[LINK] 'Smart' cars as fuel-efficient as hybrids

[Marghanita da Cruz]

Richard Chirgwin wrote:
> David Boxall wrote:
> 
>> <http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/2007/1918364.htm>
>>
>> ... 'intelligent' cars are conventional vehicles fitted with sensors 
>> and receivers called telematics, which work in a network, swapping 
>> information about the traffic ahead.
>>
>> This traffic information is then relayed to the car to stop the 
>> vehicle or slow it down so that the ride is smooth, avoiding the 
>> stop-start phenomenon that drains fuel.
>> ...
>> They calculated that a hybrid version of the car would deliver fuel 
>> economy of 15-25% over the unconverted vehicle.
>>
>> But this saving was matched when the benchmark car was fitted with 
>> basic telematics that predicted traffic flows as little as seven 
>> seconds ahead, as determined by Australian driving conditions.
>> ...
>> If the predictability was boosted to 180 seconds, the 
>> newly-intelligent car was 33% more fuel-efficient than when it was 
>> unconverted.
>>
> And therefore, I suppose, since a hybrid uses petrol as well, it could 
> be made more efficient by the same techniques...

...this morning, i had the unexpected pleasure (not) of getting a blast
of the fumes from what I am guessing is the blended fuel as the
neighbours giant four wheel drive started up.

Is this stuff supposed to be greener or just cheaper?

m
to quote bob brown we now have a choice between an old fiscal
conservative and a young fiscal conservative.....sounds to me we're
fiddling while the earth burns

-- 
Marghanita da Cruz
http://www.ramin.com.au/
Telephone: 0414-869202