Posted on 08/04/2008 3:15:51 PM PDT by Libloather
Nissan accelerator pedal pushes back to save fuel
For drivers who like to step on the gas but don't want a higher fuel bill, Nissan Motor on Monday unveiled an accelerator pedal that pushes back to help motorists get more mileage.
Nissan's "Eco Pedal" system is the latest salvo in the fight between automakers to woo customers with technology that reduces fuel consumption.
The pedal automatically pushes back on the foot when the system detects too much pressure on the accelerator, informing the driver that he or she is using more fuel than required, Nissan said.
An eco-driving indicator fitted into the instrument panel shows real-time fuel consumption levels and indicates the optimal level for fuel-efficient driving, changing colour when the driver surpasses it.
Nissan said its research had shown that drivers can improve fuel efficiency by up to 10 percent with the system, which can also be turned off.
Japan's third-largest automaker aims to introduce the pedal in its cars next year.
Nissan's pedal is one step ahead of Toyota Motor Corp.'s "Eco Drive" panel, introduced in 2006, which tells the driver if a vehicle is being driven in a fuel-efficient manner.
Hey - invent a device which tells the driver that they've been on the cell phone way too long.
I think this vehicle is going to be called the “Nissan Tampax” because you are a complete ___________ if you need it.
Wait until the brake pedal decides that you must be “stopping too suddenly” and refuses to be depressed all the way to the floor.
This behavior change stuff is probably being taken very seriously at Ford and GM as well. It’s cheap to put in, without much expensive tech or retooling. However, I don’t think US mileage standards allow the improvements to be considered in setting the stats for cars.
BTW, nearly all behavior change impact is on highway miles only. 15% improvements are pretty normal for hwy travel.
before this invention there was my father.
Speaking of active accelerators...
A couple months ago I had my car in for service and the dealership had my loaner ready as promised. I pulled out into traffic and punched the gas to clear the traffic. Unfortunately, it stayed punched. OOOF. I was in the middle of heavy traffic, a stop light (naturally red) about an eigth of a mile away, and in a runaway Lexus. I couldn’t find the emergency brake. The engine’s Start/Stop button had no effect. I finally stood on the brake hard enough to get it stopped and the engine finally stalled out, but it literally took all the leg strength I had. Needless to say, I immediately and gingerly proceeded back to the dealership for a replacement. Turned out that the loaners have very heavy floor mats in them and the driver-side mat on this car had been put in upside down. When I punched the gas, the pedal got hung beneath the edge of the mat.
MM
"An eco-driving indicator fitted into the instrument panel shows real-time fuel consumption levels and indicates the optimal level for fuel-efficient driving, changing colour when the driver surpasses it."
Both ridiculous. Just put in a "Miles per gallon" meter.
Like the power company here. You get reduced rates if you allow the power company to operate your thermostat remotely.
If you want the house cool, the company remotely raises the temperature.
Technically, you cannot boycott a product that the public doesn’t want and refuses to buy, anyway.
It doesn’t work that way ;)
My 1987 GTI has one of those. While merging onto a highway, do you hit the gas to get up to speed - or look at that light so your mileage doesn't suffer?
I can't wait until the gas pedal doesn't allow you to speed up enough. Deaths will mount.
So if you’re in an emergency situation and need to accelerate then it’s harder and harder to push the pedal .... right, that will work .... someone would think they were pressing the brake pedal ....
Gedoudahea. Some stranger controls the temps? There's gotta be a way to bypass that option.
That’s why many modern cars have a hook to keep the drivers side floormat from sliding. A friend totalled his new Subaru a couple of years ago when he jumped on the brake and his newly Armor-alled rubber floormats slid forward and jammed his accelerator to the floor (Subaru’s mats are 3/4 inch rubber and are very heavy). The turbo kicked in and he could NOT get the car stopped before it shot into an intersection against the red. He was t-boned by another car.
His car had the little hook on the floor by the drivers seat, but he didn’t bother hooking it back through the mat when he cleaned it. That one minor oversight cost him his 4 month old car.
I'll decide how much fuel is necessary.
(The designer needs to spend a few weeks on the L.A. freeways and then see if she really wants the car telling her how much go go go is "needed" when you really need it.
I had too heavy of an accelerator return spring on my truck at one time. It doesn’t save gas it just makes your ankle sore.
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