3 ms·

People found the concept of computer control over an idle stabilization valve terrifying in the early 80's. Killer cars, everyone predicted. It never materializ

People found the concept of computer control over an idle stabilization valve terrifying in the early 80's. Killer cars, everyone predicted. It never materialized. The lawsuits against Audi never went anywhere, and Audi even won some counter-suits. Most cars have drive-by-wire throttles. Hundreds of millions of cars out there, and DBW throttle failures leading to crashes are unheard of. You know what is an issue? Ford unable to make ignition switches that don't cause cars parked in house garages to catch fire. GM cheaping out on their own ignition switches, causing them to suddenly fail while driving....and thus shutting off the engine, ABS, and airbag systems, something that is known to have caused the deaths of half a dozen people and likely tens if not hundreds of other Cruze owners.

cillian64 5y ago
I don’t have a source for this but I recall reading that mechanical throttle wires are actually not especially reliable so drive-by-wire doesn’t have to be super reliable in order to be better. But perhaps it’s the same as self driving cars where people get especially disturbed by computers screwing up which sets the reliability bar higher than is otherwise logical.
- gameswithgo 5y ago
  Have you ever had either fail on you? I never have. I have heard of a few failures but always on very modified or old vehicles. Some failure modes can happen whether actuated by wire or motor as well. it isn’t a first order concern really, dozens of higher risk, more complex things going on like tires, brakes, explosives in the steering wheels.
  - dtgriscom 5y ago
    Anecdata isn't helpful here; when you are one of millions of users, thousands of people may be inconvenienced (or killed) before you have personal experience with a problem.
NullPrefix 5y ago
>DBW throttle failures leading to crashes are unheard of I doubt Michael Hastings crash would have happened if he didn't drive by wire.
sebazzz 5y ago
> Most cars have drive-by-wire throttles. Cars where? Many cars here in Europe have a valve directly mechanically linked to the pedal. Any car without cruise control has it that way.

cillian64 5y ago

I don’t have a source for this but I recall reading that mechanical throttle wires are actually not especially reliable so drive-by-wire doesn’t have to be super reliable in order to be better. But perhaps it’s the same as self driving cars where people get especially disturbed by computers screwing up which sets the reliability bar higher than is otherwise logical.

gameswithgo 5y ago
Have you ever had either fail on you? I never have. I have heard of a few failures but always on very modified or old vehicles. Some failure modes can happen whether actuated by wire or motor as well. it isn’t a first order concern really, dozens of higher risk, more complex things going on like tires, brakes, explosives in the steering wheels.
- dtgriscom 5y ago
  Anecdata isn't helpful here; when you are one of millions of users, thousands of people may be inconvenienced (or killed) before you have personal experience with a problem.

NullPrefix 5y ago

>DBW throttle failures leading to crashes are unheard of I doubt Michael Hastings crash would have happened if he didn't drive by wire.

sebazzz 5y ago

> Most cars have drive-by-wire throttles. Cars where? Many cars here in Europe have a valve directly mechanically linked to the pedal. Any car without cruise control has it that way.