THE PEDALBOX: THROTTLE RESPONSE
The PedalBox (+) : Throttle Response
The PedalBox is located between the accelerator pedal sensor and the engine control unit. It works by amplifying the accelerator pedal signal. Lots of manufacturers offer similar functions via standard “sports buttons”. The PedalBox reduces the pedal travel necessary in order to reach a “throttle wide open” state (full throttle response). This allows the driver to exploit the full potential of the engine.
Explanation of Throttle Response
The blue “Throttle Response” curve shows the speed at which an engine responds to the driver’s pressing of the accelerator. This is the factories standard setting.
The green “Pedalbox min” curve is in “Eco” mode and shows around a 35% improvement over the factory standard. The red “Pedalbox max” curve is in the “SportPlus” mode gaining around 65%. The orange “Sport” mode is a balance of the above 2 modes.
Throttle response has less to do with engine power but rather how long it takes to fully realise this power, with petrol and diesel engines fitted with drive-by-wire setups suffering from an unpleasant laziness when asked to respond.
Most vehicles are equipped with a drive-by-wire system. Hence, acceleration is achieved by means of an electric signal and not by the familiar Bowden cable, something that most people are not aware of. This system is called ETC or ECM. The problem is that these systems often suffer from a significant signal delay, which is where PedalBox comes in.
This means that more energy is available to the car once again.
PedalBox Pro latest DSP technology
Explanation of Throttle Response PedalBox Pro
The curves illustrate the speeds at which the engine reacts to the driver as soon as he operates the accelerator. It is not about the power a vehicle has, but how long it takes to release it to its full extent.
Already in City mode (purple), the vehicle’s responsiveness is significantly improved.
At the push of a button, the driver has two further programmes at his disposal: Sport (orange) and Sport-Plus (red) for a more powerful start and sporty overtaking.
Also on display is the reduction in throttle response in Eco mode (Green). This reduces aggressive acceleration and thus saves fuel.
The throttle curve (blue) describes the manufacturer’s pre-programmed characteristic. When driving on slippery roads due to ice, snow or heavy rain, the PedalBox can be switched off and the vehicle is then in standard mode.