2017/12/28

RPM/Trim/Timing Chart

Following an interesting post on PriusChat, https://priuschat.com/threads/e85-3-gal-e10-7-gal.121314/#post-1730070
a new chart has been added to Hybrid Reporter: you can see efficiency at various RPMs, based on Ignition Timing and Fuel Trims.
Ignition Timing points can also be painted with the BSFC value achieved.
This can be useful when using different fuel types (LGP or E85).



2017/12/13

Fan Probe

Fan Assistant keeps your HV battery within optimal temperature range. To achieve this, it's necessary to have a good reading of the cabin air temperature.
The inhaling temperature sensor of the HV battery needs air flowing through it to have a correct reading, so, every 5 minutes, Hybrid Assistant will turn on the fan at minimum speed to update its value.
You can disable this behavior using the Fan probe switch



2017/12/09

New charts in Hybrid Reporter

The RPM Scatter chart shows RPM values while driving at a given speed.
Note that, given our eCVT transmission, there's no fixed relationship between engine speed and vehicle speed.



The Power Map chart has been revised to give more information: beside giving the power value for each RPM of the petrol engine with a dot proportional to data accuracy, it also plots collected values range and standard deviation.
This provides a more accurate view of the collected data.



The Average Power chart plots power required to keep a given speed.
This is total power, coming from the petrol engine and HV battery.
Values are collected only when a constant speed is maintained long enough to have a consistent reading, so a trip with many different speeds may not gather enough data to plot.
Since required energy is heavily influenced by road slope, you should drive on a plain road to have a correct reading.



The Instant BSFC/Fuel Consumption Chart combines fuel efficiency with burning efficiency, giving an unprecedented insight view of engine workings.
Instant fuel consumption value is drawn using the BSFC color scale.
You can now see how efficiently you are burning the fuel needed to achieve a specific mileage.
The best desirable condition is a short cyan bar.

2017/12/08

Phone holder reviews

Correct phone placement is essential for safety on the road.
While testing Hybrid Assistant on various cars and phones, we gained some experience on phone holders also, so we are sharing some of our impressions.
All reviews can be accessed by using the tag phone holder.

Warning: we are not affiliated in any way with the manufacturer o reseller of the product. This is just a review based on personal experience.

Phone holder review: Spigen SGP11359

Stability: the adhesive pad under the holder keeps it firmly gripped to the dashboard

Supported Orientations: only landscape

Grip: soft grip, so side buttons won't be pushed accidentally.

Portability: according to the instruction, the adhesive gel can be removed and applied again. Even though I haven't tried, the whole procedure sure won't be quick to perform.

Tested cars: Auris MY17. By sticking it a little recessed from the wheel, I was able to align the screen with the panel instrument underneath the dashboard, achieving the same focal distance for both screens.
The phone screen is also reflected on the windshield, and while this is nearly invisible in daytime, at night it could be distracting.


Warning: we are not affiliated in any way with the manufacturer o reseller of the product. This is just a review based on personal experience.

Phone holder review: Celly OlimpiaXL

Stability: the airvent retention mechanism is spring loaded and have little hooks that provides a firm and stable mount.

Supported Orientations: portrait and landscape: the holder has a rotating gear with some fixed steps to choose from. Steps may be a little loose, so the phone may off by some degrees from the intended position

Grip: lateral pads have a soft grip, so side buttons won't be pushed accidentally.

Portability: the airvent retention mechanism takes some time to unlock, so porting to other cars is possible but unconvenient.

Tested cars: Yaris MY12, Auris MY17. On both cars, the holder rests on the bottom finish of the airvent, with a furniture scratching risk. A small adhesive pad was applied to prevent that.
Airvent mounting requires some orientation of the airvent fins that may compromise air flow.




Warning: we are not affiliated in any way with the manufacturer o reseller of the product. This is just a review based on personal experience.


Phone holder review: Anker

Stability: the airvent rubber grappling hook does not guarantee a stable position: while it won't detach itself, it may vibrate and change position while driving.

Supported Orientations: portrait and landscape: you have to rotate a gear to free the support, rotate and tighten it again.

Grip: strong spring, it can push side buttons

Portability: easy to remove, but every different car may require a different orientation of the support.

Tested cars: Yaris MY12 (OK), Auris MY17 (not OK). Support should be mounted on the first fin from the bottom, or else its own weight will cause the fin to bend downward. Airvents on the Auris have only one central fin, so secure grip is not possible.

Warning: we are not affiliated in any way with the manufacturer o reseller of the product. This is just a review based on personal experience.

Phone holder review: Tsumbay

Stability: firm and stable

Supported Orientations: landscape only

Grip: soft grip but strong pressure, so side buttons may be pushed accidentally.

Portability: the holder can be inserted and removed quickly from different cars.

Tested cars: Yaris MY12 (not OK), Auris MY17 (OK). Yaris dashboard is too thick and the holder can't be properly installed. Auris dashboard is within holder limits by a few millimeters.
Phone is close the steering wheel, thus making tapping easy, but putting the screen on a different eye focus plane that the other dashboard instruments. This can put a strain on the eyes while focusing on different car panels.


Warning: we are not affiliated in any way with the manufacturer o reseller of the product. This is just a review based on personal experience.

2017/12/04

Fan Assistant

Introducing the new Fan Assistant

The Fan icon is now a 3-state toggle; every tap will rotate between:
OFF - fan controlled by the car
MANUAL - forced ventilation
AUTO - Hybrid Assistant will turn on or off according to temperature


The Fan Assistant can help you keep your HV battery in an optimal temperature range.
If the battery is too hot, the fan will spin to cool it down.
If the battery is cold, and the cabin temperature is hotter, the fan will spin to heat up the battery.
This feature is primarily meant to be used in really cold climate areas, where a pre-ignition heater is installed in the car.


Warning: the fan control feature is not approved or validated by Toyota. Hybrid Assistant and its development team can't be held responsible for any inconvenience that may related to its usage or misusage. Use it only with high quality OBD adapters and at your own risk.


High Precision Fuel Chart

The High Precision Fuel Chart has undergone a major restyling.

The new High Precision Fuel Chart combines fuel efficiency with burning efficiency, giving an unprecedented insight view of engine workings.

As always, the left vertical bar depicts L/100km instant value, but it's color is drawn using the BSFC color scale.
You can now see how efficiently you are burning the fuel needed to achieve a specific mileage.
The best desirable condition is a short cyan bar.