Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[BMW working on frickin' laser beams for headlights]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/02/bmw-working-on-frickin-laser-beams-for-headlights/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/02/bmw-working-on-frickin-laser-beams-for-headlights/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/02/bmw-working-on-frickin-laser-beams-for-headlights/#commentsFiled under: , ,

bmw dr evil laser headlights

Are you bored with the recent rash of LED headlights, tailights and daytime running lamps? BMW might just have something for you, then, because it's working on a new way to illuminate your commute. We're talking about lasers here people... the future is (almost) now!

BMW believes that, just as halogen beget LED, LED begets laser lights. If true, laser technology will allow its cars to utilize lighting systems that are more efficient than current setups while also allowing for light patterns that are more consistent and brighter. In addition to the greater illumination possibilities, the diodes used would be significantly smaller than LED units.

The first vehicle to wear laser eyes? The new BMW i8 concept vehicle.

Click past the jump to read the full press release and learn a bit more about BMW and it's plan for laser lighting.

Continue reading BMW working on frickin' laser beams for headlights

BMW working on frickin' laser beams for headlights originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bmwbmw laser headlightsbmw laser lightlaserlaser headlightslaser lightFri, 02 Sep 2011 10:58:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20032855/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/09/02/bmw-working-on-frickin-laser-beams-for-headlights/20032855/article-detail.xml 20032855 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/09/dr-evil-bmw-alpina-b7-with-lasers_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/09/dr-evil-bmw-alpina-b7-with-lasers.jpg <![CDATA[REPORT: Parents of teen with speeding ticket fighting citation with personal GPS data]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/18/report-parents-of-teen-with-speeding-ticket-fighting-citation-w/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/18/report-parents-of-teen-with-speeding-ticket-fighting-citation-w/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/18/report-parents-of-teen-with-speeding-ticket-fighting-citation-w/#commentsFiled under: , ,


It seems as though there may just be a positive side to those unwelcome GPS-based vehicle tracking devices... especially if you are a teenager. Shaun Malone, a 17-year-old California resident, was cited by radar-yielding authorities for driving 62 mph in a 45 mph zone in 2007. Faced with a $194 fine (and some inflating insurance premiums), Shaun's parents fought back arguing their son's vehicle was equipped with a satellite-based tracking device that monitored Shaun's speed - and it showed he was doing 45 mph when he was stopped.

While they can be affected by poor reception or noise in the radio signal, GPS-based speedometers are generally considered the benchmark for measuring velocity. On the other hand, radar measurements are also considered very accurate, as long as the human at the other end of the device is correctly trained and is tracking the proper vehicle. At stake is the credibility of radar. As Doppler-based speed enforcement has become a primary source of revenue for law enforcement agencies nationwide, police don't want their technology challenged. With that in mind, the local Petaluma police have spent a reported $15,000 on the trial. The case is to be decided in the coming weeks.

[Source: Christian Science Monitor]

REPORT: Parents of teen with speeding ticket fighting citation with personal GPS data originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Sep 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fight ticketFightTicketGPS trackingGpsTrackinghighway patrolHighwayPatrolLaserLaw enforcementLawEnforcementPetalumapoliceradarSpeeding ticketSpeedingTicketFri, 18 Sep 2009 08:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19160790/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/09/18/report-parents-of-teen-with-speeding-ticket-fighting-citation-w/19160790/article-detail.xml 19160790 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/gps_v_radar_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/gps_v_radar.jpg <![CDATA[Gentlemen, Start Your Lasers: Ford dumping spark plugs in favor of focused light?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/15/gentlemen-start-your-lasers-ford-dumping-spark-plugs-in-favor/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/15/gentlemen-start-your-lasers-ford-dumping-spark-plugs-in-favor/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/15/gentlemen-start-your-lasers-ford-dumping-spark-plugs-in-favor/#commentsFiled under: , ,

In a breakthrough that may make vehicle starting issues due to fouled plugs or inclement weather a thing of the past, engineers at Ford have reportedly teamed with scientists at Liverpool University to develop a laser beam ignition system to replace ye olde spark plug. The researchers claim their technology is more efficient, more reliable, and it will enable vehicles to start easier in extreme temperatures and damp climates.

Unlike traditional spark plugs (invented way back in 1839 by Edmond Berger), laser light may be split into multiple beams distributing ignition points within the cylinders - not just at the tip of the plug. This not only aids combustion, it also lowers emissions during cold starts. Researchers also point out that the lasers use less energy than their spark plug counterparts, eliminate wear items and wires (fiber optics will carry the laser beam to the cylinders), and improve fuel burn by "watching" ignition from within the combustion chamber and sending messages back to the ECU to adjust fuel mixtures, timing, and ignition.

Ford is expected to introduce the technology in its top models within the next few years, and then make it more widely available. Thanks to everyone for the tips!

[Source: Telegraph UK | Image: New Line Cinema]

Gentlemen, Start Your Lasers: Ford dumping spark plugs in favor of focused light? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Austin PowersAustinPowersCoilDoctor EvilDoctorEvilDr. EvilDr.EvilFordIgnitionInnovativeInventionLaserLiverpool UniversityLiverpoolUniversitySparkSpark PlugsSparkPlugsWireWed, 15 Jul 2009 16:57:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19096848/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/07/15/gentlemen-start-your-lasers-ford-dumping-spark-plugs-in-favor/19096848/article-detail.xml 19096848 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/07/doctor-evil-pinkie-pose-580_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/07/doctor-evil-pinkie-pose-580.jpg <![CDATA[Humvee with Boeing Laser Avenger blasts UAVs]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/07/humvee-with-boeing-laser-avenger-blasts-uavs/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/07/humvee-with-boeing-laser-avenger-blasts-uavs/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/07/humvee-with-boeing-laser-avenger-blasts-uavs/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Remember those Saturday morning cartoons from when you were a kid, where futuristic soldiers battled with laser guns? Well if you were wondering what ever happened to that future we were promised, it's here. Boeing's Direct Energy Systems project recently concluded a test in the New Mexico desert where the Humvee-mounted Laser Avenger system successfully shot down three unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in a demonstration for U.S. Army officers.

The Laser Avenger was initially created to dispose of unexploded ordinance (bombs that didn't detonate) lying on the ground, but given the proliferation of UAVs for both surveillance and weapons deployment, Boeing adapted the lasers to shoot the UAVs out of the sky. The benefit over shooting down the drones with guns or missiles - in startling contradiction to the red lines depicted in the old G.I. Joe cartoons - is that the enemy can't see where the laser beam is coming from, thereby keeping the ground troops' position secure. Pretty awesome, unless you're a UAV. Fortunately UAVs are unmanned by definition, so what we're looking at here is lasers shooting down flying robots. You can check out the details in the press release after the jump if you'd like, but we're going to sit right here in our pajamas until the next commercial.

[Source: Boeing via NextAutos]

Continue reading Humvee with Boeing Laser Avenger blasts UAVs

Humvee with Boeing Laser Avenger blasts UAVs originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 07 Feb 2009 15:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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