6 ms·

I suppose he got his wish considering newer cars automatically shut off the engine after idling for a few seconds, and turn it back on when you want to go.

mjevans 8y ago
I really dislike this at stoplights. It would be tolerable if there were a smart traffic grid and the cars could subscribe to get a notice at (45 seconds down to the multiple of shutdown interval duration div 2 and floored to seconds); of course if you did THAT street racing would use it as a starting line signal so it'll never happen. Alternatively electrics only really turn all the way on when accelerating so something with at least an electric drive system is going to be the medium range solution.
- Tomte 8y ago
  Why do you dislike it? The latency introduced by an „unnecessary stop“ is absolutely negligible. A second at most. Most people will regularly take longer to realize the traffic light has turned green.
  - carry_bit 8y ago
    A second is huge when you're used to it being instantaneous.
    - Tomte 8y ago
      As it‘s only relevant a very small fraction of stops, but has clear benefits, I don‘t see the problem.
  - sp332 8y ago
    Adding a second per car in line at a light is going to decrease the number of cars that can make it through quite a lot.
    - greglindahl 8y ago
      There are places with a lot of these cars already.
  - dghughes 8y ago
    If you're driving in stop and go traffic in a city in the winter when it's below freezing, especially -20C (-4F). Plus more than once I've had to watch my rear view mirror for someone about to slide into the back of my car. A second to get out of the way to too long in some situations. Sometimes just being able to quickly move 30cm is enough to prevent major damage and injury.
    - Tomte 8y ago
      In such extraordinary situations you can simply switch off the auto-off-on function. But that's a 1% kind of situation.
    - poloniculmov 8y ago
      From my Ford Focus' manual: Note: The system only operates when the engine is warm and the outside temperature is between 0ºC (32ºF) and 30ºC (86ºF)
    - blattimwind 8y ago
      That's only a problem for automatic transmission cars.
  - mmirate 8y ago
    Most people at the front of the queue of stopped cars, yes. The person 20 cars behind, who is threatening to waste several more minutes of my time if the two of us don't get through the green light? Unlikely.
- matt_the_bass 8y ago
  My car has this automatic shut off. Honestly, the time it takes me to move my foot from brake to gas under normal driving conditions is all it takes to start the engine. For some reason this starting is WAY faster than the I Italia time the car on start. I’m guessing firmware loading more than engine starting reasons.
borkt 8y ago
...and then they unfortunately enable changes to the operation of the vehicle causing them to emit absurd levels of pollutants. One concern I have is my wife's subaru has an I mode and an S mode. I mode is supposed to be the fuel efficient mode, yet I have never gotten better mileage in I than S. It feels to me this mode must have something to do with smog/emissions rather than fuel economy.
magduf 8y ago
This feature is far from universal at this point. You'll find it on some higher-end cars, but that's about it.
- KozmoNau7 8y ago
  I had no idea a modestly equipped Fiat Punto was a higher-end car :-)
- King-Aaron 8y ago
  Stop-start cars are amazing when the battery/alternator starts getting a little dicky after a few years. Pull up to the lights, engine shuts down, and doesn't start back up. Genius.
  - oh_sigh 8y ago
    Have you actually experienced this or are you just assuming it might happen in the future?
    - King-Aaron 8y ago
      I have experienced this. Many manufacturers work in solutions to prevent the auto-shutoff if the charge isn't within correct margins, but when it doesn't go according to plan it is quite frustrating.
    - mmirate 8y ago
      It's a very reasonable assumption for anyone who's been around cars for more than a decade of their lives. Electrical systems in most consumer-grade vehicles have rarely been able to exhibit the kind of reliability expected of most of the other nontrivial moving parts.
  - mikestew 8y ago
    Yeah, if only there were a way to monitor battery voltage, and not engage the start/stop system if the electrical system has issues. That might cut down on the massive amounts of people complaining about the very scenario you mention.

mjevans 8y ago

I really dislike this at stoplights. It would be tolerable if there were a smart traffic grid and the cars could subscribe to get a notice at (45 seconds down to the multiple of shutdown interval duration div 2 and floored to seconds); of course if you did THAT street racing would use it as a starting line signal so it'll never happen. Alternatively electrics only really turn all the way on when accelerating so something with at least an electric drive system is going to be the medium range solution.

Tomte 8y ago
Why do you dislike it? The latency introduced by an „unnecessary stop“ is absolutely negligible. A second at most. Most people will regularly take longer to realize the traffic light has turned green.
- carry_bit 8y ago
  A second is huge when you're used to it being instantaneous.
  - Tomte 8y ago
    As it‘s only relevant a very small fraction of stops, but has clear benefits, I don‘t see the problem.
- sp332 8y ago
  Adding a second per car in line at a light is going to decrease the number of cars that can make it through quite a lot.
  - greglindahl 8y ago
    There are places with a lot of these cars already.
- dghughes 8y ago
  If you're driving in stop and go traffic in a city in the winter when it's below freezing, especially -20C (-4F). Plus more than once I've had to watch my rear view mirror for someone about to slide into the back of my car. A second to get out of the way to too long in some situations. Sometimes just being able to quickly move 30cm is enough to prevent major damage and injury.
  - Tomte 8y ago
    In such extraordinary situations you can simply switch off the auto-off-on function. But that's a 1% kind of situation.
  - poloniculmov 8y ago
    From my Ford Focus' manual: Note: The system only operates when the engine is warm and the outside temperature is between 0ºC (32ºF) and 30ºC (86ºF)
  - blattimwind 8y ago
    That's only a problem for automatic transmission cars.
- mmirate 8y ago
  Most people at the front of the queue of stopped cars, yes. The person 20 cars behind, who is threatening to waste several more minutes of my time if the two of us don't get through the green light? Unlikely.
matt_the_bass 8y ago
My car has this automatic shut off. Honestly, the time it takes me to move my foot from brake to gas under normal driving conditions is all it takes to start the engine. For some reason this starting is WAY faster than the I Italia time the car on start. I’m guessing firmware loading more than engine starting reasons.

borkt 8y ago

...and then they unfortunately enable changes to the operation of the vehicle causing them to emit absurd levels of pollutants. One concern I have is my wife's subaru has an I mode and an S mode. I mode is supposed to be the fuel efficient mode, yet I have never gotten better mileage in I than S. It feels to me this mode must have something to do with smog/emissions rather than fuel economy.

magduf 8y ago

This feature is far from universal at this point. You'll find it on some higher-end cars, but that's about it.

KozmoNau7 8y ago
I had no idea a modestly equipped Fiat Punto was a higher-end car :-)
King-Aaron 8y ago
Stop-start cars are amazing when the battery/alternator starts getting a little dicky after a few years. Pull up to the lights, engine shuts down, and doesn't start back up. Genius.
- oh_sigh 8y ago
  Have you actually experienced this or are you just assuming it might happen in the future?
  - King-Aaron 8y ago
    I have experienced this. Many manufacturers work in solutions to prevent the auto-shutoff if the charge isn't within correct margins, but when it doesn't go according to plan it is quite frustrating.
  - mmirate 8y ago
    It's a very reasonable assumption for anyone who's been around cars for more than a decade of their lives. Electrical systems in most consumer-grade vehicles have rarely been able to exhibit the kind of reliability expected of most of the other nontrivial moving parts.
- mikestew 8y ago
  Yeah, if only there were a way to monitor battery voltage, and not engage the start/stop system if the electrical system has issues. That might cut down on the massive amounts of people complaining about the very scenario you mention.