[Quietcars] Regression testing 2010 Prius

Sat Jul 25 22:22:17 UTC 2009

Bob, 

Interesting that you brought up guide dog training, for at several of the
more economically sound schools, they have the Prius or a hybrid on board to
train the dogs and then with the students when they receive their dogs to
interact with the vehicles on the streets and not just sitting idly in a
parking area or in an isolated circumstance.  

This underscores the responsibility that we as blind peole and all
pedestrians have to familiarize ourselves then with the hybrid and not await
legislative efforts to resolve our travel and interaction issues.  

Perhaps, and I don't know this to be true or untrue, the gentleman about
whom you spoke who was pinned by the Jeep had been working with a guide dog,
this may or may not have happened, as dogs are trained to intelligently
disobey commands, which means that if something was coming towards the team,
it wouldn't allow the master to be hit under normal circumstances at
reasonable speeds. 

I've said time and time on this and other guide dog lists that the dogs are
trained to judge traffic at speed up to 35mph, from left to right, and vice
versa, or parallel traffic at the same speeds.  Even right turns on red or
turning lanes of traffic are focused upon in training at guide dog schools,
and I think that though this might be more challenging with a personal
preference to cane travel, most of these things with the possible exception
of the hybrid, could be achieved pretty well.  

It is in tandem cooperation that dog and master can excel, and it is
important for those of us who work dogs on a regular basis, and for those
who don't work a dog at all, to understand that overtaxing a dog will lead
to failure or earlier retirement than necessary, so common sense is
something that is in order when we think about the type of work we do with
our dogs and how frequently we tax the relationships.  

This accident avoidance system sounds great, and the drive by wire, as well
as braking and steering apparatus are already on the higher end vehicles
from BMW, Mercedes, Lexus, Prius and soon to be introduced on Nissan and
Subaru as well as Infinity.  Perhaps then, incorporation of such detection
devices that would enable pedestrian travel and interaction aren't too far
away  It's a solution that could be under consideration until the ultimate
sound solution can be deployed.

Thanks Bob.  I always enjoy your posts.  

Mike T in NJ

-----Original Message-----
From: quietcars-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:quietcars-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Robert Wilson
Sent: Saturday, July 25, 2009 11:23 AM
To: quietcars at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [Quietcars] Regression testing 2010 Prius

> 
> This accident avoidance system is being advertised on e of the MB 
> sport utes.  I think that it is the ML350 that systems seat belts, 
> rolls up windows, applies brakes etc.  . . .

Similar systems are available for the SAAB, Lexus and the top-end Prius. But
with the exception of the Prius, these vehicles start at over $40,000. The
Prius is cheap at $30,000 but even this is too rich for my budget. 

One of the ironies of life is the Prius systems, even the older ones, are
already electronic controlled. This makes them a natural for automated
accident avoidance systems. But best of all, the same sensors that prevent
an accident also provide what is called 'smart cruise control.' This means
the car follows the truck or car in front and maintains a safe following
distance all the time. Today's cruise controls have no distance feedback
mechanism so the driver has to still moderate the speed for the vehicle in
front.

The other important feature they provide is 'lane following.' This means
they keep the vehicle from wandering off the road (to you know where!) The
accident statistics say vehicles going on sidewalks are rare but I remember
reading this past year of a drunk banker who assaulted a blind pedestrian by
driving his jeep on the sidewalk and pinning the pedestrian. The last news
report showed the pedestrian in the hospital, awake, but in for a long and
painful recovery. I can't help but think that lane following in that jeep
might have avoided that accident (although electric shocks through the seat
sounds more appropriate for that drunk driver.)

Last year, these accident avoidance systems virtually didn't exist. It
wasn't until December of 2008 that I first got hint of them. Now I can buy a
digital signal processor designed to take digital camera and radar inputs
and recognize objects in the road. Many of these digital signal processor
and camera systems have existed in factories for years on assembly lines
watching the robots assemble small parts but now this technology is moving
towards our cars.

Non-hybrid cars still have mostly mechanical systems, a fraction of the
computer controls found in a hybrid electric. So I don't see them adopting
these accident avoidance systems rapidly, certainly not in the economy
vehicles. However, antilock brakes and electronic vehicle stability systems
are an important element. With brake inputs, you have a basis to start from
even though it is a crude sort of control.

In contrast, the only way my Prius moves is a network of computers that
operate the different systems. I'm not really driving the car as much as
providing inputs to these control computers that handle power steering,
power brakes and the hybrid electric power systems including the engine.
There is no throttle cable from the accelerator to the engine but signals
from the operator controls to the control computers. This is the natural
home for always working, accident avoidance systems that can provide the
extra margin for both pedestrian and vehicle safety. 

My first posting was to share that the 2010 Prius has a distinct audio
signature that experience Prius owners have noticed. We care because it
helps us with problem diagnosis. These sounds, the inverter mosquito-like
whine, brake pump and inverter pump may help those with limited or no vision
and possibly be incorporated in guide dog training. That is why regression
testing of the 2010 Prius may make sense.

Bob Wilson

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