[Christ]

Newer cars with true climate control have very advanced computational systems that control the a/c for you. They were introduced as step toward making sure the driver had less things to play with, not so much toward efficiency.

I like the idea of not providing a field to the alternator unless you're braking, except it doesn't work out quite right for those of us who do alot of driving at night, and especially on the highway. There would have to be a lower limit switch as well, so that if voltage dipped too low, it would kick on in sort of a "save mode" so that deep-cycling the battery didn't occur.

I kind of rather like the idea of using the battery in a pulse and glide sense as well, where you discharge it, then recharge it, instead of just keeping it topped off.