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I assume part 2 will cover gear changes. Whilst not addressed directly, there are hints that it's a manual transmission (which would square very well for a 199

by Svip 2y ago

I assume part 2 will cover gear changes. Whilst not addressed directly, there are hints that it's a manual transmission (which would square very well for a 1993 Volvo bought in Europe), such as the clutch also being operated with hydraulics. I doubt a retrofit of a new transmission is in store, perhaps a clunky automatic clutch instead?

bigfatkitten 2y ago
Though an auto wouldn't be expensive or hard to find. In that part of the world you could probably score one for free.
- Svip 2y ago
  Fortunately, the picture of the car reveals its number plate, which means we can just look up.[1] The RDW data doesn't seem to include transmission type (at least from my glance), so I went to AutoWeek instead.[2] Here there is also no mention of transmission. My guess is that means it's a manual, since automatics would be the exception, and thus noted. I could also be wrong, I am not Dutch, and thus not completely familiar with the sort of data their vehicle registry would include. [1] https://ovi.rdw.nl/ https://ovi.rdw.nl/ [2] https://www.autoweek.nl/kentekencheck/HN-FZ-69/ https://www.autoweek.nl/kentekencheck/HN-FZ-69/
  - olex 2y ago
    Since he explicitly mentioned a hydraulic clutch and needed to provide a separate fluid reservoir for it, it's a very safe bet to say the car is a manual.
  - alrs 2y ago
    As an American, every car I've ever owned was statistically included with an automatic transmission. Strangely, none of the cars I've owned have had an automatic transmission. Subaru was making CVT automatic cars back then that were even worse than the awful CVT cars of today. That would be my pick if I wanted to do a 30-year-old self driving car. https://japanesenostalgiccar.com/the-subaru-justy-pioneered-the-dreaded-cvt/ https://japanesenostalgiccar.com/the-subaru-justy-pioneered-...
    - wongarsu 2y ago
      In Europe, statistically nearly every car older than 10 years is manual. With the recent improvements in automatics they are finally catching on in Europe. You may be able to find an old automatic or CVT car in Europe, but you would need to look for a while
      - MoreMoore 2y ago
        I take it you meant to write every car older than 10 years is a manual?
        wongarsu 2y ago
        Thanks, I obviously need more coffee. Fixed above
      - ninalanyon 2y ago
        Volvo made automatic versions of its cars from the late sixties onwards. A colleague had an automatic 244 in the early 1980s. Here in Norway automatics are not finally catching on, they are ubiquitous and the driving instructors' association is campaigning to get the rules changed so that you can pass the driving test on an automatic and later simply do a conversion course to allow one to drive manual. And of course it will all be moot quite soon because EV sales already outnumber ICE sales nearly nine to one here. Volkswagen and Hyundai no longer sell ICE cars in Norway. Volkswagen still sells ICE vans and pickups though.
      - brnt 2y ago
        Volvo is one of the exceptions though. I have friends whose parents are Volvo-people. Their cars have been automatic since the 80ies.
      - bigfatkitten 2y ago
        That's because Europeans prefer small cars, in which automatics really sucked until maybe 15-20 years ago. They were inefficient and heavy, and the engines in those cars didn't have a ton of excess power. It's a different story in large sedans/wagons.
olex 2y ago
I suppose they didn't bother with that, and the system basically only works for cruising in 5th gear, which is what the car was likely doing for the absolute majority of the 6000km drive. You'd lose out on having "self-driving" in slower traffic where gear shifting would be necessary, but it's still hugely useful.
anticensor 2y ago
An automated manual retrofit that actuates the gear stick and the clutch could work.
a-dub 2y ago
"I think part 2 will be about the wiring and the custom ECU I designed to keep the actuators happy, and to implement things like the cruise control buttons, as well as reading out the speed, blinkers, … After that, I’ll do part 3 explaining (and open sourcing) the code on the ECU and the openpilot port." according to freely and readily available specifications, the 1993 volvo 940 had an automatic transmission.
- xattt 2y ago
  > One minor complication with this retrofit is that the clutch was also operated hydraulically with brake fluid from the same reservoir, so we had to add an small extra tank (the iBooster master cylinder tank doesn’t have a port for this).
  - a-dub 2y ago
    and apparently european 940s did come in a manual five speed, despite the fact that manual was not offered on the 940 in the us. i stand corrected. live and learn.
deleted 2y ago
[deleted]

by Svip 2y ago

bigfatkitten 2y ago

Though an auto wouldn't be expensive or hard to find. In that part of the world you could probably score one for free.

Svip 2y ago
Fortunately, the picture of the car reveals its number plate, which means we can just look up.[1] The RDW data doesn't seem to include transmission type (at least from my glance), so I went to AutoWeek instead.[2] Here there is also no mention of transmission. My guess is that means it's a manual, since automatics would be the exception, and thus noted. I could also be wrong, I am not Dutch, and thus not completely familiar with the sort of data their vehicle registry would include. [1] https://ovi.rdw.nl/ https://ovi.rdw.nl/ [2] https://www.autoweek.nl/kentekencheck/HN-FZ-69/ https://www.autoweek.nl/kentekencheck/HN-FZ-69/
- olex 2y ago
  Since he explicitly mentioned a hydraulic clutch and needed to provide a separate fluid reservoir for it, it's a very safe bet to say the car is a manual.
- alrs 2y ago
  As an American, every car I've ever owned was statistically included with an automatic transmission. Strangely, none of the cars I've owned have had an automatic transmission. Subaru was making CVT automatic cars back then that were even worse than the awful CVT cars of today. That would be my pick if I wanted to do a 30-year-old self driving car. https://japanesenostalgiccar.com/the-subaru-justy-pioneered-the-dreaded-cvt/ https://japanesenostalgiccar.com/the-subaru-justy-pioneered-...
  - wongarsu 2y ago
    In Europe, statistically nearly every car older than 10 years is manual. With the recent improvements in automatics they are finally catching on in Europe. You may be able to find an old automatic or CVT car in Europe, but you would need to look for a while
    - MoreMoore 2y ago
      I take it you meant to write every car older than 10 years is a manual?
      - wongarsu 2y ago
        Thanks, I obviously need more coffee. Fixed above
    - ninalanyon 2y ago
      Volvo made automatic versions of its cars from the late sixties onwards. A colleague had an automatic 244 in the early 1980s. Here in Norway automatics are not finally catching on, they are ubiquitous and the driving instructors' association is campaigning to get the rules changed so that you can pass the driving test on an automatic and later simply do a conversion course to allow one to drive manual. And of course it will all be moot quite soon because EV sales already outnumber ICE sales nearly nine to one here. Volkswagen and Hyundai no longer sell ICE cars in Norway. Volkswagen still sells ICE vans and pickups though.
    - brnt 2y ago
      Volvo is one of the exceptions though. I have friends whose parents are Volvo-people. Their cars have been automatic since the 80ies.
    - bigfatkitten 2y ago
      That's because Europeans prefer small cars, in which automatics really sucked until maybe 15-20 years ago. They were inefficient and heavy, and the engines in those cars didn't have a ton of excess power. It's a different story in large sedans/wagons.

olex 2y ago

I suppose they didn't bother with that, and the system basically only works for cruising in 5th gear, which is what the car was likely doing for the absolute majority of the 6000km drive. You'd lose out on having "self-driving" in slower traffic where gear shifting would be necessary, but it's still hugely useful.

anticensor 2y ago

An automated manual retrofit that actuates the gear stick and the clutch could work.

a-dub 2y ago

"I think part 2 will be about the wiring and the custom ECU I designed to keep the actuators happy, and to implement things like the cruise control buttons, as well as reading out the speed, blinkers, … After that, I’ll do part 3 explaining (and open sourcing) the code on the ECU and the openpilot port." according to freely and readily available specifications, the 1993 volvo 940 had an automatic transmission.

xattt 2y ago
> One minor complication with this retrofit is that the clutch was also operated hydraulically with brake fluid from the same reservoir, so we had to add an small extra tank (the iBooster master cylinder tank doesn’t have a port for this).
- a-dub 2y ago
  and apparently european 940s did come in a manual five speed, despite the fact that manual was not offered on the 940 in the us. i stand corrected. live and learn.

deleted 2y ago

[deleted]