Moving Immobilised Vehicles

I started a thread on immobilised vehicle a couple of years ago (now locked).

https://engx.theiet.org/f/discussions/28694/evs-immobilised-by-flat-batteries-or-breakdowns/125715

There definitely seems to be a problem as a French company has developed systems to extract/move vehicles with all wheels locked.

https://en.eastract.com/

There is at least one system already in use in the UK:

 

Should it be a requirement for manufacturers to have some form of simple manual override to release the vehicle?

Having read the manual for my T Cross it is possible to release the DSG transmission lock by removing the gear lever gaiter and moving the locking detent with a screwdriver (supplied in the toolkit).

It is even more fun with a Tesla:

https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/modely/en_us/GUID-34181E3A-B4A7-4658-906A-38C6647B5664.html

Parents
  • In the parts of the country where they tow-away stupidly parked cars they seem to use something like this that lifts all four wheels:

    I think it originally arose due to problems with fancy suspension with some conventional ICE cars that could be damaged if the front of the car suddenly appeared to have negative weight on the axel - and of course it also works where you can't get the tow vehicle directly in front or behind the vehicle to be collected. By the looks of it such a system would have no problem with locked wheels (or locked doors, or bonnets).

    I'd be slightly wary of having a means of defeating locking mechanisms (whether it's wheels on a slope, or doors in a dodgy area) that could be accessed by ner'do'wells... Needing some special tools or equipment is usually less of a problem once it's arrived at the garage.

       - Andy.

  • could be damaged if the front of the car suddenly appeared to have negative weight on the axel

    The designers have clearly never driven fast over a small radius hump-back bridge. Remind me never to buy one !!. 

    Mike.

Reply
  • could be damaged if the front of the car suddenly appeared to have negative weight on the axel

    The designers have clearly never driven fast over a small radius hump-back bridge. Remind me never to buy one !!. 

    Mike.

Children
No Data