Software Update Automatically Turns off Amazon Delivery Drivers’ AC During Dangerous Summer Heat

I can hear my dad yelling

CLOSE THE GODDAMN DOOR IM NOT PAYING TO COOL THE OUTSIDE

Ah, childhood.

Me running the A/C with the windows down:

Your AC turns itself off and on repeatedly through it's normal running cycle to prevent frost building up - your fridge and freezer does this as well.

I see plenty of Amazon vans driving around neighborhoods with the side door wide open…

Next headline: Amazon driver suffocates to death after van door closes on their neck.

The "turning thing on and off Uses more energy than just leaving it on" thing is largely a myth based on a complete misunderstanding of how most electronics work and a lack of understanding of thermodynamics.

Most electronics (even light bulbs) do have an energy spike at power on but the spike is measured in milliseconds (if that).

Yes, but it does that with the doors generally closed most of the time. An A/C that has to keep turning on and off because it gets warmer immediately due to a door being open more than closed is different.

Yes but there is an external factor involved here: leaving the door open for extended periods of time. If we’re talking about energy saving for the battery, and you can probably extend that to the environmental effects as well, at some point it’s more cost effective to turn the A/C off. I’m not gonna argue if 30 seconds is that point, people who know more can confirm that.

Now obviously what they are NOT taking into account is driver comfort and the fact they are literally being timed down to the second with their deliveries to the point they leave the door open just to shave off a couple of seconds on each stop.

AC units without inverters specifically

Wouldn't matter if they're never in there anyway

I saw a video where a guy just shoved a $1 carabineer into the door latch to defeat this.

EDIT: Here's the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF6VBnUla58