JACKSONVILLE, Fla., June 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The United States Patent and Trademark Office has awarded Autostop Saver a patent for its invention titled "Method And Apparatus To Control Vehicle Automatic Engine Stop-Start System Including Preference Retention." This achievement further reinforces the company’s commitment to driving innovation as the aftermarket leader of no-compromise, plug-and-play memory solutions for auto stop-start enabled vehicles.
While automatic stop-start systems have existed for several decades throughout Europe and Asia, only in recent years have these fuel-saving systems made their way into vehicles sold in North America. These days, car buyers are met with a dizzying array of pricey options, while automatic stop-start tech is now imposed as standard on nearly 80% of new passenger vehicles.
In automobiles equipped with a conventional automatic stop-start system, the system automatically shuts off the internal combustion engine whenever the vehicle slows to a complete stop to reduce the amount of time the engine spends idling, thereby reducing fuel consumption and emissions. Under normal driving conditions, when the driver releases their foot from the brake pedal, the engine restarts automatically. However, many drivers believe that turning a vehicle engine off and on frequently, e.g., at traffic lights, instead of idling, may cause premature wear of the vehicle’s starter system.
An estimated 33% of drivers consider the repetitive, automatic engine shutoff an annoyance and prefer to deactivate the automatic stop-start function of their vehicles. Most vehicles equipped with an automatic stop-start system include a push button switch that allows drivers to deactivate the function manually. However, with each ignition key cycle, many of these vehicles are configured by the factory to automatically default back to a state or mode in which the function is active. This perpetual reactivation frustrates vehicle owners, who then seek out ways to disable the system permanently. As a result, demand for aftermarket solutions, like the Autostop Saver, is sharply rising.
Autostop Saver reports that drivers who prefer to manually deactivate the function each time they start their vehicle, in total, expend approximately four hours ‘pressing the button’ across 79.3 months, the average length of vehicle ownership in the United States.
"Our now patent-protected technology was created to address the fundamental limitations of an automatic stop-start enabled vehicle when outfitted with a non-latching push button switch," said Justin Orantes, Autostop Saver CEO. "However, because we wanted our product to be plug-and-play, the solution became far more complex than just integrating a clever algorithm and a non-volatile memory component. We had to creatively overcome the seemingly impossible technical limitations present on the vast majority of vehicles today."
"The USPTO’s allowance of our claims provides validation that our approach is novel and first-in-class," added Orantes. "We’ve invested considerable resources to develop and protect our analog interface technology and look forward to seeing it benefit our customers for years to come."
The company has developed a comprehensive suite of interface technologies that can be adapted to any auto stop-start enabled vehicle on the road today. U.S. Patent No. 11,040,716 marks the companies first patent issued within its IP portfolio, with additional patents pending.
For complete details on the ‘716 patent, visit www.uspto.gov.
About Autostop Saver
Autostop Saver is on a mission to improve automatic stop-start for every driver. They create obsessively designed and tested solutions, so you can stop pressing the button. No matter what you drive, chances are, they have a no-compromise solution for you. To date, the Jacksonville-based company has developed plug-and-play memory modules for over 500 vehicle applications.
The easy-to-install modules not only improve your driving experience but also retain the full factory functionality of the automatic stop-start system. Once installed, simply push the off button, and the vehicle will now remember your preference between key cycles. However, if you ever decide to turn the system back on, simply push the button again to reactivate the function.
Products will be available for purchase through their website and select retailers at launch later this year.
To learn more, visit www.autostopsaver.com.
Media Contacts
Autostop Saver
Erica Haire
904-638-5582
312854@email4pr.com
SOURCE Autostop Saver
