Hill descent control (HDC, or hill mode descent control) is a
driver-assistance system allowing for a controlled hill descent in rough terrain without any
brake input from the driver.
Overview
A vehicle can perform controlled descent using the
anti-lock braking system (ABS) and in some cases
engine braking
Engine braking occurs when the retarding forces within an engine are used to slow down a motor vehicle, as opposed to using additional external braking mechanisms such as friction brakes or magnetic brakes.
The term is often confused with seve ...
.
If a vehicle accelerates under the force of gravity, the system will automatically apply brakes to slow down to the desired vehicle speed.
Cruise control
Cruise control (also known as speed control, cruise command, autocruise, or tempomat) is a system that automatically controls the speed of a motor vehicle. The system is a servomechanism that takes over the throttle of the car to maintain a s ...
buttons can adjust the speed on some vehicles.
Applying pressure to the accelerator or brake pedal will override the HDC system.
Land Rover
Land Rover is a British brand of predominantly four-wheel drive, off-road capable vehicles, owned by multinational car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), since 2008 a subsidiary of India's Tata Motors. JLR currently builds Land Rovers ...
originally developed HDC for use on their
Freelander
The Land Rover Freelander is a compact luxury crossover SUV that was manufactured and marketed by Land Rover from 1997 to 2015. The second generation was sold from 2007 to 2015 in North America and the Middle East as the LR2 and in Europe as the ...
model which lacks low range gears usually provided on a 4x4 system (4 wheel drive). Later implementations combine HDC with traction control and low-range gears and have reduced the set speed to slower than walking pace for extra control.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hill Descent Control System
Advanced driver assistance systems