Me neither, though I do wonder what percentage of offenders actually get 'hit'
Vehicles reporting data back to base
- Thread starter camerart
- Start date
Difficult. Were you thinking of using a modern lithium ion battery? If so, you'd need quite a lot of "technology" in the battery management system to regulate the charging and temperature, plus diagnostics so that if a cell started going duff, you could find which one it was.
The next problem would be that the battery outputs DC voltage (typically around 400) and the motor might be one of several types. Just trying to do it "old school" like a Scalextric car with a variable resistor, would be massively wasteful of power at part throttle (and boy, would it generate some waste heat)! Most modern EVs use an inverter to manage power output and speed.
The next problem will be the reliability. You need to think "aerospace" for reliability with the throttle - you wouldn't want it going to full throttle (or zero throttle) on the motorway, if it glitched one day.
As for the regenerative braking, how would you prevent the wheels (almost) locking up on slippy surfaces? When you lift off and they start generating a regen current to feed back to the battery, it provides a noticeable braking effect, so you'd need ABS to manage the regenerative braking, or you could have a big accident! You'd also need the regenerative braking to integrate pretty seamlessly with the "foundation" braking (the hydraulic) braking. If (although unlikely) you charged at the top of a mountain pass, you couldn't use regenerative braking once the battery was full again, so you'd need to work out how to dump the extra electricity but keep the braking effort about the same. And, of course, you might as well have traction control to limit wheelspin, once you've got ABS, as you've already paid for the sensors!
So the short answer, is yes, it's possible, but you'd either end up with a deathtrap with lousy range and efficiency, or something like a 1970s milk float!
Hi, Replying to the 'None smart electronics' replies.
The electric motors in cars aren't like the dc Scalextric motors with their slidable potentiometer, but are brushless switched motors. I use these in other projects, and they're much more efficient. With some careful computer techlogogy, it shouldn't be difficult to design a minimum control system, that was efficient.
As for regenerative braking, I don't think this is too complicated either, it just uses the motors in reverse at varying degrees, chosen by the user.
Yes, it has to be absolutely reliable, and tested with all of the approvals needed for compliance. There are companies converting vehicles from I.C.E. to electric, so it can be done. It could be as simple as converting an electric vehicle to and electric vehicle!
I'm sure we can beat and electric milk float
So, would you be interested, in favour of what's offered at the moment?
I know there are cameras, but let's start somewhere, to reduce the sharing, instead of simple acceptance.
Remember, you can always broadcast that you were speeding or in a particular place if you're happy with it
C
The electric motors in cars aren't like the dc Scalextric motors with their slidable potentiometer, but are brushless switched motors. I use these in other projects, and they're much more efficient. With some careful computer techlogogy, it shouldn't be difficult to design a minimum control system, that was efficient.
As for regenerative braking, I don't think this is too complicated either, it just uses the motors in reverse at varying degrees, chosen by the user.
Yes, it has to be absolutely reliable, and tested with all of the approvals needed for compliance. There are companies converting vehicles from I.C.E. to electric, so it can be done. It could be as simple as converting an electric vehicle to and electric vehicle!
I'm sure we can beat and electric milk float
So, would you be interested, in favour of what's offered at the moment?
I know there are cameras, but let's start somewhere, to reduce the sharing, instead of simple acceptance.
Remember, you can always broadcast that you were speeding or in a particular place if you're happy with it
C
Believe it or not, some DO use brushed motor! I was surprised to find that mine does:
(Not that I have an M60, though, but my i4 has a (smaller) brushed motor).
That's the easy bit. It's modulating (or even turning it off altogether in a fraction of a second when grip is compromised), that's the complicated bit!
If you want to type approve it like a mainstream car, forget it. It will need ABS and Advanced Emergency Braking. Things will get incredibly complicated and expensive. You can get away with less if you go for a "small series" approval, and less again, if you go for an Individual Vehicle Approval (which is really the only option for a DIY one-off). However, you'll still need to manage the regen. We tried this at work about a decade ago. Realistically, as a DIY proposition, we stood no chance of integrating the regen with the car's existing foundation braking system. The best we could do, was put a pressure switch in one of the front brake lines, so that regen could only start once there was a small amount of pressure in the brake line. We then fitted a "CAN sniffer" to listen out for the CAN signal that said an ABS or ESC intervention was happening, and cut off all regen braking instantly, but it wasn't very statisfactory. People converting old ICE cars to EV, are exploiting a legal loophole where the brakes only have to meet the braking requirements that were in force at the time the base vehicle was made. Given that most of them were made long before ABS and ESC and Electronic Brake Force Distribution was "a thing", they have virtually no legal requirements to meet for brakes. As a result, I think many of them will be unsafe, to varying degrees!
I'm sure we can beat and electric milk float
So, would you be interested, in favour of what's offered at the moment?
I know there are cameras, but let's start somewhere, to reduce the sharing, instead of simple acceptance.
Remember, you can always broadcast that you were speeding or in a particular place if you're happy with it
C
I don't mind admitting that my speedometer might, occasionally, have displayed a number in excess of the posted limit...
...shocking how inaccurate some speedometers can be...
Strangely, you've just rekindled memories of being driven around by Dad, in one of his old Minis - it was always fun when the needle was pointing straight downwards!I don't mind admitting that my speedometer might, occasionally, have displayed a number in excess of the posted limit...
...shocking how inaccurate some speedometers can be...
(there are some steep hills in Cornwall!).Hi,Believe it or not, some DO use brushed motor! I was surprised to find that mine does:
(Not that I have an M60, though, but my i4 has a (smaller) brushed motor).
That's the easy bit. It's modulating (or even turning it off altogether in a fraction of a second when grip is compromised), that's the complicated bit!
If you want to type approve it like a mainstream car, forget it. It will need ABS and Advanced Emergency Braking. Things will get incredibly complicated and expensive. You can get away with less if you go for a "small series" approval, and less again, if you go for an Individual Vehicle Approval (which is really the only option for a DIY one-off). However, you'll still need to manage the regen. We tried this at work about a decade ago. Realistically, as a DIY proposition, we stood no chance of integrating the regen with the car's existing foundation braking system. The best we could do, was put a pressure switch in one of the front brake lines, so that regen could only start once there was a small amount of pressure in the brake line. We then fitted a "CAN sniffer" to listen out for the CAN signal that said an ABS or ESC intervention was happening, and cut off all regen braking instantly, but it wasn't very statisfactory. People converting old ICE cars to EV, are exploiting a legal loophole where the brakes only have to meet the braking requirements that were in force at the time the base vehicle was made. Given that most of them were made long before ABS and ESC and Electronic Brake Force Distribution was "a thing", they have virtually no legal requirements to meet for brakes. As a result, I think many of them will be unsafe, to varying degrees!
I don't mind admitting that my speedometer might, occasionally, have displayed a number in excess of the posted limit...
...shocking how inaccurate some speedometers can be...
Your BMW brushed motor link was interesting, although I wouldn't want to change the brushes, they're not like my black and decker ones.
It just shows what can be done.
I once nearly had an accident because of ABS brakes, on the ice. I was trying to control my van by braking as I've always done in these conditions, but the ABS kept making me skid more. So this one wasn't perfect, and I'm sure it could be done independently, of motor companies, obviously it would have to be by other certified companies. I'm no expert, but is it possible to use the existing 'old' car computer, with ABS and control the drive separately.
I just delivered a 30 year old MX5 250 miles (a brilliant top down drive
) and I'm sure both the speedo and rev counter were a bit out for some of the journey. Having said the 3 cars shot by me, I think they were racing, and my goodness they were impressive.C
It can be done, as I outlined above, but it's nothing like as good as a properly integrated system. Personally, I'd rather just take the benefits of a modern system and put up with the complexity that goes with it.
I just delivered a 30 year old MX5 250 miles (a brilliant top down drive
C
Sounds like fun. I like old cars (I have a 35 year old saloon myself), but I'm a firm believer in leaving the past in the past. I hate these retrofit EV conversions to classic cars! Like putting a Pendolino motor under the Flying Scotsman!
Hi A,
I'm sure many agree with you, but for us with other views, I hope some company does show interest, and develop something equal to the manufacturers control system, with only the extras that the customer wants, so everybody will be happy
C.
Hi A,
I'm sure many agree with you, but for us with other views, I hope some company does show interest, and develop something equal to the manufacturers control system, with only the extras that the customer wants, so everybody will be happy
C.
I wish you well with that, but in my view it is not practicable. You want:
(a) a controller, that connected the accelerator and brake to the motor/battery, and do without all of the technology;
(b) a system that is absolutely reliable, and tested with all of the approvals needed for compliance; and;
(c) something equal to the manufacturers control system, with only the extras that the customer wants.
I think those a mutually exclusive wishes. I don't believe you will ever get anything even remotely equal to the manufacturer's control system, without the expense and complexity of the manufacturer's control system.
Hi A,
Don't get me wrong, I don't have the skills to do this.
There are many reasons not do do this, which is no help to anyone, so anyone with positive views who would like the choice of what's being sent back to base, then please join in, and I may approach companies that would be able to achieve it and put it forward.
C.