Nice comment 2

 Darth Teddybear  barrettp • a day ago

Blah! Gasser engines are still about 30% efficient at their very best! Usually less - and not rarely MUCH less!

Like I said, there are no production gassers that hit even 50% peak efficiency! Mazda has a prototype engine, but as mentioned it is more complicated than standard engines, and to hit beyond that you need to add WAY more complications - pneumatic valves, variable compression, and so on. That adds on tons of cost and failure points. And this is 50% PEAK! Do you understand? It's not 50% constantly, all the time, at all conditions, and only at the crankshaft! Pass through the drivetrain and it's 10-15% or more below that.

WHY BOTHER?! It's stupid. Electric motors are 90+ percent efficient essentially through the entire power range. You have instant massive, basically maximum torque from standstill; gassers have zero torque at zero RPM. Electric motors have only ONE major moving part - which spins so no vibrations, no reciprocation with associated annoying rattling and shaking and no high-wear consumable parts like drive belts, cam belts, spark plugs, oil filters, gaskets, piston rings, piston sleeves, and so on, and the vast majority of EVs have no clutches at all. Some don't even have differentials. Electric motors are also nearly silent running; gasser engine noise is a big source of stress and mental health issues with people working and living in urban areas; difficulties to relax, sleep problems and so on. Even talking near a busy street is difficult because of all the bloody noise.

Plus the pollution, as mentioned. Gasser exhaust damages the brains of human beings, it diminishes intelligence in children. This is all scientifically proven.

So tell me again why you think gassers are such a good idea. Filling up cancer juice in just 5 minutes, so you can kill yourself, everyone you care about and the rest of the planet some more? Try harder, mate!

http://disq.us/p/2jm848n

Excellent comment - 1

http://disq.us/p/27jcbky

Mike Ceranski • an hour ago

In my opinion, the root software problem isn't new code. It's legacy code that is embedded in function specific devices -- often called "PLCs", short for Programmable Logic Controller. PLCs are hardware devices perfectly suited for handling all the functionality for a specific set of tasks like windshield / washer operations. This sounds like a real time-saver but it can cause MAJOR issues if integrated into a BEV operating system. When the wipers automatically fire, or are turned on manually by the driver, that voltage request must be sent and approved by the BEV battery management system (specifically the electrical / battery sub-system) to ensure there's enough electricity for everything happening in the vehicle. Imagine a coder who doesn't fully understand all possible electrical actions/states of the legacy windshield PLC and therefore doesn't cover all possible voltage needs, much less simple error states (ie, the washer fluid is empty). The legacy windshield PLC probably wasn't designed or built by VW but by a sub-contractor who likely never considered a thorough API for their windshield PLC much less a fully functional & documented two-way API that would allow complete communication between a BEV's opsys and the windshield PLC. Now multiply this by 20, 40, or even 50 PLCs embedded in today's legacy autos. PLCs for climate control, dashboard controls, lighting, ABS, traction control, etc., etc. None of which were designed to be sub-systems in full communication with a software overloard (the BEV opsys). That's one of the reasons Tesla is so far ahead; they avoided the siren call of off-the-shelf PLCs and made it all software sub-systems that are part of the Tesla BEV opsys. The added benefit is that OTA updates can update any subsystem from braking to power management to... you guessed it, windshield wipers. (Which means there is hope that Tesla windshield wipers will eventually get really, really good. But it will probably be a serious bit of AI that finally conquers the "windshield" challenge. Weather comes in a LOT of different forms so automatic windshields have a ton of variables to handle. It isn't a minor thing to handle the weather in Norway vs. Hawaii vs. Vancouver vs. Coober Pedy in Australia. Sorry about the long post but this is a really deep issue and clearly exposes why legacy auto makers will never be truly successful in EVs until they completely change their internal paradigm to the car as an iPhone on wheels.

Tesla Cybertruck is for Mars

One of the Starship flights will deposit a dozen of the trucks on Mars.

And ten years later, every Martian will be driving a Cybertruck. No need for body paint as desired by the soft earthlings. Built with asteroid-mined metal.

Is the mini spot good for delivering groceries?

Imagine seeing these dogs running on the curb of our streets each carrying a basket, commanded by a neighborhood grocery store.

I think the running robots will have advantage over wheel based ones, which may have trouble climbing over curbs frequently found in my area.




The running robots will have better way of unloading too. When it reaches the front door, it can bend down, trigger a release mechanism of the basket door, and let the stuff slid out onto the door mat.

A camera on your phone for detecting pesticides

Why don't we have a smartphone camera+sensor that can detect pesticides on the fruits you're pointing at?