Vacuum Lines, Belt Tensioners, and Electric Motors
My friend Adam sent me this interesting note today:
I remember my dad talking about how the windshield wipers in his first car were driven by vacuum lines. The speed of the wipers varied with the load on the engine -- the wipers would come to complete stop if you were climbing a steep enough hill. Apparently this is how many items, like automatic antennas, were powered in cars through the 50's. Eventually alternators were introduced and the electric systems in cars became powerful and reliable enough that electric motors replaced vacuum as the primary power for accessories.
Looking inside a Toyota Prius, one might notice a similar change is taking place now that the electrical system has undergone another quantum leap.
Where a modern car typically has at least a half-dozen belt-powered systems, like the air conditioning and power steering, the Prius instead has electric motors which allow these systems to continue running when the engine is shut off (as happens automatically whenever the vehicle comes to a stop).
A side effect of this, which will go unnoticed by most of us, is that belts and accessories like automatic belt tensioners, which currently represent a multi-million dollar industry, may well go the way of the vacuum line. The savvy suppliers are already wise to this and are trying to diversify their business into areas which are hybrid-safe, but one can be fairly certain that as with all shifts, there will be winners and losers.
I like this because it is an example in miniature of the type of trend that futurists, investors, and entrepreneurs, all try to identify and exploit. Though when VCs talk about "getting their hands dirty", I don't think they usually mean it quite as literally as in this example!
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Comments: 4
I'm only 30, but my first car was a 1953 Chevy that had the vacuum wipers. I remember vividly having to slow down during heavy rain and every once in a while hit the clutch to get the wipers to clear the tiny windshield.
My current car 'the blue bomber' is a 1985 MB 300TD Wagon purchased roughly ten years ago. The bomber has a vacuum that not only functions in such mundane matters as the door locks but also in critical systems such as the transmission, injection pump, and other engine-related items.
I'm not sure until how recently MB employed the vacuum system.
The irony of this is that the electrical system in the blue bomber has shown its age and issues frequently while the vacuum system has remained largely intact and more reliable... except for the period when it went bad and we had to _manually_ turn the engine off. Yep, there's an 'engine off' lever on the engine block - my wife loves it.
Adam has a point. In my foray into the automotive parts arena I was amazed at the volume and breadth of the industry. This is one (only one) reason why the hybrid model is so comfortable to the big autmotive manufacturers in opposition 100% electric cars... they can have time to migrate their systems and infrastructure over to an electrical model while maintaining revenues and control.
The sad aspect of Adam's thought is that if markets move as they have in the past entrepreneurs will definitely be 'exploiting' the supply side while never dreaming about the waste side... the endless buildup of used batteries, etc. Unless gov'ts intervene. Kidding...
The american auto industry has been thinking in this direction for a while, albeit much more slowly. One of the biggest steps, and the hardest, is getting manufacturers and suppliers to adopt a 42V electrical system for the cars instead of 12V.
Do some digging and you'll see what stage they're at. They plan to be fully switched over by *2020*.
My first car was a 55 oldsmoble and the vacuum wipers would work great for a few swipes and then they just slow down and usually stop. They always stopped at the back position at the wrap around part of the windshied. You just pulled over and waited for the rain to stop or the wipers to come alive again. Even though it was a hassel my lady friend tought it was kind of neat.
