> From: KasaRyan@aol.com [mailto:KasaRyan@aol.com]
> Subject: drive by wire and 42V
>
>
> Actually all the new saturn V6 cars are also sans throttle
> cable, so I assume
> the opel engine stolen for this model is also.
>
GM has a goal to convert 95% of their passenger cars to ETC
(throttle-by-wire) by 2005. If they're that gung-ho on it, there must be a
tremendous cost savings (GM doesn't bother with technological advances if
there's not a cost savings).
> 42V was discussed by IEEE and SAE a few years back and is
> definitely coming -
> by 2003 at the latest. Smaller wire, smaller output devices, more
> efficiency. Also allow the use of things like electric ac,
> water pumps, and
> steering assist. Really helps when you have a hybrid type vehicle.
I don't know of any vehicle that's going to be running a 42 V system by '03.
I'm sure that some Japanese or German OEM is working on it for a high-end
application (BMW 7-series, M-B S-class, Lexus LS, etc.), but I haven't seen
any indication that there's any designs coming down the pipe for American
OEMs.
There's still some technological issues that need to be worked out for 42 V
systems, at least in the power conversion area (there's going to be a need
for 12 V supplies in these vehicles, and they're rather costly right now).
Don't worry - you won't be seeing it on a vehicle that any of us can afford
before '08 or so. When the changes starts, though, it's going to be quick -
it oughta be real amusing to watch the domestic OEMs fit something like this
into their 8-year-long design cycles.
Eric Bryant
mailto:bryante@ghsp.com
http://www.novagate.com/~bryante
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe from gmecm, send "unsubscribe gmecm" (without the quotes)
in the body of a message (not the subject) to majordomo@lists.diy-efi.org