Bosch accelerator project promises fuel savings through user feedback
Putting the ‘pedal to the metal’ could become a more mindful event for future motorists, thanks to a new Bosch technology that claims to reduce fuel consumption by vibrating against your foot.
The German tech company blames your humble right stomper for a quarter of fuel usage and believes its world-first ‘active’ accelerator pedal can reduce fuel costs by around 7.0 per cent.
“Its gentle vibration tells drivers when they have crossed the line from light touch to lead foot,” the company, one intent on removing human decision making from driving, said in a press release.
Stefan Seiberth, president of the Gasoline Systems division of Robert Bosch GmbH, says that the system can integrate with the navigation system to warn drivers of approaching sharp bends, or connect to the vehicle’s collision warning system to complement existing safety aids.
“It alerts them to potentially dangerous situations as well,” he said.
The pedal’s capabilities extend to driveline and transmission functions, with the vibration also able to be used as a prompt for optimal gear changes for increased fuel efficiency.
“The pedal tells the driver when the economy and acceleration curves intersect,” Seiberth explains.
A driver can choose to ignore the haptic signals through applying a “little extra pressure” than normal, however.
Are haptic driver aids the ground-breaking tech to hasten the move to autonomous driving? Or are they the vehicle equivalent of the “dual shock” feature of your Playstation controller? Let us know in the comments below.
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