No way. you just added a relay system to all of this. and each make of car requires a separate computer program. It costs more. Bring back the original universal light switch and flashers. much cheaper.
Appropo of nothing, my favorite part in Grapes of Wrath was when they replaced a main bearing on the side of the road from underneath the car. For miles they knew it was going out, and when it did they just up and replaced the shot bearing with hurk a used one. And just the one–not the whole set. Satisfaction of being able to understand and work with your machine, I think is the point. I would be curious to see if we could make a car today that was that simple and still be cheap & efficient. I suppose not, given econimies of scale and the ability to miniaturize/computerize components allowing more features in the same space and blahblahblah.
Of course, given the choice between a worn out 1920’s style deathtrap truck and a 2014 Tundra with all it’s fancy magic bits I guess I’d begrudgingly haul off in the Tundra. 
Yah know, that’s what makes it even more annoying. I was always adjusting the points on a car or tinkering with the carburetor. New plugs every 10,000 miles. Now I replace the plugs at 90,000 and they STILL look good.
IF I were emperor it would be mandatory that all computers in a car be easily accessed and cost $50 and each car comes with a computer disk so you can diagnose it yourself.
Nope not just a relay system, but thanks for playing.
Maybe you would like to trade in your current computer for one with vacuum tubes…
It’s like working with stone knives and bearskins.
I do not think it is a matter of “do americans want cheaper and efficient cars?”. It is more along the lines of “if they were well informed and possess critical thinking and logical reasoning, would they choose to buy cheap and efficient cars?”. Let’s face it, people buy things that appeal to them, instead of elaborating on what they want, why they want it, is it worth it, compare this with other products/vehicles, evaluate how long they will need it for, so on and so forth. however, that is not the case dear sir so, I do not see a point of this thread.
I do say so with the utmost respect o.o I feel that the question itself fails to communicate something that can be discussed logically
Flashers or computers, turn signals need to be audible again! I contend that most of the people driving their cars for miles with the turn signal on wouldn’t be if the car had nice loud flashers from the sixties.
This is wrong in many different ways. For one factual matter, both India and China have emissions norms for new vehicles that are very close to European norms(they are both only one stage behind).
For another, somewhat thornier point, gas not consumed today is indeed saved in an underground vault for future generations - it’s called an oil well. India and China’s consumption is not met by diverting supplies meant for the US. Supply has been expanding to meet the excess demand created by developing countries. Supply has expanded because prices have risen, making more sources profitable than were before. Of course, prices have risen because developed world demand has not decreased*. Had demand from the developed world dropped, it is quite likely that the additional sources pumping oil that have come online would have remained dormant.
*These effects are not entirely separable of course - lower prices could have led to even higher demand from India and China, but given the pace of growth in both countries and the relative inelasticity of petroleum consumption to price, I think the ‘saving’ effect would have won out.
You can make a case for reliability but not for serviceability and cost. There is absolutely no way the older headlight switch and turn signals are more expensive. No way.
well you’ll like the new computer driven version. they “think”. You’re not turning your signals on you’re telling a computer to turn them on. they take into consideration the position of the steering wheel and the motion of the car. They turn off based on an algorithm and not X number of degrees of steering wheel return. New technology has caught up to old geezers.
But if they fail, you’re screwed.
On most cars built this millennium, a computer already controls the turn signal bulbs for the keyless entry and security systems. Like Rick says, it costs essentially nothing to have the computer also control them for signaling. Going back to separate components, you’re basically talking about adding a bunch of unnecessary wiring to keep the same level of functionality.
Another thing to keep in mind is that even if the cost of all the components integrated onto a single board was slightly more than keeping them separate, you have to consider assembly time. These days, most automotive components are dirt cheap but labor at final assembly is expensive. It would have to be significantly cheaper to use a separate component to make it worth having someone take the extra 30 seconds a car or whatever to screw it on and wire it up.
Yeah, a computer board costs more than a $2 flasher, but they also hardly ever fail, unlike the old electromechanical flashers. I’ve probably replaced about a half dozen flashers on the old cars I drove, but I’ve never had to replace a computer on a car I owned. So far, the integrated approach has undoubtedly saved me money.
Also, no, in the incredibly unlikely event the computer fails, you’re not “screwed”. You just go to the junkyard and pay the nice man $50-100 for a new (to you) one. Since they’re so reliable, computers are usually pretty safe used part buys.
No, they don’t. I don’t work on car software, but here’s how I would do it. The same basic program would work for every car in the inventory. Then, in a seperate region of flash, I would put a table of numbers that the main program would read to determine sensor ranges and limits.
no, you’re missing the point. keyless entry systems are not needed nor is the wiring required. It’s extra and it costs extra. This thread is about cheap efficient cars or rather do Americans want them.
I understand the point you’re trying to make. It’s cheaper to make cars with more “extras” if it’s all driven by a computer but that’s not what the thread is about. For turn signals to work off a computer there needs to be an extra set of wires to/from the computer and a relay. That costs more money. A cheap economy car is one without electric door locks, alarm systems, compasses…etc…
I mentioned it before but you didn’t get it. So here it is again there is no fucking relay in the system.
Well, Magiver, my 2008 and 2009 vehicles definitely depend on the steering wheel to turn my turn signals off. If they didn’t maybe they’d turn off when I take that turn that isn’t sharp enough. That’s where I realized the signal didn’t turn off and I didn’t notice it due to their silence.
Rick, there HAS to be a relay system. It can be as simple as an SCR on a computer board.
no doubt. This was a 2013 or 2014 rental car.
Huh? New cars turn signals don’t make noise?
Our cars aren’t new I guess, but they make a sound.
2004 Dodge
2006 Nissan
2002 Jeep
A relay is an electro mechanical device that is prone (as is any mechanical device)
The turn signals on my Volvo use no electro mechanical devices. They are all electronic using FET transistors.
FET transistors are NOT relays.
About quiet turn signals: My '08 and '09 both make a soft click, but it can’t be heard above traffic if a window’s down or above the radio when the windows are up. Road noise can drown them out, too, depending on the road.