Fly by wire brakes

[silverback02]

Hi All,
A question for all the engineers on this site.

I have a 2004 C70 convertible that I love to drive. and want to keep driving.

Unfortunately it looks like i'm going to lose my right foot and poss lower leg. (The toes have already gone)

As my car already has electronic "Fly by wire" Throttle controls on the Accelerator, (ME7).
can these be adapted by putting in a second set of potential meters (???) to mimic the foot controls so that I can "Rev up" using my hands on a paddle or something and then also do the same or similar with the brakes.

All without braking the bank. ???

[dingov70]

Firstly , I am sorry for your health problems , but hope I can offer a glimmer of hope .

I do know of several people who are in a similar situation to yours & have learnt to drive with left foot and adapt very easily . I should ask is your car automatic or manual ? as obviously auto is easiest .

The quickest solution would be a second throttle pedal assembly with extended cables placed where you want it & similar for the brakes . HOWEVER you must ensure you can switch between the floor mount or hand control , as the ECU's would possibly become confused by additional potentiometers in the circuits . Two altering values would most probably either lead to fault codes & limp home mode or the ECU simply refusing to function .

I met a man who had lost his right foot & leg below the knee & found driving with his fancy false limb no problem .

Hope I have helped & wish you the very best & speedy recovery


Steve

[tofufi]

Hand controls are the usual solution to this. Loads of specialists fit them, and safer than messing with your braking system

[ITSv40]

Originally Posted by tofufi

Hand controls are the usual solution to this. Loads of specialists fit them, and safer than messing with your braking system

That technology has been around for years. back in the 1970's one of our near neighbours had a Morris 1000 converted to hand controls. He was a war veteran and an amputee from the hip down. Once he was in the car he used to bomb around at speed with no difficulty at all.

Silverback, I hope everything goes well for you and that you are able to modify the car successfully. Best wishes.

[classicswede]

My dad started having issues with his right foot after a injury and we added a second throttle pedal to the left side for him.

I would go that path and keep your brakes as it.

I'm no fan of fly by wire, bad enough for throttle but would never trust it on brakes.

It should not take you long to adapt using your left foot

[silverback02]

Thanks to everyone,
Not only for the concerns ref my health but also that of my car. (I forgot to put it is an Automatic).

But as you have all suggested I will shop around for the time being and see what the professionals have to offer once my leg shortening has curtailed.

It's just as a born and bred Yorkshireman, Saving money is a hobby of mine..lol
cheers
all.

[DaveNP]

All sorts of things must be possible, a friend of mine was in an accident which left him with a broken neck resulting in him only having very limited us of his hands and nothing else, he has an American type people carrier adapted for him to use from his wheelchair. Cost may be the prohibiting factor, my friends vehicle is paid for out of his insurance compensation and isn't cheap, motability wouldn't be interested in providing adaptations to an old car so you'd be having to sort it yourself and I'd be doubtful of a DIY job especially on the brakes.
My recollection of the 850 automatic is that the brake pedal is big enough to reach with the left foot ( haven't we all done that moment when you get out of a manual into an auto then try to 'dip the clutch' at the lights ) so teaching yourself to brake left footed would cover that, then it's 'just' a case of having a hand throttle or possibly getting a second accelerator pedal where the clutch would normally be. If you had the second pedal you'd then need to learn to accelerate with your left foot too, and for safety's sake if anyone else might possibly drive the car have some way of switching off the left pedal in case they tried to 'dip the clutch'.

I hope it works out for you, losing a limb and the subsequent loss of freedom movement is one of those things that most of us would put to the back of our minds rather quickly if we ever think of it, if I were in your situation I think I'd be like you trying to find a way to keep my car.