Hybrid Cars No Better than 'Intelligent' Cars

eldavojohn writes "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."

Disavowing

[UbuntuDupe]

Cue someone claiming that "real" environmentalists do/don't support hybrids/intelligent cars in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...

Re:Intelligent Drivers

[eln]

No, what we really need are magical leprechauns who can convert all of our cars to run on rainbows and lollipops.

I think my idea is a lot more likely to happen than yours.

That'll never be legal

[snoyberg]

Sounds to me like a peer-to-peer network. The RIAA will never let that happen.

Hybrids not really hybrids

[Anonymous Coward]

The hybrids today are not really hybrids. They are just fuel savers. True hybrids are cars that use 2 types of fuel such as the ford flex fuel. However the ethanol is not as good as other fuels that are out there. I have my car converted to run on hydrogen alone and can go 500-700miles without refilling the cylinders. We need to switch to electric, hydrogen, LNG, CNG, or something along those lines so we can cut off the middle east from U.S funds.

and for those that can't read what I wrote here it is in hex

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Re:can't you just do this now?

[TodMinuit]

Can't we just teach people to turn off the water while they shave or brush their teeth to conserve water? Can't we just teach people to set their thermostats a couple of degrees higher in the summer and lower in the winter to save electricity and gas? ...

Okay, I'm with you...

... Can't we just teach people to take colder showers?

NEVER!!!!

Re:can't you just do this now?

[Tuoqui]

Hey I turn off the water when shaving/brushing teeth but cold showers are where I draw the line. Ofcourse it seems like there are some people who are overly concerned about water conservation, you can smell them a mile away.

Re:Killing two birds with one stone

[DragonWriter]

We can end our dependence on fossil fuels and solve the obesity problem in the U.S. in one fell stroke: ban automobiles and give everyone a bicycle.

Not to mention that road fatalities would drop to effectively zero.

Millions of out-of-shape obese people forced, overnight, into bicycle commutes, often in the tens of miles?

I think "effectively zero" fatalities is rather unrealistic.

Re:can't you just do this now?

[Anonymous Coward]

There was a president once who told people to put on a sweater if it was cold. He didn't get re-elected. If only someone had thought of the children then.

Re:Hybrid Intelligent Cars?

[penguinstorm]

I want a hybrid intelligent FLYING car.

Where's my flying car? I was promised a flying car.

Until then, I pedal my way home.

Re:I always coast up to red lights.

[tomstdenis]

Yeah, how shameful of them for doing the speed limits!!! I love doing that. I hit the limit as close as I can then stick on cruise and watch the faces in the rear view mirror. Seeing people get angry for doing what's expected of yourself is just awesome. Watching them fly passed me only to have to slow down and stop at the same red light is priceless.

Re:can't you just do this now?

[drsquare]

Yes, overpopulation problems for a start as the death rate soars.

Re:can't you just do this now?

[acherusia]

Don't worry. When global warming hits, cold showers will look much more desireable.

Convincing people

[j00r0m4nc3r]

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.

All you have to do is make it so people who have this feature get an extra vote on Dancing With The Stars or American Idol. BOOYAH! Instant success.

Re:can't you just do this now?

[finity]

...go buy too fast. The tacometer...

The tacometer:

Mild
Medium
HOT!!!

Extra salsa on mine, please...

Re:can't you just do this now?

[Dancindan84]

... Can't we just teach people to take colder showers?

NEVER!!!!

I'll compromise. I'll still take hot showers, and I'll have my wife take cold ones. Everybody wins.

Re:can't you just do this now?

[JoeBackward]

I've had a Honda Insight since 1999. s/n 152. Good car. It has a good suite of efficiency readouts. The lifetime mpg is about 55, pretty good. It's got a 5-speed manual transmission, a dinky 1 liter 3-cylinder engine, zero-RPM "idle," and an 18hp electric motor (on the engine side of the clutch and transmission) that serves as the hybrid motor, the regenerator, and the starter for the engine.

The ammeter readout (labeled "Charge -- Discharge") trained me to optimize both acceleration and regenerative braking pretty well. Regenerative braking cuts out at 30mph in fifth gear. This isn't documented anyplace, but it's easy to sort out from the ammeter.

I'll tell you, though, this Insight's design is uncompromising in saving gross weight, and I think a lot of the efficiency comes from the low weight. I have a fat friend. When we ride together places, efficiency goes down to 45 mpg. (And no, I don't hassle him about it, in case you were wondering.)

Re:can't you just do this now?

[nomadic]

Hahaha, best mod down ever!

Re:The idiot behind you

[tentimestwenty]

If someone's been tailgaiting me in normal traffic when there is no hope of going faster or making extra lights, I'll usually pull over and let them pass too. When they angrily speed by to the next red light, I'll coast up behind them and if they hesitate even a fraction of second when the light turns, lay on the horn to show my impatience at waiting for them!

Re:can't you just do this now?

[Gospodin]

I just had a mental picture of the auto dashboard of 2050, complete with indicator lights reading "LOOK OUT!", "NOT SO FAST", "POTHOLE!", "SHARP TURN AHEAD", "DON'T FOLLOW SO CLOSE"... in other words, they've digitized my Mom and stuck her in the dash.