How smart are our smart cars?

The prodigal child of the auto industry

DON’T LET ITS SMALL APPEARANCE confuse you with its excellent performance on modern roads: the “ForTwo” urban micro coupe measures just over 8 feet long, less than 5 feet wide and 5 feet tall. Weighing 1,800 pounds and 3 feet lower than a Mini Cooper, this Viking has race-car-like roll cages, anti-lock brakes (ABS), advanced electronics, microprocessors, and an upgraded drivetrain that offers better stability, braking and general comfort. It has luxury upgrades like GPS navigation, reverse sensing, night vision, parking aid, climate control, smart card, and keyless voice control. Of course, the smartest car is the one that is fully automated and drives itself.

A smart car is a two-seater minicompact with advanced electronics and a microprocessor that is perfect for crowded places and city driving. The first prototype known as the Micro Compact Car (MCC) was developed in 1994 by Swatch and Daimler-Benz and this ‘Swatchmobile’ was displayed at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1997. In fact, the word ‘Smart’ derives from the cooperation between Swatch and Mercedes: Swatch Mercedes ART. The updated Smart “ForTwo” was released in 2008 in the US.

What’s smart about it?

The idea of ​​building a small car came from Nicolas Hayek, the inventor of Swatch watches. He wanted to make a small car that was fuel efficient, environmentally friendly, and easy to park in tight spaces. Today, his offspring in DaimlerAG’s Smart division and other automakers like Renault and General Motors (GM) offer cars that have electric motors or hybrid engines and are fuel efficient and environmentally responsible.

Although initially people were hesitant to opt for Smart, now the notion is changing. To date, more than 750,000 ForTwos have been sold in Europe and Japan. Subcompacts are also gaining a lot of attention on the trend. Waiting lists and pre-booking for Tesla and Chevrolet Volt show that people are more concerned about fuel economy and the environment. The Smart line has conveniently positioned itself among the high-end technology and design segment targeting the urban upper-middle class, especially the younger generation.

These microcars are small in stature but big on economy. Compared to a 7-foot-wide Hummer H1, ForTwo is only 5 feet wide. In real-life application, this means a smart car can back up to the curb instead of parallel parking in line with other cars. Two or three Smart Cars can park that way in a single curbside parking space. In fact, Swatch wanted to make such a car initially for the US and European market, where parking space and gasoline are at a premium. The cars are ultra-maneuverable and quick down the line; they can even beat many supercars when it comes to acceleration in city traffic. With its diminutive length, ForTwo can turn an astonishing 22.8 feet in a circle, compared to 35.7 feet for a Honda Civic.

With its Tridion Safety Cell up front, Smart has also ruled the safety issue quite well. This rigid structure activates the crumple zones of a colliding vehicle, creating a bubble of safety around passengers. The second generation ForTwo has been awarded 4 out of 5 stars in Euro NCAP Adult Occupant Protection.

ForTwo is one of the most fuel-efficient conventional gasoline-powered four-wheelers on the market. Obviously, it can’t compete with a hybrid when it comes to mpg numbers, but it’s artistically designed and certainly easier to park than a conventional four-wheeler. It can snatch the last parking spot pretty much anywhere and comes in a variety of color options for its monocoque and Tridion Safety Cell. Environmentally, Smart is the most promising four-wheeler. As it is electrically operated, it does not cause any environmental pollution.

In the case of price though, the Smarts aren’t that smart and never have been. The base price of an automatic ForTwo is $20,640 in the US and $19,650 in the European market, not to mention the $28,750 price of the all-electric ForTwo Cabriolet (smart ED). Buyers looking for fuel efficiency are also looking for bank account efficiency, and can find a small conventional car with decent mileage for several thousand dollars less than the cost of a ForTwo.

The electrically assisted steering offers very little haptic feedback from the road surface, causing the ForTwo to jump excessively on bumps in the road. Disc and drum brakes also feel artificial in experienced hands.

Smarts are also slow when it comes to speed and mileage. Though quick down the line, the latest ForTwos Convertible can do 0-60 mph in 10.2 seconds, compared to the 5-7 seconds required by most conventional sedans. Its top speed has been limited to just 81 mph, as excessive speed drastically reduces mileage and electric range. The projected 70-80 miles from a single range is also not practical when you need 3 hours of charging via a 240 volt outlet or 16.5 hours via a 120 volt household outlet.

even smarter

DaimlerChrysler introduced an all-electric version of the Smart Car, the ForTwo EV, at the British Motor Show in July 2006. Now, in 2018, it offers the ForTwo Electric Drive, a quirky $24,550 hatchback with an 80-watt mid-engine. hp electric motor that goes 70 miles on a single charge. The latest ForTwo Cabriolet is the ‘convertible’ version of the quintessential Electric Drive. Like its predecessor, the Cabriolet also comes with an electric powertrain and surprisingly spacious cargo space.

ForTwo isn’t the only one in the Smart lineup. Toyota’s Scion iQ was a worthy competitor holding most Smart car records before its demise in 2015. Now, ForTwo faces stiff competition from the Mitsubishi I-MiEV and Fiat 500e. The Honda Fit and Chevy Volt may not be the smallest cars on the market, but when it comes to hybrid drivetrain, automotive intelligence, and fuel economy, these cars have some serious competition in the Smart segment. Mini Cooper is another challenger that offers stylish yet rugged performance. All of these cars are designed to maximize passenger space and minimize exterior length. ForTwo also has its cousins ​​from the Smart segment at Mercedes: Smart Roadster and Forfour. The latter is being rebuilt to offer a pint-sized 4×4 SUV for the domestic US and Brazilian markets. Hyundai is currently building full autonomous cars for the next generation and Samsung is developing an in-vehicle infotainment system. Both firms compete in the industry to introduce hyper-intelligent cars.

While it’s obvious that this Smart is a great option for a city car, what’s less clear is whether it will completely replace conventional gasoline-powered cars. Only time will give us the answer. But, with fuel prices at record highs and environmental restoration a hot topic, it’s no better time for automakers to offer and consumers to adopt more fuel-efficient and greener smart cars for daily commuting.

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