Romancing a Kiwi
At first sight, my heart skipped a beat. One quick glance and I was sure, this was the one for me. No, we're not talking about a dalliance with a Kiwi from New Zealand, but an "I WANT THAT" moment looking to the PLX Kiwi dashboard feedback system to help drivers learn how to drive better.
The basic principle is clear if you've ever been around hybrid car drivers bragging about their latest achievements in inching out another .5 mpg on their latest drive. Instant feedback systems on the dashboard, especially in an era of $3.50 and higher gasoline, foster more efficient driving habits. The Kiwi takes this a step, actually many steps forward, providing not just miles per gallon, but feedback on critical elements of more efficient driving (smoothness, drag, aceleration, deceleration), test programs to teach the teachable, and other feedback paths to move drivers toward safer and more climate-friendly driving habits. Give these sorts of feedback systems and, across a wide range of drivers, a ten percent improvement in overall fuel efficiency is on the low side of the expected improvements.
I'm a stats type of guy (falling asleep yet) ... into competition with self via measurements ... into playing with feedback systems ... who is concerned about cost of driving, cost in terms of dollars and, more importantly, cost in terms of CO2 emissions. Okay, on first glance, I knew that that Kiwi was for me ...
Every romance has its bumpy patches
You can imagine, perhaps, the anticipation waiting for the Kiwi in the mail. And, the anxiousness with which I opened the package. Marrying up my fascination with statistics, (near) addiction to gaming, and concerns over the environment, the Kiwi looked to be a perfect partner for this Eco-Geek.
But, soon after the opening moments, the first problems emerged.