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In auto racing, "drafting" is when two cars are very close together to share the air resistance. (Both cars actually benefit from this.) I propose a kit to attach a tarp between two cars in order to share the air resistance between them. A computer controller linked to servos can steer, brake, and accelerate
the rear car accordingly. This would make it very efficient for people to take long trips in a caravan manner in order to share the gas load.
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[+] for so many obvious reasons. |
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[no vote] for so many obvious reasons. |
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um, for this to be effective, the cars would
have to be so close together that any
difference in reaction time would cause the
drafter to impact with the draftee. |
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plus, most people would get kinda
nervous haviing someone following them
this closely for long periods of time. |
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If you replace "tarp" with "short, rigid but pivotable link" this becomes bunnable. |
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//that any difference in reaction time would cause the drafter to impact with the draftee// Huh? The idea says that computers would be doing the reacting. It does mention that the idea is copied from car racing--NASCAR racers do this all day, so do bicycle racers. |
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There are various project similar to this, without the tarp, at various stages of development. The ones that I have seen are drafting at about one car length. |
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I don't see a tarp as needed for streamlining. The airflow just isn't that close to the side of a car. A tarp might help a little, but carrying it around when not drafting would be a waste. |
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What Texticle said about a rigid link. Wire sensors to that, and go like crazy. |
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Hmmm... me wonders if the aerodynamic gains are offset by the powertrain losses in having dual drives operating at different shift points and such. Any pivotable link should have a large compression / tension joint. |
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Of course, you could always just get a bus. |
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Firstly, "platoons" are hardly a new idea, and secondly, auto trains are a better solution over long distances. |
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