Electronic Throttle

wrote:

> OldHarleyRider
>>
>>I don't know why these malfunctions (crashes) of the drive by wire
>>system are a surprise. The engine controls are computer controlled, I
>>repeat, computer controlled. How many times in the past has your
>>computer crashed, or locked up, or malfunctioned.

Car computers aren't running the toy OS commonly known as Windows.

>>We did get rid of the Mustang, and I will not buy another vehicle
>>without checking under the hood. If the vehicle does not have a cable or
>>linkage controlling the throttle body I won't buy it....

Good luck to you.

>Be prepared to buy older used cars in the near future - DBW is going
>to be almost universal within a couple of years. You can bet on it.

Isn't it already?

On Thu, 01 Apr 2010 21:10:47 -0400, Bill Putney >
wrote:

>PeterD wrote:
>
>> One thing is that with some cars, the key is durned hard to reach
>> however... Certainly not a quick access device. I'm beginning to think
>> that cars need a "Big Red Kill Switch" on the dash, that kills the
>> engine completely if pressed. It should be stout enough to not allow
>> accidential pushes, but big enough and easy enough to be seen and used
>> in an emergency. It would take a few years for drivers to get 'used'
>> to the fact it is there, but evetually drivers would realize it as a
>> safety feature.
>
>It would create problems due to the steering being very hard to turn
>with the engine off (and some loss of braking capability). If that were
>the only option, then - yeah - that might be the preferred method. But,
>again, there is a better way:
>
>Best to simply throw the shifter in neutral. It's *already* there (no
>need to add more clutter, complecity, and expense), the engine is rev.
>limited in neutral so it won't self destruct. Then get the car safely
>stopped, *then* shut the engine off.
>
>The public could be educated to automatically think about it for when
>the unthinkable happens, and/or educational decals could be mandated for
>every car for benefit of the unteachable and to satisfy the lawyers and
>the nanny state. We don't need more switches and wires.

Agreed. If it isn't there it can't fail.