Hybrid Vs 'intelligent' Cars

[Dubh Aingeal]

There's no doubt been a lot of analysis done recently on energy consumption, especially on the road. Now, a study released today reveals that cars with traffic flow sensors built into them can perform just as efficiently as hybrids. The concept of an 'intelligent' car that communicates with the highway or other cars is an old idea, but the idea of them using sensors to anticipate braking could vastly reduce fossil fuel consumption. From the article, 'Under the US and European cycles, hybrid-matching fuel economy was reached with a look-ahead predictability of less than 60 seconds. If the predictability was boosted to 180 seconds, the newly-intelligent car was 33 percent more fuel-efficient than when it was unconverted.' Now, the real question will be whether or not you can convince consumers that the three minutes of coasting up to a red light or halted traffic is worth the 33 percent less gas and replacing your brake pads/cylinders less often."

[know_buddy_kares]

crap, I'd so do it! I already do it anyway, i can't stand changing brakes on my car, but no way in hell will i let a mechanic do it after the last 2 times i was lazy, it's over priced and their work was shit, they mixed up the brake pads for the front and rear tires BOTH times, and these were 2 seperate garages. Each costing $250 or more, when i can go to auto zone and get this shit done myself for only $60 bucks.

[Mizuna]

Question... Why not make a Hybrid with that feature and just save more money and fuel? Oh, never mind that would decrease the chance for future sales. Still, fooling people with alternative option with more advanced technology is always a good way to make sales, especially when there is already a car that saves just as much fuel.

[Troy Spiral (13)]

Yeah mizuna's thought is what i was thinking when i read that.

It doesn't have to be an either/or proposition. Hopefully the fossil fuel chomping dinosaur companies out there wont use this as an excuse to stall alternative fuel research.

[know_buddy_kares]

Companies like GM, have been digging their heels in, and forcing the world to drag them into present technology... kicking and screaming. GM will do anything it can possibly do to prevent from having to redesign their out dated products. Honestly, they're putting so little into this state now I kinda hope to see them go out of business. Maybe that'll be a wakeup call to the other auto companies to get with the fuckin program.

[AstralCrux]

Ironically, I've been reading in the Free Press that Ford and GM are releasing 35+ mpg cars..... in other countries. They have the ability.... to do a hell of alot more than what we currently see out of them. But, how much does the size of a vehicle motivate us to buy it? Look at those H2s and H3s....

[Troy Spiral (13)]

Ironically, I've been reading in the Free Press that Ford and GM are releasing 35+ mpg cars..... in other countries. They have the ability.... to do a hell of alot more than what we currently see out of them. But, how much does the size of a vehicle motivate us to buy it? Look at those H2s and H3s....

Hrmm (ponders)

I think if renewable energy fully becomes a reality for everyone, the cost will continue to drop (as opposed to continue to rise like non-renewable energy will) and as such eventually we will be able to have our massive road-hogs without the energy suckage issues they have now.

[BrassFusion]

i love the word suckage...