Add cruise control

Has anyone figured out how to add cruise control on the ev?

Not that I'm aware of

Since there is no 'bellcrank' for a cable to pull on, adapting a standard ICE aftermarket cruise unit would be difficult, if not impossible. What we'd need is an all electronic unit which is capable of talking directly to the car's computer, perhaps via the service port under the dash. If they eventually sell 100,000 iMiEV's, surely someone will market something that will work, but I'm not holding my breath, if you know what I mean

Welcome to the Forum, BTW! :mrgreen: With 4 EV's in your garage, likely you'll be teaching US about subjects like this in the near future

Don

Looks like you got one of each EV. How sweet it is.

I've been giving this some thought. How about using an Arduino, a servo, and a bicycle wheel speed sensor? Have the Arduino control a servo that is hooked to the accelerator pedal with a linkage strong enough to accurately pull on the pedal, but able to give as a safety feature so that you can pull the pedal back to 'zero' with your foot in case something happens to the Arduino. Install the buttons in the blank spaces by the ASC button for On/Off, set, and resume. A switch can also be added to the brake pedal so that when you press the brake, the cruise kicks off, as it does with a factory system.

I don't mean to rain on your parade, but why? You can't run the car at 65 mph for more than 45 minutes anyway...and cruise control is potentially less efficient than manual control of the throttle.

fjpod said:

I don't mean to rain on your parade, but why? You can't run the car at 65 mph for more than 45 minutes anyway...and cruise control is potentially less efficient than manual control of the throttle.

Click to expand...

Why would you ever want to climb Mount Everest it's just cold up there anyway?

Yeah, but how long can you hold 45 mph? The route I travel right now would be a good candidate for cruise, 10.5 miles all level at 45 mph.

I see what you mean, though. Cruise control would keep the power on (or regen) when you want to coast, unless you program it to shut off regen while in 'gear'. This, of course, relies on whether or not the data port would read out usage/regen figures. The Arduino can be programmed to continually adjust the servo position to keep the current zero, and without a rigid connection to the pedal, this will allow you to control power with your foot, letting the servo take over when you release the pedal. This way, it won't hold one throttle position and cause unwanted acceleration at low speeds (the zero energy points moves depending on speed).

PV1 said:

I've been giving this some thought. How about using an Arduino, a servo, and a bicycle wheel speed sensor? Have the Arduino control a servo that is hooked to the accelerator pedal with a linkage strong enough to accurately pull on the pedal, but able to give as a safety feature so that you can pull the pedal back to 'zero' with your foot in case something happens to the Arduino. Install the buttons in the blank spaces by the ASC button for On/Off, set, and resume. A switch can also be added to the brake pedal so that when you press the brake, the cruise kicks off, as it does with a factory system.

Click to expand...

I don't think you'd have to hack it quite so much. In figuring out throttle control for my pusher trailer project, I've just about settled on a Rostra Universal Cruise Control. http://www.rostra.com/universal-aftermarket-cruise-control-by-rostra.php
(And on the pusher I'll try the wireless interface, with just a single 12V power wire to the ignition coil and fuel solenoid required for a safety shutoff.)
The Rostra has a lot of options that you wouldn't need, but I think that a pulley could be set up to retrofit a throttle cable to the accelerator pedal, rather than a solid linkage. Rostra uses a 'bead chain' so it will pull only, and can never push the pedal.
Their mechanical clutch/brake switch and aux vehicle speed sensor (magnet on a wheel) could enable the install without even so much as a 'vampire tap' connection to the stock wiring harness, as to not risk confusing the computer. Pretty sure it can be set up to run without engine RPM input.

Interesting. I didn't know aftermarket cruise systems were available. I was thinking of using a spring for linkage to the servo, with the servo pulling on the pedal. This way, if something would happen to the cruise system, you can still pull up on the pedal with your foot or hand to override the cruise.

A pusher trailer, would the hitch mount be strong enough to handle those push/pull forces?

PV1 said:

A pusher trailer, would the hitch mount be strong enough to handle those push/pull forces?

Click to expand...

The hitch from http://shop.tlcentral.com/Store/pc/ECO-Series-Stealth-Trailer-Hitches-c157.htm absolutely is strong enough. (overbuilt, IMHO) Besides, the push/pull will not be more than the same forces from an unpowered trailer of similar weight when braking hard, but often applied at opposite times. (pushing on the car during accelerating and regen, and like a 'normal trailer that has brakes' pulling it back during braking). I should get that whole rig done in under 500 lb, and the traction limit of two lightly loaded tires will also be a limiting factor in how hard it can push (the pusher trailer is for highway cruising, and not a drag racing accessory!). I've got a range of tire and wheel combinations to try out for fine-tuning gear ratios and traction, and will calculate the forces involved with different tongue weights and lengths.

With a long tongue, the hitch 'upthrust' during pushing will be reduced, as will the lateral forces of any fishtailing or other unwelcome motion, and the unloading of the car's front axle during braking will also be minimized (though a trailer pushing down on the rear end of our cars during braking would probably be beneficial. Though our car has a much lower center of gravity than it would appear to, the weight transfer to the front axle during braking must be substantial, and having skinny LRR tires up front mixed with more powerful disc brakes up front than the tiny rear drums, I'm glad we have ABS and stability control even with out adding a trailer to the mix.

When folks see my hitch and ask what it's for, I'm tempted to say: "That's how I hang the car up to dry."

I'll be adding pusher trailer details to my blog ASAP, here's one related post.
http://www.karmanneclectric.blogspot.com/2012/08/gettin-rangy.html

PV1 said:

Interesting. I didn't know aftermarket cruise systems were available.

Click to expand...

I installed an aftermarket cruise in my 1971 Datsun 240Z shortly after I bought it . . . . and they were available for years before that. The vacuum operated units haven't changed all that much since then either. One thing all aftermarket cruise controls have in common is . . . . they all immediately electrically disengage as soon as you tap either the brake or the clutch pedal. Very safe . . . . otherwise, we would have seen lawsuits which would have put them out of business many years ago

There are tens of thousands of these installed on cruising motorcycle as well - A very popular accessory

Don

Perhaps the car has a cruise function in the motor controller. Does anyone know if the JP version has cruise?

I routinely use cruise control in town in my ICE cars at 30 mph. Easy to avoid tickets and saves fuel in those vehicles.

I use the cruise in the LEAF all the time. If I don't I find I tend to loose track of the speed as the car is so quiet. I miss it in the I-MiEV. I think the only way to do this is to use something like the Rosta pulling on the accelerator pedal. If you look at the pedal electronics, it would be difficult to do an electrical solution as there is more then one circuit checking on the other to confirm pedal position. Even if the Rosta didn't disconnect for some reason, touching the brake pedal on the I-MiEV disables the accelerator pedal regardless of position. The electronic solution would really be the elegant way to do it. The inverter in the I-MiEV is just a variable frequency A/C motor drive. In fact building them is one of the principle businesses of Mieidensha,the people that build the traction motor and inverter for Mitsubishi. You just dial in the rpm you want the motor to run and the drive takes care of the rest. It would be rock solid.

saw this link on the AEVA forums: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/150776522917?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
some sort of CAN bus cruise control.


ahhh a better link http://www.waeco.com/en/4374.php

Hippie403 said:

ahhh a better link http://www.waeco.com/en/4374.php

Click to expand...

Thanks for finding this, Hippie! It looks promising, especially because Waeco sells a cable set specifically for the i-MiEV that would interface with their MagicSpeed MS880 cruise control. The generic installation instructions suggest that some cutting and splicing of the i-MiEV's wiring harnesses might be required which is too bad. I haven't found anywhere in the U.S. where this cruise control could be purchased, though. I am in Sweden now, so maybe I could buy one through the Waeco Swedish distributor. Unfortunately, I would have to pay the 25% Swedish V.A.T. which would make this a pretty expensive cruise control.