Drive-by-wire

[dyeager535]

So those of you that have either swapped it in, or drive a truck with it, is it as bad as the Cobalt I just drove with it?

Admittedly I was trying to enjoy myself in the snow, but for the most part it made wheelspeed impossible to attain in low traction situations. For mud and stuff, I know that's a bad thing.

Curious if GM set the trucks up a bit different, or is it just as bad? This is about the first bit of electrical technology that I believe deserves no place in a vehicle. (well, at least a truck lol)

 

[beastmode]

ive heard mostly all the DBW slack in the truck is basically torque management. that and ported&polished TBs are supposed to open them up alot

 

[dyeager535]

I would think you could accomplish about the same thing even with a cable, but I guess keeping the throttle shut is more effective than retarding timing and fuel. Maybe an emissions thing, although that wouldn't seem to be something the EPA would test.

 

[BGKYK5]

Drive by wire allows the ECU to open the throttle how much it thinks you want it to open, but just like Microsoft, they usually get it wrong.

 

[Jason4x4]

I know the f-150's suck, you can snap to WOT and back to CT and it'll never change the rpms if you are quick.

 

[dyeager535]

Ha, I'm not sure why they put a tach in the Cobalt, since you have no control over the engine RPM anyways.

Same as the F150, I could floor the car and be back to idle before the RPM's even started to change. Even when the throttle "caught up" the change was at most 1000RPM's.

I will give this setup a bit of a break, I suspect that were I to drive a Corvette (assuming it is drive by wire as well) it would be set up so that throttle were much more instantaneous, and wheelspin more possible after turning off the 300 traction control functions.

No offense, but I view this as I view automatic transmissions. I want to go NOW, I know what gear I need to be in and how much throttle I need, a computer doesn't.

It knows what it thinks I want?

 

[NEK5]

It knows what it thinks I want?

I think not. But, its just like most women.....

 

[dyeager535]

If it were like a woman, it wouldn't even know what it wanted, let alone me lol.

(and no that doesn't apply to all women, I just have one in mind, so there all you PC police! )

 

[BGKYK5]

My Drive By Wire just wants to talk........................

 

[dyeager535]

Like 2001 (a movie I've never seen but attempting to quote), "I'm sorry Dorian, I can't let you do that" as I try to shred my rental cars tires.

 

[bigblock72]

Was that Hal that said that or the "drive by wire" in the passenger seat?


In all seriousness the drive by wire system when setup properly does work pretty good. It also can simplify things quite a bit by eliminating things like IAC motors, cruise actuators etc, also makes traction control and stability control systems that much more effective. Not to mention torque reduction for transmission shifts can be a little more seemless. The system makes displacement on demand possible. Drive by wire has been around for years on the diesels and actually at least 8 years on common man cars/trucks.
I really don't see many problems with them, an occasional TPS or throttle pedal sensor. They do take a little bit of time to get used to. The first 8.1 truck I drove in late 2000 kind of freaked me out, went to jump acrossed an intersection and it hesitated for a tenth of second or so before it went. I thought what a pile this thing is but that's how they are, after driving one for a week or so I didn't even notice it anymore.

 

[southernspeed]

I've got fly by wire on my '05 Ram QC Daytona with auto. Mash the gas and smoke the tires.....no problem, but I am using the Superchips programmer. I've got no complaints with the Dodge system.