Intelligent Range now being enabled on Early Access Program Mach-E

[connoisseurr]

I just got a survey for EA but it was about texting and driving

I let them up on that survey. They're focusing on texting and response options for the Ford Sync system, where I'm sure 80%+ use CarPlay or Android Auto, where those types of enhanced features would not apply. The development teams are focusing on all the wrong things LOL

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[dbsb3233]

I let them up on that survey. They're focusing on texting and response options for the Ford Sync system, where I'm sure 80%+ use CarPlay or Android Auto, where those types of enhanced features would not apply. The development teams are focusing on all the wrong things LOL

Nothing wrong with them working on many things concurrently. But yes, that's how I filled the survey out too, saying all I wanted was for continued support of Android Auto since that works great already.

 

[mkhuffman]

I'm going to ask here, but I don't know if it's related to intelligent range, so it might be better to break-off into another post.

Recently (since mid-July), I started tracking my efficiency. Basically, charging once a week, taking the difference in SOC multiply by my battery (68kw) to get kw used, divide the miles driven by that number. I'm comparing to the numbers I get from Trip 1, which I reset every charge. These numbers should match pretty closely, but I've been off 0.3-0.6 mpkw low when calculating.

For instance: I drove 103.8 miles (per odometer and Trip 1). SOC went from 89%-42%. Doing the math, this gives 3.25mpkw. Trip 1 shows 3.7mpkw. (Individual trips would tend towards the 3.7 average). Pretty substantial differnce.

I had done this back in Jan-Mar and the results were pretty close. Anyone else seeing anything similar?

I did mention it when I emailed Early Access.

Three things to consider:

1. The mi/kWh measured by the car in the trip computer isn't very accurate. It is an approximation.

2. Your calculated mi/kWh should be more accurate but 100% is not usually 68 kWh energy remaining, and 0% is definitely not 0 kWh energy remaining. When charging to 100%, I have found the car will often stop charging prior to the total capacity being reached. This is especially true if it is cold. I have seen it reach full capacity a few times, but most of time 100% is not 91 kWh (my battery capacity). And there are several kWh below 0% as well. I would take 2 kWh off the top, and 2 kWh off the bottom, so 100% to 0% represents 64 kWh of energy, not 68. Then when you do the calculation, it should be more accurate.

3. If you want more data and get an even better idea of your efficiency, get an OBDII reader and the CarScanner app. You can measure energy to empty, SOC, SOCD, and many other parameters that will help you calculate your real efficiency.

 

[Neil4Real]

I let them up on that survey. They're focusing on texting and response options for the Ford Sync system, where I'm sure 80%+ use CarPlay or Android Auto, where those types of enhanced features would not apply. The development teams are focusing on all the wrong things LOL

I did the same. It was also centered on in-vehicle nav, as that is where Intelligent Range supposedly gets more data to "accurately" update your range estimate. I told them they need to integrate with CarPlay maps, seeing as maps now has battery percent reading, turn by turn in the gauge cluster, they're getting pretty "merged," so hopefully they can also take data from the calculate maps route, if maps shares that.

 

[zhackwyatt]

Nothing wrong with them working on many things concurrently.

Exactly. I don't use Android Auto since it makes my phone too hot. So I use the Text capabilities in the car all the time.

 

[lemmyslender]

Three things to consider:

1. The mi/kWh measured by the car in the trip computer isn't very accurate. It is an approximation.

2. Your calculated mi/kWh should be more accurate but 100% is not usually 68 kWh energy remaining, and 0% is definitely not 0 kWh energy remaining. When charging to 100%, I have found the car will often stop charging prior to the total capacity being reached. This is especially true if it is cold. I have seen it reach full capacity a few times, but most of time 100% is not 91 kWh (my battery capacity). And there are several kWh below 0% as well. I would take 2 kWh off the top, and 2 kWh off the bottom, so 100% to 0% represents 64 kWh of energy, not 68. Then when you do the calculation, it should be more accurate.

3. If you want more data and get an even better idea of your efficiency, get an OBDII reader and the CarScanner app. You can measure energy to empty, SOC, SOCD, and many other parameters that will help you calculate your real efficiency.

And that is the problem. In the winter (Jan-Feb 10-40F) the car was either close to the calculated number or slightly low. Now in the summer, the car is being a lot more optomistic and fairly high compared to the calculated number. I guess I can chalk up the large swing on weather.

Of course we all know the GOM isn't reliable either, and with the Intelligent Range active it seems even worse than normal. All of which doesn't give me any confidence in planning trips. One trip Ford Navigation wanted me to charge, and I ended (w/o charging) with 22% left. Another trip, both the car and my back of the napkin calculations predicted around 15-20% and I finished with 7%.

I've got an ODB reader and the apps on my phone. If I have to use those to do semi-accurate trip planning, that's a pretty big fail.

 

[mkhuffman]

And that is the problem. In the winter (Jan-Feb 10-40F) the car was either close to the calculated number or slightly low. Now in the summer, the car is being a lot more optomistic and fairly high compared to the calculated number. I guess I can chalk up the large swing on weather.

Of course we all know the GOM isn't reliable either, and with the Intelligent Range active it seems even worse than normal. All of which doesn't give me any confidence in planning trips. One trip Ford Navigation wanted me to charge, and I ended (w/o charging) with 22% left. Another trip, both the car and my back of the napkin calculations predicted around 15-20% and I finished with 7%.

I've got an ODB reader and the apps on my phone. If I have to use those to do semi-accurate trip planning, that's a pretty big fail.

The car is trying to predict how fast you will drive and it has no idea if you are loaded up with luggage, or have a bike on the back. What if traffic is unusually bad or unusually good? What if a rainstorm hits in the middle of your drive?

I don't think it is fair to expect the car to accurately predict the future. What we should expect is a reasonable estimate based on prior driving history and the route you plan to take.

I don't appear to have (un)Intelligent Range, and I have been happy with the predictions the car makes for me. When I am on a trip, I monitor the estimated battery level at my destination (or charging stop). (If you don't know how to do that, let me know and I will provide a screenshot.)

The estimated battery level at destination typically slowly drops because I am driving faster than the car predicted. I have done this many, many times and most of the time the actual battery level at destination is either exactly correct or a little higher than predicted when about halfway there. And often it is very close to what it predicted when I started.

It all depends on traffic, really. If I hit a lot of traffic the estimate turns out to be too pessimistic compared with the actual trip. If I don't, the estimate is just about exactly right.

This is probably working well for me because most of my driving miles are highway miles. Maybe it would provide poorer results if most of my driving history was lower speed city driving.

I think Intelligent Range is supposed to take more factors into account and put less weight on driving history. I am pretty sure that won't work well for me, but I will give it a chance when it comes.

 

[kennethjk]

I let them up on that survey. They're focusing on texting and response options for the Ford Sync system, where I'm sure 80%+ use CarPlay or Android Auto, where those types of enhanced features would not apply. The development teams are focusing on all the wrong things LOL

From what I have read, the car company’s are hesitant to give Apple etc. more access to their proprietary info due to revenue streams in the future.

 

[lemmyslender]

So on Sept 7, I received a reply email from Early Access indicating that there was a driver data issue, and it had been corrected. I've charged twice since then. The first charge, the range wasn't in line with what the efficiency would predict, but was better than it had been. I didn't notice any sudden drops.

The second charge, I plugged in Saturday night (9/17), and Sunday the car indicated 222 miles @ 90% charge (close to what the recent efficiency would predict). I went out to the car, turned it on, and within 30 seconds, saw a quick flash of the popup screen indicating that Intelligent Range had reduced my range due to external temperature (75F) to 190 miles. Ironically, that equals 211 miles @ 100% (ie standard range). Which is where my car has been all summer (despite efficency averaging around 3.7 mpkw.

During the summer, this is a bit annoying at predicting range left, but now I starting to get concerned about winter range. Will Intelligent Range increase my range due to external temperature in January when it's 20-30F out? This could be a much bigger issue.

*I will be emailing Early Access again

 

[hbirring01]

Has this made it to prod?

 

[benk016]

After reporting some bugs I've been experiencing with this a few days ago, I just got a notice they are turning it back off for now to make changes.

 

[Logal727]

After reporting some bugs I've been experiencing with this a few days ago, I just got a notice they are turning it back off for now to make changes.

Pretty cool they can turn it off and on without rolling out updates

 

[SWO]

After reporting some bugs I've been experiencing with this a few days ago, I just got a notice they are turning it back off for now to make changes.

That's funny. I *just* got a notification that 3.6.2 is going to install on my vehicle tonight, updating the range estimation.

 

[benk016]

That's funny. I *just* got a notification that 3.6.2 is going to install on my vehicle tonight, updating the range estimation.

Well that makes sense. My issues started happening after this update was applied.

 

[4sallypat]

I got the same update on my Lightning (3.5.5).
No change in distance to empty prediction that I can tell.

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