Here's why you should reset your driving history periodically

[Chuck]

The driving history is what is used to calculate and show your driving range estimate shown on the instrument panel. This number is just a statistical sum of miles driven and energy consumed. The more you drive the more accurate the number becomes. It averages your driving over time and becomes very reliable.

Until it doesn't. The issue is that driving distance is directly proportional to the outside temperature where it's being driven. If it's cold outside your range is less. When it warms up your range increases. We all understand this.

However, after six months of cold weather you've accumulated a massive amount of data and your range numbers think your average is low. Once the weather warms up it takes a LOT of driving to budge that range number. Even though you will get more range, the number on the screen (GOM) doesn't reflect that. It could take six months of warm weather to show a range closer to accurate. And, since it is fighting with six months of cold range it still under estimates the range. By the time the range normalizes it's the end of summer and getting cold again. Now your range will not be as much as the GOM says it is. This constant battle is just a battle of averages and the more data that is stored, the harder it is to budge the average.

So, my recommendation is that when the weather changes (cold to hot, hot to cold, it doesn't matter) it is time to reset the driving history on the car. After a week or so of driving it will settle in with the correct range number on your GOM.

I reset my driving history every month now. I've been doing this for the last 6 months (I've owned the car for over a year) and see much better improvement in the accuracy of the GOM than before I did the resets.

A word of warning: Resetting the driving history does nothing to the actual range. It only dramatically improves the car's ability to accurately predict range giving you peace of mind that you know how far you can drive.

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[RickMachE]

This isn't correct IMO.

My car now has a range of 260+ due to warmer weather. We haven't taken a trip since early March. It jumped dramatically with the warm temps.

I don't believe it uses the cumulative driving history. Like Ford's ICE vehicles, I believe it looks at recent hundreds of miles.

But, I could be wrong.

 

[Chuck]

This isn't correct IMO.

My car now has a range of 260+ due to warmer weather. We haven't taken a trip since early March. It jumped dramatically with the warm temps.

I don't believe it uses the cumulative driving history. Like Ford's ICE vehicles, I believe it looks at recent hundreds of miles.

But, I could be wrong.

That's an interesting observation. It could be that an update modified its behavior and my monthly reset may no longer be needed. But it begs the question: What is the purpose of offering a reset option if it doesn't do anything?

 

[ctenidae]

I think Rick is probably closer to right here. While there's some stuff that I'm sure uses the data going all the way back, spot range estimates probably aren't doing it. There are too many real-time factors, from outside temp to battery temp to state of charge to driving style to tire pressure to headwinds to HVAC use and on and on.

It would be interesting to see a data map to understand what pulls from what pool of data. Probably not useful, but interesting nonetheless.

 

[Scooby24]

My range jumps up 20-30 miles just based on the external temps...not sure I agree the reset is necessary or that a whole lot of driving is needed to get that range to be more accurate for temp differences.

 

[Blue highway]

The driving history is what is used to calculate and show your driving range estimate shown on the instrument panel. This number is just a statistical sum of miles driven and energy consumed. The more you drive the more accurate the number becomes. It averages your driving over time and becomes very reliable.

Until it doesn't. The issue is that driving distance is directly proportional to the outside temperature where it's being driven. If it's cold outside your range is less. When it warms up your range increases. We all understand this.

However, after six months of cold weather you've accumulated a massive amount of data and your range numbers think your average is low. Once the weather warms up it takes a LOT of driving to budge that range number. Even though you will get more range, the number on the screen (GOM) doesn't reflect that. It could take six months of warm weather to show a range closer to accurate. And, since it is fighting with six months of cold range it still under estimates the range. By the time the range normalizes it's the end of summer and getting cold again. Now your range will not be as much as the GOM says it is. This constant battle is just a battle of averages and the more data that is stored, the harder it is to budge the average.

So, my recommendation is that when the weather changes (cold to hot, hot to cold, it doesn't matter) it is time to reset the driving history on the car. After a week or so of driving it will settle in with the correct range number on your GOM.

I reset my driving history every month now. I've been doing this for the last 6 months (I've owned the car for over a year) and see much better improvement in the accuracy of the GOM than before I did the resets.

A word of warning: Resetting the driving history does nothing to the actual range. It only dramatically improves the car's ability to accurately predict range giving you peace of mind that you know how far you can drive.

This has not been my experience at all. The GOM is a little pessimistic (which is better than the opposite) and adjusts with temperature fairly quickly both up and down.

Resetting the history, deprives the GOM of any history of how you actually drive.

Assuming that the GOM accumulates 6 months or more of averages is an assumption. I see no evidence that it uses data that old or lags accordingly.

 

[ARK]

I also agree that I would think whoever designed the GOM would know not weigh old data as heavily or at all in it’s projection but who knows. I think at a minimum it’s clear that if there is a sudden change in weather, you’re day one projection will not be so accurate.

 

[SnBGC]

This isn't correct IMO.

My car now has a range of 260+ due to warmer weather. We haven't taken a trip since early March. It jumped dramatically with the warm temps.

I don't believe it uses the cumulative driving history. Like Ford's ICE vehicles, I believe it looks at recent hundreds of miles.

But, I could be wrong.

I think you are correct. The GOM appears to be heavily based on recent history. I don't think it's drive cycles or days.....I think it's based on observed efficiency for the last (insert battery capacity) kWh usage. It does seem to take current weather and temp into consideration though. If it is raining (rare occurrence here) then my range estimate is much lower than normal. Also, I will see a higher range estimation early in the morning when temps are cooler compared to same state of charge later in the day when temps are already getting hot.

 

[SWO]

That's an interesting observation. It could be that an update modified its behavior and my monthly reset may no longer be needed. But it begs the question: What is the purpose of offering a reset option if it doesn't do anything?

Because every vehicle since vehicle mileage estimates have been a feature has that option.

There are scenarios where it would be beneficial. For example, after a trip where something (temp, weight, speed, car top carrier) significantly impacted range.

 

[RickMachE]

Or, you're towing getting 10mpg. You want that excluded from your predicted range.

Note that Ford for the past few years has stored towing history with the trailer, so as not to impact the normal range, but that's the concept of clearing it.

 

[Kamuelaflyer]

That's an interesting observation. It could be that an update modified its behavior and my monthly reset may no longer be needed. But it begs the question: What is the purpose of offering a reset option if it doesn't do anything?

Ford has done that for me twice in the early access OTA program. I’m good.

It was fun though seeing the range prediction pop up to 240 miles for a couple of days because it forgot it has to climb up a volcano to get home though.

Seriously though, I think there’s some merit to your idea. I’m going n the habit of ignoring the GOM altogether though due to its inaccuracies. For other, who also keep in mind the range hit from winter weather, this might be a decent suggestion.

 

[markboris]

This isn't correct IMO.

My car now has a range of 260+ due to warmer weather. We haven't taken a trip since early March. It jumped dramatically with the warm temps.

I don't believe it uses the cumulative driving history. Like Ford's ICE vehicles, I believe it looks at recent hundreds of miles.

But, I could be wrong.

I also agree with Rick. Our weather went from 40’s to 80’s in one week. All winter I never got over 200 miles of range on my GT and now instantly I’m getting 245-260 on the last few charges. I’ve never reset my driving history. Saw the same happen with my premium when we went from summer to winter last year.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

I think you are correct. The GOM appears to be heavily based on recent history. I don't think it's drive cycles or days.....I think it's based on observed efficiency for the last (insert battery capacity) kWh usage. It does seem to take current weather and temp into consideration though. If it is raining (rare occurrence here) then my range estimate is much lower than normal. Also, I will see a higher range estimation early in the morning when temps are cooler compared to same state of charge later in the day when temps are already getting hot.

Yeah, I agree.

Some of the inputs include:
Battery temperature.
Ambient temperature.
Interior accessory use.
They don't provide those data to you just for the fun of it, they're using them in range estimation.

Most importantly, though they use a rolling, weighted average with the most recent several minutes most heavily weighted.

Ford patented their very, very basic algorithm for range estimation for EVs, and it's available online. This block diagram is only a rough description and doesn't necessarily include everything they do to calculate the distance before next charge, but it gives a good description of the basic idea of how they do this. You can find the patent online to read the description.

 

[2FlyMache]

This isn't correct IMO.

My car now has a range of 260+ due to warmer weather. We haven't taken a trip since early March. It jumped dramatically with the warm temps.

I don't believe it uses the cumulative driving history. Like Ford's ICE vehicles, I believe it looks at recent hundreds of miles.

But, I could be wrong.

Yeah, mine is at 282 @100% charged right now after a few hundred miles of warmer weather

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

Here's the link to the patent.

To be clear, this is a decade out of date, so they have certainly changed it after testing their vehicles, but the basic idea is likely to be very similar.

https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/b7/0b/d9/949c29d2712431/US8121802.pdf

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