My '06 Impala has electronic throttle. And yes I think I can detect a small lag in it's response. Nothing huge mind you, a minor annoyance maybe. I've gotten accostomed to it anyhow. I still believe there is no match for the throttle response of a properly tuned carburetor on a warmed up engine. Rickey.
Electronic throttle control...
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Though I haven't driven such an equiped vehicle as yet (atleast I think I haven't), I'd rather have direct control. I suppose electro-mechanical devices coupled with computers can expand the possibilities - the flying wing bomber's too unstable to fly otherwise. There seems to be an air of compensation.
Added complexity - certainly, as controlled operations seem to make-up for what's lacking in physical design.
The pilot's turning into a co-pilot? - good for those that try to talk on the cell phone, put on their make-up or play with their hair, eat, read, fiddle with the radio or stuff in the vehicle...while they're driving.
What happened to the good old utilitarian vehicle? The owner friendly sort that doesn't require computer interface and random software upgrades and expensive one-use only tools???
Added complexity - certainly, as controlled operations seem to make-up for what's lacking in physical design.
The pilot's turning into a co-pilot? - good for those that try to talk on the cell phone, put on their make-up or play with their hair, eat, read, fiddle with the radio or stuff in the vehicle...while they're driving.
What happened to the good old utilitarian vehicle? The owner friendly sort that doesn't require computer interface and random software upgrades and expensive one-use only tools???
The 06 4runner and Tacoma have it and I find it almost transparent. IF I switch suddenly from a conservative driving style to a spirited style it takes a moment and more pedal to get the power I want. after a couple of blips the response is qucker with less throttle action. I do wish it had the profile selective software that the BMW had where you can switch fromconservative to agressive with a flip of the switch, but the Toyota software seems fairly adaptive despite not having a "split personality" switch.
Our 2005 Lexyota has it. And the programming is irritating for the delay (like turbo lag) when accelerating from a stop. Plenty of forum talk, and dealer "fixes".
But, then, nothing beat the rod linkage of my old Chrysler for feel. The feedback through the foot was not something ANY efi car has. Cruise control was almost superflous. And obbop, the nylon bushing took 31-years to wear out.
Linkage adjustment was a matter of measurement at any major tune-up (as it also controlled transmission downshift at part and full throttle).
But, then, nothing beat the rod linkage of my old Chrysler for feel. The feedback through the foot was not something ANY efi car has. Cruise control was almost superflous. And obbop, the nylon bushing took 31-years to wear out.
Linkage adjustment was a matter of measurement at any major tune-up (as it also controlled transmission downshift at part and full throttle).
Wave of the future,we all know the driver who "warms" their engine from ice cold start with WOT? not possible now if the engine builder wants to prevent this kind of bad behavior.
Patman
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That was just the traction control system activating, but the Camaros and Firebirds never did get the drive by wire throttle system, only the Corvettes got it. I had a 95 Firebird Formula with traction control and the system on that car was very intrusive, the slightest hint of wheelspin and the gas pedal would push right back at you. The traction control system in my Corvette is nowhere near as intrusive, it allows a bit of wheelspin and because it's drive by wire, when the traction control does intervene you do not feel the gas pedal pushing back at you.
Actually, I was responding to brianl703's comment about the mechanism on his car's throttle cable. I was assuming that's what the Camaro / Firebird used on their throttle cables.
Hmm, maybe that's why the traction control ("Electronic Stability Program") on the Saab 9-3 which does use drive-by-wire allows a bit of wheelspin. I seriously started wondering if it was turned off when I chirped the tires from a dead stop several times.
THe problem is that emmissions takes priority over driver input. All I4 are a little cold blooded in winter temp.'s. The computers try to keep the engine ideling smootly with as little fuel as possable so as not to hurt the emissions. So you go and give it gas and the computer wiat's to decide if it is going to do as you ask. It decides to do it after some delay as the speed climbs and you release some throttle the computer again delays your command. It does it but this time it takes out too much throtle for the cold engine so to keep it from stalling it add's more fuel even though your pedal position has not changed. It then sense's the pedal postion and repeats the whole thing over again. To add insult to injury the computer is phaseing the cam to try to get out of adding more fuel to keep the engine running. So for the first couple of take off it seems like the computer and driver are chaseing each other. I grew up driveing injected adn carberated vechile. I do not need a computer to help me keep the engine running. It only takes about 3 take off for the computer to get a handle on things but it anoys me to no end. I will have to see how my mothers automatic equiped car does? I suspect that with an automatic it will probably not even be noticeable.
Throttle by wire and drive by wire would be fine if the computer had to do exactly what the driver requested.I could car less how my inputs get to the parts so long as they do what I request. Rest assured the first time an accident happens becasue drive by wire decided to ignore the drivers input and do something else close to what was requested their will be huge legal battle.
It has been my experince that most stability control type systems are too agressive in how soon they take over. Stability controls should not over ride the driver until the limits of the vechiles traction and lateral acceleration have been exceeded. Their have been many times I avoided an accident by accelerateing out of the danger zone. I have also done manuvers that would have set of a lot of modern stability control systems and these systems would have killed me!
I would rather have more drivers practice driveing their vechiles at the edge of their performance envolope with proper supervision then have more nany systems. ABS has done nothing to reduce accidents. Stability control systems will have a similar effect. People that have it will drive even more agressively thinking that the onboard nany will save them.
Throttle by wire and drive by wire would be fine if the computer had to do exactly what the driver requested.I could car less how my inputs get to the parts so long as they do what I request. Rest assured the first time an accident happens becasue drive by wire decided to ignore the drivers input and do something else close to what was requested their will be huge legal battle.
It has been my experince that most stability control type systems are too agressive in how soon they take over. Stability controls should not over ride the driver until the limits of the vechiles traction and lateral acceleration have been exceeded. Their have been many times I avoided an accident by accelerateing out of the danger zone. I have also done manuvers that would have set of a lot of modern stability control systems and these systems would have killed me!
I would rather have more drivers practice driveing their vechiles at the edge of their performance envolope with proper supervision then have more nany systems. ABS has done nothing to reduce accidents. Stability control systems will have a similar effect. People that have it will drive even more agressively thinking that the onboard nany will save them.
Well, there are no emissions limits at WOT, last I heard.
Therefore if you push the pedal to the floor, then it should have no reason to hold anything back.
Therefore if you push the pedal to the floor, then it should have no reason to hold anything back.
Our Corvette and Acura TL both have it, both work well.
I'm not a fan of the electronic throttle on my Mazda3, but it recently went in for throttle lag and "check engine" issues and they performed a service bulletin on my MAF sensor wiring. It looks like a temporary hack repair, but it now works better. The mechanical throttle on my '98 Pathfinder is still superior for rowing through the gears.
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