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March 2, 2007
Download the new version to upgrade your vehicle's fuel efficiency
In terms of efficiency, cars driven by humans are fickle. There's only ever one optimal accelerator position for the best fuel efficiency, no matter what gear you're in. This leads to the situation where the imprecise driving of humans is responsible for lowered fuel efficiency and performance. But what if you could tweak the vehicle's software just a little to take human behaviour into account? John Kessels, who just obtained his doctorate from the Technical University Eindhoven (Netherlands), has been playing around with hybrid vehicle efficiency techniques on non-hybrids to achieve just that.
Now this is a feature I want in my cars! Dianne's Highlander is way over engined and it jumps out of all electric mode with the slightest increase in pressure on the gas pedal. Now there's a EV button for the Highlander that is actually a part from the European version that will allow you run with only electric engine power until the battery is depleted or you try to go over 35 mph. But I should be able to take it into the dealer and say upgrade me to EV button and add a high fuel efficiency mode as well. And then I can switch between EV, high fuel efficiency, and gas guzzling monster truck modes. I mean honestly do you really need a hybrid SUV that can go 0-60 in 7.4 seconds?? I'm always squealing the tires by accident in her Highlander. Anyway, I hope this is the wave of the future for cars.
Read more over at AutoblogGreen.
Posted by Jamison at March 2, 2007 7:18 PM
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Comments
:) :)
Posted by: TANYETTA at March 3, 2007 10:13 PM