Has anyone else been watching that show on Discovery Channel called "Future Car"? I find it scary. Cars that drive them selves, electic cars, joysticks for steering wheels, ugly designs, something called the "Tweel", and many other things that spell the end of true automobiles. Their vision of the future, however true it may turn out to be, is a great reason to keep your MINI forever.

 

Well they were talking about cars like that back in the 1950's as examples of what we'd have today. And obviously, we are still far from it. I think Cuba will be a hot vacation spot before we ever see cars like that... as the norm anyway.

 

imho cars will never advance too much while it still runs on tires and on land.

it will however evolve in terms of fuel.

 

True, but in this case, these cars have actually been built and tested, and
used by a select few. Our country just isn't ready to give up gasoline.
Some of these cars seemed pretty great, doing something like 200mph
down the road with something crazy like 130mpg. I don't think many
people would be complaining with a really fast car that you rarely had
to refuel. Making them look good is the challenge...For some reason
people think if the science is advancing then they have to do some
crazy oulandish design concept with it. Couldnt they just put that engine
in a mINI?

 

Just watched a video of the "skateboard" chassis that was shown on the Future Cars show on Discovery. All I can say is BLAH. I can't believe how much BS they were trying to pass off to the viewer. "Drive by wire offers infinatly better response than mechanical linkages." What??? Every single DBW user interface I have used is total crap compared to mechanical, MINI(throttle) comes to mind. I don't care how much technology you throw at it, DBW will NEVER give the same feel as a direct connection. What they are trying to do is emulate that response and feel.

-Brian

 

but you'll never get rid of it. Mechanical linkages transmit every bounce jiggle and undulation that the foot does to fuel delivery. This drops efficiency a couple percent. The ECU can detect when you're flooring it, by the rate that you put your foot down, and actually open the TB FASTER than a mechanical linkage as well. So it can be predictive and non-linear. The real biatch is that no one seems to really have unlocked the ECU code for TBs and the drive by wire. Or at least they haven't advertized the fact! If one could do that, then you could just program it to be proportional to the peddle, and recover the same functionality and behaviour as a cable. (Hint hint hint)

Matt

 

I don't want it to "predict" what I am going to do. I want to tell it what to do, and I want it to do it now. The ECUs are not powerful enough to know what mood I am in, or if I am on a track. So until the car plugs into the back of my head, I want my thottle cable.

Also, I really hate how the throttle opens more at lower RPMs and tapers off once you hit around 3k. I can watch it on my boost gauge. I will rest my foot in the same positions and watch the boost rise to about 5psi, and slowly taper off to 0 while my foot is in the same position. I understand it is possible to change this, but no one knows how(other than BMW). There is also no feedback through the pedal... It feels like a switch(on/off) rather than a pedal. I have had to learn to fight this while racing so I don't burn through tires.

-Brian

 

to hack those parts of the ECU binaries. (Hint hint hint!) The tools are out there. It's a question of cost and initiative!

Matt

 

Where do I cut?
I compensate by flooring it every time. Now I understand why after reading the Dr's. description, thanks.

 

Hehehe. I can see both sides of the coin. Electronic stuff is the future and things aren't going to go back no matter how much we fuss. The majority of people will think it's safer or won't know the difference. I've been watching the Futurecars series and the first episode (powerplants I think) was very interesting. When I saw the part about the Vauxhall eco-Speedster, I was thinking "where do I sign up." Then I went online and learned it was a 5 year old concept that never blossomed. I'd still drive one. The episode about design was pretty useless (but I am an Engineer... )

Either way, I've got my Lotus Europa to keep the mechanical part of me going... Unassisted brakes that are as easy to push as the MINI brakes, unassisted steering that is easier to turn than the MINI's wheel, and carburetors (with massive vacuum leaks )

 

This is just like "Death Race 2000". Its a look into the future of what could be. We could be running people over for points in a croos country race. But, we're not. Same thing here.

 

The Tweels sound really cool -- no tire to go flat, independent flex/deformation in different directions, so you can get better handling without loss of comfort? Yes please!