I agree with you response the programmed PAS drive systems do have the advantage of not having to retain a position on the throttle to get sustained assist but I know of some controllers like the Infineons from Grin that have a cruise feature if the throttle is held steady for more that 5 seconds (the assist stays at that level even if the throttle is released and continue to hold there until an ebrake is applied or the throttle is utilized again.
I'm kind of a believer that simplicity wins in the long run. The PAS systems utilize torque, cadence, speed, and/or even sometimes gearing (as done with the Polaris GST system) to determine the assist level provided. That's a lot of added complexity for something that still is not perfected. Don't get me wrong...I thin the PAS systems are good but I'm come full circle back the simplicity of a throttle because I always get the exact assist I want and I always remain pedaling because I want the exercise (sometimes I'm not even utilizing any assist).
