ECUs, fly-by-wire, multiplex wiring - who would choose it?

This is the place for posts that don't fit into any other category.

Moderator: RichardW

Do you prefer your car without or without electronics?

Poll ended at 05 Nov 2012, 00:15

I would choose my car not to rely on electronic control to make it run - this allows for an ABS control unit and airbags.
10
63%
I appreciate the benefits and complexities and prefer a car with multiple electronic devices without which it will not run.
5
31%
I drive whatever is cheapest.
1
6%
 
Total votes: 16

User avatar
Xaccers
Posts: 7654
Joined: 07 Feb 2007, 23:46
Location: Milling around Milton Keynes
My Cars:
x 184

Re: ECUs, fly-by-wire, multiplex wiring - who would choose i

Post by Xaccers »

Rattiva_Mike wrote: Bah, Air Canada 143 (aka as the Gimli Glider), also a 767, did the gliding thing 18 years before Air Transat. Just goes to show one thing - all the redundancy in the world doesn't help if your ground crew can't add up. A tremendous piece of flying, as was Transat.

<Jim, do not watch the link below>

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Pah! That was what? 12-15 miles of glide?
Air Transat managed over 65 miles :)

Toyota want steer by wire in their new cars, and they ultimately want to remove the expensive mechanical backup system which is the real reason for it, cutting costs.
So if you get an electrical failure on a bend you'd lose steering. More likely however after the car has aged and wiring gremlins have had time to get to work, the steering will do it's own thing some of the time so you could be merrily going along on the motorway and suddenly swerve into another lane because you turned the radio up.
1.9TD+ SX Xantia Estate (Cassy) running on 100% veg
1.9TD SX Xantia Hatchback (Jenny) running on 100% veg for sale
Laguna II 2.0dCi Privilege (Monty)

DIY sphere tool
wheeler
Posts: 6848
Joined: 21 Sep 2002, 19:07
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:
x 717

Re: ECUs, fly-by-wire, multiplex wiring - who would choose i

Post by wheeler »

spider wrote: My point about a Com2K vs a standard switch / relay springs to mind again.
90% of the time the part that fails in the com2000 is the mechanical contact switch part (usually for the indicators) & not the electronic part.
Northern_Mike

Re: ECUs, fly-by-wire, multiplex wiring - who would choose i

Post by Northern_Mike »

The Com2K in the Berlingo has failed in such a way that if the sidelights are on for more than 10 seconds, the horn goes off. Lord knows what that is all about. I never use the sidelights anyway. The only time they get used is at MOT time. Fortunately, the MOT man didn't turn them on for longer than 10 seconds either. The horn failed for a previous owner, and I read with interest only last week that the Com2K was diagnosed as faulty. It all works for now, so it can stay like that.
User avatar
spider
Posts: 3949
Joined: 05 Jan 2010, 14:28
Location: Derby.
My Cars: Soon, I hope...
x 77
Contact:

Re: ECUs, fly-by-wire, multiplex wiring - who would choose i

Post by spider »

wheeler wrote:
spider wrote: My point about a Com2K vs a standard switch / relay springs to mind again.
90% of the time the part that fails in the com2000 is the mechanical contact switch part (usually for the indicators) & not the electronic part.
I've never tried to disassemble one. I do sort of feel the unit itself is being asked to do a bit much, certainly the very first batch of them (all long since replaced) were not quite up to the job in hand I think.

Is it just me but I do not like the general "feel" of the Com2K switchgear when you operate it, compared to the nice "action" feedback received from the earlier switchgear. :oops:
Andy.

91 205D-Turbo, gone but still missed
02 106D, TUD5B, gone but not really missed apart from the MPG
User avatar
Oliver53
Donor 2024
Posts: 89
Joined: 06 Nov 2012, 19:59
Location:
My Cars:

Re: ECUs, fly-by-wire, multiplex wiring - who would choose i

Post by Oliver53 »

The problem is, without electronics, there's no way to meet the stringent emission and safety requirements :lol:
Pure mechanical era has gone, maybe forever :shock:
2000 ZX 1.4i
2006 Xsara Picasso 2.0i
2011 C5 2.3i (EW12A)
2003 Xsara Picasso 2.0HDi
1985 2CV6 Special
Post Reply