Cruise Control (with MPG sensitive logic)

[Clev]

Originally Posted by Xringer

One of these days, someone is going to be selling cheap add-on modules that will
increase your MPG, just like all the add-on modules they sell now, that decrease MPG..

Hey, what's this? Ford Escape Performance Chips - Amazing Ford Escape Chips

LOL, they just offered to sell me one for a 1977 Honda Accord. I wonder where I'm supposed to install that.

[oldbeaver]

I agree with metroschultz: a constant acceleration should do better than a constant speed for MPG, and it is possible.

A constant MPG seems not to be possible.

However, once you change logic for a cruise control, you would be a step ahead. Then, you may have a second derivative step, and make the ECU choose the better logic for a certain objective, given some restrictions such as minimum speed, max speed, max steep, etc.

An interesting thing to develop.

Oldbeaver

Originally Posted by metroschultz

If you hack the cruise for MPG it may be easier on the input end to use TPS voltage instead of VSS volts.
This would allow constant throttle instead of constant speed.
Let me know how you do.
I am not a good hack but I can follow instructions.
Thanx,
S.

[ECONORAM]

Originally Posted by Xringer

One of these days, someone is going to be selling cheap add-on modules that will
increase your MPG, just like all the add-on modules they sell now, that decrease MPG..

Hey, what's this? Ford Escape Performance Chips - Amazing Ford Escape Chips

In the Dodge RAM world, those are regarded as good for performance as paper weights...

[nemo]

I have a love hate relationship with cruise control. Definitely keeps me from speeding up. But can't stand the way it accelerates like John Force at the NHRA Winter Nationals as soon as the speed drops 3 MPH on a incline. On the other side as soon as it speed up a little on the down hill side you can feel it engine braking. This is with a GM and and auto transmission.

If the parameters could be adjusted slightly say 5 MPH on the uphill with a little less throttle input (maybe not dropping out of lockup?) and maybe 7 to 10 on the down side (coast) would be nice. An economy mode for cruise control?

Anyone out there with a stick and cruise? How does that work out?

[Xringer]

My old Honda CRV had a 5sp & CC. It worked great. Going down some hills, I got into fuel-cut-off mode..

I've got CC on my 6sp AT Escape and, as I go up a hill, I keep down-speed clicking the CC.
The rate of down-click (1click=1MPH) depends on my current speed and how long and steep the hill..

I want to hit the top at a reasonable speed, so I space out the down-clicks
so I'm at the desired speed at the apex.
As I roll down the other side, I start slowly adding up-speed clicks ..
I'm the MPG governor on my CC. I started doing this on the old CRV
and it works pretty good on the Ford with it's AT.

I have found that my CC is great around town on flat roads with no stop lights etc. This Ford gets 40 MPG at 40 MPH in CC.. No work at all. Just turn it on..

[zonker]

i wonder if i could add a SPDT switch and a ford MAP sensor signal to my oem 1992 ford mustang cruise control system for a switchable mpg cruise option.

[jamesskaar]

with gyro, a fast tilt, ignore, slight tilt, ignore, for a tilt past tolerance a preprogrammed acceleration curve stretched by angle and speed. that would take care of pothole problems, and prevent erratic acceleration up hills, just have that control the acceleration to target speed. slamming the throttle damages efficiency, doesn't it?

i think using targets and curves modified by angle measure and speed would be good for using the speedo clock as the feedback signal. throttle override of course, but, like abs, finessing stuff might make things worse.

[oldbeaver]

Originally Posted by Old Tele man

...bumpity-bump


...anything exciting or interesting happening with this MPG-cruise control "idea"?

...so far, both 'software' and 'hardware' approaches have been suggested, but what are the results? Has anyone tried anything yet?

...sounds like a two-step AND-control problem: Step-1 is substitute MPG-signal for MPH-signal into the cruise-control unit (CCU) and Step-2 is to intellengently "switch" back and forth as necessary, ie: MPG-to-CCU for normal usage, with a driver-entered "minimum" speed 'threshhold' that the CCU automatically maintains when it's reached.

...it would thus be a background limiting parameter:

Step-1. use MPG-input signal as long as MPH(min) is exceeded
Step-2. switch to MPH-input when MPH(min) is reached.
Step-3. conditionally switch back to MPG-input if driver pushes the RESUME button, etc.

Old Teleman,

I agree with yr logic. Something like it is simple and smart. Completely attainable. See Joel Maldonado progress on this.

Oldbeaver

[jamesskaar]

well, simulating the signal would fail, what would happen if there was a simulated average between the mpg and the mph signals, instead of a plain switch?

[jamesskaar]

digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/eeng_fac/155/ that might work...