Windy road, do frequent switches between B and D hurt anything?

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or "B" even

 

That's really interesting. I did not even know this existed.
I would still say it's still very much the exception, rarity, in the automotive world and not the rule. But, it is interesting it even exists.

Don't know how I would feel about a vehicle that is using GPS to predict my shifting needs.
But I'm sure the technology is a conversation starter.

 

I think it's going to become more common - Rolls Royce isn't on my fiscal RADAR. But as they come closer to autonomy, it'll be on PRIUS in no time. When I first read about RADAR Cruise on S Class Merc - it was just on the "never-never" horizon.

Mercedes "S" Class looks for potholes or rough patches of road:

"The W222 debuts the available Magic Body Control, consisting of windshield mounted stereo cameras that can 'read' the road ahead (Road Surface Scan) and communicate with the Active Body Control suspension to ready it for an uneven road surface."

 

I never expect workable, beneficial technology to move backwards. But we may be a long number of years away from this level of technology being "widely available" for most people.
But sometimes the application and availability growth surprises me.

It wasn't too long ago, that things like reverse camera's, keyless entry, and push button start, were all things relegated to the upper, higher end vehicles...and/or Prius.

In 2016, while I did have to pay for the upgrade, all those things are available on a vehicle as "Entry Level" as a sub-compact Honda Fit.

So who knows? We may be talking about GPS aided driving, in a lot of different ways, much sooner than we think.

 

Now that I think of it - didn't they have a program on TV about FARMERS with tractors etc which used GPS aided driving.

 

That's correct! It is used in certain places in UK.

 

I used to watch the accelerator one, as I liked to know when EV mode was on, and take advantage of the accelerator guidance. There is also the battery level on that display. Then I learned that the accelerator guidance can be summarised with "be gentle on the accelerator". The accelerator level is on the HUD. EV mode indicator didn't really matter.

Then I watched the energy flow one, and used the HUD for battery level and accelerator level.

I did learn a lot from the above two displays.

Then, like everyone else after several weeks of ownership, I realised none of this really mattered, as the computer does a fine job of managing everything, and just started driving it like a normal car, while maybe trying to keep the acceleration out of the red PWR section on the HUD display. My fuel usage hasn't noticeably changed.

So, I now use the compass/Sat Nav next turn indicator in the display to the left of the speedometer. Sure, this duplicates the big Sat Nav display, but I find it a lot more comfortable, quicker, and safer to glance at the smaller display higher up that simply and concisely tells me what to do and when to do it. It also means I can now use the main Sat Nav screen for its energy flow screen, or music, or whatever.

To the right of that I have the real time and average fuel consumption vertical guage displayed, as the only other options are a battery (duplicated on HUD) and vertical acceleration guage (also on HUD in a better format). I don't really look at it, but at least it's not duplicating other guages.

I turned Road Sign Assist off, which would normally take up the area described above, as I found it to be incorrect too often.

All of the above means I'm not wasting space by duplicating displays/guages anywhere, and the important info is on the HUD or main display.

SM-T813 ?

 

Most of the time - it encourages me to not keep looking there - and to try to get better figures next time - or, in this case to gloat over how well my last 4 days went.

 

The Professor has an Excel in UK, which is the fully loaded version, so yours don't have the navigation, HUD etc. My advice to @mudworm would be to try a few combinations for herself and swap between her favourites add the mood takes her. Set it up for what please you most and you'll be happiest.

 

I've got a 3rd gen, with very rudimentary displays, albeit similar info, at least most of it.

I only use the Hybrid System Indicator (HSI) display. I can never remember that name or it's acronym, does nothing for me; I just refer to it normally as the "bar graph display". It's incredibly useful in improving your fuel efficiency: moderating your acceleration, keeping below the threshold that'll kick on the engine, and seeing the charging amount.

I believe the description starts on page 119 of the 4th gen Owner's Manual?

 

I think you start to get into the realm of self-driving vehicles.
The idea of GPS guided tractors that Mega-Farms could use to maintain acres and acres of farmland is not something I've followed closely. I don't doubt the technology exists. But it is not yet mainstream common. Unless 3 out of 5 of your neighbors own Rolls Royces.

 

The bar graph is good for:

1. Keeping your acceleration in the sweet spot, say 1/2 to 3/4 of the way over (red-hatched zone. This is obviously on level ground, not going uphill, and where faster acceleration is needed, for whatever reason.

2. Keeping it to the left of the mid-line (yellow zone), the engine should stay off, if it's similar to 3rd gen.

3. Seeing how much charging is happening (blue zone).



You don't want to obsess about keeping engine off, running it in the yellow zone. The car has limitted battery, and especially if the graph is just below the mid line, it'll run the charge down fast. Then it's better to give pulse with the gas engine, and then glide a bit.

One thing more: the Energy Monitor, for me at least, is way too distracting. To understand what's going on I need to take my eyes off the road for longer than I'm comfortable, to make sense of the animations. I much prefer a quick glance at the HSI (aka bar graph ).

 

Also there's the Accelerator Guidance. This is the slightly wider bar behind the accelerator level indicator. You should try and keep your accelerator within that range. It's calculated by the car dynamically, so it probably knows best.

 

The Energy Monitor gives a more accurate display of where energy is moving - but, as others have said the HSI gives more "training" guidance if you're trying to teach your accelerator foot how to behave . Most of that is on your HUD anyway. The thing to ignore if you use the HSI is the EV light - it's often wrong.

But, as a day-to-day display, the Energy Monitor is probably better, less distracting too.

 

I often see this quoted by various people, but in my experience I find the opposite to be true which seems odd.

I have been monitoring it lately to test my theory and there has been several times when I knew the engine was running and the EV light was 'off' (correct), but looking at the energy flow it said the engine was 'on' (wrong) and vice versa too, therefore I find it a more reliable source to tell me what is going on.

I much prefer the HSI as its so easy to see at a glance what is going on and has lots of other useful information. The energy flow is good to show new passengers whats going on as they are able to study it more. If find the energy flow on the main media screen really confusing as the diagram is on an angle on my Excel model, unlike lower models when it is side on like the one in the top screen.

 

I was about to post the same thing. I've owned the car since April, and have yet to find the EV indicator incorrect. Both displays can lag by a second or maybe two, but they both seem to accurately reflect the state of the ICE in D and R mode.

I have seen many examples of people stating the EV indicator is wrong, but sometimes go on to show they believe it means that electric power is being used to power the wheels, missing out the key word "only". I've also seen examples where people believe the EV indicator simply means the accelerator is below the half way mark, which again it doesn't. So perhaps there is some confusion over its purpose and this had misled people. Or maybe there's more to it?

EV comes on when the ICE is off. That's pretty much it as far as I can tell. It seems correct for me.

I'm curious to know what happens in B mode (and for the same reason with cruise control), as the ICE can be braking and receiving no fuel but still turning and making a noise. Does that count as off for the purposes of the EV light?

Pixel 2 ?

 

I think there is a bit of a lag in the EV light, I noticed a couple of days ago (for the first time) whilst accelerating gently, for a couple of seconds the EV light was on, but I swear I could hear the engine. I thought, this sounds a bit rough for EV mode, then the light went out.