3 ms·

Interesting, wonder how reliable it is and what its failure modes are like.

genter 1y ago
Normally, in semi active suspension, the failure mode is an overdamped vehicle, which is safer but also harsh and uncomfortable.
smackeyacky 1y ago
Reliable? What a quaint idea for a modern car. Mercedes and BMW in particular have been designing cars that fail just after the initial lease period (think plastic water pumps, timing chains at the back of the engine, wet rubber timing belts, CVT transmissions). Some crazy, unfixable magnetic suspension that lasts 3 years and requires $5000 a corner shocks is par for the course these days.
- thrill 1y ago
  Yeah, I'm adding Audi to the list. Car just totaled for a blown engine with no determining reason a few months out of warranty. Audi won't touch it. Not worth the engine replacement cost.
- throaway920181 1y ago
  > CVT transmissions Well, you can take money out of an ATM machine to pay for that. Just try to remember your PIN number.
- userbinator 1y ago
  timing chains at the back of the engine Smallblock Chevys have a timing chain at the front but it's basically never a failure point. I agree with your other points, however; the trend is to optimise for short-term efficiency and cost, resulting in complex and relatively fragile designs.
  - brookst 1y ago
    The flip side: is it beneficial to anyone to have cars junked at 200k miles with water pumps that have another 500k miles on them? Overengineering has costs, in both price and weight.
- jibe 1y ago
  Not sure it would make sense to design cars to fail right when they get them back from the lessee?
make3 1y ago
I indeed have zero faith in a video demo of a digital system with super evenly placed bumps placed in a linear fashion. It would be so easy to just code up the perfect reaction in advance, & it not be representative at all of the conditions in the streets where the machine actually has to detect and respond dynamically to the conditions of the road

Normally, in semi active suspension, the failure mode is an overdamped vehicle, which is safer but also harsh and uncomfortable.

smackeyacky 1y ago

Reliable? What a quaint idea for a modern car. Mercedes and BMW in particular have been designing cars that fail just after the initial lease period (think plastic water pumps, timing chains at the back of the engine, wet rubber timing belts, CVT transmissions). Some crazy, unfixable magnetic suspension that lasts 3 years and requires $5000 a corner shocks is par for the course these days.

thrill 1y ago
Yeah, I'm adding Audi to the list. Car just totaled for a blown engine with no determining reason a few months out of warranty. Audi won't touch it. Not worth the engine replacement cost.
throaway920181 1y ago
> CVT transmissions Well, you can take money out of an ATM machine to pay for that. Just try to remember your PIN number.
userbinator 1y ago
timing chains at the back of the engine Smallblock Chevys have a timing chain at the front but it's basically never a failure point. I agree with your other points, however; the trend is to optimise for short-term efficiency and cost, resulting in complex and relatively fragile designs.
- brookst 1y ago
  The flip side: is it beneficial to anyone to have cars junked at 200k miles with water pumps that have another 500k miles on them? Overengineering has costs, in both price and weight.
jibe 1y ago
Not sure it would make sense to design cars to fail right when they get them back from the lessee?

make3 1y ago

I indeed have zero faith in a video demo of a digital system with super evenly placed bumps placed in a linear fashion. It would be so easy to just code up the perfect reaction in advance, & it not be representative at all of the conditions in the streets where the machine actually has to detect and respond dynamically to the conditions of the road