Elio Electronics?

[Ekh]

Yep, I did have a good breakfast, live in a very nice home, and so use a supercomputer for graphics processing -- my living (and passion).

We also put out about 15 pounds of trash per week for the two of us, compared to 30 pounds per person. We recycle. We live in a passive solar home. My wife just told me we're going shopping for sheets (these are 25 years old). We will recycle the old ones, either for use as quilt pieces, or to Goodwill, which recycles materials they can't re-sell.

We have a cistern for water; we use no city resources that way, and we haven't had a truck load delivered in about 10 years, and yes, we have had droughts. Our average water use is WAY under the norm (you quickly learn not to waste water when you live this way).

The point is not that's we're saints-- we're not -- the point is that all of us can be a lot more conscious of how we live. We can actively THINK about what we're buying and why we're buying it. And be a lot more conscious about what we do with stuff when it IS time to unload it.

To some extent, since I'm a member of this society, I'm prone to its ills. But the older I get, the more aware I am that living intentionally is a damn good thing to do .. and worth the struggle. Even with the frequent built-in failures we all encounter.

For me, the Elio is part of that. My wife commutes in a Camry hybrid. She'll probably buy it when the lease is up (I don't think she should, but it's her choice) and then keep it another 6 or 7 years.

I figure that at my age the Elio is the last car I'll ever buy. I certainly intend for that to be the case.

 

[Jeff Bowlsby]

Firstly, it is factually incorrect that all vehicle owners view their cars as disposable. Durability and longevity are important to me and many people that invest in vehicles, the second largest purchase many will make. Secondly, if the elio will have all those electronics, I will quickly lose interest in buying one.

 

[Gas-Powered Awesome]

Firstly, it is factually incorrect that all vehicle owners view their cars as disposable.

Good thing I never said that, then.

Durability and longevity are important to me and many people that invest in vehicles, the second largest purchase many will make.

Me too.

I think that's the case even the people who consider them appliances, but only so that they retain resale value so they can get a good trade-in for a shiny new appliance in 6.5 years.

Secondly, if the elio will have all those electronics, I will quickly lose interest in buying one.

I'm sorry to hear that, as the computers are key to at least a couple of Elio's "Must Haves" like superior economy and low cost.

I forgot a couple anyway:
11. TPMS - Tire Pressure Monitoring System computer.
12. iPad computer - If you opt for Infinite Skyz.

 

[Gas-Powered Awesome]

And if it goes down, your entire car dies? Very scary.

I don't think it happens that way. The CAN bus is a very robust network that uses electrically-balanced signaling over twisted pairs. It's highly tolerant of noise and faults. If, say, the TPMS computer takes a dump, it just goes silent. Everything else on the bus operates independently and will continue to work just fine. I'm not sure of this, but I think there can even be multiple physically separate CAN buses in one car. I could see where the engine ECU and transmission TCM might operate on their own bus to ensure interference-free communication. The ECU would have to have an extra CAN transceiver, but the wiring itself is vanishingly cheap. Might be overkill, however.

 

[Gas-Powered Awesome]

Which goes back to ..."Everything is repairable, given enough money".
But it isn't really money. It's the cost of labor to repair the product.

I'm a bit confused. Isn't "cost" = money?

Our friends down South have more time to fix things, but time = money too.

 

[Anderson Howard]

A question for those talking electronics. Do we know if Our Elio will have daytime running lights?

 

[electroken]

Designing devices that operate on a CAN bus is a significant portion of my livelihood. It's proven itself over a couple decades and is the last thing anyone should worry about. Multiple buses in one vehicle are not uncommon. In my 2008 Mazda 3 even the power steering pump and radio are on the main CAN bus. The power steering pump needs speed info for speed-sensitive steering and the radio displays trip computer information.

CAN systems can get a little intrusive and make things like aftermarket lighting a headache when the aftermarket device draws significantly different current from the original equipment part.

 

[electroken]

A question for those talking electronics. Do we know if Our Elio will have daytime running lights?

I don't know for certain, but since they require some additional circuitry and are not required in the US my guess is no.

 

[Coss]

I don't know for certain, but since they require some additional circuitry and are not required in the US my guess is no.

True; in Chryslers the DRL's are part of their climate control system (why was the first question asked when I heard that)
The DRL's are tied into the sensor in the top of the dash (little dome) and the upgraded climate control provides the computer system for all of the auto systems in lighting and climate.

As an FYI for all of the computers in cars, there is also a BCM in almost all cars (BCM - Body Control Module)
The ECM and the BCM are the two major "players" in the cars. You could compare them to the main servers in the network (CAN)

 

[skygazer6033]

Actually since the Elio is considered to be a motorcycle DLRs are required. All street motorcycles since the early '70s are required to have "always on" headlights. I hope Elio can use LEDs or reduced power low beams for DLRs.