407 v 406

On Feb 5, 7:38 pm, Ken <kkerri....RemoveThis@ozemail.com.au> wrote:
> On Feb 4, 7:39 am, "G.T" <g....RemoveThis@worldonline.fr> wrote:
>
>
>
> > Hi,
>
> > > The window could still be wound up, well maybe after a delay, so whatever
> > > the problem it wasn't fatal
>
> > This time, for you it wasn't fatal. Sometimes it really was nightmares (esp.
> > on 307s).
>
> > > Also I don' understand why window switches need to be multiplexed, it
> > seems
> > > to add an unnecessary complication but then I am no electronics expert.
>
> > OK, I'll give my point here.
> > Multiplexing (muxing in electronics slang) was bought into automotive
> > industry to reach two goals : one was the amount of wiring needed for the
> > car (a 405-class had something like 6km - 4 miles), the other being the
> > invasion of electronis (most of them wanted by the customer himself,
> > commonly called "comfort features") and for a better interaction between the
> > car elements (engine ECU & peripherals for example) - think "pollution
> > reduction".
> > So here we are : comfort and cost reduction.
>
> > The muxing is (I should write "was" as we could consider it like oldie now,
> > first muxed cars at PSA's being the XM and the 605 - on a lighter
> > integration though) extactly like the relays-to-automates revolution in
> > industrial installations : replacing the horrible number of relays by only
> > one automate (Industrial Programmable Automates ?) and a couple of relays.
> > So we encountered the same nightmare stories due to some hardware and / or
> > software design issues, exactly the same way. Happily, most of issues were
> > only software-related at PSA (I except the first 307s and Picasso's where
> > the BSI itself was subject to some water getting inside).
>
> > Errr, I hope it remains easy to understand.
>
> > Regards,
> > --
> > G.T
>
> This 'fly by wire' multiplexing thing is taking over the world and we
> have a long way to go. Cars have, for years, been using it. Homes use
> it. Boeing 747s use it. In fact my impression is that it started in
> aircraft.
>
> The idea that you can send instructions to odd bits of hardware around
> the vehicle/premises is great. But if the receiving hardware has a
> glitch you get things like windows opening and closing for no apparent
> reason etc.
>
> Presumably the receiving hardware becomes more sophisticated over time
> so that it can identify and correct or ignore nonsense instructions.
>
> But it is frightening that, for instance, my first two peugeots - a
> 504 and a 505 were totally devoid of all this stuff and engine
> management systems. I understood every detail of the vehicle's
> operation. No more. Sad!!!
>
> I must admit that the 406 I have owned for the last nine year and the
> 407 I test-drove today are singularly pleasant - user-friendly -
> comfortable vehicles. And the 406 has only failed to operate about
> three times in nine years (and came good without any expert
> intervention). But, having, for most of my driving life, had a fairly
> complete understanding of what my vehicles were doing (and the
> ability, in most cases, to diagnose and fix any failures), the current
> world where I am, instead, driving a sealed 'black box' is, when I
> think about it, terrifying.

Further to this, I acquired a silver HDI 407 today and am increasingly
impressed as I learn of the improvements over the 406. For instance I
just tried out the backing warning - it starts beeping when you are
about half a metre from something and doubles the frequency of beeps
when you get to about 300 mm (a foot). Allegedly it warns you not only
of flat tyres but even underinflated ones! Good things from the 406 -
like the windscreen wiper control - are retained. But the wipers
themselves are incredible - each one covers more of the screen that
both did in the 406. And the general driving situation makes it easy
to forget that you are not still driving the 406.

Of course it is early days, but this vehicle has 24k km up so any bugs
should have been dealt with. And it came with two years warranty. (it
will probably take me that long to learn all the new features!)