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Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars in 2024?

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Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars in 2024?

#181

Post by faeranne »

HeyLaughingBoy wrote: post #98
isawczuk wrote: post #34

This is exact same topic I was wondering. Frame + electric motor + battery + gamepad + cpu. From my research, it's boils down to: 1. Car is still a wealth marker. Not enough people think about it just as a means of transpiration. If they do they mostly use public transport or uber/escooters. 2. Car frame - you need to meet security standards, it cost a lot 3. Battery - current technology is expensive 4. Car lobby - e…

> Car is still a wealth marker. Definitely not in the US.

Oh it definitely is, it's just also a requirement for reasonable living in most of the US too. It's not a good combo.

Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars in 2024?

#182

Post by olyjohn »

badpun wrote: post #101
danybittel wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wouldn't it be fun if electric cars were the same way as PC's. Plug and play the parts you want, switch motor / battery.. choose a new chassis as you wish. And LED lights of course.

And then get bluescreens while driving. Modularity will always come with some degree of flakiness, which is acceptable in PCs, but not in cars.

You mean like the magic reboot you do in Teslas because the infotainment shit crashes in them? I've seen infotainment systems crash in so many cars, and people have to call the dealer to get the fucking Konami code to reboot the system. Don't you dare unplug the battery to reset it either, because you'll likely fuck something up even worse.

This stability thing is just a weak excuse used by car companies.

Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars in 2024?

#183

Post by olyjohn »

meowster wrote: post #88
nottorp wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Similarly, Kia Soul has a reversing camera… and that's about it! And the reversing camera is necessary because modern cars have tiny submarine like windows.

And it's required by U.S. law.

...because cars have shit visibility. It's a solution to a problem that was created.

Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars in 2024?

#184

Post by MarkusWandel »

shiroiushi wrote: post #120
Dylan16807 wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Cstomers only want 3 things. A comfortable ride, a safe journey, and $thing. The problem is, everyone's one more thing is different. I want DAB radio, you want cruise control, she wants lane assist, he wants automatic parking. Every car has a radio. And DAB support has no real effect on cost and I don't think the radio chip is what OP has in mind for "low tech". The rest of that has a very clear divide. Cruise cont…

>Cruise control is low tech and negligible cost, especially on an electric vehicle. Radar cruise control is not, and may be what the OP was thinking of.

Not necessarily radar, these days. My car (2023 Civic) does it entirely with the camera at the top of the windshield. Very well, too, in the daytime (it can get confused and brake spuriously in oncoming headlight glare at night).

Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars in 2024?

#185

Post by dizhn »

edent wrote: post #19

Citroën Ami is about as low tech as you can get. If you want something more car-shaped, the Renault Zoe has very few tech feature. Similarly, Kia Soul has a reversing camera… and that's about it! No radar, lane assist, carplay or anything like that. Cstomers only want 3 things. A comfortable ride, a safe journey, and $thing. The problem is, everyone's one more thing is different. I want DAB radio, you want cruise con…

There are new EU rules that apply to new cars. All of them have to have some safety related features including automatic braking, rear view cameras and equipment to check your alcohol level. The latter does not do anything yet but it has to be there as prepation for the future

Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars in 2024?

#186

Post by olyjohn »

lotsofpulp wrote: post #81
edent wrote: post #19

Citroën Ami is about as low tech as you can get. If you want something more car-shaped, the Renault Zoe has very few tech feature. Similarly, Kia Soul has a reversing camera… and that's about it! No radar, lane assist, carplay or anything like that. Cstomers only want 3 things. A comfortable ride, a safe journey, and $thing. The problem is, everyone's one more thing is different. I want DAB radio, you want cruise con…

> Similarly, Kia Soul has a reversing camera… and that's about it! No radar, lane assist, carplay or anything like that. According to Kia’s website, the cheapest Soul you can buy has CarPlay/Android Auto. Standard feature on the “LX”, 8in touchscreen. Does it even cost anything for an automaker to allow phones to use the screen for CarPlay/Android Auto? The cost savings must be so miniscule, and the convenience of be…

You can buy aftermarket AA/CarPlay decks for like $250 that are actually pretty decent. Imagine how much cheaper the automakers can build them for...

Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars in 2024?

#187

Post by badpun »

olyjohn wrote: post #182
badpun wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And then get bluescreens while driving. Modularity will always come with some degree of flakiness, which is acceptable in PCs, but not in cars.

You mean like the magic reboot you do in Teslas because the infotainment shit crashes in them? I've seen infotainment systems crash in so many cars, and people have to call the dealer to get the fucking Konami code to reboot the system. Don't you dare unplug the battery to reset it either, because you'll likely fuck something up even worse. This stability thing is just a weak excuse used by car companies.

I may be wrong, but I think infotainment does not have any access to vital parts of the car (engine, brakes, steering etc.) so has no way to mess it up and kill someone. Hence lower quality standards in it, as it's not safety-critical.

Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars in 2024?

#188

Post by lotsofpulp »

olyjohn wrote: post #186
lotsofpulp wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Similarly, Kia Soul has a reversing camera… and that's about it! No radar, lane assist, carplay or anything like that. According to Kia’s website, the cheapest Soul you can buy has CarPlay/Android Auto. Standard feature on the “LX”, 8in touchscreen. Does it even cost anything for an automaker to allow phones to use the screen for CarPlay/Android Auto? The cost savings must be so miniscule, and the convenience of be…

You can buy aftermarket AA/CarPlay decks for like $250 that are actually pretty decent. Imagine how much cheaper the automakers can build them for...

They technically do not have to “build” anything. All cars already have a screen, it is just a matter of programming the firmware to allow a phone to use it for CarPlay/Android Auto.

The only reason an automaker does not include the ability to use CarPlay/Android Auto is because they want to lock-in the customer to their UI and avoid becoming a commodity.

Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars in 2024?

#189

Post by sebnukem2 »

isawczuk wrote: post #34

This is exact same topic I was wondering. Frame + electric motor + battery + gamepad + cpu. From my research, it's boils down to: 1. Car is still a wealth marker. Not enough people think about it just as a means of transpiration. If they do they mostly use public transport or uber/escooters. 2. Car frame - you need to meet security standards, it cost a lot 3. Battery - current technology is expensive 4. Car lobby - e…

The bicycle is definitively the best mean of _transpiration_.

Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars in 2024?

#190

Post by quickthrowman »

Zanfa wrote: post #141
tjansen wrote: post #32

Not sure about other regions, but in the EU, low tech cars are not allowed. Required safety systems include emergency breaking, emergency lane-keeping, intelligent speed assistance (car must use cameras or GPS to determine current speed limit), driver attention warning systems and many more. That fancy screen is really not a cost factor. These days you can buy after-market screens with Car Play and Android auto suppo…

> These days you can buy after-market screens with Car Play and Android auto support for 100 EURs or less. Wish this was true. I wanted to buy one for myself, but even the most expensive aftermarket CarPlay units are absolutely terrible. Laggy & unresponsive touch screens, underpowered internals, gaudy designs etc. I wonder why it’s still such a challenge to make something that feels as good as a first gen iPad from…

> I wonder why it’s still such a challenge to make something that feels as good as a first gen iPad from 2010.

Cars have a unique set of operating requirements. During the course of a year, my car could be -40F or 160F inside, depending on if it’s winter or summer. Electronics that operate reliably in that temp range are expensive.

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