@The Lab: Which, driving fast when you're drunk is key. Obviously, the cops are looking for people driving in an overly-paranoid nature, so driving fast disguises the fact that you're drunk. Secondly, you've got to make it home before you pass out at the wheel.

GeekyNerdGuy

"Nissan claims that the system can improve fuel efficiency by as much as 10 percent"

Why not just get an manual transmission?

DaveExile

@Spoondizzle: The Lotus only has a 4 ...

GeekyNerdGuy

What's the problem, there's an on/off switch. Power is retained by the driver. If someone wants this, it's available. If they don't, they can turn it off. Sounds like a great way to get better gas milage, if that's what you desire.

newgalactic

It will be difficult to press hard on the pedal while I'm drunk.

The Lab

F@ck Green...I'll be blue piss off!

stevegel

@Wireless Joe: smart.

trendspotter

@Wireless Joe:
you are so cool. seat belt warning, who needs that? in fact, who needs a seat belt? ditch your GM car and try something else, they don't all have alarms.

pacopaco

How about the rest of the manufacturers out there say they will lower the price of the vehicle the amount of time it took them to engineer the stupid mechanism.

Consumers are smart enough to know that flooring their vehicle everywhere is inefficient. If I had that car, that switch would be off all the time. I'd get killed trying to get on the interstate!! "Whoops, forgot to flip the switch" *FLIP* *VROOM*

peterfnet

I have noticed that Gizmodo continuously has a way of underrating the usefulness of an idea prior to implementation... this sounds like another one of those

comfortablesofa

I think I'd rather have the option to step on the gas to get the hell out of the way of whatever is going to hit me.

s017jrs

@GeekyNerdGuy: Also part of the package. And while I cringe when I watch my MPG drop to sub 12 when I pull out of my neighborhood I've yet to find another way to get onto a 45MPH street that has a steep incline. The force feedback pedal would be annoying as hell.

@vinchbr: I can't think of a single V-6 that costs the same as a 4 and absolutely no 8s. Also, you might want to spread a little of that hate around, the Japanese were DYING to get some of the American SUV/Truck money and have produced a shite-tonne of V-8 and V-6 powered low MPG getting trucks and hell if you can get a European car with less than a 6 over here in 2008, outside of Mini and VW (which is a shame, I'd have taken the BMW 1 much more seriously if it came with a hi-po 4cyl and 500 less pounds).

Spoondizzle

@Git Em SteveDave is a poor substitute for LindsayJoy: Well, that's a different story. If KITT says I'm going to fast, then I'm probably going too fast.

Hectorvex

@vinchbr: Only North America produces them? Last time I checked, a heck of a lot of V6's and V8's are produced in other countries. I really dont think this is going to make the world more "happy". IMO :)

Jon!

@Hectorvex: What do you do when KITT decides your going to fast, Michael?

Git Em SteveDave is a poor substitute for LindsayJoy

Wait for it to malfunction and either the accelerator sticks or decides to slow you down as you pass someone. This could be dangerous indeed.

How about making a more fuel-efficient engine entirely? It's possible but they refuse to do it. That would make consumers are LOT happier.

OmniZero

No thanks. I don't want to fight with my car to speed and drive recklessly. I'd rather do that without having to turn something off to put the pedal down. Of course, I can't afford a new Nissan much less want one, so it's a moot point.

Hectorvex

Sounds like a great way to build the calf muscles ...

But seriously, couldn't they just put a real-time mpg display on the dash and let people watch that and adjust accordingly?

GeekyNerdGuy

color me never-going-to-buy-nissan

damnElantra

sweet =D
if north america stop producing v8's v6's and gas-gulping engines, or at least start selling them at a higher price than a 4 canner, the world would be much more happy =)

vinchbr

I need a clearer definition of "fights back." Does it literally not let you push the gas pedal in any harder than what Nissan determines the "optimal" acceleration rate, or does it just put a light amount of resistance on the pedal to let you know you are accelerating faster than is fuel-efficient?

Because if it is the later, I have no problem with it; it actually sounds like a good idea. If it is the former, however, shame on Nissan.

regnez

@DustyButt: @doobiebros2two: @Rabid Penguin: I think this is more of a force feedback. Like the rumble seats when you go off the road. It doesn't affect the driving, it just gives you a little more resistance that you pick up on when pressing down. I don't think it locks the pedal in any position.

Git Em SteveDave is a poor substitute for LindsayJoy

All of the cars I have had, which are older models, you can tell what speed by where the pedal is. Newer cars I've tried, I find they have almost a set area, where when you let off a little, you stay that speed, but if you press down 1/2 inch, you accelerate, back off a little, then you cruise. My car, I push my pedal to where I know 65 is, and I don't have to move my foot. When I get to that speed, it stays there.

Git Em SteveDave is a poor substitute for LindsayJoy

Is it me or the image above is just an image of a standard gas pedal. This sounds more like a gimmick than an actual product and is something they'll add more to the price of the car.

SaturnV

Sorta like a governor?

Yea...

doobiebros2two

What if you need to hit the gas to get out of a bad situation on the road? Does it switch off automatically, or does it let you get hit?

DustyButt

@imTheKing: aww but accelerating is fun :D, I usualy dont speed though, if I do, its only 5mph over.

Jon!

@Jon!: I don't think it blocks out high mph but more of how hard your pressing on the pedal and how open the throttle is. At least that's how I would think this would work. A lot of gas is wasted through the whole acceleration process because people can't seem to drive normally or in a reasonable manner.

imTheKing

I will be switching it to "off", for sure.

ninjagin

This would be disabled on my car faster than the damn seat belt warning beep has been on all my other cars.

Wireless Joe

That would tick me off so much...

I believe the area where MPG is highest is around 55mph, but what if the speed limit is 70?

Off switch = 100%

Jon!

Any time I have ever found myself speeding down the road it has been because I was unaware that I was going that fast. It doesn't sound unsafe, and could do more than reduce fuel consumption, it could help prevent speeding tickets.

DeadWriter

Hahahaha... a great way to save gas: make a gas pedal you can't press down :c)

Rabid Penguin

@bobx3: I think you're all vastly overestimating the amount of resistance.

GeekyNerdGuy

@DaveExile: Anymore an automatic vs manual is a negligible difference in fuel economy. It's actually better to go with an automatic in most cases. Especially if you do mostly city driving. And in cases where the manual is rating at a better mpg than the automatic it's usually only by a couple mpg. And if you don't know how to shift properly it probably won't make a difference.

Rabid Penguin

I think what vinchbr is trying to say is we need more gas friendly engine OPTIONS in cars. The numbers don't lie, our average fuel economy went up in 1978 and basically hasn't moved since the 80s

obviously our CAFE standard hasn't changed either, and won't until 2020, at which point we'll still be well behind europe. China is handing our ass to us in this department as well. what do these countries know that we don't? Why can't we do this know? They tell us that this has to do with supply and demand, but who the @#^$ is demanding SUVs that get 18MPG anymore???

lpranal

This is not a smart idea...say you need to accelerate really fast to merge or something and you forget this thing is on? I see a lawsuit resulting from that.

bobx3

@DaveExile: You just answered your own question- the key word is MANUAL as in have to actually DO something, vs. have it done for you.

@gizmodo: Gone too far? do you actually pay attention to traffic as you drive? The road is full of zombies mashing the gas, then brakes as hard as they can trying to keep as close to the car in front of them as possible, as if that somehow makes traffic go faster.

I only have anecdotal evidence, but on the sportier cars i've driven, the gas pedal has had less travel and moved easier; on the more fuel efficient cars, the opposite. The exception is my saturn, which has a pretty long travel but moves easily enough for precision shifting / rev matching with a 5 speed manual. It's not comfortable to go heavy on the gas for extended periods of time, and I get about 40mpg highway, 32 city (not too shabby considering it's the sportier, DOHC engine)

If i'm in a life or death situation and I need to floor it, I think i'll be able to summon the strength to defeat any gas pedal.

lpranal

@Rabid Penguin: You're right... I've noticed this, but it doesn't slide the scale downwards- there are very few cars that get more than 35mpg that aren't hybrids. Where are the small displacement turbodiesels? Diesel hybrids with 60mpg? Hell I can't even find a car anymore that has the same combination of decent power and good gas mileage as my saturn? I probably should have said, since the demand is most certainly there, why is there no supply of extremely fuel efficient cars?

lpranal

resistance is fuel-tile! (oh come on... you know you were thinking it too)

BongoFury

@lpranal: A lot of car manufacturers have cut down on their SUV production because people aren't buying them anymore. So, it is supply and demand :c) People are no longer demanding SUVs like they once were so they've stopped supplying a ton of them.

Rabid Penguin

@bobx3: Don't think the law buys that argument. I tried it once to get out of a speeding ticket, basically saying I accelerated to avoid a hazardous situation (which was true), but they basically told me to go take a leap, and that for all intents and purposes braking is a far safer way out of a hazard. Flooring it, with this, is more like something that's uncomfortable for you to do, not impossible. All things considered, in today's rolling barkaloungers, I think burning a 1/2 gal of gas just because you want to be two cars ahead in the line should be a little bit uncomfortable.

lpranal

Amazing how few on this site know a damn thing about cars.

BrianEsser

I'll stick with my 97 Subaru Outback. No advanced fuel saving features with the car, just a small, efficient engine with a manual gearbox.

anothernord

I think this is a great idea. I think you have all missed the point of it.

From my reading of it, it simply matches the amount the pedal is pushed down to the actual acceleration.

For example, slamming the pedal to the floor, and waiting 10 seconds for the car to hit 60mph, or, pressing the pedal to the floor during the 10 seconds and reaching 60mph in the same time.

Sounds to me like its genius.

prodigal_son

@Jon!:
They are talking about rate of acceleration. Not top speed.

It makes sense.

Any engine can accelerate so much based on load applied.
If you floor the gas pedal you are forcing the engine to open the intake manifold and to maintain the proper combustion ratio, engine management needs to open up the injectors and adjust the mix accordingly, thus pouring more gas even if the engine cannot continue to accelerate.
In the old days without computers managing the timing, you would have had pinning and knocking, because the load would retard the engine and timing would be off.

That problem is gone today, but still, unless you boost the intake pressure with a blower or a turbo, you just cannot force any more air for the mix to be more powerful.
Not all engines have 100% electronic throtles either, a lot still have a cable from the pedal to the throttle body that opens the butterfly valve and connects to a throttle position sensor that manages the air-fuel mix.
Exceed the air amount by flooring it and the computer will pour more gas and move the timing, even if the engine cannot continue to accelerate.

If Nissan somehow has managed to measure the engine torque on the fly, they can play with engine management so you do not exceed the engine torque/acceleration curve.

Makes a hell of a lot of sense to save gas.

I wonder if it's a take off from Infinity's G37 "endeless acceleration feel" that the engine management is designed to make you feel.
I heard about "endeless acceleration" in a focus group meeting I went to from Infinity 2 years ago.

aec007

10% isn't enough to lose the ability to make someone eat my dust!!! Save me 40% I'll think about it!

JEmlay

@lpranal: You were right, because on my Vespa, the best bet is to accelerate. Stopping= Dying

CYST!

I'm not sure why haptic feedback from instrumented engine performance would be a bad thing... Aren't we gadget whores?

joelja

i think the implementation has been completely misinterpreted. It adjusts the resistance of the gas pedal to depression, it doesn't act to lock it into place, but allows it to give feedback through increased resistance

jackhandy

this is weak on so many levels i can't believe it.
put a vacuum gauge on the dash and when engine vacuum drops,
back off the gas.

or go back to vacuum wipers, like i had on my 64 rambler, they worked great, until you have to get on the freeway, and they quit!!!!

godwhacker

During the Clinton administration, there was a challenge to the Big Three automakers to make a diesel that got over 80 MPG, they all made cars that got into the 90s or even over 100, but they decided the demand wasn't there, so they never saw market... blame $1.50 diesel for that one.

Con Seannery

should've provided a link to that Ford Fiesta that gets 70+ MPG highway:

[www.treehugger.com]

EQC

Wanna save fuel America?!?

How about we demand that Ford release it's 70 MPG diesel cars here instead of only releasing them in Europe?

Ford...an F'ing AMERICAN car company is still trying to cram trucks and SUV's down our throats, while they've got prius-beating non-hybrids over in Europe. Thanks for nothing, jerks!

I just wish ONE f'ing company would work up the balls to release at least ONE truly economical car here.

US version of the Smart Fortwo: crippled with an engine that takes premium gas, and is nowhere near as efficient as the European offering. Thanks for making the Smart into a "sporty" tiny luxury car, Mercedes!

US version of the Mini Cooper: no efficient diesel version for us Americans...just the sporty, premium-gas demanding model for us. Thanks BMW!

And thanks again, Ford, for giving Eurpoe 70+ MPG highway, while you just give us Americans big discounts on 18 MPG trucks.

EQC

I just wanted to add to what others have said. I think the vast majority are overestimating the system. No car manufacturer would implement a system that doesn't allow you to accelerate in some situations.

Simply, as far as I can tell, when you are accelerating too fast (not driving too fast, just accelerating too fast), the pedal gets "heavier", or slightly harder to push. If you are in an emergency situation and need to get out of there fast, the pedal will still move easily, it'll just feel a bit heavier. In normal driving you'll simply notice "Oh, I'm burning gas, better let off the gas *slightly* to save gas money".

This is a fantastic idea. Period.

Ravlen

Except for the GTR, Nissans suck... this is just more proof (and if you need some other proof, check out the turning radius on a Maxima... feels like a boat).

Posavoie

@GeekyNerdGuy: Yeah, but the Elixe/Exige is such a low volume car that most people don't even know that it exists.

Spoondizzle

@vinchbr:

if north america stop producing v8's v6's and gas-gulping engines

i was unaware that cylinder count and cylinder count alone indicated inefficiency.

oh wait. it isn't.

there are numerous things to take into account. ANY 4cyl is not automatically better than ANY V6 or V8. not even close.

for example : 6.2L V8 in a Corvette gets the exact same combined as a 2.5L Turbo-I4 in a Subaru Impreza STI. and the V8 actually gets *better* MPG on the EPA highway test. both are high-performance cars that *could* possibly be cross-shopped (probably not in real-life though).

i can think of plenty of times an I4 vs. V6 comparo could be directly made (option in the same car) ... can't immediately think of a direct I4 vs. V8 though.

oh... Audi A4/S4...duh. but that is a German maker... and we've already established this is exclusively a North American problem. (*rolls eyes*)

@EQC: agreed. i'd love a diesel in half the cars that already interest me. that turd '70s Olds 350 diesel really did a number on passenger car diesel perception in the US though.

x23

hey idiots, this is not a speed limiter, it's an acceleration limiter. big difference. know the best way to save gas? buy an accelerometer that lights up when certain positive and negative Gs are exceeded--try to drive without the thing lighting up, and you get great gains in mpg. this idea is even better--if it actually provides haptic feedback to the driver, the driver can learn that much more quickly how to drive fuel efficiently. and when you want to horse around, pass a car, or get somewhere quick you just turn the damn thing off.

what's so complicated about that?

Sean Fallon, please explain why exactly you think this is "unsafe and asinine." I'm interested to know.

oopsIsharted

@DeadWriter: errr what about when you need to get out of shit and the only way is to accelerate fast

ichi1

I heard ... I mean I know for a fact that wearing a seatbelt will strangle you and you will break your neck if you wear a helmet while riding a bike and that you gotta have a V8 turbo car to be safe in traffic because then you can accelerate your way out of any trouble just like in Star Wars and that this foreign-type gas pedal will push back so hard it breaks your knee and kills everyone in your car! OMG!

I also heard that reading comments on gizmodo gives you teh dumb ... but I don't believe that because gizmo commenters are surely the smartest group of 13 year old losers ever!

mm1234