In today’s automotive landscape, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) is one of the most sought-after driver-assist features. It’s designed to reduce fatigue, maintain safe distances, and ensure smoother drives—particularly on highways. But even this intelligent system has its limitations.
One commonly overlooked issue occurs when overtaking slower vehicles—especially on the right. Due to traffic regulations in most regions, overtaking on the right is restricted or prohibited. When ACC detects such a scenario, it may switch off entirely, forcing the driver back into manual control.
What Is Adaptive Cruise Control and How Does It Work?
Conventional cruise control lets you set a constant speed, but it doesn’t adapt to traffic. Adaptive Cruise Control takes this a step further by using radar and cameras to automatically adjust your speed based on the vehicle in front of you. It accelerates and decelerates without driver input, maintaining a safe following distance.
Key Features of Adaptive Cruise Control
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Automatic speed regulation
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Proximity-based acceleration and braking
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Lane-aware driving (in some vehicles)
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Driver fatigue reduction on long trips
The Legal Limitation—Overtaking on the Right
Why ACC Turns Off in Certain Situations
In most jurisdictions, overtaking on the right is illegal or only allowed in very limited conditions. To comply with these laws, ACC systems are programmed to disable when they detect that you are passing a slower-moving vehicle on the right side.
This is especially useful on highways, where vehicles should ideally pass on the left. However, this logic becomes problematic in city driving.
Real-World Examples of the Issue
Imagine driving through an urban area with traffic lights and turning vehicles. A car in the left lane begins to slow for a left turn—your car, with ACC enabled, detects this as you overtaking on the right, even though you’re simply continuing forward. The system disengages abruptly, dropping you back into full manual control.
This interruption is not only frustrating—it reduces the benefit of adaptive cruise control in stop-and-go traffic.
Adaptive Cruise Control with Overtaking Flexibility
A Smarter Solution with User Control
Carista solves this problem elegantly with a toggleable feature: “Adaptive cruise control overtaking on the right.” Available for select VW-group vehicles (MK7, MK7.5, MQBA0 platforms), this setting allows you to decide when it’s appropriate to maintain ACC—even if the system detects overtaking on the right.
How It Works
When enabled through the Carista app:
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Your vehicle’s ACC won’t disable when it detects slower vehicles on the left.
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You retain the benefits of ACC in more nuanced driving conditions, such as cities or multi-lane roads with variable traffic flow.
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You stay in control, not the software.
When to Enable or Disable This Feature
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Enable in urban areas: Where lane discipline and turning traffic may cause false ACC disengagements.
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Disable on highways: To comply with strict overtaking regulations and avoid unintended legal violations.
It’s a matter of context—and with Carista, switching it on or off is just one tap.
Benefits of Carista’s Adaptive Cruise Control Customization
Enhanced Comfort and Flexibility
Stay in cruise control longer. Avoid unnecessary interruptions in congested or complex traffic scenarios. Reduce fatigue without compromising safety.
Safety-Centered Control
You remain the final decision-maker. Carista does not override traffic laws—it simply gives you the flexibility to adapt your vehicle's logic to the road environment you’re in.
Customization Made Easy
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No dealership appointments
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No coding knowledge required
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Plug-and-play functionality
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Compatible with popular platforms like MK7, MK7.5, and MQBA0
How to Enable the Feature with Carista
Step-by-Step Guide
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Plug the Carista OBD2 scanner into your vehicle’s diagnostic port.
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Open the Carista app on your smartphone.
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Navigate to the “Customize” section.
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Locate and enable the option: “Adaptive cruise control overtaking on the right.”
That’s it. Your adaptive cruise control system is now smarter, more responsive, and tuned to your driving environment.
Adaptive Cruise Control is a powerful tool—but its default programming isn’t always ideal for real-world driving. Especially when traffic laws intersect with traffic patterns, systems can disengage at the wrong moment.
Carista empowers you to close that gap. With just one click, you can enable overtaking logic that makes sense for your environment, all while retaining the option to disable it when you need to. It’s flexible. It’s safe. And it’s entirely in your control.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How is adaptive cruise control different from regular cruise control?
Unlike traditional cruise control, which maintains a constant speed regardless of traffic, adaptive cruise control adjusts your speed based on real-time traffic conditions. It can slow down, speed up, and even stop the vehicle in some cases to match surrounding traffic.
Why does adaptive cruise control turn off when overtaking on the right?
ACC systems are programmed to comply with traffic laws that prohibit overtaking on the right, which is illegal in most countries. When the system detects that you're passing a slower car on the right, it may disable itself to avoid a legal conflict or unsafe maneuver.
How does Carista help with adaptive cruise control limitations?
Carista offers a customization feature called “Adaptive cruise control overtaking on the right” for supported vehicles. It allows the user to keep ACC enabled in specific driving scenarios—such as urban environments—where overtaking on the right may happen naturally due to traffic flow or turning vehicles
Is the Carista ACC customization legal?
Carista’s customization doesn't force or automate illegal overtaking. It simply gives the driver control over whether ACC remains active in these borderline situations. It’s still the driver’s responsibility to follow local traffic laws and use the feature appropriately.
Can I switch this setting on and off whenever I want?
Yes. You can enable or disable this customization at any time through the Carista app. This makes it easy to toggle based on your driving environment—for example, keeping it on in city traffic and turning it off for highway travel.