How to do an electrified (or any vehicle for that matter) right.
Tesla recently released an OTA update that increased both range and performance. The increases were modest. But, they also mark likely the largest such change ever made in automotive history.
Admittedly, cars with electrified drive trains have an advantage. A lot less of the way the vehicle is run is analog. And a lot more is digital. So, there are a greater array of parameters which Tesla can tweak over such an update compared to something like a Ford Fiesta.
But, that doesn't mean that ICE vehicles can't be improved in such a fashion. Nor does it explain why other Hybrid, PHEV and EV makers aren't doing the same thing. I mean those cars even by and large have either WiFi or 3G connectivity baked in already.
Most cars these days don't use analog throttle. In the old days, the gas peddle was linked directly to the throttle. You press the throttle, it physically moved a part in the engine compartment which opened up a valve wider allowing more air into the engine. Combined with some sensors, this is how throttle used to work.
Today, what happens in most vehicles, is this; You press the peddle, a potentiometer detects the degree to which the peddle was pressed, passes that information to a computer which then determines based on current conditions how to adjust the throttle.
Furthermore, transition shift points are also controlled electronically.
Now, your car today WILL likely receive firmware updates. If there is an update, it is often applied if/when you bring your car in for maintenance at the dealership. They often don't even mention that they've done it, and the updates are generally just bug fixes and stability changes.
But, the real question in my mind is why it needs to be that way. Even Tesla, in my opinion is missing out on some opportunity here.
As I mentioned when reviewing my PHEV, the tuning of the vehicle didn't make a lot of sense. In my case, part of that is because it seems like they simply used the same algorithms as in the normal hybrid. But, the opportunities expand beyond that.
One suggestion I had was for more profiles. With over the air updates, a safe way to achieve this would be to supply a bunch of different presets and allow the user to choose from them and change them out at will. Being able to control my EV, Hybrid, and Sport Mode tunings could make a lot of difference in how I feel about the vehicle.
For instance, if I have a lot of stop and go, but my daily needs are well within the range of the battery, I may prefer more pickup in EV mode combined with a more aggressive regenerative braking, even if that ultimately means diminished range. Or maybe I'm really about pushing the envelope of that electric range, and don't mind the current engine tuning, but would prefer adding in more aggressive regenerative braking.
And for Hybrid mode. The current mode is fine for fuel savings and driving if (and really only if) you primarily use it around town and there aren't too many stops. Fighting with that thing at highway speeds or coming from stops frequently is a nightmare, and as I discovered, not even all that fuel efficient. It would benefit handily from a "Road Trip" mode, where that Hybrid mode is set to maximize efficiency at higher speeds and acelleration.
Sport Mode? It is GREAT! But, realistically, 9 times out of 10, I would prefer it to be less aggressive than it currently is, in exchange for better fuel economy. And, in Canadian winter, I kind of feel like the current Sport Mode is an accident waiting to happen. I feel like an optional "half" Sport Mode which splits the difference between HEV and the current Sport Mode would actually make more sense for daily driving.
Right now, even though I know that there are times when I can make that mode even more efficient than HEV mode, it is hard to find those situations and the mode rarely gets used. But, if the user had some choices on how aggressive this mode was, it might become a more commonly used feature.
And I kind of touched on another reason. Seasonal differences. There are a lot of differences a change in geography can demand. Like Winter in Canada is something much more in need of consideration than Winter in a place like Florida. And it makes sense to allow owners to adapt their vehicles for these conditions. Sport Mode makes the odds of losing traction higher. The cold reduces battery performance, but, offering some reduced energy modes to not only make the ride safer but recoup some of that performance wouldn't be a bad idea. Sure, not everyone would take advantage of such modes. But, that isn't the point.
So, while Tesla has certainly set the bar here. It cannot be argued that there aren't ways even Tesla could improve. To my knowledge, Tesla doesn't allow the user to determine the driving characteristics of the vehicle. And, if the dealership owns the portal and curates the content, they can ensure that those profiles are safe to use for the hardware and driver. When you don't people start thinking up ways to mod cars which are undetectable by the dealerships. And that can lead to problems.
Not that I really think that is happening on a large scale. But, I know that the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has some chips to try more aggressively to keep the vehicle in EV mode which enough people have bought that there are forums talking about it.
So, automakers of the world. Take the hint. Cars with electrified drive trains are very diverse beasts. They can unlock a lot of power. But, they can also be tamed to extend range. And what is required to maximize those characteristics vary greatly by region, season and nature of the drive conditions. These cars are already built to a large extent in such a way that software and firmware can alter these characteristics. So, why not help yourself?
I think it can also reduce the complexity of the final products. "One peddle driving" for instance. It isn't really one peddle. Automakers just add a paddle to the steering wheel. It adds a whole new system to the vehicle. But, if you make the default regenerative braking profile something customizable, then you should find that fewer people care if this feature is missing.
Admittedly, cars with electrified drive trains have an advantage. A lot less of the way the vehicle is run is analog. And a lot more is digital. So, there are a greater array of parameters which Tesla can tweak over such an update compared to something like a Ford Fiesta.
But, that doesn't mean that ICE vehicles can't be improved in such a fashion. Nor does it explain why other Hybrid, PHEV and EV makers aren't doing the same thing. I mean those cars even by and large have either WiFi or 3G connectivity baked in already.
Most cars these days don't use analog throttle. In the old days, the gas peddle was linked directly to the throttle. You press the throttle, it physically moved a part in the engine compartment which opened up a valve wider allowing more air into the engine. Combined with some sensors, this is how throttle used to work.
Today, what happens in most vehicles, is this; You press the peddle, a potentiometer detects the degree to which the peddle was pressed, passes that information to a computer which then determines based on current conditions how to adjust the throttle.
Furthermore, transition shift points are also controlled electronically.
Now, your car today WILL likely receive firmware updates. If there is an update, it is often applied if/when you bring your car in for maintenance at the dealership. They often don't even mention that they've done it, and the updates are generally just bug fixes and stability changes.
But, the real question in my mind is why it needs to be that way. Even Tesla, in my opinion is missing out on some opportunity here.
As I mentioned when reviewing my PHEV, the tuning of the vehicle didn't make a lot of sense. In my case, part of that is because it seems like they simply used the same algorithms as in the normal hybrid. But, the opportunities expand beyond that.
One suggestion I had was for more profiles. With over the air updates, a safe way to achieve this would be to supply a bunch of different presets and allow the user to choose from them and change them out at will. Being able to control my EV, Hybrid, and Sport Mode tunings could make a lot of difference in how I feel about the vehicle.
For instance, if I have a lot of stop and go, but my daily needs are well within the range of the battery, I may prefer more pickup in EV mode combined with a more aggressive regenerative braking, even if that ultimately means diminished range. Or maybe I'm really about pushing the envelope of that electric range, and don't mind the current engine tuning, but would prefer adding in more aggressive regenerative braking.
And for Hybrid mode. The current mode is fine for fuel savings and driving if (and really only if) you primarily use it around town and there aren't too many stops. Fighting with that thing at highway speeds or coming from stops frequently is a nightmare, and as I discovered, not even all that fuel efficient. It would benefit handily from a "Road Trip" mode, where that Hybrid mode is set to maximize efficiency at higher speeds and acelleration.
Sport Mode? It is GREAT! But, realistically, 9 times out of 10, I would prefer it to be less aggressive than it currently is, in exchange for better fuel economy. And, in Canadian winter, I kind of feel like the current Sport Mode is an accident waiting to happen. I feel like an optional "half" Sport Mode which splits the difference between HEV and the current Sport Mode would actually make more sense for daily driving.
Right now, even though I know that there are times when I can make that mode even more efficient than HEV mode, it is hard to find those situations and the mode rarely gets used. But, if the user had some choices on how aggressive this mode was, it might become a more commonly used feature.
And I kind of touched on another reason. Seasonal differences. There are a lot of differences a change in geography can demand. Like Winter in Canada is something much more in need of consideration than Winter in a place like Florida. And it makes sense to allow owners to adapt their vehicles for these conditions. Sport Mode makes the odds of losing traction higher. The cold reduces battery performance, but, offering some reduced energy modes to not only make the ride safer but recoup some of that performance wouldn't be a bad idea. Sure, not everyone would take advantage of such modes. But, that isn't the point.
So, while Tesla has certainly set the bar here. It cannot be argued that there aren't ways even Tesla could improve. To my knowledge, Tesla doesn't allow the user to determine the driving characteristics of the vehicle. And, if the dealership owns the portal and curates the content, they can ensure that those profiles are safe to use for the hardware and driver. When you don't people start thinking up ways to mod cars which are undetectable by the dealerships. And that can lead to problems.
Not that I really think that is happening on a large scale. But, I know that the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has some chips to try more aggressively to keep the vehicle in EV mode which enough people have bought that there are forums talking about it.
So, automakers of the world. Take the hint. Cars with electrified drive trains are very diverse beasts. They can unlock a lot of power. But, they can also be tamed to extend range. And what is required to maximize those characteristics vary greatly by region, season and nature of the drive conditions. These cars are already built to a large extent in such a way that software and firmware can alter these characteristics. So, why not help yourself?
I think it can also reduce the complexity of the final products. "One peddle driving" for instance. It isn't really one peddle. Automakers just add a paddle to the steering wheel. It adds a whole new system to the vehicle. But, if you make the default regenerative braking profile something customizable, then you should find that fewer people care if this feature is missing.
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