Does anyone else have an uneasy feeling about the direction of the automotive market. The driver, once the most important component is really taking a backseat to the computer. Maybe it's just paranioa since my E30 went up in flames from an electrical fire..


From Autocar:
"BMW is to introduce a stop-start system - which cuts the engine when stopped and restarts it when the driver's foot comes off the brake - from next year.

Various four- and six-cylinder 1-series, 3-series and 5-series models will use a Bosch-developed system, which promises fuel savings of around five per cent. It will be the first time an upmarket manufacturer has offered such a device.

Despite slow sales of Citroën's C2 and C3 Stop & Start, car makers are keen on such systems as they are an easy way to reduce emissions to meet self-imposed C02-reduction targets."

 

I just worry about how long a system like that is going to last. Will it still be operational when the car is twenty years old? Like our window downy-uppy things...will they still be downy-upping at 250,000 miles?

 

That definitely bothers me, but not as much as these various systems coming out that slam on the car's brakes and bring it to a stop anytime they sense an object in front of the car. I love animals, but there are definitely situations (like winter) where I'd rather hit one than end up going off the road and getting seriously injured. If I'm on a one-lane dirt road in the middle of nowhere (as I often am), I don't want my car taking over my reactions.

 

I don't think frequent start-stop cycling of the engine is anything new, hybrids does that now. So I'm sure the engineering and technologies associated with that is fairly mature. What I'm not sure about is whether it's worth the 5% fuel savings. Or maybe it's just a round-about way to meet emissions standards ...

 

God forbid they reduce the size/weight of the car by 5%.

 

...a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, when I just learned how to drive a car, I think I remember being told that a vehicle uses the most fuel upon ignition than if it were left running (for a short period of time...) So with that in mind, where is this system supposed to save me fuel and money especially if I do a lot of stop and go driving in the city? Mick

 

and for those that don't like computers in cars, give yours up and give up most of your power (maybe not most, but a lot for sure). While we are all resistant to change, change will come. 5% increase in fuel efficiency is very, very good.

Matt

 

Yeah, that's what I've been wondering with all these hybrid systems that kill the engine and restart it, but I haven't bothered to figure out why it works. I just sort of believe them. (After all, that's how they sell hybrids, right? By people not doing their research. )

 

The cold start requires TONS of fuel relative to normal idle. But warm start isn't as bad. And I bet that the stop'n'go can get the motor spinning faster than most of the starters we were used to when we learned all those things.

The hybrids surely can do that, as some can run full electric up to a certain speed.

Matt

 

Won't it be so much fun when the computer screws up & decides to cut your power right when you are trying to make a lane change at 70MPH

 

there's a computer running your motor now, and without it, kiss your 100 HP per liter good bye!

Matt

 

I often go from blacktop to gravel roads, I'm sorry, but no compucker in the car is going to do that transition as smooth as I do.
And if I do drift a bit as I hit the gravelI would like to be in charge of what is going on, power loss could involve a ditch.

That said, I leave my ASC on almost all the time, need to save my worn out all seasons

Mark

 

fact is that computer can react to things quicker than you would even be aware of them. That said, there's no guarantee that the programming of the system is good.... Just look at the number of ECU updates that we get subjected to, and it's still not right...

But we'll all be resistant to change. Oh how I long for the days of horse and buggy!

Matt

 

if you want to save gas that bad get a car with better MPG. Who cares if could safe 50¢ per thank.

 

While it's true hybrids use this feature to their advantage, the one main reason they can is the fact that they have a large electric motor capable of starting the engine back up instantly (and without the engine revving up and then back down to idle). What will BMW do about that? They cant have a regular starter as that will take too much time.

 

but this feature has been used by Peugot before, right? So maybe some research on that will shed some light....

Matt

 

http://www.psa-peugeot-citroen.com/m...graphie_en.pdf

http://www.psa-peugeot-citroen.com/e...s_a.php?id=191

Matt