To be introduced at the International Radio Show in Berlin are, two new Blaupunkt
navigation systems that offer real-time video navigation and traffic sign
recognition. Both these units also
feature interactive voice controls.Bluetooth is also part of the package, and with the 700, so is internet access.
Nissan has developed an 'Eco Pedal' that's designed to resist the driver's impulse to floor it. As the driver presses down on the gas pedal, the pedal pushes back, resisting the the driver's effort to accellerate. The idea here is to save gas, of course.
"When the driver exerts excess pressure on the accelerator, the system counteracts with the pedal push-back control mechanism," Nissan states.
While the thought is well intentioned, it will surely irritate those with lead feet. The good news for them is there is a defeat switch which can turn this eco-nanny off. Think we might see this on the gizmo-laden GT-R some day? Yeah, right...
Big Brother is alive and will be living in the next-generation BMW 7-Series, as it literally can read speed-limit signs and relay that info to the driver. In addition it can respond instantly to changes in variable speed limits, as well as temporary limits in school zones and roadworks, then flash a warning to the driver.
So the question comes to mind is this something that could be used in court against drivers with cars so equipped?
There have been several new "gearhead-oriented" apps recently introduced that can be put on the new Apple iPhone, and here is one more. It's called the gMeter, a name which appears to be a "spin" on the Apple devices in that the second letter in the name is capitalized. One of the unique advantages of the gMeter is that it also works on the iPod Touch as well as the iPhone. That alone should make this very popular, as there are a gazillion iPods out there.
Of interest to me is that the inventor is Craig Hunter, who has long been a member of the "Subaru Crew" here at Edmunds. Craig, who's other job is with NASA, and he is literally a "Rocket Scientist."
From the web site: gMeter is an app that turns the iPhone and iPod Touch into a vehicle performance computer. By using the onboard accelerometer in these devices, gMeter can measure forward and lateral g forces and use this data to compute acceleration, velocity, and distance traveled. gMeter is setup to compute performance for timed distance (1/4 mile or 400 meter), timed speed (0-60 mph or 0-100kph), or timed braking (60-0 mph or 100-0 kph), and offers a hands-free automatic start feature (based on vehicle motion). gMeter also offers a full manual mode.
gMeter can display data and compute performance in US or metric units, and data from performance runs can be saved and e-mailed right from the device. The software has a calibration mode used for setup, and offers a correction to account for vehicle pitch under acceleration and deceleration.
It is available through iTunes App Store and costs $8.99. More info can be found here.
Good news on the carbon fiber front: There's a news report saying that Toray Industries Inc., Nissan Motor Co. and Honda Motor Co. will be working as a team to develop a new carbon fiber material for use in auto bodies; the goal being to develop mass-market carbon fiber cars.The hope is to create mass production technology for the new material by the mid-2010s. If successful, they could save up to 40% lighter than their steel counterparts--and that's huge folks!Carbon fiber is one-quarter the weight of iron, but is 10 times as strong. High prices have been a major obstacle to the widespread use of carbon fiber in cars, but that's changing as the price of steel continues to rise.Full story here.
For $12.99 on iTunes, you can purchase Dynolicious from BunsenTech, that will turn your iPhone into a performance meter. The software uses the accelerometer inside the iPhone lets you record 0-10 through 0-100 times, quarter mile and trap speed, lateral Gs, horsepower and more.
Full story here at Autoblog, and here at the BunsenTech site.
If you believe Ford, the future is not in expensive built-in navigation systems, but rather in portable cell phone units, much like the new Apple iPhone 3G which has navigation capability, that work in tandem with the vehicle.
Ford is betting on their Sync, and other Sync-like information systems, is where everything is headed. You just dock your (very trick) cell phone into the car, and let Sync take it from there. The video screen to display maps and directions will likely remain, but the expensive global-positioning locator, the software to select routes and the databases of streets and destinations like gas stations and ATMs will all move to a central database like MapQuest.
For all you gearheads sitting by the pool (with your laptop of course), by the lake, by the beach, at the park, or wherever, here's a few automotive related items to get you through until Monday, when we start all over again:
The Parajet Skycar: Britain's zero-carbon flying dune buggy aims for Timbouctou.
Boy, this could be useful in cities, where on-street parking is hard to come by!It's called Smartphone, and it's hooked up to little square sensors that are glued to parking spaces. Drivers are alerted to empty parking places either by displays on street signs, or by looking at maps on screens of their smartphones. They may even be able to pay for parking by cellphone, and add to the parking meter from their phones without returning to the car. 6000 units are being tested in San Francisco.If the San Francisco experiment works, no one will have to murder anyone over a parking space," [yes, it has happened!] said Donald Shoup, a professor of urban planning at the University of California, Los Angeles, whose work on the pricing of parking spaces and whether more spaces are good for cities has led to a revolution in ideas about relieving congestion."It will have a cascade of positive effects on transportation and the economy and environment," he said. About a dozen major cities are in discussions with technology companies to deploy so-called smart parking systems, though San Francisco is ahead in its efforts.Full story here.Image: Tod Dykstra, left, chief of Streetline, and Scott Dykstra glue down sensors.
Here's the first "road test" of the new Apple iPhone G3 with navigation that I'm aware of. So is it the Holy Grail of phone-GPS? Well, not quite according to the early adapters over at AutoBlog. While, yes it did get them to where they were headed, there were a few bumps in the road, so to speak. First off, there is no real-time, turn-by-turn voice prompts. This is a major flaw in the system, as it currently stands. Also, if you should miss a turn or somehow get lost, it does not re-route you from where you are; another important feature that's MIA. Full story here.
Okay, so what's a Car-Bot? You're familiar with military defense drones, aren't you? You know, airplanes that fly without pilots? Well apply that same thinking to cars, as in cars that drive without drivers. Yeah, you say, as that's already been done before, so this is nothing new.Well, maybe--but so far it's been used only in very experimental applications. What I'm talking about is Car-Bots for the masses--as in going mainstream. A Car-Bot in every garage, so to speak.BusinessWeek has an interesting article on the possibilities of what Car-Bots might be able to do, and as to where this Car-Bot thing may go. Check it out here and here.
VW is working on producing a 100km per liter car, and obviously the key word here is production. The news is being reported on this Aussie site, but first surfaced on the UK's CAR site. So in Australia, that means one could travel from Sydney to Brisbane on just 10 litres of fuel.
Sound too wild to be true? Perhaps, but VW says it can it, and by 2010, so I guess we'll see. Not much is known about the car, but VW did show a concept back in 2002 (pictured) which might well be the basis of this new vehicle.Full story here.
Early testing indicates that PRV induction (pintle-regulated venturi) to be 25% better in terms of fuel economy. The system would replace a conventional manifold, and was developed by Colorado-based company PRV Performance.
A test consisting of a 203 mile highway run, using just just 3.9 gallons of 10% ethanol fuel, was completed with a Honda Civic. The run was completed at an average speed of 65 mph...
Well, it was going to happen sooner or later. The question was who was going to be first to offer wireless Internet, and it looks like that will be Chrysler.
The first question that will come to many is how can this be safe? I mean surfing the Net while driving?..
A while back I reported on the fact that Suzuki for 2009 will be making navigation standard on their entry-level SX4 model, which starts around $16K ('09 sub-$16K Suzuki SX4 comes with in-dash navigation). I thought then that it was a great idea to make this standard; I still do.
There are several reasons why I like this: This is (A) the first application from any any automaker of offer this feature on a sub-$20K car—not to mention making it standard. Does it add to the MSRP?..
It looks like Mercedes-Benz is jumping on the iPhone bandwagon, by making their cars fully integrated with the latest Apple widget. I hope other car makers will follow suit, especially those that aren't premium brands.
Ah, I thought one of the key selling points for portable navigations units was their cheap price? Now Garmin is launching their new Nuvi 880, and it goes for right around $1K. Yeah, still cheaper than the factory built-in units, but even so...
So Here's what you're paying for:
• Text-to-speech • Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) capability (screen control) • Bluetooth wireless technology (pair with phone or headset) • FM transmitter • Picture navigation: routing to a geocoded point in JPEG files • Included traffic receiver via MSN Direct receiver for North America • Last position: The unit automatically marks your position when you remove it from the windshield mount, so you can navigate with the Nüvi on foot and find your way back to your vehicle • Location and Text messages • Instant on • Web drop: create favorites in a PC browser and send to Nuvi via USB (.gps files) • Route planning with via points • USB 2.0, high-speed connectivity and mass storage • SD card slot • MCX connector (external antenna) • Digital Elevation Maps (DEM) • Embedded Linux (OS) • Replaceable battery, high-capacity Lithium-ion (up to 5 hours use)
Great news for fuel cell advocates, as Honda has announced that deliveries of the fuel cell-powered Clarity will begin in July, as well as providing news as to where these cars can be obtained here in the USA.
Film producer Ron Yerxa will take delivery of the first FCX Clarity in July. Other early adopters for Honda's next-generation fuel cell vehicle are author and actress Jamie Lee Curtis and her filmmaker husband Christopher Guest; business owner and car enthusiast Jim Salomon; actress Laura Harris; and Jon Spallino, who was already the world's first retail fuel cell vehicle customer. He had been been leasing a current generation FCX since 2005...
Say what you want about the BMW X6, but despite it's size and weight, that sucker can handle as well as some of the best sport sedans out there. Much of this back road prowess is due to a trick chassis called Dynamic Performance Control (DPC) that ZF has developed; part of which includes a torque-vectoring rear differential that can send more power to the outside rear wheels while cornering. Umm.... did someone just whisper Acura SH-AWD in my ear?
Besides the the torque-vectoring aspect, there are other features—a "suite" of chassis-control components—with the end result being a killer handling system...
Say what you want about the BMW X6, but despite it's size and weight, that sucker can handle as well as some of the best sport sedans out there. Much of this back road prowess is due to a trick chassis called Dynamic Performance Control (DPC) that ZF has developed; part of which includes a torque-vectoring rear differential that can send more power to the outside rear wheels while cornering. Umm.... did someone just whisper Acura SH-AWD in my ear?
Besides the the torque-vectoring aspect, there are other features—a "suite" of chassis-control components—with the end result being a killer handling system...
GINA = Geometry and Functions In “N” Adaptions, which is BMW-speak for future automotive production and functionality concepts. Clear?
If not you can read about it here and here, or check out the video below—which shows the amazing fabric-like 'skin' of this vehicle.
Chris Bangle lives! I think this is a pretty sharp looking roadster—and certainly one of Bangle's better efforts. Yeah, I know he's been "kicked upstairs," but his design influence is still very much intact...
It's called the PDK, or Doppelkupplung which is German for "double clutch." It's an all-new 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, and will be offered on the 2009 Porsche 911. While new to production Porsches, they fooled around with this concept back in the 1980s on their 962 race car.
The new 911s also get direct injection, so that combined with this new transmission option, means more power and better economy; sort of like having your cake and being able to eat it too. Just thinking about it is making me hungry...
Toyota's latest version of their LCD 'Night View' instrument cluster recognizes pedestrians by outlining the figures with a rectangular frame. This is available on the Japanese Crown Hybrid model. Toyota is also working on future version that will recognize animals and bicycles as well.
Another cool feature of this LCD instrument cluster is that there are several modes in which you can choose: There's an ECO Mode, a Sport Mode, as well as the Pedestrian Recognition Mode...
I know a lot of you are going to hate this, but I don't.
In future cars equipped with telematics (NAV, etc.), expect to see advertising pop up on your center dashboard screens. It's either that or you end up paying more (and higher) monthly subscriptions in order to access the many new features that will be available. Heck, we have ads on the Internet every time we log on, and we seem to live with that okay...
Here are a few automotive items that might tickle your fancy while lying on the beach this Memorial Day. Or between flippin' burgers on your grill—not grille, unless you actually cook on a "grille," which would then score you a 10 on the Straightline gearhead-o-meter.
XM's NavTraffic feature is gaining popularity by leaps abounds. For 2009 it will be offered on more than 40 vehicles. Those automakers include GM, Honda/Acura, Nissan/Infiniti, and Toyota. The upcoming Hyundai Genesis will offer it, and GM is including the feature in 22 new vehicles this year...
Good news on the carbon fiber front, as the price is expected to drop in the future. Three companies in Japan that make carbon fiber are working on this issue, as to date, the cost of carbon fiber has been just way too expensive for mass applications. Here's what's expected to happen:
• First, the price of carbon fiber is expected to become more competitive as both carbon cloth goes down and rolled sheet steel goes up.
* Second, as additional carbon fiber producing plants come online in the coming years, both the price and availability should improve...
Audi will be joining BMW in using the ZF 8-speed automatic transmission on their top-of-the-line models. This is in an effort to match Lexus, which already is using an 8-speed automatic on their LS460. BMW had earlier announced that the 7-Series and X6 models would be getting this new ZF tranny, and now Audi too will use it on their A8, Q7, and the upcoming A7 four-door coupe. The 8-speed Audis are expected next year...
The Microsoft Sync wireless communication system has been a huge hit for Ford. This is especially true on the Focus model line, as sales of Sync-equipped models have jumped off the charts. As a result expect to see more vehicle brands to offer similar units, and the first being Hyundai.
Hyundai has just struck up a deal with Microsoft, to offer a infotainment system much like what Ford is offering...
Volvo, ever the safety leader, is working on developing an injury-proof car. With any luck, the hope to be able to offer such a vehicle by 2020.
Claes Tingvall, the Swedish road administration's head of traffic safety, calls this the biggest revolution in the auto industry since the seatbelt. And states Jan Ivarsson, leader of the Volvo safety team: "I think if you look into the future, we as a community will not accept that we have injuries...
In a brilliant marketing move, Suzuki is making in-dash navigation standard on the 2009 SX4.
That's right, a factory built-in navigation unit will be standard in a sub-$16,000 car! All models are included—from the the cheapest FWD to the most expensive AWD. Cars will begin arriving this summer at dealers.
Included is a "lowest price" gas station finder and real-time traffic capability...
Boy, do you think this would fly over here? That being a navigation unit that warns you that you are about to enter a high crime area? You can bet that civil rights advocates would jump on this like bees at a honey festival.
I guess that's not considered a discrimination issue in Japan, and it will be interesting to see how Honda does with this...
In a follow-up to the extra key holder blog of a few days ago (Hitchsafe: Brilliant idea, or goofy idea?), here's another way to go: It's a flip-up rear license plate, with a spare key compartment behind it. Not bad.
Years ago I used to use a small magnetic box to hold my spare key. I would stick it up under the bumper...
This just another example of: 'why didn't I think of this, and make a million dollars by taking out a patent on the idea?'
The idea is so simple, and so great—which is often the case with great ideas. It's nothing more than an air valve cap that has a red LED that goes on when your tire pressure is too low. It's called the P-eye pressure sensing valve cap.
And now a little something for those Lamborghini fans out there...
From their press release: Lamborghini Video Content Now Available for Download via Podcast
SANT’AGATA BOLOGNESE, Italy – Today, Automobili Lamborghini, producer of the world’s most stylish super sports cars, announced that enthusiasts can now subscribe to “The World of Lamborghini” Podcast through the iTunes Store (here). This is Lamborghini’s latest outlet for delivering unique content to its loyal customers and fans.
All Lamborghini podcasts are available as a free download and are designed to ignite the world’s enthusiasm for the most amazing vehicles on the planet...
Bet you didn't see this coming... That is converting your vehicle's trailer hitch into a micro safe, in which you can store the family jewels. Now in my case, the family jewels might not even fill that hitch safe up; but what about for a spare car key or credit card?
It's a small detail, and certainly not a new idea, but it's good that a car factory is finally acknowledging the blind spot issue with rear-view mirrors. So kudos to Ford for offering this on next year's models.
