A secondary brake button on the transmission stick operating the rear brakes. The button would trigger a powerful servo assisted rear brake (or front, depending on your setup).

Useful in situations where you are on an incline, however using the handbrake just doesn't seem right, and you cannot afford to journey backwards due to the wiseguy up your behind.

Much more effective than trying to balance 3 pedals with your feet, and not quite the effort of the hand-brake start.

Or you could install a rubber padded mechanical arm onto your rear bumper, which would gently launch you using the car behind (assuming the materials of said car are of suitable quality).
-- proto13, Apr 09 2004

Subaru's Hill-Holder system http://www.drivesub...pr03_HillHolder.htm
From Subaru's Drive magazine. Shows how it works and it isn't transmission based. [bristolz, Oct 17 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]

I don't think servos don't provide enough feedback ... it would be all on or all off, meaning you'd still have to time it right. You'd need somehting more variable. Why not just pre-load the transmission to remain steady just prior to a light change?
-- Letsbuildafort, Apr 09 2004


servos are very variable
i'd like to see the big cartoon shoe on back of car giving a pushstart from a light
-- xx, Apr 09 2004


You're right, [xx] I was thinking solenoid. It would be funny to see a boot spring from the boot.
-- Letsbuildafort, Apr 09 2004


[Letsbuildafort], in effect, isn't that what Subaru has done with their “hill-holder” feature?

Be nice for setting up powerslides, too.
-- bristolz, Apr 09 2004


Aaah - thats a swank link, [bris]. I was unaware that they had developed that.
-- Letsbuildafort, Apr 09 2004


Hill starts using the handbrake aren't _that_ difficult though, are they?

And surely if you're stopped on a hill -- at a light or in stationary traffic -- the handbrake should be on anyway.
-- JKew, Apr 09 2004


baked. mercedes have this - when you push the brakes hard whilst stationary in Drive, the brakes are held on until the gas pedal is pressed.
-- guydewdney, Apr 09 2004


"I'm afraid [Cedar] isn't around. He's on his Launch Brake.
-- Cedar Park, Apr 09 2004


Sorry, but it exists. It's called, variously, a line-lock, roll control, or some variation on the theme. Basically a solenoid valve that clamps the front brake line pressure on demand. It's used for drag racing - step on brakes, push and hold line lock momentary switch, release brakes, do burnout with the front tires motionless and the rears spinning madly.
-- PNG, Apr 09 2004


PBR brakes (Australia) have made a master cylinder for about 50 years that does not release the brakes until about 0.3 seconds after the foot comes off.

Just hold you foot on the brake until the green light then press the throttle pedal and away.
-- KiwiJohn, Apr 10 2004


[bristolz] that's sort of what I was thinking, however keeping the clutch down while waiting is a pain, not to mention the wear on the clutch mechanism while depressed. [guydewney] in Drive? Automatic cars don't have this problem of rolling back... [KiwiJohn] I guess this would work, however it would be better if you choose when then brake lets go instead of it being defined as some arbitrary limit such as 0.3 seconds.
-- proto13, Apr 13 2004



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