Cybertruck Launch • Hacker News Board

Re: Cybertruck Launch

#471

Post by devmor » Thu, Nov 30, 2023, 6:23 PM UTC

jessriedel wrote: post #426

rob74 wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The shoe-shaped things are that way because of crumple areas and pedestrian safety requirements (if the car hits a pedestrian, the bonnet is supposed to deform in order to minimize injuries). Contrast that to the Cybertruck, which... > ...has received criticism from automotive safety groups, including the Australasian New Car Assessment Program and the Euro NCAP, for not conforming to standards for pedestrian and cyc…

The ever-stricter fuel efficiency requirements also impose strong constraints. If the rules were sensible, we would have a taxes on carbon and dangerous features at amounts that reflected their actual negative impact, and the consumer could choose how much they were willing to pay for style. Instead we have a march toward uniform blandness and 99% of consumers don't know why because they never interact with the regul…

The regulations already function as you describe. Changes in car design reflect what consumers are willing to pay for - or at least what manufacturers believe consumers are willing to pay for.

Re: Cybertruck Launch

#472

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Nov 30, 2023, 6:27 PM UTC

yreg wrote: post #123

ramesh31 wrote: post #47

I understand the nostalgia for those rock solid steel bumpered behemoths people used to drive. Knocking your bumper on the curb and shelling out a few grand for some plastic sucks. But think just for a moment about how the physics of that equation work out. There's 3 tons of rolling steel coming to a stop, and something's gotta give. It's either the car, or you. Best of luck to anyone who drives ones of these. I'll b…

Ford F250 weights the same or more.

[deleted]

Re: Cybertruck Launch

#473

Post by GuB-42 » Thu, Nov 30, 2023, 6:29 PM UTC

malwrar wrote: post #448

I know nothing about the actually physics, but all those polygonal, angled surfaces remind me of the chapter in Ben Rich’s skunkworks book about how a lot of the radar-defeating properties of the F-117 was due to the similar-looking geometry of the plane. I wonder if cops will discover it’s weirdly hard to speed check these :P

The stealthiness of the F-117 wasn't just because of its low-poly look. It was that the facets were oriented just right to defect radio wave away from the radar. In fact, the reason for the facets is that computers at the time weren't able to do design such a plan with smooth lines, it is not the case anymore, and that's the reason why stealth planes don't look like that anymore, starting with the B-2.

The Cybertruck is not designed for stealth and its weird shape may as well increase or decrease detection, but my guess is that it will be detected just fine by police radars, like the big hunk of metal it is.

Re: Cybertruck Launch

#474

Post by roflyear » Thu, Nov 30, 2023, 6:32 PM UTC

jejeyyy77 wrote: post #428

roflyear wrote: post #282

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That doesn't support your argument whatsoever. Generally the safest cars are the cars that break quickly. They absorb energy through breaking.

lol, are you safer in a tank or a smart car?

Depends on the situation. I don't think the race to the top here is a good idea. You definitely do not want tanks on the highway. That would be insane.

Re: Cybertruck Launch

#475

Post by alexalx666 » Thu, Nov 30, 2023, 6:45 PM UTC

it's denial of curves is refreshing.

Re: Cybertruck Launch

#476

Post by JumpinJack_Cash » Thu, Nov 30, 2023, 6:53 PM UTC

owenpalmer wrote: post #128

owenpalmer wrote: post #113

This is what we call vehicle weight inflation. As cars get heavier and heavier, the roads get increasingly more dangerous for smaller cars, which causes everyone to get bigger cars. And the loop continues.

I wish the inverse was possible, eventually getting us to bikes (instead of bulldozers).

it’s very possible.

Bikes get out of harms way faster and in a much mire agile fashion compared to cars and the money you save by buying a bike instead of a car can be used to safely practice at a track that is optimized for safety and to make you learn the feedback system of your bike

Re: Cybertruck Launch

#477

Post by dylan604 » Thu, Nov 30, 2023, 6:57 PM UTC

baseballdork wrote: post #433

dylan604 wrote: post #431

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The braking as an out because a bike can brake faster than the car always seemed odd to me because whatever car is behind you will also not be able to brake as fast.

A bike, generally, can't brake faster than a car, no?

It is the seemingly prevailing train of thought even if it isn't exactly accurate. But why should that stop it from being believed?

Re: Cybertruck Launch

#478

Post by gamblor956 » Thu, Nov 30, 2023, 6:58 PM UTC

xethos wrote: post #385

jtriangle wrote: post #174

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Huge A-pillars are a threat because of the blind spot they create, specifically while turning right. All roof pillars have increased in size in order for the occupants to survive rollover crashes, but the side effect is blind spots. Further compounded by interior trim containing airbags and audio gear.

> All roof pillars have increased in size in order for the occupants to survive rollover crashes And they've had to get bigger to be stronger, and need to be stronger due to increased size and weight of modern vehicles. I'm not saying it's not an issue. But I am saying "Thanks, Obama" for the CAFE regulations passed under him that pushed OEMs to make larger and larger vehicles - because a larger footprint leads to le…

Nice try there with the FUD.

The CAFE regulations favoring trucks and SUVs have been around since the 1970s.

The Obama era regulations extended those rules to heavy-duty trucks and commercial vehicles, which were not previously subject to fuel economy rules.

Re: Cybertruck Launch

#479

Post by nojvek » Thu, Nov 30, 2023, 6:58 PM UTC

1kg of petrol/gasoline is ~48MJ.

1kg of Lithim-ion battery is ~0.25MJ/kg.

Gasoline is ~192X energy dense compared to Lithium-ion batteries. Li-on is the most popular battery due to its cost and weight.

In terms of weight:

Tesla model Y = ~4,500 lbs.

F-150 lightning = ~6,500 lbs.

Rivian R1T = ~7,000 lbs.

Hummer EV = ~9,000 lbs. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Cybertruck = ~5,400 lbs

A human roughly weighs 160lbs (~72kg).

Buying electric trucks IMO is pretty awful for the environment and the road itself. From the energy spent mining the raw materials for that heavy of a battery, to energy spent just moving that battery. The battery weighs more than the passengers.

We're playing stupid games to win stupid prizes in the name of climate change.

Re: Cybertruck Launch

#480

Post by DennisP » Thu, Nov 30, 2023, 6:59 PM UTC

Veserv wrote: post #467

DennisP wrote: post #362

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tesla has its own principles, and collaboration is a big part of them. One reason so many engineers apply to work at Tesla is that they get to see their ideas implemented quickly and without excessive bureaucracy.

There are very good reasons why safety-critical products do not "move fast and break people". It is generally frowned upon in civil society to disregard safety and human life just to satisfy your curiosity and greed. I understand that the executive team at Tesla does not care given that they push a unfinished, defective, and criminally unsafe product like FSD onto the roads to make their numbers, but it reflects poor…

> Tesla's Model Y has been recognized as one of the safest cars of 2023 by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), receiving the agency's Top Safety Pick+ rating for the third year.

https://www.notateslaapp.com/news/1224/tesla-model-y-receive...

> Teslas on non-highways with Full Self Driving (FSD) engaged had just 0.31 accidents per million miles representing an 80% reduction in accidents compared with the average vehicle.

https://thedriven.io/2023/04/27/accident-rate-for-tesla-80-l...