Will you miss anything about gas cars?
Coming generations will never know what it was like to get oil changes, watch wretched gas station TV, or be able to surmise what’s going on in the Middle East just from gas prices. If policy makers succeed in phasing out gasoline cars, they will gradually disappear from America’s roadways and from public habits over the next three decades. However, one automaker, Toyota, is exploring a way to add a faux manual transmission to electric cars. The company applied for a patent on a simulated manual transmission last year, and drivers could also drive the car like a normal EV. This is not the first time EV makers have tried to mimic features that people are used to from gas-powered cars, even when they lack any purpose. Kia and Hyundai are also seeking ways to add fake vibrations for EV drivers. What do you think about gas cars? Share your thoughts.
Pubblicato : 2 mesi fa di Alan Wirzbicki in Auto
If policy makers succeed in their efforts to phase them out, gasoline-powered cars will slowly disappear from America’s roadways — and from the public’s daily habits — over the next three decades. Coming generations will never know what it was like to get oil changes, watch wretched gas station TV, or be able to surmise what’s going on in the Middle East just from gas prices. They will also never need to learn to drive stick shift (which, truth be told, many drivers don’t learn now anyway). But buried in this CNN story about the demise of manual transmissions was a fascinating tidbit. One automaker is exploring a way to add a faux manual transmission to electric cars. Even though EVs make stick shifts completely unnecessary, and manuals are hated by many drivers, “for those aficionados who really can’t go without a clutch and gear shifter, Toyota is planning a realistic-feeling fake manual transmission for some EV models.”
The company applied for a patent on a simulated manual transmission last year, CNN reported. It would be an optional feature, and drivers could also just drive the car like a normal EV. It’s not the only way EV makers have tried to mimic features that people are used to from gas-powered cars, even when they lack any purpose. Most notably, electric cars are so quiet that carmakers have added fake engine noises. According to Kelley Blue Book, Kia and Hyundai are also seeking ways to add fake vibrations so drivers of EVs will feel “an authentic driving experience.” It’s not an unprecedented business strategy. Early car makers used terminology that the public was familiar with from horse-drawn carriages. Some of those terms are still in use in the auto industry. (“Coupe,” for instance.) What, if anything, will you miss about gas-powered cars? What of the 20th century’s automotive legacy should automakers try to preserve in EVs? Share your thoughts. This is an excerpt from Are we there yet?, a Globe Opinion newsletter about the future of transportation in the region. Sign up to get it in your inbox a day early. Alan Wirzbicki is Globe deputy editor for editorials. He can be reached at [email protected].