(5) beta testers sought for new technology

Hi Everyone,

This weekend we're working on a new release of the software that will improve performance. We found that somewhere between 7 to 12% of the time the device went into passthrough mode when it didn't need to do so.

This wasn't a bug so much as an accidental outcome of over constraining a particular safety feature. So by fixing this, plus changing some of the driving-mode values, we should see the best mileage and driving experience yet.

If you'd like the new software and we haven't already spoken about it (daiske99, qdllc, and Raytheeagle are already on the list) PM or post here to let me know.

Best,
Marc

 

Hi saltdiscus,

For tracking purposes, what mode are you in? And how many miles in that mode?

Marc

 

Hi daiske99,

To make the swap out easier, I plan to send a second device out in advance along with a return label for the first device.

A word of warning/apology though: the latch on Smartpedal is a bit of a pain to release. You'll need a small standard screwdriver (a flat tip), plus I'll create a short video walkthrough. Together those two items should smooth the process.

Total time to swap is 5-15 minutes.

Marc

 

Thanks for the compliment... and I completely agree with the second part of your statement. We're resource constrained and hope to do better shortly.

On the website, even though car and truck products are listed, we're not actually selling those yet--or even have full production units available. What you see is temporary as we get our site in order. (More confirmation of your observation re: our marketing.)

We're adding the public support sections over the next 48 hours. I plan to add plenty of videos to that area based on my experience with this and other groups. People generally found the videos far more useful than the printed manuals.

We plan to launch the car, truck, and van products for consumers in March via a Kickstarter campaign. I hope the members of Priuschat that we've built relationships with will help get the word out. (Now I am marketing...)

Good idea. I'll make a coupon available later that provides some sort of uber (german, not the company) discount. If you want to be the inaugural order when we start that Kickstarter campaign, I can make sure you get the first production unit for the Prius.

 

Hi Everyone,

We're considering the addition of a new feature to Smartpedal and would like the group's feedback . As quick background, we're likely to offer two versions of Smartpedal:

A standard single-mode version, essentially equivalent to mode 4 from the first round of testing. Most drivers saw about a 7%-8% increase in MPG in that mode, with some e-vehicle drivers seeing higher. This is probably a very good standalone product for most potential customers, essentially yielding savings annual equivalent to about a month's worth of fuel. At full MSRP of $149, the pay back period would be about 2 years on a Prius and of course much faster for less efficient cars (or people who drive more than the average).

We'll also release a multi-mode Smartpedal Advanced, which people in this group have been testing. This version will have three (not five) modes equivalent to modes 1 and 4 from the first testing, and probably mode 5 from the second set of devices we'll be distributing shortly. We found that some users get better mileage using the extra modes, and others just prefer them from an experiential point of view. Pricing will likely be $219.

We're considering adding the capability to remap the pedal output on the advanced version

To be candid, this is not likely to be perceived as a valuable feature for the Prius, because the pedal is already nicely mapped. However, the trend with OEMs is to map the pedal aggressively so that even a small change in pedal pressure yields a big jump in speed. I had thought this issue mostly limited to the small and mid-sized cars that I typically rent when traveling, but apparently even muscle cars are mapped this way. It's wasteful, inconvenient, and sometimes slightly dangerous (like in parking lots, for example).

The remapping feature will enable an end user to select from several formulas designed to normalize the acceleration curve. By "normalize" I mean that full power would still be there, but it's release would be less radical. For example, instead of a 10% pedal push yielding 35% of full power, it might be 10% yielding 20%.

The remapping would also be an and/or feature with the pedal signal correction: one or both could be enabled. Potentially, over time end users would find unique combinations of pedal remapping and driving modes that yield better results and/or an improved driving experience.

Sorry for the long message, but I wanted to provide some context and detail. To wrap up, my questions are: 1) has anyone experienced the "aggressive pedal" issue I described; and 2) what are your thoughts about adding the a pedal-remapping capability to Smartpedal?

Best,
Marc