In a car in the UAE, the "SET" button is primarily used to activate and lock your current driving speed into the vehicle's cruise control system, which is especially useful for long, straight highways like the Dubai-Abu Dhabi E11 or Sheikh Zayed Road, helping to reduce driver fatigue during long commutes or desert drives.
According to traffic safety guidelines from the RTA Dubai and MOI UAE, using systems like cruise control correctly can contribute to more consistent speeds and potentially safer driving on highways. The basic operation is straightforward: first, you activate the main cruise control system with an "ON" or dedicated button. Once your car reaches your desired speed—typically above 50 km/h on UAE highways—you press the "SET" button to lock it in. The car will then maintain that speed without you needing to press the accelerator. If you need to adjust the speed while it's active, most systems use "+" or "RES/ACC" to increase and "-" or "SET/COAST" to decrease. Crucially, pressing the brake pedal or clutch in the UAE's often heavy stop-and-go traffic, such as on Emirates Road during peak hours, will immediately cancel the cruise control. Many modern GCC-spec vehicles, from a Toyota Land Cruiser to a Kia Sportage, also have a "RES" (Resume) button to smoothly return to the last set speed after a cancellation.
Beyond basic convenience, using cruise control judiciously on open roads can lead to measurable fuel savings in UAE conditions. By maintaining a constant throttle position, the engine management system avoids unnecessary acceleration and deceleration, promoting more efficient fuel combustion. For a typical family sedan like a Toyota Camry running on Special 95 fuel, this can translate to an improvement of around 0.8 to 1.2 km/l during steady highway cruising at 120 km/h compared to manual speed control. Over a year of driving 25,000 km, with an average fuel price of 3.00 AED/l for Special 95, this could mean annual fuel cost savings of approximately 300-450 AED. However, this benefit is negated in congested city traffic where constant manual adjustment is needed.
| Action | Button/Function | Typical Effect |
|---|
| Activate System | ON / Cruise Main | Arms the cruise control electronics |
| Set Desired Speed | SET | Locks the car's current speed |
| Temporarily Cancel | Brake Pedal | Deactivates control; car coasts |
| Resume Previous Speed | RES (Resume) | Returns to the last speed set |
| Increase Speed | + / RES/ACC | Increments speed (e.g., +1 km/h) |
| Decrease Speed | - / SET/COAST | Reduces speed (e.g., -1 km/h) |
- Primary function: Locks current speed for highway driving.
- Fuel efficiency: Can improve by 0.8-1.2 km/l on open highways.
- Safety note: Braking instantly deactivates the system.
