Cruise control failed, speed touched 220 KPH – Survivor Saudi tells the story

Cruise Control, the modern innovation which is designed not only to make a driver of an automobile feel like a pilot who has engaged his auto pilot, but has also been designed in order to be a relief or a convenience to all motorists. It truly is a convenience on highways, motorways and long routes. However as is common knowledge, sometime the technology which has been aimed to bring us convenience and ease, turn into something which makes you agitated or worse in peril. Recently a story has been revealed that one motorist almost had a tragedy when the cruise control option in the automobile malfunctioned.

A huge tragedy has been averted on the Taif – Riyadh road after the cruise control option in an automobile malfunctioned and the automobile started speeding up to 200 kilometers per hour and above. Abdul Majeed Al Otaibi, the lucky Saudi citizen who had been unfortunately behind the wheel when the cruise control malfunctioned in the vehicle, kept his nerves calm and had the presence of mind to contact the highway patrol for help, after all efforts to slow down the vehicle had failed.

The unfortunate yet lucky motorist Al Otaibi stated that he was driving a 2015 Hyundai Elantra from Riyadh towards Taif and had set the cruise control system on once he hit the speed limit. Shortly after however, he was shocked to find out that the speed of the automobile was increasing. When he tried to turn the cruise control off, and also used the brakes, all his efforts went to vain. Immediately he contacted the security patrol, who sprung into action and proceeded to clear the roads in front of him and guided him on the phone as to how he can disable the cruise control system. Al Otaibi has thanked the team for their brave and valiant efforts which saved not only his life, but also the life of other motorists.

Al Otaibi has also urged all of the automobile manufacturers to find solutions to this issue. He suggested automobile manufacturers can install an emergency key in their vehicles which will help in disconnecting the engine, electricity or the gas. These types of incidents have happened many times over the years. In one instance a Saudi man lost control of his automobile when the cruise control option in the automobile malfunctioned and locked at 180 kilometers per hour on the Qassim Highway. He had been heading to Qassim to Riyadh late at night when this issue happened. The Highway authorities helped clear the roads in front while also escorting him until the car stopped finally due to running out of gas.

Another instance was when the cruise control function in an automobile malfunctioned and locked in at 200 kilometers per hour. This driver called the Highway authority too, and similar actions were taken to escort the vehicle while clearing out the roads in front. This car also only stopped once it completely ran out of fuel.

Source: Arab News

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