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This is a value for value post: see the explanation in the footer.
Over on X, a post from Top Gear about Hyundai showed up in my feed and at first I shared it with a quip, without even looking at the underlying story. I just saw it was about a way to defrost a car's windshield faster than before.
Back in the UK this would have been of interest to me, here in Israel, I think I might have parked one night up in northern Israel and seen ice on my windscreen the next day. Maybe, hard to remember. This has certainly never happened here in Tel Aviv.
But then I actually did click on the story and saw this little gem in there:
Hyundai has been working on – wait for it – the future of windscreen technology. Heated windscreen technology, to be precise.
It’s been testing a 48-volt system dubbed - and it really does what it says on the tin here - 'Metal-Coated Heated Glass'; an innovation that Hyundai reckons works three times faster to defrost the screen than conventional systems in sub-zero conditions.
The magic words in there are "48-volt system". Anyone with a passing understanding of DC electricity (which is the way accessories in cars are always powered) knows a bit about what happens when you use something higher than the 12-volt systems we have in almost every car on the road.
At 48V you can use much smaller and lighter (less heavy) wires to carry the same amount (power) of electricity. 12V was OK for lower power things like lights or a radio but as soon as it started to be used for bigger motors, like moving seats, windows, sun roofs and all the other modern electronics in a car, 12V is just wrong.
But inertia means that none of the giant automobile companies has ever realistically tried to change this standard. They all keep building everything for 12V.
Tesla Cybertruck
That is until the Tesla Cybertruck came out. Cybertruck has a number of amazing firsts including the first consumer vehicle to not a physical connection between the steering wheel and the wheels of the car. The steering is "by wire" which means the bit you hold links to the wheels only via wires and a computer and electric motors to change the direction.
And part of the reason that makes that possible is that the entire car runs on a 48V system for the accessories. This 48V system is much better at driving the big motors needed to steer such a huge vehicle.
Hyundai catch up
So when I read that Hyundai are experimenting with just defrosting the front windscreen with a 48V part, it's obvious that this is a better way to do that job. Tesla had to make everything in their car for themselves: the motors that move the seats, the windows the stereo and computer systems. All of these things are bespoke for Tesla because an eco system of 3rd party suppliers of 48V car accessories simply doesn't exists. It sounds like Hyundai are exploring this now after Tesla have already shown they are going that way.
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Oh, interesting detail, this 48V thing. Supports my thesis that Tesla is still ahead of others when it comes to everything EV tech.
Its not just EV tech, it's all of it especially the way they build the cars.
👍🏻 Thats what I meant. Their whole approach is very innovative and fresh. Great tech.
Where I live, in the winter, not only in the morning hours but also in the afternoon hours, the windshields of cars are covered with ice. Hyundai's innovation seems to be quite useful in cold climates.
Can 48V cause different problems in the car? This innovation should come after it has been thoroughly tested.
48V is only good but it means a complete change to many supply chains for automotive accessories.
I was beginning to think we’d not see a cold morning like that here in England this winter but yesterday, oh it dropped and there’s a chill in the air.
Let’s remember Musk employs some smart people, for whom he takes a lot of the credit for like most billionaires.
We live in interesting times where new technologies are being forged because engineers are needing to work out these things. This also leads onto other products emerging. Much like the classic CD player and smart phone tech that gave us consumer drone products.
Hi @brianoflondon
I was wondering if you have ever wrote about Dash Token and are you aware of their new Hive like naming system?
I would be curious about your assessment of their capability to be a good infrastructure to transfer money?
Haven't had a lot of time to study Dash properly yet.
The car industry does not really like radical changes and Tesla have been disruptive. Modern cars have a lot more electrical parts even if the engine still runs on fossils.
The Cybertruck (crap name) is ugly as sin even if the tech is good. I really wonder if Musk drew it on a napkin and told the engineers to build what he drew. His political activities are likely to have an impact on his businesses in the next few years. It's not like he really needs the money though.
He wants to go to Mars, everything is in pursuit of that. Tunnels, EVs, Starlink: all bits of tech he'll need on Mars.
It's a thing to aim for and a fair few people would happily see him go. I think he's gone well off the rails.
Nice one 👏it really caught my interest that Tesla is at the the top
You’re a truly valued contributor and apparently a good writer too. Thanks for what you do.
Your life gets better overall if you dont rely on mainstream for your info. DYOR
My plan is to get Tesla Hyundai Catch up as first of my own CAR. The features of Tesla are awesome.
Tesla is also going to launch it's mobile phone, as I got some news from some of my social networks that Elon is going to make a phone which will connect via satellite 📡
It seems that 48 volts is better for cars than 12 volts, the advantage of this is that more power can be supplied to the thin wire. Very good review about Tesla cars.