semi autonomous driving

[sean sherry]

This new Camry Hybrid continues to amaze me...... Drove back from Shell Harbour on Cruise Control, with Automatic Braking all the way Home.
Car kept at a programmed safe braking distance.. accelerated and braked as necessary, and back in Sydney traffic brought car to a standstill as necessary before moving off again as car in front moved on. I just left the Cruise set at 105 KPH. Speed was adjusted to match the Car in front. Never needed to touch the Brakes unless being first at a Traffic Light, then just hit resume and back in business. The regenerative braking does most of the stopping work and I read that the Hybrid Cabs are getting 150,000 ks from Pads.
Plus 4.4 lts per 100 ks as a bonus.

 

[motec 6.9]

Yes brake life is correct Sean I own and operate a Hybrid Camry Taxi in Canberra

 

[Styria]

Sean, that's absolutely fabulous - it'd be hard to better these features. Our BB has a new Volvo XC60 and he tells me that he drove all the way from Wahroonga to Chatswood (with his eyes closed and facing the wrong way") - maybe this is a bit over the top, but it sure it is pretty close.

I wonder how these Hybrid Camrys will hold their second hand values. Regards Styria

BTW, I have always had a very soft spot for the Aurion model range - if it wasn't for wanting to stick with SUVs, I would change without hesitation.

 

[sean sherry]

Very disappointed today...... Fuel consumption on my second trip to Shell Cove 220 ks there and back....rocketed up from 64 MPG to just 62.5 MPH. Holiday traffic returning to Sydney I guess. !

 

[BenzBoy]

Sean, 64 MPG? Perhaps you best invest in a coal-powered steam engine at this rate!
Regards for Christmas and New Year,
Brian

 

[motec 6.9]

I'm currently doing 8.4 litres per 100 in my Camry hybrid today. But bear in mind it was 35 degrees today in Canberra and I have done 201km around town since 10am without turning engine off or air conditioning of once. That is basically as bad as hybrid fuel consumption gets. So that figure includes 10.5 hours of the car being turned on.

 

[Michel]

We manage to average 6.6-7.0 litres in our 2015 Camry Hybrid.
And when Albert decides to go on an economy run, he drops it to the high 4s

 

[motec 6.9]

Hi Michel that figure is about a worst case scenario. Like I said very little driving as its quiet between Christmas and New years . It always is and I don't turn car off or air off especially while its 35 or above. Going to 37 today but if I do more driving figure will lower currently sitting at 4.6 for 35km and 1 1/2 hours.

 

[sean sherry]

Michael the 2018 Camry Hybrid is a different animal to the previous locally produced Camry... Google the Specs. See why I bought the totally re-designed one now made in Japan Eg the engine is now a Miller Cycle, perfectly suited to the Hybrid.

 

[Michel]

Michael the 2018 Camry Hybrid is a different animal to the previous locally produced Camry... Google the Specs. See why I bought the totally re-designed one now made in Japan Eg the engine is now a Miller Cycle, perfectly suited to the Hybrid.

was that aimed at me (Michel) or Michael (Styria)?

 

[motec 6.9]

Have driven the new model Sean it's very impressive. 4.9 average to 5.2 official figure for mine . But to alleviate any doubts to reliability my 2015 Camry is currently at 404722km right now . Only real issue was battery failure at 204000km which Toyota replaced free of charge and investigated why after less than 2 years.

 

[sean sherry]

Very heartening to know that Toyota honoured the Battery warranty even after commercial usage. My understanding is that Batteries will only take so many Charges and Discharges.... how many in a Taxi running around the City ?
I can see from normal driving that the Battery is constantly hard at work.

 

[motec 6.9]

As far as I have been able to ascertain my Camry is the only one in Canberra as a taxi to have had battery failure under 4 years and 400000km if that helps Sean.

 

[sean sherry]

Ah, sounds good, and I wonder if the Battery Warranty for commercial use has a mileage limit ? There are a number of internet sites showing how to repair a faulty battery. Usually only one or two of the 1.2 volt individual batteries fail.
It seems that the individual "Racks" are available as replacements ?? No source is mentioned. Are they New or re-furbished ?

 

[motec 6.9]

Also the price has come down for the battery packs . I didn't pay for replacement but was advised they were just over 2500 now .

 

[sean sherry]

That's good news, as Battery Packs high cost would drag down resale values as the Car come close to the eight year Battery warranty. I also read that the battery costs for Solar Power will continue to drop making storage Batteries viable. Good news all round.

 

[c107]

It's amazing how far the Camry has come. I remember them in the 90s when they were the most boring unimaginative car you could buy:




Now it's a technology powerhouse.

 

[sean sherry]

How right you are Bryce, I recall hiring one in Brisbane to drive to Bribe Island It was the most boring Car I have even sat in ! Cold Porridge comes to mind.
And the most memorable ? A near new Mk 11 3.8 Jaguar, road testing up the Antrim Coast Road in Northern Ireland in 1960. Manual O/D Wire wheels the lot.

 

[sean sherry]

Driving a state of the Art Hybrid .. the currant Camry.
It has been a big learning curve for me. After 6 months and 6000 Ks, I now have a reasonable understanding of the Electronic Hybrid System.
Two features stand out on Daily Driving. First is the instant Torque of the Electric Motor. Not many so called "Hot Rods" win the traffic light derby. The petrol motor starts almost immediately on hard acceleration. No starter Motor and no alternator. Both replaced by Gen 1 Electric Motor. The Gen 1 reverses directing to spin the Engine at 1000 rpm. Seem less both on and off.
Second..Light throttle electric only. The Elect Motor, Gen 11, acts like a turbo or Super Charger kicking in. Even when cruising along at say,80 kph, a quick press of the Acceleration produces an instant thrust. Both Petrol and Electric in full song. With the newly developed Chassis, the handling is Mercedes like. Safe as Houses as they say.

 

[motec 6.9]

Yes and if you leave eco mode switched off acceleration is very abrupt.