From: Brian D Williams (talon57@well.com)
Date: Tue Dec 09 1997 - 13:06:42 MST
From: Arjen Kamphuis <mountain@knoware.nl>
(the problem in a nutshell - IMHO)
>We're driving on a misty night at full speed along a road we don't
>know. Braking distance is about 100 meters, visibility about the
>same. Someone on the backseat claims that there is an obstacle
>ahead but can't tell whether it's something solid or just a slight
>thickening of the fog.
>Now, we're in a hurry to get to a party (Cryo, Far Edge,
>whatever...) and the driver wants to keep everybody happy so he's
>not going to slow down because some backseater 'thinks' he sees
>something. So here we are rushing toward an object that could be
>anything from a whisp of fog to a solid wall of concrete. After
>some discussion the still unclear object is now to close
>for a full stop, the choice is: we just drive on and 'see what
>happens' or the ask the driver to brake and hit 'whatever it is'
>at the lowest speed possible. Bumpers and airbags might minimize
>the damage (if any).
Hmmm.... not a problem for the 1999 Synergy Hypercar, since it's
forward looking collision avoidance radar will alert/brake you in
case of any imminent danger. Besides, it's composite monocoque
chassis/passive restraint system is years ahead of anything
manufactured just two years ago. Not only that, but since each
wheel/hub is an individual electric motor/generator (used for
regenerative braking) the stopping distance is much less.
The Kyocera turbine/generator set in this baby runs at peak
efficency, and combined with the features above means I get an
average equivilent of 200 Mpg ( I like to use ethanol). This
greatly reduces the other problem you mentioned in your post.
Okay, I'm indulging in a little near future speculation, but
everything I've mentioned does exist, it's an ongoing project of
the Rocky Mountain Institute.
Keywords "Rocky Mountain Institute" "Hypercar"
Brian
Menber Extropy Institute
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