1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Pulse and Gluide Cruise Control Possible?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Accessories & Modifications' started by GreenMachine, Oct 29, 2005.

  1. GreenMachine

    GreenMachine New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2005
    760
    6
    0
    Location:
    Vermont, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Would it be technically possible to have a pulse and glide setting as part of the cruise control system? At first glance, it seems that a cruise control pulse and glide might be able to get better mph than the manual method now being used.

    The easiest way to do this would be as part of the cc logic -- implemented by Toyota engineers. Perhaps a third party mod could accomplish the same thing, but seems complicated to do in a non-intrusive way?

    On the other hand, it might be dangerous to have such a setting?

    Any thoughts?
     
  2. Wayne

    Wayne Active Member

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2005
    723
    27
    0
    Location:
    Fort Wayne, IN
    Technically possible, I suppose, but I'm not sure I want to be following someone who keeps varying their speed by wide margins... You sure would need to pay attention to what your car is getting you into.

    Besides, I think true pulse and glide is better done by an intelligence who can read the road ahead...

    This is from one of the camp of people who thinks a 5-passenger car getting the fuel economy of a motorcycle without having to think about it is pretty cool all by itself! :D
     
  3. Schmika

    Schmika New Member

    Joined:
    May 27, 2005
    1,617
    2
    0
    Location:
    Xenia, OH
    From what I know about pulse and glide, it often requires to exceed the speed limit then glide to below the speed limit and back. There is NO WAY any manufacturer is going to touch that!
     
  4. maggieddd

    maggieddd Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 8, 2005
    2,090
    13
    0
    Location:
    Boston
    you don't have to go over the speed limit. You will just go slower.
     
  5. hdrygas

    hdrygas New Member

    Joined:
    May 22, 2004
    3,650
    6
    0
    Location:
    Olympia Wa
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    You can do a "micro" pulse and glide. Go one to two over, just enough so that you can get in to glide and then go 2-3 under and repeat as necessary. If no one is behind you can slip to lower speeds under.
     
  6. Maytrix

    Maytrix Member

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2005
    742
    7
    0
    Location:
    Marlborough, Mass
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    What was mentioned in another thread at one point was having a min and max for the CC. This would improve the fuel efficiency using cruise control as well. It would actually be quite simple.

    CC could maintain max speed as long as fuel efficiency was above a certain mark (say 50mpg). As it starts to drop, it would lower the speed to try to maintain above 50mpg. On any kind of uphill slope, this would result in travel staying at the min speed. On the downhill, as soon as it was above 50mpg, it would continue to increase the throttle as long as it stayed about 50mpg. So on even terrain or downhill slopes, you'd get back up to max speed. Overall, I think this would help improve efficiency. This is similiar to how I drive, speeding up on the downhills and losing some of that speed uphill.
     
  7. GreenMachine

    GreenMachine New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2005
    760
    6
    0
    Location:
    Vermont, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Maytrix, that type of thinking takes advantage of some of the techniques which are being developed by astute drivers such as yourself.

    I suspect that Toyota originally developed the cc logic for the "typical" driver who doesn't want to change their old fashioned driving methods or take the time to understand the underlying technology of the Prius and learn to extract the extra mpgs.