How did a technology nobody wants become a standard feature on cars? From Eric Peters at ericpetersautos.com
t’s an interesting thing to observe that while literally no one seems to have wanted what is styled automatic stop-start “technology” almost every new vehicle made over the past five or so years came with it as standard equipment.
ASS – the acronym is magnificent because for once it is accurate – is the “technology” that causes a vehicle’s engine to automatically shut itself off pretty much every time the vehicle isn’t moving. While it’s off, engine-driven accessories such as the AC stop working (well, the AC stops cooling) and other electrically powered accessories such as the fan and stereo and the LCD touchscreen are powered by the battery, which of course gets depleted during this time because the engine-driven alternator that normally generates the electrical power to power these accessories isn’t running, either. And by dint of that, it isn’t keeping the battery charged up, either.
When the driver wants to drive again – when he takes his foot off the brake pedal – ASS automatically restarts the engine. But not as quickly as would have been so if it had not been shut off in the first place. There is a slight but perceptible lag in between these stop-start cycles and there is also a slight but perceptible sound/sensation accompanying the restarting.
This is done – ostensibly – to “save gas” and to reduce the “emissions” of the gas that doesn’t have anything to do with pollution. The “gas savings” are trivial – perhaps 1 mile-per-gallon overall, so trivial a difference as to make it impossible to tell the difference, from the standpoint of the vehicle’s owner.
NO one wanted it? That never stopped anyone before.
We’re all in this together, comrade.
It’s for your safety/hygiene and what about the children?
Give it a little gas when the ASS light comes on or travel on interstate as much as possible.
It looks like an anarchy sign in the jalopy when the ASS light is on.
Still loving my 2001 Anniversary Edition Nissan Maxima SE. I just had the under carriage rebuilt for $6800 (Cdn) and it was worth every penny. Driving it is a dream.