When we all start driving electric cars...

[CrutyRammers]

A thought occurred to me the other day. Assuming electric cars become the norm, I wonder if, over time, left foot braking will become the norm. After all, if you've only got two pedals, why would you use one foot for both?

I know autos are the same but we're still in a world where autos and manuals are mixed and people are taught to drive in a way that lets them drive both. In, say, 30 years' time, when a generation has grown up without gearboxes, will the old ways persist I wonder?

[CrutyRammers]

Fas1975 said:

No need for left foot breaking if current trends continue. Tesla have a video on youtube, just by lifting your foot off the accelerator slows down the car and applies a brake directly to the electric motor, it goes into the mechanics, and they're using the phrase, one pedal driving

Will try to find the video but in the meantime, there's this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ-ZFtahRNQ

https://modelscoil.com/2013/12/02/one-pedal-drivin...

Edited by Fas1975 on Thursday 23 March 10:24

My boss has one and does say that he doesn't need to use the brake much because of this; but I'd have thought you'll always want something there for stopping proper fast, or if pressing on. The idea of doing an emergency stop just by lifting off the pedal quickly seems a bit prone to be rather jerky, but maybe people will learn.

[CrutyRammers]

HustleRussell said:

I admire your optimism OP but helmsmanship is only going one way in future and that is fading into obscurity. Remember, electric cars with pedals which the driver operates are just a half-way house to electric cars which drive themselves. People will no more drive their cars than they program their washing machine- select program, hit 'go', do something else for an hour or two while the machine does it's work.

Yeah, there is that I suppose

[CrutyRammers]

wemorgan said:

Talking of lost automotive skills - how many people would know how to start a classic car with a manual choke, or know to turn the wheels towards the curb when the handbrake is rubbish........happy days.

Young lad at work only the other day had his handbrake fail on a hill and the car rolled into a wall. I asked him about this, and leaving it in gear, and he'd never heard of either. *sigh*