Also EU is in process of bumping the limit to 4250kg for alternatively-fuelled vehicles which would bring it below the limit as is.Interesting, I hadn't heard of that one.
Can you provide a link?
Here's a video of a full-frontal crash demonstrating 'too much' crumple zone.I actually had one of those. If you read the development story on them they were an immensely strong and durable car. Built to tolerate some of the worst Australian outback roads. Some time ago I did a bit of searching regarding that video. That particular car had several hundred kilograms of sandbags in the boot as well as a number of cuts to the bodywork in strategic places to ensure it folded up in a dramatic way, which it did. Rest assured, proper version of that car were nothing like in that video.
My comment about the drive-by-wire steering was meant to be specifically about the variable speed part of it. Sorry I wasn't more clear. This isn't a new thing; it's been used by many manufacturers for at least a couple of decades now. I simply remain unconvinced that it's a good thing; I want a predictable response when I turn the wheel, not one that the vehicle chooses based on vehicle speed.
It starts crushing nicely... but then hits the rock-hard, rigid chasis and the occupants go ballistic, the vehicle even bounces back and hits them harder.
That is all OK, because the batteries will then catch fire cooking the occupants who can not escape anyway.Except EV catch fire way slower so chances of escaping are higher and it happens 10+ times rarer (per same number of units) than with ICE vehicles. You don't see ICE vehicles on fire in the news because it happens so often that it's too mundane. Also Cybertruck has manual door release, the same as other Tesla cars.
Drive by wire, for instance, allowing to tailor the steering ratio depending to speed.
This has been tried before, and does not work. The reason should be obvious to anyone that's ever driven a vehicle. The closest to variable steering that actually works is the various 4WS systems the Japanese manufacturers used in the 1980s-1990s. Curiously they don't bother any more.
It's literally used by Nissan in some of their vehicles. There's a redundant clutch which activates if power is lost or there is a fault with the system providing a mechanical override, but in normal use the steering is entirely electronic. Combined with variable resistance on the wheel you could create quite a realistic feel whilst gaining the benefits of truly adaptive steering. That said, I can't quite get over the idea of having no mechanical linkage, I don't trust the redundant system quite enough. And ordinary electric power steering is perfectly sufficient IMO, I've never thought that this would improve things, just make them more expensive if anything went wrong!hasn't "Pedestrian Detection and Collision Mitigation Systems" with automatic braking not become mandatory yet?, I know it's been proposed so it won't be long
Yes, these systems exist, I am pretty sure my car has this system:
https://youtu.be/watch?v=0P7M8PvG0Pc&t=2m37s
However such systems are not infallable, they cannot detect all pedestrians, cyclists etc. Adding more mass will always mean any accident that does happen is more severe. The focus should be on reducing vehicle size and weight where possible. Especially on reducing bonnet height, as that strongly defines the severity of an accident: if you hit a pedestrian with a lower-down car like a Golf, they're much more likely to impact their head on the windscreen, which is less likely to be fatal than with an SUV where head impacts tend to be on bodywork.
Obviously, some people need larger vehicles, such as those with wheelchairs, elderly/infirm people, and those who use their vehicle as part of their profession. But SUVs (and trucks) are primarily marketed towards people as a vanity purchase*, and the average occupancy of an SUV barely exceeds that of a smaller car. Cybertruck is even worse, though the statistic in the US for pickup trucks is something like only 30% of people use their pickup bed more than once per year, it's crazy.
*Like for instance, the ridiculous SUV ads like these: https://youtu.be/watch?v=0ITLWCfxmLc ... yeah, the majority of the time, this vehicle is gonna be sitting in traffic, like the rest of us.
4 wheel steering, the authentic ultimate version:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JXD9c3DZw8o
Here's a video of a full-frontal crash demonstrating 'too much' crumple zone.I actually had one of those. If you read the development story on them they were an immensely strong and durable car. Built to tolerate some of the worst Australian outback roads. Some time ago I did a bit of searching regarding that video. That particular car had several hundred kilograms of sandbags in the boot as well as a number of cuts to the bodywork in strategic places to ensure it folded up in a dramatic way, which it did. Rest assured, proper version of that car were nothing like in that video.
ICE cars bursting into flames after accidents was so rare in earlier years that we used to sneer at Hollywood movies showing that happening.
Wrecked cars commonly looked like a giant had stepped on them like we might on a tin can, but no sign of fire.
These days, it is so common that it is almost routine.
ICE cars bursting into flames after accidents was so rare in earlier years that we used to sneer at Hollywood movies showing that happening.
Wrecked cars commonly looked like a giant had stepped on them like we might on a tin can, but no sign of fire.
These days, it is so common that it is almost routine.They always burned in flames, of course only some percentage of crashes result in fire. They just very rarely explode like in movies. I've seen burning ICE car myself and it didn't even crash, just cough flames under the hood when driving near my home.
My main point was that cars burning up after accidents was rarely seen, whereas it is much more common now.
My main point was that cars burning up after accidents was rarely seen, whereas it is much more common now.
It is very evident when you have been around as long as me.
4 wheel steering, the authentic ultimate version:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JXD9c3DZw8oThat's just yet another concept though. You can implement all sorts of weird shit on those because it does not need to actually work IRL or have sensible cost.
Door handles? Where? Only inside?
How do firefighters open it if you're injured or unconscious?Break the window.
It may be a surprise for you but in modern cars doors get automatically locked when driving. So outer handle is absolutely useless unless it gets automatically unlocked after the accident, and it likely won't if crash was serious or car does not have post accident unlocking feature.Most modern cars will detect when an accident is happening, and while for a human that's an incomprehensible short time, for the electronics, servos, and motors that's an eternity to still do things. Some modern cars will do things like activate the brakes, tilt seats away from the side, tension the seat-belts before there's even an impact, pull away the steering wheel column, etc. So I wouldn't be surprised if unlocking the doors and trunk is part of such a system.
Door handles? Where? Only inside?
How do firefighters open it if you're injured or unconscious?Break the window.
It may be a surprise for you but in modern cars doors get automatically locked when driving. So outer handle is absolutely useless unless it gets automatically unlocked after the accident, and it likely won't if crash was serious or car does not have post accident unlocking feature.Most modern cars will detect when an accident is happening, and while for a human that's an incomprehensible short time, for the electronics, servos, and motors that's an eternity to still do things. Some modern cars will do things like activate the brakes, tilt seats away from the side, tension the seat-belts before there's even an impact, pull away the steering wheel column, etc. So I wouldn't be surprised if unlocking the doors and trunk is part of such a system.
Model S unlocks all doors, the trunk, and extends all door handles.
It's also widely implemented. FCA has an accident response system that unlocks the power door locks as long as power remains intact for the split second it takes to unlock them. Volkswagen and Mercedes systems also unlock all the doors in the event of an accident. Ford and Lincoln's automatic door unlocking system is on a six second delay. This allows the doors to be locked for longer if there's a secondary crash, but then there's the question of power afterwards. Honda's system doesn't unlock any doors automatically. GM says that given a crash of "sufficient severity," the doors will unlock; they are also meant to never lock during or after airbag deployment.
4 wheel steering, the authentic ultimate version:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JXD9c3DZw8o
Yeah that's due stainless steel springiness, makes it complicated to get pressed into the desired shape, it always bounces back a little bit.
Yeah that's due stainless steel springiness, makes it complicated to get pressed into the desired shape, it always bounces back a little bit.
It's not even usual austenitic sheet stainless steel you'd think, and that wouldn't be bulletproof. It's a cold rolled martensitic high strength stuff.
Drive by wire, for instance, allowing to tailor the steering ratio depending to speed.This has been tried before, and does not work
At about 24 minutes they start showing and discussing how the thing is built. They start showing electronics at 39 minutes. Power electronics at 43:10.