Head up Display :fuel saver prototype

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
View Threaded
Wed 24 Dec 2014 07:05
Head up Display :fuel saver prototype - surfdriver13

This is the latest version of my experimental device for monitoring acceleration and braking forces. Driver aims for zero force to obtain maximum saving. You can see a video showing how it works in town. Just enter 'Laurence ivan laud' into the Youtube search bar. I would be very grateful for any comments or observations

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 24 Dec 2014 08:49
Head up Display :fuel saver prototype - Wee Willie Winkie

Nice work in jabbing your brakes on after just passing a cyclist.

I found my eyes were taken off what was happening on the road in front to look at your device. I'd say it is fundamentally flawed.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 24 Dec 2014 08:51
Head up Display :fuel saver prototype - skidpan

So instead of concentrating on the road, traffic, pedestrians etc you concentrate on a display to save a few pence a year on fuel.

Totally crazy.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 24 Dec 2014 12:31
Head up Display :fuel saver prototype - RT

I can tell roughly "by the seat of my pants" whether I'm accelerating/braking hard/gently.

I suggest that anyone who can't shouldn't be driving.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 24 Dec 2014 20:53
Head up Display :fuel saver prototype - alan1302

Don't like it at all - gets in the way of where you should be looking and I don't think it's something soeone needs as you know if you are accelertaing too much/too little.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 24 Dec 2014 21:31
Head up Display :fuel saver prototype - Wackyracer

Just a pointless device IMHO. You'd be better off spending your time and efforts inventing something that people will want to buy.

In the old days people used to just fit Vacuum gauges to monitor economical driving (or the lack of) and they were pretty pointless too.

If people really want to save money on fuel, They are better off going for some driving tuition.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 25 Dec 2014 14:55
Head up Display :fuel saver prototype - galileo

I can tell roughly "by the seat of my pants" whether I'm accelerating/braking hard/gently.

I suggest that anyone who can't shouldn't be driving.

Toyota Corollas and Yarises had an 'instant MPG' option on the trip display, lift right off downhill it went to 99.9 MPG, floor the pedal and it went to as little as 5 MPG.

Good for showing a new driver the effect of a heavy right foot, not needed once they got the idea.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 25 Dec 2014 15:52
Head up Display :fuel saver prototype - skidpan

Toyota Corollas and Yarises had an 'instant MPG' option on the trip display, lift right off downhill it went to 99.9 MPG, floor the pedal and it went to as little as 5 MPG

Not just Toyota's. Most modern cars have such a pointless device. All our recent Fords, BMW, Kia, Seat etc have had them.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 26 Dec 2014 12:25
Head up Display :fuel saver prototype - Andrew-T

<< Most modern cars have such a pointless device.>>

I wouldn't agree that it is pointless. I would certainly agree that it might be an unnecessary distraction.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 27 Dec 2014 06:31
Head up Display :fuel saver prototype - TedCrilly

This sort of kit is far from being beyond the capabilities of the mainstream manufacturers. I guess if drivers really wanted it.......they would be fitting it to their products.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 27 Dec 2014 12:22
Head up Display :fuel saver prototype - Alby Back
Or you could just choose to buy a car with the level of fuel economy you can afford and not worry about it at all. If I was constantly having to moderate my driving to save fuel I'd say I had the wrong car.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 28 Dec 2014 19:33
Head up Display :fuel saver prototype - brum

Notwithstanding the merits or the possible illegality of a head up display in the drivers forward field of vision, this device has a fundamental problem and as such is going to be ignored by car manufacturers.

Driving a car for maximum fuel economy is actually a complex formula, it is NOT simply a case of sticking to a constant speed, which is served well by cruise control. For instance, for best economy, accelerating to a given speed requires knowledge of the fuel efficiency / demand / torque / engine speed characteristics of the engine. Simply accelerating slowly is NOT an efficient use of fuel. Likewise decelerating for maximum economy requires complex read ahead of the road and an appropriate strategy to be adopted. World class hyper milers know all this and this simple device does little to aid anyone and as pointed out is actually a driver distraction device, bear in mind the state of our litigation crazy world, should your device be implied in an accident...

This device appears to be a simple standalone accelerometer, and as such is affected by gradients (i.e gravity) as well linear acceleration, and is unable to distinguish the slope of hills from linear acceleration. Manufacturers could implement an accurate "g" meter by simple differentiation of the road speed signal, but no one chooses to do this. Ask yourself why?

Looking at your speedometer would be more accurate and costs nothing and use cruise control where appropriate and safe to do so...

Edited by brum on 28/12/2014 at 19:41

Reply | Report as offensive | Link