“Do you have to be in cruise control?”
No, not really...
The $1,000 sensing package has lot’s of great features while in cruse mode but it can brake the car to avoid a collision with a pedestrian or another vehicle if it senses a delta of more than 3 MPH. There is a button on the lower dash (think knee level) that can turn it off.
It activated on me two days ago — I was in a 25 MPH zone, slowing for a red light (likely doing 18 MPH or less) when someone in the right turn lane decided to shift to my lane (obviously did not want to turn right). The brakes went on and I slowed -— I was applying the brakes at the time but the sensors did their job.
I, like you, gladly spent the extra money for this package.
Honda legally does not state it’s sensing package will ‘stop’ a collision (open invitation to a law suit) though that’s the package will do.
I didn't pay extra for this. I paid extra for the WHOLE car as I got the touring model V-6. :-) It already has a lot of features that I have no idea how to work. Since this is the last car I will be getting I splurged. It is a 2014 and I don't know if there is a way for the auto braking to work outside of the cruise control. I will have to check with the dealer.