workload.

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Options to look for include adaptive cruise control that can automatically maintain a set speed and interval on the highway, and high-intensity Xenon headlamps with Active Curve Illumination that can help illuminate the road at night through curves.

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The manufacturers are also developing adaptive cruise control, which can automatically maintain a safe speed and distance from other vehicles, and intelligent speed adaptation, which can, in its most active form, prevent a driver exceeding the speed limit.

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The 2012 Audi A7 also offers an adaptive radar-based cruise control system that not only maintains a set speed and distance from the traffic ahead on the highway, it can operate as efficiently in stop and go traffic.

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