Just a question to throw out there...is it possible and how hard is it to convert our car to drive by wire. I understand that reduced much of the transmission problem in
the '04-05 TLs

 

not possible with our cars (well any thing is posible with money, but not economical)

 

Transmission is already electronic I thought...

Drive by wire is a rheostat at the foot pedal, goes into a computer, then goes to an actuator that moves the throttle plate. No cable linkage.
Result - you dont "feel" the engine on your foot (sucks if you drive by feel to shift).

BMW also has a steer- and brake-by-wire system. Talk about feeling detached from a car.

Drive-by-wire is a marketing play on words from the aviation industry used to describe synthetic flight control outputs from pilot or computer inputs. This does not include engine controls, which is commonly referred to as FADEC (Full Authority Ditigal Engine Control). I suppose it is a misnomer to call the system Drive-by-Wire, but it sounds "gee-whiz" and is a tool to sell cars to unsuspecting buyers at the car lot.

 

sort of

In most cars, a mechanical cable connects the accelerator pedal to the throttle valve. The TL uses the all-electronic Drive-by-Wire Throttle System™, first developed for Honda Formula 1 racing engines. It senses accelerator pedal motion, then a computer weighs this data against vehicle speed and engine data in real time and opens the throttle accordingly. The pedal feel is more direct. Acceleration is smooth from rest, and immediate at normal cruising speeds, for quick passing. Because control is more precise, throttle response is quick and sporty. Exhaust emissions are reduced, and performance and fuel economy are improved. Drive-by-wire facilitates communication between the engine and the ABS and Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA®), enabling a more coordinated reaction by these systems when they are engaged. In the TL with automatic transmission, throttle position and shifting are coordinated electronically, so the shift "feel" is more refined.

 

That is what I said. Thanks. mine was just more in a nutshell.

Amazing what computers can do nowadays.

 

Even more amazing is the cost associated with replacing these computers when the electronics malfunction after the warranty has expired.

 

OK - when you're spending enough time to figure out how to put ™ and ® in your post - you're spending too much time here!

j/k

 

Are you in the aviation community or the military? It's kind of weird, but I understood what FEDEC stood for even before you spelled out the acronym! I do logistics and engineering for the US Navy (although I'm a DOD employee), so I understood what you said. LOL.

 

This is on the 2004-2005 TL..right?

 

lol... gatrhumpy... Im a civilian, thru and thru... Though I work for a AFSOC contractor.
Keep up the good work
And its FADEC, not FEDEC.

suj220, yeah, its on the '04TL's and on up...

 

yes. it would be very difficult to make work on the 2nd gen. with all the wiring and comp stuff needed.

 

It'd be neat to have this on the 2nd gen but the money that has to be put into it would not be worth it.

 

and there would be no real benifit from having it.