BMW i3 and Active-E news

[Richard230]

BMW is still kicking around designs for all-electric and plug-in autos. Here is the latest news on their current design and marketing ideas. It looks like the i3 may be a more expensive direct competitor for the Volt and BMW will also be introducing a successor to the Mini-E, the Active-E. You have to get half way through the article to get past the fluff and into the more interesting information.

http://news.consumerreports.org/cars/2011/10/as-bmw-i3-i8-electric-cars-charge-to-market-more-tech-details-emerge.html

[Richard230]

The November issue of Popular Science has a one-page article describing the BMW i3 and i8 on page 20. They were somewhat frank in their introductory comments when they described the previous 2009 "BMW-owned" 600 e-powered Mini Coopers as being "clunky and the program was beset with logistical problems". PopSci commented that while BMW was fooling around with the Mini Cooper experiment, GM and Nissan were actually selling electric vehicles. They comment further: "BMW, meanwhile, is preparing to launch another test fleet - 1000 ActiveE's". They then said that in July, BMW announced the production versions of the i3 and i8 to be introduced in 2013, which they say indicates that BMW is "going electric in earnest". Popular Science also predicts that the i8 will cost $160,000 (!), so I guess that model won't be on my shopping list. 

Anyway, what really got my attention was the mention that the i3 will have a new feature called the "Traffic Jam Assistant", which "can take over the accelerator, brakes and steering in stop and go traffic slower than 25 mph." So I guess drivers in big city traffic jams will be able to get some quality nap time in during rush hour. As a motorcycle rider I have got a bad feeling about this new feature.   

[FreepZ]

[...] what really got my attention was the mention that the i3 will have a new feature called the "Traffic Jam Assistant", which "can take over the accelerator, brakes and steering in stop and go traffic slower than 25 mph."

Depending on how well they are programmed, computers could be very good at smoothing out the shock waves that show up in traffic jams, and may contribute to better traffic flow. Of course, to see an actual improvement many (or all?) of the cars may need to be computer controlled (or have drivers) with the same philosophy for dealing with jams.

(If you want to see what a shock wave traffic jam looks like, check out this video:)

[Richard230]

And what happens to a motorcyclist who gets involved in a shock wave consisting of drivers eating breakfast, drinking McDonald's coffee, putting on makeup using the rear view mirror, talking on the cell phone, sexting, yelling at the kids in the back seat, etc.?