Honda "Drive by Wire" question... what if the power goes out?

The Civic drive by wire system is just for the throttle. If it fails, you'll
just coast to a stop. You'll be able to steer just like most other cars can
when the engine dies.

Ed

 

No, it's because fly-by-wire technology has been around for quite a
while and is relatively well known in aircraft. The misapplication of
the term drive-by-wire to electronic throttle control which has been
around in the heavy diesel world but not hyped as "drive-by-wire"
confuses people.

Pete C.

 

No, it's because fly-by-wire technology has been around for quite a
while and is relatively well known in aircraft. The misapplication of
the term drive-by-wire to electronic throttle control which has been
around in the heavy diesel world but not hyped as "drive-by-wire"
confuses people.

Pete C.

 

Too many years ago (high-school years), I went to pick up
a friend to go to school. As I pulled into their driveway,
which was on an incline, I had to tap the gas pedal to
get up the driveway. I hadnt realized it, but one of the
motor mounts was broken, and when I tapped the pedal, the
engine twisted up on one side, "pulling" on the throttle
linkage, and thereby going wide-open-throttle. I immediately
locked the brakes and turned the key off just a couple of
feet away from their garage door

 

Too many years ago (high-school years), I went to pick up
a friend to go to school. As I pulled into their driveway,
which was on an incline, I had to tap the gas pedal to
get up the driveway. I hadnt realized it, but one of the
motor mounts was broken, and when I tapped the pedal, the
engine twisted up on one side, "pulling" on the throttle
linkage, and thereby going wide-open-throttle. I immediately
locked the brakes and turned the key off just a couple of
feet away from their garage door

 

So it is a misapplication of the drive-by-wire term to electronic
throttle control. Presumably something the marketing folks dreamed up.

Pete C.

 

So it is a misapplication of the drive-by-wire term to electronic
throttle control. Presumably something the marketing folks dreamed up.

Pete C.

 

One of the times the split brake pedal is quite handy.

Pete C.

 

One of the times the split brake pedal is quite handy.

Pete C.

 

Tell ya what, Ellie... You drive that "fly-by-wire" unit. Just do me a
favor: Warn me where you'll be so I can avoid that
deathtrap-looking-for-a-victim.

At least when something (Assuming it isn't a totally catastrophic
failure like a tie-rod snapping or similar) goes wrong, I'll be able to
wheel my poor obsolete "steered by a gear directly connected to the
wheels" rig to the side of the road as it coasts down from 50+. You, in
your "connected to the wheels by wires" steering vehicle are going to
continue hurtling down the road at whatever speed you were doing when
the system went Tango-Uniform, wondering which tree you're going to hit,
or embankment you're going to find yourself sailing over.

I want, and will settle for *ABSOLUTELY NOTHING LESS* than *DIRECT*
mechanical or hydraulic control of all major vehicle functions,
particularly steering and braking. Something that works *NO MATTER WHAT*
in every situation short of total catastrrophic failure. I neither want
nor need some engineer's piece of software deciding "Oh, you're turning
too sharp - Obviously you don't mean that, so we're gonna do you a favor
and take it from "on the locks" to "just a little to the right", which
is what we're sure is what you actually intended.

 

Tell ya what, Ellie... You drive that "fly-by-wire" unit. Just do me a
favor: Warn me where you'll be so I can avoid that
deathtrap-looking-for-a-victim.

At least when something (Assuming it isn't a totally catastrophic
failure like a tie-rod snapping or similar) goes wrong, I'll be able to
wheel my poor obsolete "steered by a gear directly connected to the
wheels" rig to the side of the road as it coasts down from 50+. You, in
your "connected to the wheels by wires" steering vehicle are going to
continue hurtling down the road at whatever speed you were doing when
the system went Tango-Uniform, wondering which tree you're going to hit,
or embankment you're going to find yourself sailing over.

I want, and will settle for *ABSOLUTELY NOTHING LESS* than *DIRECT*
mechanical or hydraulic control of all major vehicle functions,
particularly steering and braking. Something that works *NO MATTER WHAT*
in every situation short of total catastrrophic failure. I neither want
nor need some engineer's piece of software deciding "Oh, you're turning
too sharp - Obviously you don't mean that, so we're gonna do you a favor
and take it from "on the locks" to "just a little to the right", which
is what we're sure is what you actually intended.

 

I think this is pretty much true... Our survival craft in the North Sea had
diesel engines in the early
days. 'In theory' they would start without batteries, no ignition to
degrade, etc.

I see no real need for the system described here as drive by wire. It would
seem to add a layer
of complexity, and therefore potential failure, without offering any obvious
advantage.

 

I think this is pretty much true... Our survival craft in the North Sea had
diesel engines in the early
days. 'In theory' they would start without batteries, no ignition to
degrade, etc.

I see no real need for the system described here as drive by wire. It would
seem to add a layer
of complexity, and therefore potential failure, without offering any obvious
advantage.

 

programmers.

Another short-sighted gent.

 

programmers.

Another short-sighted gent.

 

for it.

When someone posts a decent citation of whatever Honda is
proposing be flown-by-wire, then comment will be worthwhile.

To categorically reject change because the "current system
is good enough" is foolishness and demonstrates
obliviousness to the many points in automotive history when
of course the old way was "good enough," but the new way
yielded some advantage, so it predominated.

 

for it.

When someone posts a decent citation of whatever Honda is
proposing be flown-by-wire, then comment will be worthwhile.

To categorically reject change because the "current system
is good enough" is foolishness and demonstrates
obliviousness to the many points in automotive history when
of course the old way was "good enough," but the new way
yielded some advantage, so it predominated.

 

The F-16 - Proof that even a brick will fly if you can cram a big enough
engine into it...

Or more accurately phrased, to allow the computer to *ATTEMPT* to
compensate for what it *PERCEIVES* as operator inability.

When I turn the steering wheel, the wheels better move correspondingly
*EVERY* time. Not "just when the engine is on", not "When there's a
charged battery installed", not "When the computer thinks that what I'm
doing is OK", but *EVERY* *SINGLE* *TIME* *NO* *MATTER* *WHAT*. While
I'm behind the wheel, I will accept *ABSOLUTELY NOTHING* less than
*TOTAL*, godlike control of that vehicle, subject to *NO* influences
outside of my own decisions and actions.


(By way of illustration, a few years ago in europe, a "fly by wire"
plane decided it knew more than the pilots - Pilots said "We gotta
hammer on the power and crank the bejeezus out of the controls so we can
lift, or we're gonna crash!". Fly-by-wire system said "Sorry, you can't
do that", and proceeded to "fix their mistakes" by throttling down and
not permitting them to crank the control surfaces to the needed degree,
which caused the plane to crash and burn. After something like that, I
can't see *ANYBODY* with a functioning brain-cell wanting anything to do
with getting into a machine that might decide at any time that what
they're trying to do is "off limits".)

 

The F-16 - Proof that even a brick will fly if you can cram a big enough
engine into it...

Or more accurately phrased, to allow the computer to *ATTEMPT* to
compensate for what it *PERCEIVES* as operator inability.

When I turn the steering wheel, the wheels better move correspondingly
*EVERY* time. Not "just when the engine is on", not "When there's a
charged battery installed", not "When the computer thinks that what I'm
doing is OK", but *EVERY* *SINGLE* *TIME* *NO* *MATTER* *WHAT*. While
I'm behind the wheel, I will accept *ABSOLUTELY NOTHING* less than
*TOTAL*, godlike control of that vehicle, subject to *NO* influences
outside of my own decisions and actions.


(By way of illustration, a few years ago in europe, a "fly by wire"
plane decided it knew more than the pilots - Pilots said "We gotta
hammer on the power and crank the bejeezus out of the controls so we can
lift, or we're gonna crash!". Fly-by-wire system said "Sorry, you can't
do that", and proceeded to "fix their mistakes" by throttling down and
not permitting them to crank the control surfaces to the needed degree,
which caused the plane to crash and burn. After something like that, I
can't see *ANYBODY* with a functioning brain-cell wanting anything to do
with getting into a machine that might decide at any time that what
they're trying to do is "off limits".)

 

Tell ya what, you give me a good citation on whatever Honda
is proposing be flown-by-wire, and I'll give you meaningful
commentary.

So far, I think people haven't any clue as to what's under
consideration here.