After just about getting my head around adaptive cruise control, the latest gizmo, currently for lorries, is Predictive Power Control.
Basically it uses GPS to anticipate what the road is like ahead, and selects the correct gear in advance, saving, it's claimed, 3% on fuel.
Undoubtedly coming to a luxobarge car near you at some point soon.
www.pocketgpsworld.com/Daimler-truck-saves-fuel-by-using-GPS-to-anticipate-hills-3139.php
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I read somewhere that BMW had an Eco system that used GPS and would back off the power long before a driver would on the approach to a junction or roundabout. I don't know if they ever fitted it to a production car.
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>> I read somewhere that BMW had an Eco system that used GPS and would back
>> off the power long before a driver would on the approach to a junction or
>> roundabout.
What BMW owner would want to drive like that?
:-)
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It'll never be as fuel efficient as Aberdeen overdrive.
Pat
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>>It'll never be as fuel efficient as Aberdeen overdrive<<
In my father's (long ago) day they used to call it 'silent fifth'.
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One and the same thing Mike!
Pat
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>> I read somewhere that BMW had an Eco system that used GPS and would back
>> off the power long before a driver would on the approach to a junction or
>> roundabout. I don't know if they ever fitted it to a production car.
>>
I once saw an article that claimed BMW were developing a system of orange lights on the corners of their cars. These were operated by a switch on the steering column and you could make the nearside and offside lights operate independently to show other road users which way you were going to turn.
Obviously they dropped the idea.
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>> I once saw an article that claimed BMW were developing a system of orange lights
>> on the corners of their cars. These were operated by a switch on the steering
>> column and you could make the nearside and offside lights operate independently to show other
>> road users which way you were going to turn.
>>
>> Obviously they dropped the idea.
Oh no, they are there alright. I just don't use them. I don't need to. As a BMW driver, my intended direction is my business, not that of other peasa..road users. ;-)
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Apparantly also seperate editions of the Highway Code were also produced and specific exemptions made under the Road Traffic Act. Applies to Taxi Drivers also. :-)
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Oh, pull the other one.
You'll be trying to convince us that Ford are thinking of making their rear fog lamps switchable next.
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Perhaps even medical research may provide a means of cyclists being able to turn their heads 90 degrees in either direction.
Ted
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Pembrokeshire County Council have developed a device which prevents cars not only from breaking the speed limit but getting anywhere near it.
It's called a flat cap.
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Audi are already there with the SatNav being used to influence what the car does.
"The sat nav system meanwhile influences the gear shift strategy; it knows what sort of corners are on their way, and tailors gear changing to match them. Even the cornering light system, which illuminates corners when the steering dictates that it’s needed, is itself talked to by the sat nav system. "
www.motorsville.co.uk/audi_a8.htm
Vorsprung Durch Technik
Not to be confused with this:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gkty6vIXkc
(WARNING! Contains naughty words)
Last edited by: Londoner on Fri 1 Jun 12 at 17:14
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Hmmm... I can see the logic if used for trunking on motorways, but I'm willing to bet it'd struggle a bit on Welsh farm roads!
I've just changed trucks at my place; from the comparative luxury of an "automated manual" i-shift to a normal manual. Temporary measure as the lease on the "old" one had expired and my much-anticipated new truck isn't arriving till November. I can vouch for the fact that the old 'un is more economical by quite a margin; probably because the i-shift is a twelve-speed and the manual has only eight.
On the plus side this one has a sleeper cab so lunchtime naps will be more comfortable! :-)
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One for the lorry drivers - Old Navy
