How to stop worrying and trust adaptive cruise control?

My experience with a manual CX-3 is that the ACC first brakes on the engine and if that is not enough, it uses the brakes.
In that case I have the option to shift down so that the car brakes more strongly on the engine.

The disadvantage is that I do not always notice that the ACC is using the brakes, because there is no indication in the HUD or on the dashboard.

On a very long and steep descent (the Drackensteiner Hang on the A8 in the direction of Stuttgart in Germany) I got a warning in the HUD that I had to shift down, because apparently the car was using the brakes for too long. I decided to disengage the ACC, shifted down and used the brakes on and off. On the Drackensteiner Hang it's not possible to drive down without using the brakes.

2020 10 15 DRACKENSTEINER HANG


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I don't like how it applies the brakes when you go downhill, even if you only go 1mph over the set limit. So if I'm changing pitch often, I don't use it.
If you touch the accelerator lightly, it will temporarily cancel the cruise and coast/accelerate (depending on how hard you press).
 
I've not seen anyone else mention this before but one thing I don't like about adaptive cruise control is that it reduces speed in curves. This is not due to any vehicles being detected, I can be the only car around and speed will be cut by several miles per hour when the car is in a curve.
I have found that to happen as well. Driving on one of my favorite twisty roads with Adaptive Cruise Control on, even going around sweeping turns that should easily be taken at 60-65mph, the car would slow by 4-6 mph. So I would turn off the ACC heading into twisties and back on for straightaways.
 
Had the same anxiety in the beginning. (Note on my Volvo...don't have on my Mazda). I absolutely love it but you've got the right answers here: If you're not comfortable in a situation then you shouldn't be using it. And there are still times a year later where I will be coming up on stopped traffic...and I don't trust it so I will take over. LOL
 
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