One of those really, really, REALLY good ideas!

mcrbids

Thu Aug 07 01:11:39 -0700 2008

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I learned to drive in a Dodge Caravan. It had 2 "stops" to the gas pedal. A sort of "soft floored" and a "yes I really mean it" floored. It's easy to go to the first stop, very light pressure all the way down. It takes a significant amount additional pressure to "really" floor it - making its use a rather uncommon thing, but natural when you're freaked out. I mean, when you're flooring it so that the big 18-wheeler doesn't flip over on you while merging on the freeway, it's pretty natural to cram the gas pedal through the floor if possible. You don't have to think about it!

But I almost never "really floor" it, and this probably results in a significant fuel economy savings at virtually no cost to my safety.

So adapting this idea so that the "soft floored" is more of a "most efficient" floor, so that it's pretty easy just to let the weight of your foot propel the car at its most efficient setting but requires actual effort to be wasteful actually sounds like a very, very good idea.

I'd just love it if my cars had this!

One of those really, really, REALLY good ideas!

zogger

Thu Aug 07 01:41:31 -0700 2008

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Some cars just have a "two mode" setting, performance or economy, like setting gear ranges on a larger truck or tractor. But I like that idea of just the two step throttle, that sounds easy enough...but I also like the idea of having arguments with the cars computer voice thing as well, just for sport....especially if you could set different customized voices, like your MOM as the backseat driver. hehehehehe In ye olden days, they taught you to imagine an egg taped to the gas pedal, never push hard enough to crack the egg gives the best mileage and results in the least amount of wear and tear (just starting and getting out of first I mean). Breaking the egg to avoid the tractor trailer is a good excuse though.

One of those really, really, REALLY good ideas!

KlaymenDK

Thu Aug 07 02:43:44 -0700 2008

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You know, I like this two-stop throttle idea so much I'm going to see if there's a way to fit a spring to the pedal in my car to give it that "2nd stop" feeling. You know, something like from a lawn chair, rigged so it doesn't engage until the pedal is pressed (what, two-thirds?) down.

About the egg, let me tell you, you DON'T want to break it. A friend of mine had a veggie market, and once got rear ended when he had the van full of ... eggs. The insurance company said they'd pay for the repair, but the shop said forget it -- even with all the dents out that thing is going to REEK in a couple of days, it's impossible to clean thoroughly enough. Eww. So the van was scrapped.

One of those really, really, REALLY good ideas!

berck

Tue Aug 12 08:27:18 -0700 2008

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You felt the kickdown for the automatic transmission, there.  The thing you guys are forgetting, is throttling inefficiencies.  In general, (contrary to popular belief) you're better off accelerating with a wide open throttle because of the throttling inefficiencies at partial throttle operation.

The Throttle That Pushes Back

ColaMan

Thu Aug 07 03:36:21 -0700 2008

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I'd prefer it to be able to have a bit more user input, myself.

Cars now have electronic throttle bodies / footpedals, sensors out the wazoo and accurate fuel metering. With all that it should be very easy to have a knob that simply says "economy" on one end of the scale and "POWER!!1!" on the other. Turning it alters the maximum allowable fuel consumption of the vehicle, with a 30 second moving average to allow for standing starts,etc. Going beyond the max allowed results in the engine actively throttling back to reach your target.Flooring the pedal will override the behaviour in emergency situations.

The important thing is the knob gives the users the feeling of control, and users like that a lot more that admonitons about using too much fuel. So, when you're feeling the pinch from your multiple mortgages, you can turn the dial more towards economy when going to/from work, and have a car that sips fuel, but is a bit sluggish.

When you're off trying to woo that new girl from Accounting or you're feeling a bit of the mid-life crisis coming on (or both), turn that knob up to "POWER!!1!" and feel the awesomeness of your 1.6L donk burning through all those priceless hydrocarbons.

 

Well, I like the idea, anyway.

The Throttle That Pushes Back

Bhima

Thu Aug 07 12:51:18 -0700 2008

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This is the sort of thing the VW 1 liter does.  I expect we'll be seeing a lot of this in the future.  Which is a good thing because many folks don't pay any attention whatever to their driving habits.

I have a close friend who varies his throttle position hugely in an perpetual over reaction to tiny increases and decreases to vehicle speed or engine load which sends the car in this horrible uneven and uncomfortable pace. It makes me ill to let him drive and he's been doing this to me for at least 25 years... makes me shudder to think how much gas he has wasted.

All well and good

archanoid

Thu Aug 07 13:35:39 -0700 2008

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This idea is all well and good and whatnot, but how 'bout this: stop screwing around and get us off the petrol teat.

I find it hard to believe that all of the engineering minds in all the different auto-industry companies out there couldn't have had us all in affordable alternative autos by now if they'd have just had the actual WILL to do so a few years ago.

I think the reason we are where we are still has more to do with piss poor management than anything else.