As many of you know, motorcycles often cannot trigger traffic lights due to their small amount of metal. Aptera body is made of composite and may have difficulty triggering traffic lights also. I had read Aptera may make the belly pan of composite or of metal. I would think if metal is chosen, it would be aluminum which is non-magnetic.
Has this subject been addressed, Either by Aptera Motors or on this forum? I have looked but could not find the discussion.
This is a good question, how have the prototypes been doing with these sensors?
Here’s how the traffic light works: https://auto.howstuffworks.com/car-driving-safety/safety-regulatory-devices/how-does-a-traffic-light-detect-that-a-car-has-pulled-up-and-is-waiting-for-the-light-to-change.htm
It’s a matter of whether an Aptera contains enough iron that will respond to an inductive coil. Not all stainless steels will, so the battery pack is a question. The coil springs and some Elaphe motor parts are surely steel. So, it is a good question.
I believe that embedded traffic light loops are triggered by ferrous metal (iron and steel). The wheel hubs and disk brakes are generally made of ferrous metal. I’m not sure but I think the wheel motors contain some as well.
I have often experience this in bikes, but the wheel motors will generate a magnetic field. I would be surprised if they don't trip the induction loops of the sensors.
Nathan mentioned, in a zoom session, it is a composite body and the metal parts are mostly aluminum with steel in the rear suspension I am sure we could look up Elaphe’s wheel motor composition.
@pistonboy Keep in mind that the Aptera contains quite a bit of metal: