XYDO.COM: Automotive

Report: Nissan announces Russian expansion

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Nissan, RussiaNissan wants to be big in Russia. Right now, the brand brand lays claim to 5.9 percent of the Russian market, and the plan is to increase share to ten percent by 2016. That means moving nearly 500,000 vehicles a year, more than triple the 161,000 total units moved in 2011. Nissan plans to muscle up its production at its St. Petersburg plant, doubling output to 100,000 vehicles for 2014. With upgrades to the press and plastics shops, the St. Petersburg facility will produce five different models at the same time, including the Qashqai, Teana, X-Trail and Murano. The revived Datsun brand will also figure into the plans. Datsun is being ramped up in growth markets as a low-cost boutique product developed and produced locally to appeal to an emerging customer base. For further details, check out the press release posted below.Continue reading Nissan announces Russian expansionNissan announces Russian expansion originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 27 May 2012 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Motorsports: Red Bull creates Racing Spy app

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Technology, RacingRed Bull Racing employs a paddock 'spy' who keeps tabs on Formula One grand prix goings-on and gossip, in addition to having a front-row, behind-the-scenes seat in one of the sport's top teams. The energy drink firm has just given him a larger platform for his intel with the Red Bull Racing Spy app, available now for free on Apple iTunes. It appears to cover all the angles, with race infographics, background and historical facts, galleries, race info and season calendar as well as real-time updates like track positions during the race. On top of which you can send the spy your own questions and "challenges." Who knows, the spy might be able to answer some of our own questions about the Alpine A110-50C/ZAR.Scroll down to read the press release, head over to iTunes for the download. Android fans, your app is on the way.Continue reading Red Bull creates Racing Spy appRed Bull creates Racing Spy app originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 27 May 2012 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Auctions: $1.9M Zagato coupe highlights Bonhams sale at Aston Martin Works

Filed under: Classics, Auctions, Aston Martin, UK Every year Bonhams holds an auction in the hallowed halls of Aston Martin Works, the restoration shop on the site of the company's old Newport Pagnell factory. A number of rare and significant Astons crossed the block at the recently expanded facility. At the top of the list was a DB4GT Zagato "Sanction II" coupe (pictured above). While the original collaboration between Aston Martin and Zagato netted nineteen DB4 GTs between 1961 and 1963, the two firms had planned for 23. Thirty years later, Aston revived the project and sent four unfinished chassis down to Zagato's headquarters in Milan and had the series completed. It was the fourth and last of these "Sanction II" coupes - previously owned by music industry manager Tony Smith - that was sold this week at Newport Pagnell, fetching a record £1.2 million - just under $1.9 million at today's rates. Alongside the pristine Zagato coupe, Bonhams auctioned off a 1962 DB4 Vantage convertible for £611,900 ($960k) and a 1963 DBS convertible for £488,700 ($767k). A one-of-a-kind 1971 DBS shooting brake commissioned by a Scottish nobleman and outfitted for fishing went for £345,000 ($540k) - considerably more than its £60k pre-sale estimate. Other highlights included a 1994 Virage Volante once used by the Prince of Wales and a 1994 Virage owned by boxing champ Lennox Lewis. Overall, the event brought in £6.5 million - equivalent to over ten million dead presidents. You can read the press release below for more details from both Aston Martin Works and Bonhams.Continue reading $1.9M Zagato coupe highlights Bonhams sale at Aston Martin Works$1.9M Zagato coupe highlights Bonhams sale at Aston Martin Works originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 27 May 2012 14:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Monaco Sunday quotes: Pirelli

Monaco Sunday quotes: McLaren

Alonso says third means goals achieved

Fernando Alonso reckons third place means he achieved his target from the Monaco Grand Prix, which was to finish ahead of his closest championship rivals Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton.

F1: Button fears strategy gamble not easy

Jenson Button reckons it could be difficult to use a bold strategy to move through the field in the Monaco Grand Prix as there are so many drivers out of position following qualifying. McLaren driver Button only managed 12th on the Monte Carlo grid More »

F1: Briatore: Wide open races good for F1

Ex-Formula 1 team boss Flavio Briatore believes the 2012 season's unpredictability is a good thing - provided grand prix racing's credibility does not suffer if fans think the best drivers are being held back

F1: Mercedes confident tyre issues solved

Mercedes is confident that it is on top of the tyres for the Monaco Grand Prix - despite the big degradation problems it suffered in last year's race

The High-Speed Amphibious All-Terrain Vehicle That Would Make Even Master Chief Jealous [Video]

The Warthog might be Master Chief's vehicle of choice in the Halo games, but once he sees the amphibious Scamander, we suspect he'll be putting in an official requisition for a new ride. More »

The High-Speed Amphibious All-Terrain Vehicle That Would Make Even Master Chief Jealous [Video]

The Warthog might be Master Chief's vehicle of choice in the Halo games, but once he sees the amphibious Scamander, we suspect he'll be putting in an official requisition for a new ride. More »

What Could Be Classier Than Completely Covering Your Car in Actual Diamonds? [Overkill]

Gemballa, a renown German Porche tuner, has recently announced the ultimate way to ugly up your luxury vehicle. It's created a sparkling paint finish made from actual crushed diamonds. Not metal flakes, not glass fragments, but nature's most precious gemstone. More »

Electric cars equal $1 a gallon gas for life + $1,200 cash a year

Car buyers are notoriously fond of focusing only on the purchase price of new vehicles, without much thinking about the total cost of ownership. For electric cars that may cost twice or more what a similar-size gasoline vehicle does, that’s a problem. Still, two separate pieces of evidence begin to make a compelling case for the huge running-cost advantages of plug-ins. They’ll prove useful in conversations over the next few years, as friends, relatives, and neighbors question electric-car buyers about their new vehicles: why they did it, how much hassle it may be to plug in, and–of course–how much it cost. Gasoline vs. electricity price in $/gallon equivalent, under 3 scenarios (by Max Baumhefner) First is a post entitled Buck-a-Gallon Gas for Life? Author Max Baumhefner, a Natural Resources Defense Council staffer, simply plots the equivalent cost of gasoline and electricity under different oil-price scenarios. Gasoline is high, higher, or very much higher; electricity stays cheap regardless of what happens to oil prices. Even more compelling is a chart (at top) from the Edison Electric Institute, showing the volatility of gasoline prices and the minimal variation in electric costs over the same period. In other words, plugging in your electric car to recharge it is the equivalent of paying a dollar a gallon for gasoline–forever. Second is State of Charge, a study issued last month by the Union of Concerned Scientists on a variety of electric vehicle issues. (We’ll cover more of that study later on.) It found that electric-car owners in 50 of the largest U.S. cities who cover 11,000 miles a year will save from $750 to $1,200 annually compared to traveling the same distance by buying gasoline at $3.50 a gallon. While most early electric car buyers have other reasons than saving money, the running-cost advantage has to be better explained if plug-in cars are to reach a broader audience. And while payback may still be hard to achieve, the lure of “buck-a-gallon gasoline forever” or “$1,200 a year in your pocket” may be enough to get fence-sitters more interested in plug-in cars. Whereupon they may go for test drives, and discover one of the benefits that automakers (inexplicably) haven’t focused on: Electric cars are simply nicer to drive. What do you think? How would you make the case that electric cars can save someone money? Leave us your thoughts in the comments below. This article originally appeared on Green Car Reports, one of VentureBeat’s editorial partners. Filed under: green

What Could Be Classier Than Completely Covering Your Car in Actual Diamonds? [Overkill]

F1: Monaco Saturday quotes: HRT

Monaco Saturday quotes: Caterham

Top 10 Ways to Beat the Heat [Video]

The heat is back. Summer is coming. The sun is out to get you—but don't lose hope. Here are our top 10 ways to beat the heat. More »

Every Serious Person Needs To See This Chart On What's Really Driving The Economy

You might not be familiar with it, but "Very Serious People" is a popular slur on the internet to describe a certain brand of politician, economist, and pundit who talk about the need for bold steps and sweeping structural reforms to deal with problems like the deficit, America's lack of competitiveness, and the need to build a retooled, highly educated workforce prepared for the high-tech challenges of the 21st century. In the eyes of the "Very Serious People," If you propose something so crude as just spending a lot of money to put people to work, but don't also propose some long-term deficit "solution", then, well, you're just not being serious. The Simpson-Bowles Commission and its supporters. They were serious. Paul Ryan? Serious. Paul Krugman is pretty fond of using the phrase, though he says it was coined by Duncan Black of the blog Eschaton. Anyway, one of the fundamental beliefs of this set of folks is that unemployment is the result of some fundamental (mostly technological) change to the economy. Gone are the old days of working in a store or in a factory or hammering nails to build a house. All that collapsed, and the industries of the future (like building apps for phones or sifting through piles of Big Data) aren't open to the workers of the pre-2008 world. And so therefore, they say, it's crude and silly to think that mere fiscal stimulus can do anything but put a temporary "band aid" on the problem. But there's a problem with this view, which is that it doesn't accurately describe the economy at all. Karl Smith at Modeled Behavior posted this brilliant chart the other day. The blue line is the shipment of technological manufactured goods. The red line is the shipment of metals for the durable goods industry. One of the lines has been surging since the recovery, and it isn't the tech one. It's the major old economy one. If we listened to the Very Serious People, we'd be trying hard to train people to work in tech, rather than in burgeoning heavy industry, that are having major booms. As Karl Smith notes separately (in a chart via Mark Perry), US auto assembly has gone parabolic. In fact, rapid growth in car sales is said to have accounted for over half of Q1 GDP. Now think about that: Even the Obama administration, when it was bailing out the auto industry in 2009, would probably never have guessed in public that car sales would be the primary driver of GDP. If you had said that, you'd have been totally laughed at by the people talking about the economy of tomorrow. Meanwhile, certain measures of the housing industry (like permits and starts) are starting to achieve liftoff as well. And by this point, probably nobody needs to be told what a boom there's been in employment in domestic resource extraction. There's definitely no question that there are areas of the US economy that are growing incredibly rapidly, and which face a major talent shortage, since not many people can code iPhone apps or whatnot. But labor shortages have always been a big thing at the high end of the economy. The fact of the matter is, though, that the US labor market is well suited for a lot of what needs to get done: Building stuff, manufacturing big things, and of course taking care of old people. Spending money to put people to work in these areas is certainly one plausible strategy that needn't be scoffed at. Stepping back for a moment, it's worth thinking about what it is that makes people insist on the need for big, bold ideas, rather than simple stuff like stimulus, to help the economy. It's probably a bias of intellectuals that simplistic stuff just isn't interesting, and that only grand prescriptions could work. Furthermore, it just doesn't sound good. Saying "structural problems" makes you sound interesting. Talking about a high-tech workforce makes you sound like someone with vision. Saying "spend more" is boring. Now click here to see 20 huge trends that are shaping the economy > Please follow Money Game on Twitter and Facebook.Join the conversation about this story »

F1: Pirelli in new push for Q3 rule changes

Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery is pushing for formal discussions about a revision to the Q3 tyre rules at the next meeting of the Formula 1 commission

Every Serious Person Needs To See This Chart On What's Really Driving The Economy

F1: Pirelli in new push for Q3 rule changes

Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery is pushing for formal discussions about a revision to the Q3 tyre rules at the next meeting of the Formula 1 commission

Flashing headlights is your Constitutionally protected right

Florida police should no longer be able to ticket drivers who use their headlights to communicate with other drivers, even if it's to warn them of an upcoming speed trap. [Read more]

Video: Scamander is the go-anywhere, swim-across-anything RV from England

Filed under: Videos, UK, Specialty, Design/Style When Evo magazine's founder and Editorial Director Harry Metcalfe says a machine is "the most amazing vehicle you've ever seen," you know you're in for a treat. After all, Metcalfe has been at the head of the British magazine since its first issue in 1998 and has owned or driven nearly every vehicle you can imagine. The amazing machine that's netted such admiration from Metcalfe? The Scamander, a truly all-terrain vehicle designed and built by Peter Wheeler, the man who owned British boutique automaker TVR for 23 years. With its 300-horsepower V6 engine, the Scamander is reportedly capable of hitting 60 miles per hour in about eight seconds and can hit a top speed of 120 mph. On land, that is You see, there's also a impeller out back, meaning this crazy floating contraption can also take to the water. Sadly, Wheeler died before seeing this project to completion, but his wife and a team of engineers made sure that the Scamander finally saw the light of day in fully finished form. Scroll down below to see Metcalfe take the Scamander over land and sea.Continue reading Scamander is the go-anywhere, swim-across-anything RV from EnglandScamander is the go-anywhere, swim-across-anything RV from England originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 May 2012 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Official: Fiat suspends sales to Iran, cites diplomacy issues

Filed under: Government/Legal, Middle East, FiatFiat, Italy's largest automaker and the company in control of Chrysler, has announced that it is suspending sales to Iran amidst a wave of global sanctions against the Middle Eastern country's nuclear efforts. The automaker says this includes passenger cars, trucks and buses under its Iveco brand. The automaker said it will honor a limited number of binding contracts but would stop exporting any cars or parts to Iran immediately. Fiat also said that its business in Iran was "totally immaterial in a quantitative and qualitative sense." In other words, the move won't have any real impact on the company's bottom line, apparently. Fiat joins Hyundai, PSA Peugeot Citroën and Porsche as automakers no longer doing business in Iran. No American automakers sell vehicles in Iran. Read the complete statement from Fiat below, along with a response from United Against Nuclear Iran.Continue reading Fiat suspends sales to Iran, cites diplomacy issuesFiat suspends sales to Iran, cites diplomacy issues originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 May 2012 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Official: Audi reinvents the rearview mirror for its Le Mans racers

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Safety, Technology, Audi, Racing Every year at every auto show we see concept cars that envision replacing the rearview mirrors with digital cameras. They're usually the exterior mirrors and not the central one above the windshield, but whatever the case, and however much sense they seem to make, government regulations prevent them from being put into production. But Audi has found another use for the idea: its racing cars. The latest R18 Le Mans prototype features, among other more considerable advancements, an AMOLED screen in the closed cockpit that's hooked up to a video camera, housed in carbon fiber and protruding ever so slightly from the tail fin. The system allows the drivers - who are put under enormous strain over the course of an endurance race - to clearly see the traffic coming up behind (or that they've just passed), which is apparently of great benefit considering that these mid-engined, closed-cockpit LMPs have no room for a rear window through which a conventional mirror would peer. While they were at it, Audi moved the gear indicator, some warning lights and the tire slip gauge to the high-mounted central display. The side mirrors are still there on the outside, so the system doesn't eliminate that drag (for now), but it operates independent of the sight-limiting vibrations that can occur at the high speeds an LMP can reach, and of the weather conditions that can cause reduced visibility from spray in the wet. Though it may take some time, if Audi wins on Sunday, it could end up selling this technology in its road cars on Monday.Continue reading Audi reinvents the rearview mirror for its Le Mans racersAudi reinvents the rearview mirror for its Le Mans racers originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 May 2012 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Exclusive: Hands-On with BMW's Most Advanced Infotainment System

? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ? ? runMobileCompatibilityScript('myExperience1656904524001', 'anId'); brightcove.createExperiences(); BMW has released details on its refreshed 2013 7 Series flagship before it goes on sale late this summer. But while the new drivetrains, mildly updated exterior and reworked interior are nice, what's more impressive is the latest iteration of BMW iDrive. And we've ...

Summer gas prices - as good as they'll get

As the summer driving season kicks off this holiday weekend, most Americans are enjoying lower gas prices than they might have expected when the spring began.

ISS Welcomes SpaceX Dragon — First Private Spacecraft at Station

Photo: NASA The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft successfully berthed with the International Space Station this morning after a long overnight approach including several unplanned maneuvers. The crew at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California concluded a long night of flight demonstrations and trouble-shooting by watching astronaut Don Pettit control the station’s robotic arm and grapple the Dragon at 6:56 a.m. PDT. “Looks like we’ve got a Dragon by the tail,” Pettit said from the station’s Cupola module once the capture was made. Pettit’s successful capture of the Dragon was greeted by cheers at both SpaceX’s Hawthorne headquarters and NASA’s mission control in Houston. For both SpaceX and NASA the capture moment marks the beginning of a shift in how cargo will be delivered to and from the space station, with the eventual goal of changing how manned flight itself is done to low earth orbit. But Dragon’s overnight approach was not without hiccups, demonstrating the true test flight nature of the mission. A problem with the devices used to guide the Dragon as it approaches the station forced an initial retreat. In the end there were a handful of changes made to the initial flight plan, but at 6:49 a.m. PDT, the Dragon sat just 10 meters (32 feet) from the ISS when NASA flight director Holly Ridings gave the command SpaceX had been waiting years to hear, “go for capture.” Early Friday morning the SpaceX team in Hawthorne completed the approach initiation burn of the Dragon’s Draco thrusters to move the spacecraft roughly a 1,000 meters to a point where it could change its alignment relative to the station before performing the first series of demonstration maneuvers close to the ISS. The Dragon spacecraft could be seen by its flashing strobe light against the night sky on earth. Once in place at 350 meters, Dragon completed a 180-degree yaw rotation to align itself, and then another short burn was performed to move to the 250 meter point where the demonstrations would begin. At 2:29 a.m. PDT, the SpaceX team confirmed Dragon was holding at 250 meters (820 feet), but Andre Kuipers, the Dutch astronaut on board the station noticed the spacecraft was slightly forward of where it was expected to be. NASA engineers in Houston said the position was acceptable. Sketch of the demonstration maneuvers planned for Dragon near the ISS. Image: NASA As the ISS and Dragon passed in and out of sunlight orbiting the earth every 90 minutes, the teams in Houston and Hawthorne prepared for what has long been considered the most challenging and critical part of the mission, demonstrating Dragon can make several different maneuvers in close range to the ISS with commands being sent from both the ground and from the astronauts on the station. Just before 3:00 a.m. PDT with a short burst of the thrusters, Dragon again began approaching the ISS. Minutes later, with the Dragon 220 meters from the station, astronaut Kuipers sent a command via the UHF communications link and Dragon aborted its approach as expected and returned to the 250 meter hold position. Test one was complete. Kuipers planned to send a command for Dragon to hold at 235 meters, but problems with Dragon’s onboard thermal camera used for the rendezvous with the ISS kept it at the 250 meter point. After a few minutes the test resumed and Kuipers issued Dragon a hold command at 235 meters, but it happened a bit earlier than planned. Over the next half hour or so, the teams in Hawthorne and Houston were busy evaluating the data from the onboard sensors to make sure both the station and Dragon agreed on their relative positions before moving any closer, particularly inside the simply named “Keep Out Sphere” that surrounds the ISS at 200 meters. As time progressed, some questions were raised from the data being analyzed from Dragon’s thermal image sensors and the onboard LIDAR (light detection and ranging) sensors. The two different devices are used to independently measure the distance between the two spacecraft. This information is then used by Dragon’s guidance system as it approaches the ISS. The data provided by the thermal cameras was causing the engineers to further evaluate the sensor. Dragon was sent to an unplanned hold position at 200 meters in hopes of giving the thermal sensors a chance to obtain better data on the position of Dragon relative to the ISS. Dragon at 30 meters from the station. Photo: NASA By 4:20 a.m. PDT Dragon was once again on the move, this time to a position 150 meters from the station. After checking the sensors again, Dragon was cleared to fly to the next hold point at 30 meters. But less than 20 minutes later Dragon was held at 78 meters as SpaceX made some changes to the spacecraft’s LIDAR equipment. At 5:21 a.m. PDT the approach was resumed but just four minutes later SpaceX issued a retreat command, moving Dragon away from the ISS. Dragon returned to 78 meters while a problem with the LIDAR was analyzed. It turns out the laser used by the LIDAR was receiving stray reflections from the Japanese Kibo laboratory on the station. Over the course of the next half hour, SpaceX engineers analyzed how to resolve the problem with the stray LIDAR signals, eventually deciding to narrow the view of the LIDAR. Essentially they put blinders on the sensors so they could only see straight ahead, where the Dragon was set to be berthed with the station. Eventually Dragon was given the go ahead to proceed to the 30 meter point, and then to the 10 meter location where it would be captured by the station’s robotic arm. After rescheduling the planed grapple a few times during the morning, the go ahead was given for a capture at 7:02 a.m. which would take place in the dark as the two spacecraft passed over Australia. Dragon took roughly 20 minutes to fly the final 20 meters to its final hold position. Station's robotic Canada arm approaches Dragon. Photo: NASA With Dragon in place at 10 meters, NASA’s Holly Ridings sat at her flight director desk in Houston with a purple stuffed dragon toy on the console above her. She anxiously twirled her pen in her hand as she told astronaut Pettit that Dragon was operating on a single LIDAR and should that one fail, the spacecraft would abort. But in the final minutes, everything went well as Don Pettit maneuvered the arm towards Dragon. As the end of the arm inched towards the capsule, lights from the ISS bathed Dragon in an orange glow. A few minutes ahead of schedule at 6:56 a.m. PDT, capture was confirmed by NASA, marking the first time a private spacecraft was attached to the International Space Station. The capture occurred 3 days, 6 hours, 11 minutes and 23 seconds after the Falcon 9 had lifted off from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Tuesday morning. After another hour and a few reconfigurations of Dragon the robotic arm slowly pulled the capsule towards the station and at 8:52 a.m. PDT NASA confirmed Dragon was firmly attached to the station itself and the robotic arm was no longer holding it in place. After tightening the 16 bolts attaching Dragon to the station’s Harmony module, the ISS officially had its first private spacecraft visitor. Dragon berthed to the Harmony module on the ISS. Photo: NASA There are several more steps before the hatch between the ISS and Dragon will be opened early Saturday. Once opened, the crew on board the station will spend several days unpacking the 1,014 pounds (460 kilograms) of cargo on board Dragon. Once empty, the crew will load up Dragon with 1,367 (620 kilograms) of cargo before the spacecraft is released from the station and returns to earth with a splash down in the Pacific Ocean on May 31.

Official: Renault Alpine A110-50 concept does its papa proud

Filed under: Concept Cars, Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Etc., Europe, Renault, Design/StyleRenault has officially released details on its Alpine A110-50 Concept. Designed to pay homage to the original Alpine A110, the machine wears a body crafted from carbon fiber and dipped in a shade of the same iconic Alpine Blue we all know and love. Up front, designers worked in a set of half-ring yellow LED lights reminiscent of the hood-mounted fog lights found on the original. That's pretty much where the similarities end, however. Based loosely on the crushingly-sexy Renault Dezir Concept, the new machine boasts proud fender arches, a wild split-wing rear spoiler and scissor doors. As we'd heard before, the A110-50 Concept rolls on the same chassis as the Megane Trophy, complete with adjustable Sachs dampers, 21-inch wheels and the notable absences of on-board nannies like ABS or traction control. Hefty 14-inch front brake discs are pressed by six-piston calipers, while the 13-inch discs out back make due with four-piston units. Renault placed a 3.5-liter V6 mid-ship with a full 400 horsepower on hand. A roof mounted-intake funnels air from outside the engine bay into the machine's carbon-fiber intake. Meanwhile, a dual-clutch six-speed gearbox allows the driver the choice of disengaging the transmission via a floor-mounted clutch pedal or shifting via steering-wheel mounted paddles.Scroll down to check out the full press release as well as a couple videos.Continue reading Renault Alpine A110-50 concept does its papa proudRenault Alpine A110-50 concept does its papa proud originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 May 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

VW Advertises on Knockoff YouTube Videos to Tout Original Auto Parts

To promote Volkswagen's original auto parts, Brazilian ad agency AlmapBBDO slapped banners on popular homemade YouTube clips—mostly spoofs, parodies and wacky foreign interpretations of songs—directing viewers to the original songs by the original artists. "Don’t accept imitations. Prefer original parts," the banners read. The effort apparently generated 125,000 views and 500 clicks for every $100 spent. Surely 99 percent of those clicks were intended to make the damn banners get off the screen and stop blocking the memes. They're way more entertaining and addictive than the originals. Sing it, He-Man: "Hey, yeah yeah yeah yeah!" I'm firing up Final Cut Pro to get the "Indian Thriller" cast dancing to that one. Via Adverblog.

Report: Motorcycle fatalities stay steady while auto deaths decline

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Motorcycle The numbers haven't been definitively crunched, but it is expected that the estimated 32,310 traffic fatalities in 2011 were the lowest on record in the 62 years that records have been kept. Yet the good news about the total number of fatalities masks regrettable news for traffic safety authorities: automobile fatalities are down, but motorcycle fatalities are up. After a steady rise in motorcyclist death rates through the first decade of the new century, numbers fell in 2009 and the beginning of 2010. Observers hoped the trend would continue, but that didn't happen when deaths ticked up slightly over the course of 2010 and stayed steady through 2011. Causes are varied, from high gas prices leading more people to ride motorcycles to inadequate training for both riders and automobile drivers on how to ply the roads safely. A report breaking down the numbers also "noted that 29 percent of fatally injured riders in 2010 had a blood-alcohol concentration at or above the legal limit, and 35 percent of motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes were speeding." It didn't, however, indicate how much of those numbers overlapped - how many of those riders were over the limit when they died. Nor does it look like current developments will allay the trend in the near-term. Only 19 states require riders to wear helmets, Michigan just repealed its compulsory helmet law and five other states are considering such measures. Again, the overall number of fatalities is welcome news considering how many more people and cars there are on the roads now compared to 1949, but the takeaway for motorcyclists is that there is now more reason to be extra careful when you ride.Motorcycle fatalities stay steady while auto deaths decline originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 May 2012 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Toyota Rediscovers the Joy of Rear-Wheel Performance

Scion's new FR-S has a playful rear-drive character and curvaceous styling that should make it a hot commodity among the company's under-30 target market.

This Cadillac is Powered by Linux

Image: Cadillac LOS ANGELES, California – The brand once known as the “Standard of the World” has fully embraced the Standard of Geeks for it’s latest play for the hearts, minds and cash of the upwardly mobile. This is the all-new 2013 Cadillac XTS, and while it certainly isn’t your great-great (great) grandfather’s Cadillac, it’s designed to appeal to everyone from octogenarians to their baby-boomer spawn, and maybe – just maybe – even you… While the XTS’ spate of processors and controllers isn’t running the open-source offspring of Linus Torvalds, the game-changing infotainment intender known as the Cadillac User Experience (CUE) is. Buried deep within the dash is a three-core, ARM 11 processor, powering two displays: one eight-inch capacitive touch screen – the first non-resistive display to come to a production car – and a second, 12.3-inch fully-configurable instrument cluster mounted behind the steering wheel. Two of those cores adapt on the fly to handle voice commands powered by the same Nuance technology used by many automakers, along with Apple’s personal assistant, Siri. But with CUE, everything is processed on-board. Because of that trick bit of natural voice recognition technology, and specifically its ability to listen for commands in-line, inputing addresses and performing point-of-interest searches is easily the best we’ve ever experienced in a modern vehicle. Image: Cadillac Rather than breaking out each portion of an address into dedicated fields, you simply have to speak an address (say, “123 Main Street, Cupertino, California”) and CUE is smart enough to recognize the entire address in one shot. More impressive is the system’s ability to take local searches – everything from “I need coffee” to navigating to a restaurant – process the voice command within a few seconds and deliver a result. CUE is one of the most attractive infotainment systems to date This came in particular handy while trying to make our way to the test-drive lunch stop. Instead of having to look up the address, input it into the navigation system and wait for the routing to begin, we simply said the name of the restaurant and seconds later it was dialed into the nav. And even though we stumbled on our words, pausing momentarily and stuttering in the process, it still recognized where we were trying to go. That’s a first and it’s something we can’t wait to see proliferate throughout other production vehicles. This same functionality extends to the app and audio integration, allowing the driver to say “Play Rolling Stones Radio” in Pandora or “I want to listen to 88.5″ without ever having to touch the screen, twist a knob or punch a button. Which is good, since there are few knobs or buttons to speak of. Images: Cadillac Aside from the redundant controls on the steering wheel (and there are several), the entire center panel is made up entirely of capacitive, chrome-clad touch controls. The lower panel – which mechanically tilts upward to reveal a hidden compartment for stowing a phone, along with two USB ports for plugging in your mobile, MP3 player or thumb drive – houses controls for volume, climate, seat heating and cooling, plus “home” and “power” controls. Unfortunately, the very nature of capacitive switchgear means there’s a subtle lag between pressing a “button”, registering the input, delivering a haptic pulse, sending said input to the system and then eliciting a change in fan speed or volume level. It’s the same gripe we have with the MyFord Touch system – further proof that good ol’ knobs are still the best way to go, despite their lack of gee-wizardry. And this same lack of responsiveness can occasionally be felt when navigating the eight-inch central display. While the overall polish of the system is more than enough to impress, there’s still a perceivable lack of smoothness and immediacy While the overall polish of the system is more than enough to impress, there’s still a perceivable lack of smoothness and immediacy when switching through menus, navigating pages and swiping between screens. The situation is exacerbated by the occasional misinterpreted press on the screen, a product of small touch points that don’t always register where you expect them. Equally jarring is CUE’s ability to detect when your hand moves within eight inches of the screen, which then pulls up a series of configurable virtual buttons for everything from radio presets to frequently navigated addresses. When you pull away, the controls fade into the background. It’s impressive to watch the system recognize your hand’s proximity to the screen and then display a series of controls that would make the display look otherwise cluttered, but having some of these items statically placed seems like a more intelligent user interface choice for frequently selected options. That’s one of the many reasons Cadillac is providing an iPad with every 2013 model to help consumers navigate the new system. Image: Cadillac General smoothness aside, CUE is one of the most attractive infotainment systems to date, mixing 3D graphics with color icons and a beautifully rendered mapping display. And while the app selection is limited for now, with only Pandora, Stitcher and a pre-installed OnStar app available at launch, Cadillac tells Wired that an app store is on the way. Java and HTML5 are make up the core frameworks, so once developers are granted access to the SDK, Cadillac expects as many as 30 apps to be available within the next year. But while we had our issues with CUE (growing pains, we’re sure), the configurable display that takes the place of traditional gauges behind the steering wheel never failed to impress. Image: Cadillac Four different designs are available, beginning with a simple, three gauge cluster with engine revs on the left, speed in the center and fuel, coolant and phone/navigation/audio on the right. It’s the most traditional display and what most drivers will feel immediately comfortable with. The second display nixes all the round gauges for a digital speedo at the top, navigation instructions below and other assorted information flanking the sides, while an even more simple display – obviously aimed at some of Cadillac’s aging drivers – only shows speed, fuel level and a few other must-haves. Finally, there’s a more enthusiast-friendly option, with an oversized tachometer and speedo, partnered with a 3D rendering of the vehicle along with tire pressures, engine temp, navigation and audio controls, all displayed clearly and vividly for the driver. We stuck with the latter during the majority of our drive. All this tech is pretty useless if the vehicle surrounding it isn’t up to snuff. And here Cadillac has a winner, even though the XTS won’t send chills down the spines of Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Image: Cadillac The exterior is an odd blend of bold and bland, while the interior is a beautifully appointed mix of leather, wood and contrast stitching (the purple thread in the Platinum models has to be seen to be appreciated). There’s ample room for four people (five in a pinch), with leg and shoulder room abound, and a thoughtful, conservative approach to luxury that’s been utterly lacking from most American automakers. The XTS’ feels a bit more Japanese than German in execution, but injects a bit of emotion into an otherwise bland segment of upmarket rides. The overall length is on par with Audi’s range-topping, standard wheelbase A8, but the interior dimensions and general size is more closely competitive with the slightly smaller A6, along with the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. A 3.6-liter V6 engine putting out 304 horsepower and 264 pound-feet of torque is either sent to the front wheels or all four depending on the trim, and no V8 option is planned, despite most of the XTS’ closest competitors offering some form of big or boosted drivetrains. A six-speed automatic is standard across the range, which nets acceptable fuel economy, despite coming in a few cogs short of other luxury players. Image: Cadillac We spent time in both a Platinum all-wheel-drive model and a front-driven “base” version, and found both to be pleasing steers that eschew the wafting heritage of past Caddys thanks to a rigid chassis and the standard fitment of Magnetic Ride Control, the same suspension technology that keeps the Corvette ZR1 and Ferrari 599 stuck to the road. The front-wheel-drive model felt more floaty due to the lack of additional grip and weight in the rear, while the all-wheel-drive version was far more planted and – dare we say it – mildly sporty. The steering and brakes were equally at home while navigating the congested confines of Los Angeles – they might not be as composed as the impressive suspension, but are easily up to the task at hand. But what exactly is that task? For Cadillac, the XTS is an attempt to reassert itself as the Standard of the World, and that starts with a competent chassis, a plush interior and a revolutionary in-car entertainment system. But with Cadillac still lacking a proper flagship to go up against the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes S-Class, it’s still a ways away from regaining its former title, even though we’ve been assured numerous times that model is on the way. Cadillac’s head exec confided in us that the XTS is “a bridge” for some of the brand’s existing customers to move out of their aging DTS and STS land yachts, but we’ll call the XTS was it is: a tech-rich stopgap that points the brand forward. And with pricing ranging between the mid-$40,000 range up to near $60k, the XTS is a solid alternative to the segment stalwarts, opting for comfort and convenience over sport and speed.

Photo Release -- Cars For a Living: The World's First High-Octane Business Podcast - MarketWatch (press release)

LOS ANGELES, May 24, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Most of the world will never understand, but for those with an entrepreneurial spirit and nitro methane in their veins, the desire to chase a dream and earn a living designing, building and engineering high-performance speed machines is insatiable. In the past, the only way to chase that dream was through trial and error, making mistakes and struggling to find a niche -- until now. Cars For a Living (C4AL) is a new show on The Muscle Car Place podcast network, home to the most popular muscle car program on iTunes, featuring startup advice, business tips, stories from industry vets and plenty of humor. Photos accompanying this release are available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=13028 "A few years ago when I decided to leave a good job as an engineer to pursue my idea for an automotive website and podcast full time, it was a huge leap of faith," says C4AL founder and co-host Robert Kibbe. "For a multi-billion dollar industry, the automotive sector is very small and tight-knit, which can make starting a new venture a little scary. Our goal is to eliminate some of the uncertainty while keeping the show fun and providing an open forum for questions and advice." Available on iTunes, Stitcherand on TheMuscleCarPlace.com and CarsforaLiving.com, Cars For a Living is a show dedicated to helping automotive enthusiasts turn their passions into income, be it as a career change or a new business venture without breaking the bank. The goal of the show is to provide a fun atmosphere where business owners, marketers and future entrepreneurs can talk, ask questions without being embarrassed, and share tips on how to grow, improve and succeed in the tough climate of the auto industry. Based in Ames, Iowa, Robert Kibbe is the owner and creator of TheMuscleCarPlace.com, and its eponymous podcast. His passion for cars drove him to leave a career as an engineer to create an all muscle car content channel. In his mid-30′s, married with three children, Robert is a muscle car nut. His 1964 Chevelle is undergoing a restoration as a thank-you-gift by Allison Customs, a restoration shop started by a listener wanting to thank him for the motivation to open its doors. Rob also does Business Development for a fuel systems technology company. Hailing from Los Angeles, Dan Kahn is president of Kahn Media Inc., an automotive PR and Social Media Marketing firm that specializes in the auto aftermarket, representing more than a dozen top brands. He founded his company in 2008 after a decade in the aftermarket as a salesman, journalist and PR pro. At 16, Dan managed to talk his way into getting his first car onto the cover of Hot Rod Magazine, and has been in the performance industry ever since. Dan is also in his mid-30's, married, with one little girl, and a 1970 Boss 302 Mustang in the garage. New episodes of Cars For a Living will post twice a month, featuring key guests from industry, answers to listener questions, and personal tips. To learn more, sign up for the C4AL NEWSLETTER, download the show on TheMuscleCarPlace.com, iTunes, and Stitcher, and visit our Facebook Page. Other programs on The Muscle Car Place Network include The Muscle Car Place, The Pro-Touring Podcast with co-host Larry Callahan and The LSX Podcast with co-hosts Tony Whatley and John Ryan, the founders of LS1Tech.com and PlanetLSX.com. Kahn Media is based in Reseda, California and specializes in all things driven. With a deep understanding of the traditional media industry and the new media landscape, Kahn Media builds hybrid media campaigns that merge traditional PR campaigns with social media marketing programs that simultaneously increase brand awareness, improve sales and drive search engine optimization. Kahn Media clients include HRE Wheels, Hotchkis Suspension, B&M Racing, Hurst Shifters, Flowmaster Exhaust, Spectre Performance, Hedman Hedders, Red Line Oil, Replay XD Cameras, Venchurs Vehicle Systems and more. Contact Kahn Media at (818) 881-5246 or go to www.KahnMedia.com This news release was distributed by GlobeNewswire, www.globenewswire.com (C) Copyright 2010 GlobeNewswire, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Nissan announces e-NV200 all-electric van, production slated for 2013

So, Chrysler's electric postal van never really took off -- perhaps a few too many mailmen refused to give up those roomy Grumman LLVs -- but now Nissan is giving the electric van concept a go. Yesterday the company announced the e-NV200 compact van (previously teased as a concept), which will go into production in 2013. The van will be Nissan's second all-electric vehicle, following the 2010 Leaf. The e-NV200's design is quite similar to that of the NV200 van, but it swaps taxi-cab yellow for the Leaf's shade of robin's egg blue. Nissan says it's putting $126 million into producing the new model, but so far it's keeping mum on other details. Head past the break for the full press releaseContinue reading Nissan announces e-NV200 all-electric van, production slated for 2013Nissan announces e-NV200 all-electric van, production slated for 2013 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 22:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Autoblog | | Email this | Comments

Metal Machine Music: Ford Fusion Gets Funky

Image: SoundCloud Music and cars go together like Page and Plant, Strummer and Jones, Marr and Morrissey and Auerbach and Carney. And Detroit, music and cars go together like Holland/Dozier/Holland, Kramer/Smith/Tyner and Atkins/Saunderson/May. If you’re from outside of 8 Mile, we may forgive you for not knowing the last trio of names, aka the Belleville Three, acknowledged Detroit pioneers of techno. It’s little wonder that the city that introduced the world to the mechanized precision of the assembly line would also produce a rhythmically repetitive but infinitely innovative style of dance music that’s influenced everyone from to Skrillex to Motor City homegirl Madonna. Intentionally mixing techno with automobile design, for the introduction of the 2013 Fusion, Ford tapped three Detroit-area techno artists to create original tracks using sounds produced in part by the car: slamming doors, the swish of windshield wipers, warning chimes and tones. Ford allowed the three artists – Joshua Harrison, Keith Kemp and Tom Newman – access to the pre-production car and a “sound bank” of digital tones intended for Fusion. They took the raw audio verite material culled from the car to the studio and mixed it with synthesizers, samplers and other electronics to create original tune featuring Fusion as a key element. A trunk slam is looped to simulate the pulsating kick-drum that’s a requisite part of Detroit Techno, the hushed hum of the Fusion Hybrid’s 2.0-liter engine becomes a brooding background tone and a seat-belt chime stands in as syncopated percussion part. Check out the tracks on SoundCloud. Or if you’re in Detroit over Memorial Day weekend, catch the Fusion trio and other techno artist at Movement Electronic Music Festival. Ford says that its engineers scrutinize the details of each synthetic sound ultimately produced by the Fusion to induce a specific reaction from the driver and passengers. Engineers created up to three sample “note tones” and performed listening group studies to establish the best sound for each task. Audible warnings are designed to elicit an immediate response, and engineers employ four levels of severity. The harshest is a high-pitched staccato sound, while on the other end of the scale a three-note welcome chime is designed to deliver a “comfortable greeting.” Loud warnings, like those for Ford cross-traffic alert are intentionally strident, while sounds for the reverse alert, for example, are mellower to subtly notify without startling the driver. For people who signal a turn while driving for miles, we suggest something very shrill.

SpaceX Successfully Performs First Flyby of ISS

The SpaceX mission to berth with the International Space Station has successfully passed the first set of demonstrations with NASA. Dragon completed a series of maneuvers early this morning to adjust its orbit as it prepared for the first flyby of the ISS, passing just 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) beneath the station. In addition to the maneuvering, a series of tests was completed to confirm the Dragon's onboard navigation and communication equipment was working properly before moving closer to the ISS on Friday.

Report: More Americans paying their car loans on time

Filed under: Car Buying, Earnings/Financials Nearly everyone in America with a car loan is making the payment on time, the Detroit Free Press is reporting. A scant .36 percent of people with a car loan are 60 or more days behind on making their payment, according to a TransUnion report looking at the January through March quarter of auto loan payments. That means more than 99-percent of customers borrowing cash for cars are on time. The tiny percentage, which represents a drop of about 27 percent year-over-year is the lowest since TransUnion started tracking it in 1999. The fall in loan delinquency, however, may not be great news for banks overall. TransUnion attributes some of the on-time payments to recession weary consumers placing a priority on their car payment while foregoing payments on credit cards and underwater homes.More Americans paying their car loans on time originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 May 2012 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

F1: Monaco Thursday quotes: Toro Rosso

Monaco Thursday quotes: Caterham

Report: Suzuki cozying up with Fiat?

Filed under: Suzuki, India, Tata, FiatFiat and Tata has reportedly stepped away from a tieup in the Indian market that saw Fiats being built in India, using engines shared with Tata and Maruti models, and being sold through Tata dealers. Neither company commented, but according to analysts, the issue was that in addition to Tata was simply too busy with its other endeavors, especially Jaguar Land Rover, to attend to the Fiat deal. Sales of the joint-venture vehicles have declined by more than 20 percent year-on-year. The Fiat-Tata union isn't binding, and talk has now centered around Fiat snuggling up with Suzuki. Suzuki has a huge position in Asia, Suzuki-Maruti being India's largest carmaker and the Japanese firm having sold more than half its cars in the Asia region, excluding Japan, over the year that ended March 31. Fiat, on the other hand, only sold three percent of its wares in Asia in 2011. There is debate about how beneficial a Fiat-Suzuki tieup would be. Suzuki's position is facing pressures, but some observers say the Japanese firm has all the strengths and, at most, would benefit from "a timely supply of engines," but possibly confuse customers by adding Fiat to its distribution channel. Others think that it would be a good union, with Fiat providing "a sound name" and a technology exchange. Such a venture would rely on Suzuki extricating itself from its still-binding union with Volkswagen, an adventure that has probably soured Suzuki on the phrase "technology exchange" for a bit. Among the problematic issues, Suzuki has accused VW of breach-of-contract by not sharing VW technology and not initiating any of the joint projects that were Suzuki's reason for the deal. Suzuki and Fiat presently collaborate on the Fiat Sedici/Suzuki SX4, and when Suzuki bought diesel engines from Fiat instead of VW, the German company accused the Japanese automaker of breach-of-contract. Both parties are in arbitration over the matter; last we heard, Suzuki wants its 20-percent stake returned, while VW is still in favor of the partnership. A VW victory would nix the kind of Suzuki deal with Fiat being speculated now.Suzuki cozying up with Fiat? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 May 2012 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Automakers Struggle to Create an iPhone-Simple User Interface

Photo: General Motors As automakers continue to load vehicles with the features and functionality people expect from their portable devices, the in-dash user interface has become a branding battleground – and the Achilles’ heel of the increasingly connected car. While giving a smartphone or tablet undivided attention is common – if not considered rude, depending on your circle of friends – calling up a Pandora station on your iPhone while driving has the potential to put your life, and others on the road, at risk. Automakers have to strike a balance between providing drivers the smartphone-enabled applications they desire, while making them safe to access on the fly. But that poses its own issues, including liability concerns and a fear that the feds – fired up about distracted driving – could mandate or outright ban these newest technologies in the car. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood has personally called out automakers for putting tech prowess and profit before public safety, and has singled out Ford’s Sync system in particular. But as automakers have pushed smartphone integration as a way to bring connectivity to the car – and attempted to emulate the slick touch screens of the devices – the most cutting-edge automotive UIs have largely been a series of failures. After soaring from the success of Sync, for example, the follow-up MyFord Touch system brought the Dearborn-based automaker down a few pegs. In a test of the Ford Edge last year, Consumer Reports called MyFord Touch “frustrating” and “a complicated distraction when driving.” A few months later, Ford dropped to 23rd from fifth place the previous year in J.D. Power & Associates’ 2011 Initial Quality Study, largely based on customer’s complaints with the largely capacitive touch-based system. Ford declined to comment for this story, but claims an 80 percent “take rate” on MyFord Touch in the Edge and Explorer. The automaker also took the unprecedented step earlier this year of sending software upgrades to all owners of vehicles with the system. But one owner we spoke with doesn’t feel it saves the system. Greg Gill of San Juan Capistrano, California, is a self-described “diehard Ford owner” who purchased his 2011 Edge about a year ago. “Before that, I owned two Expeditions and an Explorer,” said the VP of marketing for the National Auto Sport Association. Gill considers himself tech savvy and knew about the issues with MyFord Touch. “But I still bought it,” he said. “I thought, ‘That’s everybody else. I’m not going to have any problem with it.’ And what a nightmare it’s been.” “The touchscreen is very clunky,” he told Wired. “I’m constantly tapping it multiple times and looking at it. There are so many things that have not been done well – even after the upgrade. And when I took it in for service, the dealer said, ‘Everybody’s coming in with [these issues.] Nobody’s happy with their MyFord Touch.’” Gill contends that he’s “still a satisfied Edge owner, but I could not recommend the vehicle overall because of MyFord Touch.” Automakers are learning from the Blue Oval’s stumble While Ford had a huge head start with the initial Sync system, other automakers are learning from the Blue Oval’s stumble with its latest high-tech release – and if not designing radically different systems, then at least pouring resources into consumer education. For the launch of Cadillac’s CUE system – which, from our early experiences with it, looks and functions similar to MyFord Touch – that will debut on the new XTS sedan, the GM luxury brand is taking a blitzkrieg approach to tech support, including giving everyone who purchases the XTS in its first year an iPad preloaded with an app that simulates the CUE user interface. Cadillac is also dispatching 25 “connected consumer specialists” to dealerships to ensure that salespeople become familiar with CUE, and dealers are required to staff stores with two “certified technology experts” trained by the CUE specialists. Additionally, Cadillac is setting up a dedicated call center to handle questions on CUE, will have representatives scouring Internet forums and social media sites to spot concerns and is even prepared to send specialists to XTS owners’ homes who have still unresolved issues with the system. “We’re trying to think of every way that a customer might ask for help,” said Scott Fosgard, a General Motors spokesperson. “If [you’re a CUE owner] and having problems, we’ll meet you at your place of work or home, whatever’s convenient.” To coincide with the launch of the new 2013 GS, Lexus is creating two new tech positions at each of its dealerships: a vehicle delivery specialist to go over the features of a vehicle with new owners, and a vehicle technology specialist to serve as a contact for customers who have questions on how to use their vehicle’s electronics. “We need to provide a standardized method to get information to a wide variety of audiences, and owners’ manuals allow us to achieve that,” said Kevin Pratt, product education manager for Lexus. “However, we recognize that the best way for people to understand and get the full benefit of the features in their car is to be shown how to use them.” Lexus is also employing an iPad app designed specifically for the GS to educate customers on the car’s features. Owners can even use the Facetime to contact a dealer and get remote personal tutorials on the tech in their vehicles. But if the UI is properly designed in the first place, it should be intuitive enough that you don’t need a tech expert to make house calls or even an owner’s manual (see: Apple). “I think a lot of people have gotten used to Apple devices,” said Mark C. Boyadjis, an analyst who covers automotive electronics at IHS Global. “And when Apple owners have a question, there’s the Genius Bar.” But Boyadjis points out that, unlike a smartphone, people typically own a car for years. And he notes that the recent rate of change in automotive infotainment may leave many new car buyers lagging in terms of tech. “I think people still to this day are familiar with the two-knob car radio,” he said. “That was the user interface for last 40 or 50 years. People who bought their last car in 2005 and upgrade to a 2012 model are going to see a completely different [Human Machine Interface],” Boyadjis added. “They’re going to be introduced to touch screens. Many of them are going to be introduced to voice recognition for the first time. It’s not always something you can read in your user manual; you need to sit down and use it.” As with any technology, pioneers are often punished for being first out the gate. And while it’s economically feasible for a luxury brand to sink significant resources into owner education, consumers of lesser means could be left in the lurch as tech trickles down to more mass-market vehicles. “For the smaller automakers, there could be some issues,” Boyadjis tells Wired. “The GMs, Fords and Toyotas of the world have developed this because they’re the bigger players. But when it comes to Mazda or Mitsubishi or Subaru, they’re pushing to put some of this stuff in their cars. But even their newer systems are not super HMI focused, and they don’t have the R&D budget to spend.” According to Cadillac CUE program manager Jeff Massimilla, while UI issues were addressed in the design phase, the lead up to the launch of the XTS is the first time GM has developed such as extensive tech support program. “The goal was to design a system that’s easy to use and that’s similar to Apple devices, Android devices or other device on the market that are intuitive.” And then prepare for any potential tech-fail fallout by pumping money into training and support. As with any technology, pioneers are often punished for being first out the gate. (We’re looking at you, Apple Newton.) Consider the clunky, pre-smartphone, first-generation BMW iDrive, which was pilloried by the automotive press when it debuted in 2001. Since its introduction, iDrive has become one of the more intuitive systems available as BMW refined and iterated on the original concept of a single knob and a handful of buttons to control a multitude of complex functions. Many luxury automakers later copied the concept, and it’s easy to envision similar evolutions with touch screens, capacitive buttons and haptic feedback. But the growing pains of new technology and unrefined UI paradigms are a tough sell for consumers holding onto vehicles for years or even decades, particularly when compared to the monthly and yearly upgrades of smartphones and tablets. It’s a brave new world for automakers, and it’s one that needs constant attention and an unwavering pursuit of usability before an iPhone-like revolution takes place inside the car.

Ford and Microsoft brag on Focus Electric technology

Ford and Microsoft are teaming up to brag on the technologies inside the Focus Electric EV at the Future in Review Conference. The car will be hitting dealer showrooms soon. The Focus Electric is an electric car from Ford Motor Company and packed inside the vehicle is a lot of Microsoft technology, including Ford’s Sync technology. There’s more tech packed inside the vehicle then voice-activated Bluetooth alone. Some of the tech inside the car is focused on allowing the car to charge much quicker than other electric vehicles on the market. Ford says that the Focus Electric is capable charging completely in half the time of the competing Nissan Leaf. That faster charging capability is due to the higher capacity onboard charger for the Focus EV. At the same time, the Focus Electric charges more quickly than the Leaf; it also costs less to charge. The car uses Microsoft’s value charging technology, which is one of the big benefits of the MyFord Mobile app. The app allows the vehicle owner to charge the batteries inside the car at off-peak hours when electricity rates are cheaper. The app also allows the user to monitor the vehicle’s battery charge, the current range, locate charging stations, and plan driving routes. Ford plans to have the Focus Electric available in 19 US markets by the end of the summer. Story Timeline Ford uses special cooling system for the battery pack on Focus Electric vehicle Ford recycling bottles from CES for Ford Focus Electric Ford Focus Electric gets EPA rated at 105MPGe with a 76-mile range First Ford dealers get certified to sell the Focus Electric 2012 Ford Focus Electric AT&T MyFord Mobile app hands-on Ford and Microsoft brag on Focus Electric technology is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

App Puts Your Bad Parking in the News [VIDEO]

Surrounded by bad parking? Maybe you should move to Russia. A new Android app called Douche Parking is aimed at stopping what its creators call “parking douches in Moscow” by subjecting them to public shame — in the news and on billboards. When users see poor parking, all they have to do is snap a photograph with their phones and upload them to the Parking Douche database. “Douche parking is a huge problem in Russia,” the creators explain in the video advertising the app. “The data is streamed live to banner ads that are targeted through an IP address, so people that live or work close to locations where these cars were parked see it.” The ads will appear on the Moscow-based online newspaper The Village. The news site is also the driving force behind the creation of the app. On The Village site, people have the option of clicking to share the ad on social media — so their Facebook friends can join them in making fun of bad parking. Public humiliation for parking offenses is nothing new. The website youparklikeanasshole.com launched in 2007. But the idea of harnessing mobile technology to make the process much more streamlined, and giving the photos prominent media placement — this is Parking Douche’s major asset. At the time of writing, only one user has given any feedback about the app on its Google Play site. The assessment doesn’t concern how well the app works, but the user does note it’s a “nice way to humiliate people.” There is no word yet whether the app will make its way to other countries. Do you think bad parkers should be publicly humiliated like this? Sound off in the comments. Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, PeterMcKinnon‬ More About: android, apps, cars, internationalFor more Tech coverage:Follow Mashable Tech on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Tech channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

App Puts Your Bad Parking in the News [VIDEO]

How can I spruce up my subpar stock stereo? (Roadside Assistance)

There are quite a few reasons why one would want to remove a stock stereo system from a car. Like most things with moving parts--in this case, speakers--components wear out, which results in degradation of sound quality over time. Sometimes, a nearly new stock stereo just isn't loud enough or clear enough for the driver's tastes and needs a good overhaul. That's why in this week's Roadside Assistance, I'll be helping two readers to replace the worn, outdated, and underpowered components of their stock stereo systems and avoid some of the pitfalls that litter the pathway to better sound. Can removing a factory receiver affect other vehicle systems? Howdy Antuan, I have a 2004 Toyota Avalon XLS with the JBL system. I wanted to replace my system with an updated head unit and a sub woofer since mine has dry rotted. The dealer wants $300 to replace a paper cone speaker. Not. Anyways, I also figured to update the entire system. I am being told by installers that they have to leave the old head unit connect in the car while they install a new unit because removing it somehow affects the climate control. Is this possible? Eric J. The short answer is yes. In some cars, particularly newer models, yanking out the OEM headunit can wreak all kinds of havoc on your car's auxiliary functions. More and more, automakers are combining the electronics that run the climate system, security system, door chimes, and the like into the [Read more]

How to safely handle a roadside breakdown

May is National Youth Traffic Safety Month, and among the many story ideas we’ve received to mark the occasion is one that offers a few tips for teens on how to handle a breakdown. Spending a weekend driving through metro Los Angeles we realized the recommendations probably would help many adults, as well, several folks we saw taking unnecessary risks while waiting for help after a breakdown. The good news is that today’s cars are more reliable than ever. Compared to even a decade ago you’re likely to see far fewer vehicles stuck on the shoulder, whether from an overheated radiator, a flat tire or some other setback. But breakdowns still occur and perhaps because they have become less common motorists often don’t know what to do, however much experience they’ve had behind the wheel. “According to parents, a majority of teen drivers are relatively ‘clueless’ about general auto repair and vehicle maintenance, including the simple task of filling the gas tank,” says Brian Hafer, vice president of marketing for maintenance website AutoMD.com. Knowing how to handle a breakdown, however, can be a matter of life and death in the worst situations. The first rule is to get your car off the road, if at all possible. Stopping in traffic increases the risk that you are going to be struck by another vehicle. And once you’re out of the way, recommends Hafer, turn your steering wheel away from traffic so that if the vehicle does inadvertently begin to move it won’t roll back into traffic. One of the most frequent mistakes drivers make after a stall or breakdown is to not activate their flashers. Whether you’ve had a collision or mechanical failure your vehicle’s warning signals suddenly become one of the most important safety devices at your disposal. Many savvy drivers also keep an emergency kit in the trunk that includes either flares or reflectors. It’s a requirement in many countries, especially in Western Europe and can help warn away oncoming traffic at a great distance. But don’t exit your vehicle if that means risking stepping out into traffic. About 4,000 pedestrians were killed in the U.S. last year, more than 10% of total roadway fatalities, and 300 of them died while changing a tire or otherwise working on a stalled or broken down vehicle. Experts, including AutoMD, in fact, recommend you stay inside your vehicle unless it is absolutely unsafe to do so – such as after a breakdown that might have left you in a traffic lane with disabled flashers. So, stay in the vehicle with your doors locked and your seatbelt fastened. Just because your car isn’t moving doesn’t mean you won’t be tossed about should a passing vehicle hit yours. Most folks these days travel with a cellphone – especially younger motorists. Use it to immediately call for help. Many new vehicles these days come with roadside service plans. Most insurance companies offer such services at a small annual fee. There are many good Samaritans on the road – but also some folks looking to take advantage of a bad situation. Should another driver pull up and offer help do not unlock your doors or step outside. Roll your window down just enough to talk to them. Advise them you have called for help or, if need be, ask them to make the call for you. If you do have an incident you can readily resolve, most likely in the form of a flat tire, make sure your vehicle is pulled onto a flat area as far away from traffic as possible. Follow the instructions in your owner’s manual for the safe you of the jack and other tools. Again, make sure you have your flashers on and, if possible, call for help. A few precautions can keep the inconvenience of a breakdown from becoming a crisis.

Was This Google Maps Car Driver Using Google Glasses When He Crashed? [Image Cache]

Oh look, a crashed Google Maps car. Was the driver using Google Glasses like Sergei Brin? [Thanks Jelly!] More » Trendy Gadgets feed assembled by lesslimits.de

Report: Florida judge rules flashing lights for speed trap warning is covered under free speech

Filed under: Government/Legal Count this one as a big victory for motorists. A Florida man has won his First Amendment case against the Seminole County Sheriff's Office, who wrongfully ticketed him for flashing his lights to warn other drivers of a speed trap. According to the Orlando Sentinel, a Circuit Court judge not only said that the deputy who ticketed Ryan Kintner had misapplied a state law banning aftermarket flashing emergency lights, but also ruled that flashing your lights to communicate with other drivers qualifies as constitutionally protected speech. But this victory for Kintner is just a stepping stone towards a larger case. According to the report, his attorney has filed a class action lawsuit that charges the Florida Highway Patrol with willfully violating a 2005 court order prohibiting the police from ticketing motorists for flashing their brights. The report says that case has a hearing scheduled for next month, so this is certainly not the last we'll hear on the issue.Florida judge rules flashing lights for speed trap warning is covered under free speech originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 May 2012 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Official: Chrysler launches 'No Payments for 90 Days' incentive

Filed under: Car Buying Chrysler upped the ante for May sales announcing this week a deferred payment program for anyone buying a Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep or Fiat between now and the end of May. The "No Payments for 90 Days" program began Monday and runs until May 31. Qualified buyers financing their new vehicles through Ally Financial or Chase Auto Finance are eligible for deferment. Some consumers may not be eligible due to state laws. It's an interesting twist to spur sales, as Chrysler has seen a 31-percent increase in sales this year, well ahead of the 10-percent increase for the industry. However, sales at Chrysler slowed in April, climbing just 18 percent, while overall industry sales mildly grew 2.3 percent. Additionally, Chrysler announced it was doubling down on military members and their families with its "Military Appreciation Bonus Consumer Cash". Instead of giving eligible military members $500 toward a vehicle purchase, Chrysler is spotting them $1,000 through the end of the month. The hot selling 2012 Dodge Avenger SE, Chrysler 200 LX sedan, Dodge Journey AVP, Fiat 500 Abarth and all SRT models, including the soon to arrive Viper, are exempt from the deal. See more details below.Continue reading Chrysler launches 'No Payments for 90 Days' incentiveChrysler launches 'No Payments for 90 Days' incentive originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 May 2012 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Official: Ferrari claims unofficial lap record at Laguna Seca

Filed under: Motorsports, Ferrari, Racing Setting the fastest lap on any race track is worth its share of bragging rights, but some are worth more than others. Like the Nürburgring Nordschleife, for example. Or the Top Gear test track. Or, on this side of the pond, Laguna Seca. The Mazda Raceway near Monterey, California, is one of the most challenging circuits in the world. It's got a double-apex hairpin at the start, an off-camber sweep to the left and of course the dreaded Corkscrew that drops five and a half stories with tight turns at top and bottom. Little wonder, then, that its lap record is a subject of such contention. The record was set at 1:07.722 by Helio Castroneves in 2000 behind the wheel of a Penske Champ Car. And that remains the fastest official time since the ones that followed were not set during an officially-sanctioned race weekend. But, in 2006, Ricardo Zonta drove the Toyota TF106 there to an unofficial new record of 1:06.039. Sebastian Bourdais took it back for the Champ Car series the following year at 1:05.880. But now Ferrari has taken the unofficial crown at 1:05.786. The record lap was set during the Ferrari Racing Days event by veteran scuderia test driver and Le Mans winner Marc Gené, behind the wheel of the Ferrari F2003-GA, the car named for the late Fiat chairman Gianni Agnelli with which Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello took seven grand prix wins and both titles in the 2003 Formula One World Championship. And now it can go down in history with another accolade to its history. See below for the official announcement.Continue reading Ferrari claims unofficial lap record at Laguna SecaFerrari claims unofficial lap record at Laguna Seca originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 May 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Garmin’s Multi-Controller Concept Talks to the Hand

Photos: Garmin With more technology being shoved into the dashboard of cars, drivers are being bombarded with information. So automakers and suppliers are trying to figure out the best way to manage this growing sensory overload so drivers don’t become distracted, say, by their Facebook feeds on an in-dash display. For its part, Garmin plans to employ some of the same display and interface technology it supplies to airplane pilots in cars. The company, which provides navigation systems to several automakers and recently unveiled its first complete in-dash infotainment system for Suzuki vehicles, first unveiled its “multi-controller concept” at CES 2012, and is now showing an updated version. The prototype interface is designed to reduce driver distraction while providing easier control over car infotainment systems such as audio, communications, navigation, and smartphone apps. It does this by placing the screen placed high in the dash so it’s more in the driver’s line of sight, combined with a rotary controller on the center console a la BMW iDrive, and with a touch pad similar to Audi’s latest MMI interface. There’s nothing new about this layout, since several automakers offer screens that pop out of the top of the dash and a center-console controller. What is novel – if not completely innovative – is that the controller incorporates infrared for proximity sensing to detect the approach of a hand, and then reacts by displaying desired menu options before the driver touches it. Since the multi-controller concept recognizes when a user isn’t reaching for the controller, most on-screen menu items are hidden to reduce clutter and distraction. That way, mission-critical information such as navigation directions or artist name/song title is highlighted at the top of the screen so drivers have only one bit of information to absorb at a time. And it’s all very similar to a tact Cadillac is employing on its all-new CUE infotainment system. Radio preset buttons positioned in the center stack below a disc slot also sport infrared sensors. Like traditional presets, these allow drivers to punch a button to get to a favorite station. But in this case, as a finger approaches, the preset information for each individual button pops up on the screen so that the driver can better target the right one. And the preset buttons can be programmed with a combination of AM, FM, satellite and even Pandora stations. Four buttons with infrared sensors on the rotary controller allow switching between menus options such as audio, apps, communications and navigation. Garmin notes that climate controls, vehicle information and other functions can be tied into the controller. We think a Theremin-like audio-feedback feature to let a driver know how close their hand is to the controller would be a cool addition. Bose tried a similar trick (sans Theremin sounds) with a retro two-knob stereo in the 2006 Ferrari Scaglietti. The right knob incorporates a proximity sensor that detects when a hand comes within 4 inches of it to anticipate that it’s about to get twisted. As a hand approaches the knob with AM, FM or XM radio selected, current station information is enlarged on the head unit’s 6.5-inch screen. Radio stations coded with RDS format info allows icons such as a cowboy hat for country and a guitar for rock to be displayed so the driver can view the type of music available on adjacent frequencies. And when listening to a disc, the titles of the tracks before and after the one currently playing appear. If you didn’t want to spend $150k or more on a used Scaglietti, you can get a JVC KD-AVX77 aftermarket head unit with a cheapo version of the technology for significantly less, since Garmin can’t say when we’ll see the multi-controller concept in production vehicles.