New "ECO" pedal for Nissan in 2009

The pedal pushes back at you? Call me silly, but I like my energy/consumption screen better.

... Brad

 

Seem like a pretty good idea IMHO. Tactile feedback to improve your driving habits while never having to take your eyes off the road.

 

Maybe. I guess I should drive one before I discount it.

... Brad

 

Nice they made it so you can turn it on/off in case you don't like it.

 

Actually, all cars with automatic transmissions already have feedback against the pedal. Right now when you drive, as you are accelerating the resistance from the pedal decreases as you go faster, and when the gear shifts up or down, you feel an increase or decrease in resistance on the gas pedal. A combination of engine rpm and vehicle speed turn pumps that increase the pressure of fluid on the shift valve in one direction and your foot presses on the valve in the opposite direction. Notice in the image below, that there is a fluid line on the left side - this image doesn't show the real thing, but there is a gradient, and when you have pushed down far enough, the fluid from the engine-rpm-and-wheels equalizes on both sides of the shift valve. This is why when you are near redline rpm, you feel like there is no resistance, yet when you are sitting at idle, there is a lot of resistance. All vehicles with automatic transmissions already have feedback. It's going to be really interesting to see just exactly what Nissan plans to do with this "tactile feedback" pedal.
(for those of you that think there is a metal spring that pushes on your pedal - turn your car off, then press on the pedal with your foot and observe that all of that "feedback" has disappeared)



In 1940, Oldsmobile was the first mass-produced car to
implement an automatic transmission, named the "hydra-matic."
http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/bv/oldsmobile.htm

 

I prefer this:
A cents per mile/kilometer meter. You gas up and fill in the price, then every mile you drive gets a real time cost applied.

"Last mile cost: $0.25"
"Trip cost: 13 Miles, $4.25. Average cost per mile: $0.33

Heck, replace the MPG graph with a $/mile graph. Maybe even put in a 'Ka-CHING' sound every time they go past the next dollar. Those driving H2s wouldn't need music, they would have a constant "Ka-CHING Ka-CHING"

Now THAT is feedback to wake a lead-footed person up.

 

You sure about this? I don't think you're correct on this.

I'm quite sure my old 91 Camry V6 nor my mom's former 96 Camry V6 had nothing like this. I recalled no change in resistance.

My 04 Nissan 350Z (has an automatic) has throttle by wire as was my former 02 Nissan Maxima. There was no physical throttle cable connected to the pedal that moved and no discernible change in resistance either (not surprisingly).

 

I'm 100% Positive. Zero doubts. Ask your local mechanic or do some research.
(FYI: the "throttle" by wire opens the throttle on the engine. The transmission is a separate machine)

In fact, a few years ago when BMW came out with the first 7-series with electronic throttle by wire (the pedal interacts with a computer circuit board, and then the computer controls the throttle), Car And Driver magazine commented that even though the computer tried to provide feedback, the pedal still felt "different" because it did not have the direct hydraulic feedback.
.
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You are 100% positively wrong....period. None of my auto trans cars with or without throttle by wire have had either electric solenoid or hydraulic feedback connected to the throttle pedal. The non drive by wire systems have all had a cruise control solenoid, but they only function when the cruise control is active.

There may be a few exceptions, but it is not the majority of cases. Your statement is going to do nothing but cause a flood of responses from people in this thread stating they went out and tried and there was no difference in resistance.

 

Sorry, you're 0 for 3 on my "automatic" cars.

Obviously there's the Prius, which the pedal is a computer input, hence my quote on the automatic since you might say that the car isn't an automatic.

Then there is my F350 diesel.* Also fly by wire on the throttle. There isn't a throttle plate on a diesel, and the injectors are computer controlled. The transmission is shifted by solenoids operated by the computer. The cruse control is only a subroutine in the computer, and the pedal comes all the way up when the cruse control is engaged. It was interesting to get used to the lack of pedal feedback found with most cruse controls.

Finally, there is my wife's Dodge Caravan. The throttle cable actuates a throttle plate. The throttle position is a computer input, and the computer controls the fuel injection in addition to the transmission gear via solenoid valves.


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*PS: before you flame me on the F350, not it's sitting parked at home, and I commuted to work in a Prius IN A CARPOOL....