Cruise control is not autopilot. Cruise control is just "please maintain the current speed with no further throttle input from me, until I do decide to provide throttle or braking input".
The driver is still absolutely in control of the vehicle with cruise control enabled.
So you would say that braking to maintain distance to the car in front isnt part of cruise control? Because that's what we are talking about.
I don't think cruise control has to include active braking, if the feature is included, and from what the GP is suggesting, is activated with the cruise control, isnt it part of cruise control.
braking to maintain distance to the car in front isnt part of cruise control?
Yes, that isn't part of regular cruise control. It's called "cruising", not "driving in traffic". These systems have been around since the 60s, far longer than automotive sensors have existed.
The part where the car actually responds to the movement of cars around them is a new thing (only available for ten years or so), and is called adaptive cruise control.
As I said cruise control doesn't have to have active braking because as you point out cruise control predates active braking. To me its analogous to a graphics card in a computer, a computer doesn't have to contain a graphics card, after all the computer predates the graphics card. Nevertheless you wouldn't argue that a graphics card in a computer isnt part of the computer.
The driver is still absolutely in control of the vehicle with cruise control enabled.