ACC

Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) enables an adjustment in vehicle handling to be made in reaction to the prevailing traffic. The automobile automatically keeps the necessary safe distance from the vehicle just ahead of it in traffic and reacts in anticipation of changes in the traffic (e.g. speed, ground frost, danger of traffic jams).

The next picture displays the control units required just for the ACC using an Audi A8 (as of model year 2003 ) as an example:

The sensors and actuators which belong to each control unit are not represented in the picture. In addition, other functions need the installation of more control units including sensors and actuators. This explains the amazingly high number of electric and electronic components in today's luxury automobiles.