Drive-by-wire throttle - Revision history

Red marquis at 09:19, 26 July 2009

2009-07-26T09:19:23Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:19, 26 July 2009
Line 1:		Line 1:
	~~[[Image:USPatent6646395.png\|thumb\|200px\|[[Throttle body]] with integrated motor actuator]]~~
	'''Electronic throttle control''' (ETC) is an [[automobile]] technology which severs the direct link between the accelerator pedal and the throttle. Most automobiles already use a [[throttle position sensor]] (TPS) to provide input to [[traction control]], [[antilock brake]]s, [[fuel injection]], and other systems, but use a long sheathed cable to directly connect the pedal with the throttle. An ETC-equipped vehicle has no such cable. Instead, an enhanced TPS feeds throttle-position data to a computer, which activates a [[solenoid]] to control the throttle.		'''Electronic throttle control''' (ETC) is an [[automobile]] technology which severs the direct link between the accelerator pedal and the throttle. Most automobiles already use a [[throttle position sensor]] (TPS) to provide input to [[traction control]], [[antilock brake]]s, [[fuel injection]], and other systems, but use a long sheathed cable to directly connect the pedal with the throttle. An ETC-equipped vehicle has no such cable. Instead, an enhanced TPS feeds throttle-position data to a computer, which activates a [[solenoid]] to control the throttle.

	The benefits of ETC are mostly unseen to drivers, so the feature is rarely even mentioned in consumer-oriented literature. The ETC computer can smooth out fuel delivery and acceleration, and can intervene for improved [[fuel economy]] or performance. It also makes it easier to integrate [[cruise control]] to the vehicle, since there is no need for a mechanical actuator on the throttle. Some drivers have complained about early ETC implementations "overruling" their decisions, however. In many cases, ETC reads not just the position of the pedal, but also its rate of change. This can lead to an odd non-linear relationship between pedal pressure and acceleration.		The benefits of ETC are mostly unseen to drivers, so the feature is rarely even mentioned in consumer-oriented literature. The ETC computer can smooth out fuel delivery and acceleration, and can intervene for improved [[fuel economy]] or performance. It also makes it easier to integrate [[cruise control]] to the vehicle, since there is no need for a mechanical actuator on the throttle. Some drivers have complained about early ETC implementations "overruling" their decisions, however. In many cases, ETC reads not just the position of the pedal, but also its rate of change. This can lead to an odd non-linear relationship between pedal pressure and acceleration.

	Similar technology has recently been applied to '''vehicle brakes''', but this is much less common, and requires careful design to ensure appropriate mechanical back-up and [[fail-safe]] modes.		Similar technology has recently been applied to '''vehicle brakes''', but this is much less common, and requires careful design to ensure appropriate mechanical back-up and fail-safe modes.

	[[As of 2005]], the [[Toyota Prius]] is the most prominent example of [[drive-by-wire throttle\|drive-by-wire]] technology, featuring electronic throttle, brake and transmission control. This is largely by necessity of the [[Hybrid Synergy Drive]] system, which assigns complete engine control and regenerative/friction braking decisions to a [[Hybrid Cars\|hybrid]] control computer. Further extending the [[drive-by-wire throttle\|drive-by-wire]] concept, in [[Europe]] and [[Japan]] [[Automatic transmission\|automatic]] parking assist is also available — the car can control the steering to guide itself backwards into a parking space.		As of 2005, the [[Toyota Prius]] is the most prominent example of [[drive-by-wire throttle\|drive-by-wire]] technology, featuring electronic throttle, brake and transmission control. This is largely by necessity of the [[Hybrid Synergy Drive]] system, which assigns complete engine control and regenerative/friction braking decisions to a [[Hybrid Cars\|hybrid]] control computer. Further extending the [[drive-by-wire throttle\|drive-by-wire]] concept, in Europe and Japan [[Automatic transmission\|automatic]] parking assist is also available — the car can control the steering to guide itself backwards into a parking space.

	Some fanciful theories and applications abound as to what the ultimate implications of [[drive-by-wire throttle\|drive-by-wire]] technology might be. It has been suggested that [[drive-by-wire throttle\|drive-by-wire]] might allow a car to become completely separate from its controls, meaning that a car of the future might theoretically be controlled by any number of different control systems: push buttons, joysticks, steering wheels, or even voice commands — whatever device that designers could come up with. (This would have many advantages, such as increased flexibility for handicapped or disabled drivers.) Coupled with [[fuel cell]] applications, futuristic designs for such a car have been proposed, including a car whose entire functional driving components are concentrated in its chassis — the actual 'shell' of the car being a module that can be swapped out and replaced with different models as the driver dictates.		Some fanciful theories and applications abound as to what the ultimate implications of [[drive-by-wire throttle\|drive-by-wire]] technology might be. It has been suggested that [[drive-by-wire throttle\|drive-by-wire]] might allow a car to become completely separate from its controls, meaning that a car of the future might theoretically be controlled by any number of different control systems: push buttons, joysticks, steering wheels, or even voice commands — whatever device that designers could come up with. (This would have many advantages, such as increased flexibility for handicapped or disabled drivers.) Coupled with [[fuel cell]] applications, futuristic designs for such a car have been proposed, including a car whose entire functional driving components are concentrated in its chassis — the actual 'shell' of the car being a module that can be swapped out and replaced with different models as the driver dictates.

MQuan at 21:21, 20 November 2006

2006-11-20T21:21:08Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:21, 20 November 2006
Line 9:		Line 9:

	Some fanciful theories and applications abound as to what the ultimate implications of [[drive-by-wire throttle\|drive-by-wire]] technology might be. It has been suggested that [[drive-by-wire throttle\|drive-by-wire]] might allow a car to become completely separate from its controls, meaning that a car of the future might theoretically be controlled by any number of different control systems: push buttons, joysticks, steering wheels, or even voice commands — whatever device that designers could come up with. (This would have many advantages, such as increased flexibility for handicapped or disabled drivers.) Coupled with [[fuel cell]] applications, futuristic designs for such a car have been proposed, including a car whose entire functional driving components are concentrated in its chassis — the actual 'shell' of the car being a module that can be swapped out and replaced with different models as the driver dictates.		Some fanciful theories and applications abound as to what the ultimate implications of [[drive-by-wire throttle\|drive-by-wire]] technology might be. It has been suggested that [[drive-by-wire throttle\|drive-by-wire]] might allow a car to become completely separate from its controls, meaning that a car of the future might theoretically be controlled by any number of different control systems: push buttons, joysticks, steering wheels, or even voice commands — whatever device that designers could come up with. (This would have many advantages, such as increased flexibility for handicapped or disabled drivers.) Coupled with [[fuel cell]] applications, futuristic designs for such a car have been proposed, including a car whose entire functional driving components are concentrated in its chassis — the actual 'shell' of the car being a module that can be swapped out and replaced with different models as the driver dictates.


			[[Category:Technology]]

beenine at 00:50, 29 May 2006

2006-05-29T00:50:53Z

New page

[[Image:USPatent6646395.png|thumb|200px|[[Throttle body]] with integrated motor actuator]]
'''Electronic throttle control''' (ETC) is an [[automobile]] technology which severs the direct link between the accelerator pedal and the throttle. Most automobiles already use a [[throttle position sensor]] (TPS) to provide input to [[traction control]], [[antilock brake]]s, [[fuel injection]], and other systems, but use a long sheathed cable to directly connect the pedal with the throttle. An ETC-equipped vehicle has no such cable. Instead, an enhanced TPS feeds throttle-position data to a computer, which activates a [[solenoid]] to control the throttle.

The benefits of ETC are mostly unseen to drivers, so the feature is rarely even mentioned in consumer-oriented literature. The ETC computer can smooth out fuel delivery and acceleration, and can intervene for improved [[fuel economy]] or performance. It also makes it easier to integrate [[cruise control]] to the vehicle, since there is no need for a mechanical actuator on the throttle. Some drivers have complained about early ETC implementations "overruling" their decisions, however. In many cases, ETC reads not just the position of the pedal, but also its rate of change. This can lead to an odd non-linear relationship between pedal pressure and acceleration.

Similar technology has recently been applied to '''vehicle brakes''', but this is much less common, and requires careful design to ensure appropriate mechanical back-up and [[fail-safe]] modes.

[[As of 2005]], the [[Toyota Prius]] is the most prominent example of [[drive-by-wire throttle|drive-by-wire]] technology, featuring electronic throttle, brake and transmission control. This is largely by necessity of the [[Hybrid Synergy Drive]] system, which assigns complete engine control and regenerative/friction braking decisions to a [[Hybrid Cars|hybrid]] control computer. Further extending the [[drive-by-wire throttle|drive-by-wire]] concept, in [[Europe]] and [[Japan]] [[Automatic transmission|automatic]] parking assist is also available — the car can control the steering to guide itself backwards into a parking space.

Some fanciful theories and applications abound as to what the ultimate implications of [[drive-by-wire throttle|drive-by-wire]] technology might be. It has been suggested that [[drive-by-wire throttle|drive-by-wire]] might allow a car to become completely separate from its controls, meaning that a car of the future might theoretically be controlled by any number of different control systems: push buttons, joysticks, steering wheels, or even voice commands — whatever device that designers could come up with. (This would have many advantages, such as increased flexibility for handicapped or disabled drivers.) Coupled with [[fuel cell]] applications, futuristic designs for such a car have been proposed, including a car whose entire functional driving components are concentrated in its chassis — the actual 'shell' of the car being a module that can be swapped out and replaced with different models as the driver dictates.