Gas-pumping robot:

[BoomerD]

A quick search of "robot" didn't bring this up, so...

http://www.reuters.com/article...edName=oddlyEnoughNews

"EMMELOORD, Netherlands (Reuters) - Motorists nostalgic for the time they could sit tight while attendants braved windswept garage forecourts to fill their tanks may yet see those heady days return -- compliments of a Dutch robot.

Dutch inventors unveiled Monday a 75,000 euro ($111,100) car-fuelling robot they say is the first of its kind, working by registering the car on arrival at the filling station and matching it to a database of fuel cap designs and fuel types.

A robotic arm fitted with multiple sensors extends from a regular petrol pump, carefully opens the car's flap, unscrews the cap, picks up the fuel nozzle and directs it toward the tank opening, much as a human arm would, and as efficiently.

"I was on a farm and I saw a robotic arm milking a cow. If a robot can do that then why can't it fill a car tank, I thought," said developer and petrol station operator Nico van Staveren. "Drivers needn't get dirty hands or smell of petrol again."

He hopes to introduce the "Tankpitstop" robot in a handful of Dutch stations by the end of the year. It works for any car whose tank can be opened without a key, and whose contours and dimensions have been recorded to avoid scratching.

Asked whether he would trust his car to a robotic garage attendant, Jelger De Kroon, filling his black Alfa Romeo at a nearby petrol station, said: "Why not? I guess I could keep my hands free and clean, but I'd hope they have good insurance."


Might be an OK idea, IF they can get it to pump pre-set amounts, (yeah, give me $20 of Regular...I'll take $60 in Premium) and if it can be set to avoid overfilling and such. I'd also be concerned about the potential for scratches and other damage to the vehicle while they "iron out all the bugs."
Otherwise...as long as it doesn't increase the price...go for it.

 

[ShotgunSteven]

"Where nothing can go wrong... go wrong... go wrong..."

I doubt people with expensive vehicles would trust their car to a robot at this point in time.

 

[Mo0o]

Seems like it'd cost a lot more money to have this in place vs just having drivers pump it themselves unless you can streamline it to go much quicker than what a normal driver would be able to do.

 

[pontifex]

/waits for the first report of someone being anally violated by it.

 

[OdiN]

Yeah I'd really like to see it open my gas tank using the latch inside the car, unscrew the gas cap, pump gas, screw my gas cap back on and close the cover, all without damaging my car - and I don't want to have to get out of my car either if it's going to pump it for me.

 

[Sluggo]

Originally posted by: ShotgunSteven
"Where nothing can go wrong... go wrong... go wrong..."

I doubt people with expensive vehicles would trust their car to a robot at this point in time.

A robot built it, why cant a robot fill it with gas.

I predict a future where pesky humans are prohibited from filling their own tanks, all gas (or future vehicle propulsion substance) must be dispensed by robots.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

...because gas is way too cheap nowadays

 

[DangerAardvark]

Originally posted by: pontifex
/waits for the first report of someone being anally violated by it.

I'm already getting anally violated by the prices, might as well complete the rape with a nice unleaded enema.

 

[Modelworks]

great ! Until someone does a drive off :roll:

 

[newmachineoverlord]

Since I work with robots frequently, here's a brief list of what would go wrong most often:

1. Dirty sensors cause the machine to not detect a car waiting to be fueled.
1.5 Dirty sensors cause the machine to believe a car is present when there is none.
2. Dirty sensors cause the machine to believe the fuel tank is in the wrong location, and it dispenses fuel elsewhere.
3. A physical imperfection in the fuel cap of a car causes the machine to believe mistakenly that it has dropped the fuel cap when in fact it hasn't.
4. Machine mistakenly believes a car is full when it is not.
5. Machine mistakenly believes a car is not yet full when it is, continues to overdispense fuel.
6. Machine cannot be recovered from any of the above errors without a service call, the only one on staff who knows how to reset it is Manager Bill who is on vacation.
7. Warning: moving parts can crush fingers.

 

[jagec]

The overdispensing of fuel probably isn't an issue...current gas pumps do fine at clicking off when full, and the robot won't try to "top it off" and flood the side of the car with gas like a moron.

It's still a dumb idea to replace a trivial task which anyone with an IQ above 50 (except for NJ and OR residents) can do easily with an elaborate, expensive, failure-prone machine. And yes, I know there are numerous examples of exactly that in every single household, but I reserve my right to be a cantankerous, illogical old cynic for as long as I can.

 

[Squisher]

Don't bend over to pick up the keys you dropped!

 

[PliotronX]

Topic title reminded me of this.

 

[Bootprint]

Works fine until someone drives up with a 1955 Cadillac.

Didn't they already try and create one of these a few years back?
Shell's Smart pump, I guess the Dutch one gets rid fo the need for a transponder.

 

[PurdueRy]

I tried out one of these fuel pumping robots and it anally violated me.

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: jagec
The overdispensing of fuel probably isn't an issue...current gas pumps do fine at clicking off when full, and the robot won't try to "top it off" and flood the side of the car with gas like a moron.

It's still a dumb idea to replace a trivial task which anyone with an IQ above 50 (except for NJ and OR residents) can do easily with an elaborate, expensive, failure-prone machine. And yes, I know there are numerous examples of exactly that in every single household, but I reserve my right to be a cantankerous, illogical old cynic for as long as I can.

Another problem then - turning off before the tank is full. I've been to quite a few stations where it clicks off way before it's done, as in it shuts off after dispensing a tenth of a gallon. The only way around it is to dispense the gas really slowly, or else go to another pump. Something in the shutoff mechanism gets really sensitive. What do you do if the pumping robot dispenses a quarter gallon and then says, "Tank full" and refuses to give you any more?
In the winter, I'd likely have to get out of the car anyway, because the little flip door thing that covers the gas cap tends to freeze shut, necessitating several punches to break the ice before it can be opened.

Efforts to develop robots of this level of sophistication would be better put to work in manufacturing environments. I don't think they're quite ready for a consumer market like this.

How well does it handle aftermarket gas caps? What if a car has had some custom work done to the back end, such as following a crash, and the fuel cap isn't like the original? Does it literally rip your car a new one in its blind quest to find the gas tank?

Originally posted by: PurdueRy
I tried out one of these fuel pumping robots and it anally violated me.

Then you strapped a red rubber ball into your mouth, and did it again, right?

 

[Inspector Jihad]

is it really that big a deal to fill ur own gas?

 

[Modelworks]

Whats wrong with going back to years ago where you actually had a person that worked at the gas station who filled up your car, cleaned the window, checked the oil, etc .

With what they charge for gas, they should be able to afford to pay someone.

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: Modelworks
Whats wrong with going back to years ago where you actually had a person that worked at the gas station who filled up your car, cleaned the window, checked the oil, etc .

With what they charge for gas, they should be able to afford to pay someone.

whats wrong with getting your lazy ass out of the dar and doing all that yourself?

 

[AMCRambler]

Originally posted by: pontifex
/waits for the first report of someone being anally violated by it.

LMAO here. Now where's that idiot yesterday who posted saying no one posts good threads here anymore?

 

[SunnyD]

I can hear it now...

I wonder if there will be cake...

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: Modelworks
Whats wrong with going back to years ago where you actually had a person that worked at the gas station who filled up your car, cleaned the window, checked the oil, etc .

With what they charge for gas, they should be able to afford to pay someone.

whats wrong with getting your lazy ass out of the dar and doing all that yourself?

I'd like to know why they stopped doing that actually.

 

[Deeko]

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: Modelworks
Whats wrong with going back to years ago where you actually had a person that worked at the gas station who filled up your car, cleaned the window, checked the oil, etc .

With what they charge for gas, they should be able to afford to pay someone.

whats wrong with getting your lazy ass out of the dar and doing all that yourself?

I'd like to know why they stopped doing that actually.

Haha - have you seen the many self-service "conveniences" there are in today's societies? Gas, Grocery stores, they're everywhere. It's simple really, why should the store pay someone to do it for you, if you'll do it yourself? Plus, assuming the person in question isn't an idiot, it's faster this way. Especially with gas. Take a drive down the Atlantic City Expressway in jersey, and stop by the rest stop. You will see quite clearly why full service gas sucks (in high volume situations).

 

[E equals MC2]

Originally posted by: Deeko

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: Modelworks
Whats wrong with going back to years ago where you actually had a person that worked at the gas station who filled up your car, cleaned the window, checked the oil, etc .

With what they charge for gas, they should be able to afford to pay someone.

whats wrong with getting your lazy ass out of the dar and doing all that yourself?

I'd like to know why they stopped doing that actually.

Haha - have you seen the many self-service "conveniences" there are in today's societies? Gas, Grocery stores, they're everywhere. It's simple really, why should the store pay someone to do it for you, if you'll do it yourself? Plus, assuming the person in question isn't an idiot, it's faster this way. Especially with gas. Take a drive down the Atlantic City Expressway in jersey, and stop by the rest stop. You will see quite clearly why full service gas sucks (in high volume situations).

Huh?????????? In MA ppl still pump for you in majority of gas stations and they do it for free! And no, the gas isn't more expensive compared to self-serve.

Did I miss something and it's only a MA thing?

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: E equals MC2

Originally posted by: Deeko

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: Modelworks
Whats wrong with going back to years ago where you actually had a person that worked at the gas station who filled up your car, cleaned the window, checked the oil, etc .

With what they charge for gas, they should be able to afford to pay someone.

whats wrong with getting your lazy ass out of the dar and doing all that yourself?

I'd like to know why they stopped doing that actually.

Haha - have you seen the many self-service "conveniences" there are in today's societies? Gas, Grocery stores, they're everywhere. It's simple really, why should the store pay someone to do it for you, if you'll do it yourself? Plus, assuming the person in question isn't an idiot, it's faster this way. Especially with gas. Take a drive down the Atlantic City Expressway in jersey, and stop by the rest stop. You will see quite clearly why full service gas sucks (in high volume situations).

Huh?????????? In MA ppl still pump for you in majority of gas stations and they do it for free! And no, the gas isn't more expensive compared to self-serve.

Did I miss something and it's only a MA thing?

eh, i lived in boston for 2 years and i knew of 1 Full service gas station. they are slower then doing it yourself is what he was getting at, especially when there are a lot of people at the same station

MA might be diff but most places there is a premium for FS gas stations so it is more expensive