New York Preview: Mitsubishi to add "idle neutral logic" to Outlander
Mitsubishi Outlander GT Prototype – Click above for high-res image gallery
Next week in New York, Mitsubishi will reveal a new version of its Outlander crossover. The Outlander GT Prototype includes a new feature dubbed Idle Neutral Logic. According to Mitsubishi, this system shifts the transmission into neutral when the vehicle comes to a stop. While this system falls short of even an automatic stop start system, it is purported to save some fuel when the vehicle is sitting at rest. Going into neutral would reduce the load on the engine when idling but it's still using fuel. The reduction in fuel consumption seems like it would be minimal under most conditions, although Mitsubishi was probably able to implement it only with a software change and no hardware.
Gallery: Mitsubishi Outlander GT Prototype
[Source: Mitsubishi]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Nick 8:25PM (4/04/2009)
Maybe it should also go into Neutral whenever the driver takes the foot off the gas.
Some hypermilers do that when coasting.......it reduces engine drag.
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Swede 8:33AM (4/05/2009)
Doing that will mess up the fuel injection cutoff.
paul34 11:02AM (4/05/2009)
How much DFCO is on a slushie, anyway? Doesn't seem like there'd be too much to me. If you turn the key off, the engine will still shut down even though the car is moving and in D. To me, that means that the wheels cannot provide enough torque back to the engine through the slush converter, so I doubt that any DFCO savings would be significantly consequential like they can be on a proper manual.
MikeW 3:23PM (4/05/2009)
The torque converter clutch will disengage when you shut the car off. (by programming)
If the engine isn't spinning, the transmission doesn't have a source of hydraulic pressure (that is why they hybridized automatic have the external electric oil pump, and ZF's 8 speed auto has that accumulator)
UH2L 1:57AM (4/05/2009)
All automatics should have this and they should make stop-start mandatory at some point in the future. Saturn does the idle-neutral thing on the Astra. I have a ScanGage and I've tried putting cars in neutral while at a long stoplight. The savings while idling are not trivial. On the two cars I checked, the fuel savings are around 30% in gallons per hour.
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MikeW 2:52PM (4/05/2009)
Was the engine speed the same?
I'd like to know if there is any difference between 500rpm in drive, or 700rpm in neutral.
Same throttle position. (none)
bigsmashzone 10:02AM (4/05/2009)
Doing that will mess up the fuel injection cutoff. http://www.mp3salem.com/
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Rot 11:39PM (11/14/2009)
Wow, this is not a new idea at all. My 2001 Volvo S60 had this "feature" and is one of the reasons the early S60 transmissions failed so soon. Thus leading to a software update disabling this feature. Expect transmission troubles out of this vehicle.
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