michael
Well-known member
There are so many possibilities.
One that occurred to me after posting was that the system could be linked to WAZE or a similar network. This would provide actual speeds along the route (rather than assuming speed limits) and improve the model accordingly.
There is a site called VELOROUTES.COM which helps bicyclists plan trips with regard to elevation changes. Give it a route and it provides the detailed elevation profile. This is equally useful to us.
And even today's GOM would be improved if its estimates were adjusted based on the immediate grade. Today, when you start up a grade, the range estimate drops because the GOM doesn't know whether the grade is a mile long or 50 miles long, and it doesn't know whether there is a long downhill to follow. But the Nav system knows where you are and the elevations are available, so it could in principle adjust the range estimate appropriately.
Although it violates my idea of "software changes only", one could even outfit the car with a little pitot tube and measure airspeed directly rather than relying on weather reports. These are sold for model airplanes and cost only a few dollars.
The bummer is that these features should preferably be integrated into the car, not require a separate tablet or laptop. This puts its development into the hands of the car maker, not so easily done by a third party as an accessory.
One that occurred to me after posting was that the system could be linked to WAZE or a similar network. This would provide actual speeds along the route (rather than assuming speed limits) and improve the model accordingly.
There is a site called VELOROUTES.COM which helps bicyclists plan trips with regard to elevation changes. Give it a route and it provides the detailed elevation profile. This is equally useful to us.
And even today's GOM would be improved if its estimates were adjusted based on the immediate grade. Today, when you start up a grade, the range estimate drops because the GOM doesn't know whether the grade is a mile long or 50 miles long, and it doesn't know whether there is a long downhill to follow. But the Nav system knows where you are and the elevations are available, so it could in principle adjust the range estimate appropriately.
Although it violates my idea of "software changes only", one could even outfit the car with a little pitot tube and measure airspeed directly rather than relying on weather reports. These are sold for model airplanes and cost only a few dollars.
The bummer is that these features should preferably be integrated into the car, not require a separate tablet or laptop. This puts its development into the hands of the car maker, not so easily done by a third party as an accessory.
