Autoblog

Hiriko folding electric car headed for production

Zach Bowman — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Etc., Europe, Technology, Design/Style, Electric

One very unusual electric car has debuted in Brussels. The Hiriko EV uses a hub-mounted electric motor at each wheel, though that's not the most interesting aspect of the vehicle. According to The Telegraph, the Hiriko uses an interesting rear suspension design that allows the vehicle to fold up, rotating the cabin vertically, to take up less space while parking. The partnership behind the vehicle say the car consumes approximately one third the parking space of a Smart ForTwo. Occupants enter from a single front door, and the Hiriko ditches the traditional steering wheel in favor of a joystick.

The vehicle is set to begin production in Spain next year, and the partnership behind the vehicle's development aims to use several European and American cities as testbeds for the bubble machine. The two-seater has been co-developed by a collection of Basque businesses, the Spanish government and the MIT media lab (you may remember the concept, from 2007). A total of 20 test vehicles are currently being built, and each vehicle is said to cost $16,253 to manufacture. No final price tag has been set, nor are there solid details on range, power or charge times.

Hiriko folding electric car headed for production originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MIT working on algorithm to predict red light runners

Chris Shunk — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 11:26:00 EST

Filed under: Safety, Technology

Math geeks seem to think that complex algorithms can fix just about everything, and when it comes to red light runners, the geeks might be right. The Los Angeles Times reports that MIT researchers have developed an algorithm that can determine whether a driver will run a red light within milliseconds, which could one day save the lives of others.

The research is being published in the journal IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems. The team measured the success of their algorithm with 15,000 vehicles at an intersection in Christianburg, VA, and the group found that the algorithm was correct 85 percent of the time, which is reportedly the most accurate that has been measured.

While this information doesn't do much now for the safety of others, the smart cars of tomorrow could do a lot with that info. Since the information can be calculated in milliseconds, if the information can be transmitted to other vehicles, those vehicles can take decisive measures on the behalf of the driver. MIT Professor Jonathan How explains that, even though a driver sees a green light, a heads-up display could warn the driver of an impending red light runner.

MIT working on algorithm to predict red light runners originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 11:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MIT, Princeton find smartphones can improve fuel efficiency by 20 percent

Autoblog Staff — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Technology

In July, at the Association for Computing Machinery MobiSys conference, research teams from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Princeton University took home an award for a fuel-saving system in cars that relies on dash-mounted smartphones.

MIT says the system saves fuel by monitoring and logging the timing of traffic signals to alert drivers when slowing down could help them avoid idling at lights. By reducing idle times, MIT says the system can save gallons of gas. In tests conducted here in the States, drivers saw a massive 20-percent reduction in fuel consumption.

Dubbed SignalGuru, the idle-reducing system relies on countless images captured by the phones' cameras. SignalGuru is able to analyze these images to predict when traffic lights will change. Somehow, the fuel-saving system works on both fixed-schedule lights and on signals that vary in duration based on traffic flow. The only downside to Signal Guru seems to be that its light-predicting accuracy varies depending on the number of vehicles outfitted with the system, which makes sense.

Oh, and, as all good scientists should, the researchers did model the impact of instructing drivers to accelerate to beat the red lights, just to see what would happen. They concluded that running the red light could be disastrous for economy figures, so the system now recommends slowing down. Science wins again! Check out more details of the study in the official press release after the jump.

Continue reading MIT, Princeton find smartphones can improve fuel efficiency by 20 percent

MIT, Princeton find smartphones can improve fuel efficiency by 20 percent originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Aug 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MIT students develop liquid fuel for electric cars

Zach Bowman — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 11:29:00 EST

Filed under: Technology, Electric

A group of Massachusetts Institute of Technology students may have come up with the perfect solution to our electric vehicle charging woes. Instead of relying on lithium or nickel, the new battery design stores its electrons in semi-solid flow cells. Charged particles are suspended in an electrolyte solution and pumped between compartments used for storing or releasing energy. The tech supposedly makes the batteries up to ten times more efficient than their traditional counterparts, and even more importantly, the new tech is cheaper to produce. Estimates say that the design could cut the size and expense of current batteries by as much as 50 percent.

That's all well and good, but the really cool part is that charging the cells is as simple as pumping the drained fluid out and pumping fresh charged fluid in. That means that getting on your way could take as little time as a standard gasoline fill-up, greatly reducing the inconvenience and range woes associated with modern EVs. An operational prototype is expected to be completed in the next 18 months or so.

MIT students develop liquid fuel for electric cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 08 Jun 2011 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MIT studies how age affects distracted driving

Zach Bowman — Sun, 08 May 2011 17:33:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Videos

MIT AgeLab researches distracted driving - click above to watch video after the jump

Auto Observer recently sat down with researchers at the MIT AgeLab to learn more about a new study about distracted driving and how it changes as we age. By placing drivers of various ages into a simulator, researchers can collect data related to distraction. After studying conditions such as heart rate and eye movement, it becomes clear that different age groups are distracted by different stimuli. For example, young people have a harder time tuning out in-car distractions like text messages and cell phones, while older drivers are more impacted by sirens and flashing lights outside of the vehicle.

Researcher Bryan Reimer said that in most cases, reducing distracted driving isn't so much a matter of leveraging technology to make current car features easier to use; instead, it's more about properly educating drivers about said features before they hit the road .

AgeLab also investigated a number of other driving-related technologies, including automated parallel parking systems like the one found on the 2010 Lincoln MKS to discern how drivers of various ages would adapt to theem. Hit the jump to see a video on the research.

Continue reading MIT studies how age affects distracted driving

MIT studies how age affects distracted driving originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 08 May 2011 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Navigation concept from MIT and Volkswagen projects 3D image on windshield

Jeff Glucker — Fri, 06 May 2011 16:59:00 EST

Filed under: Technology, Videos, Volkswagen

AIDA 2.0 provides a glimpse at our distracted future - Click above to watch video after the jump

If the idea of someone playing with their phone while driving sounds distracting, then wait until you see the latest navigation concept from MIT and Volkswagen. Called the AIDA Project, this technology joint venture between MIT's SENSEable City Lab and VW stands for Affective, Intelligent Driving Agent.

Using a series of 3D projectors, a large map would take up residence in the unused space on top of the dashboard. Route guidance, destination information, infotainment options and a host of other features would all be controlled via hand gestures that are sensed by the AIDA 2.0 system.

This makes for very cool-looking tech, but we have to think Ray LaHood would plotz if this ever becomes reality. Also, we think the city of Boston may be virtual in the video demonstration due to the lack of middle fingers being tossed around as if they were Dunkin Donuts Munchkins. Check out AIDA 2.0 by clicking past the jump.

Continue reading Navigation concept from MIT and Volkswagen projects 3D image on windshield

Navigation concept from MIT and Volkswagen projects 3D image on windshield originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 May 2011 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MIT sophomores win OnStar Student Developer Challenge

Damon Lavrinc — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 08:58:00 EST

Filed under: Technology, GM, Infotainment

At last week's Where 2.0 conference in Santa Clara, CA, General Motors and a team of tech elites crowned four students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as the winners of the inaugural OnStar Student Developers Challenge.

The competition tasked five universities to create the next great app for OnStar's latest voice-controlled telematics system, and the crew from MIT beat out teams from Carnegie Mellon and the universities of Michigan, Texas and Toledo with its EatOn app. The app is essentially a mobile-friendly version of Yelp, allowing users to search for nearby restaurants, get ratings, make a reservation through OpenTable and send navigation instructions to the vehicle while alerting their friends and followers through text messaging and Twitter.

The four-member team from MIT were selected by a tech-savvy panel of judges, including Daniel Jacobson of NetFlix and the interminable Robert Scoble, and awarded a $10,000 "Developer Dream Package" consisting of an Apple iPad, MacBooks and a host of other geeky goodies. Hit the jump for the full details.

[Source: GM | Photo: Damon Lavrinc]

Continue reading MIT sophomores win OnStar Student Developer Challenge

MIT sophomores win OnStar Student Developer Challenge originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Apr 2011 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford looks to save weight with bubble-infused plastics

Aaron Richardson — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 18:21:00 EST

Filed under: Technology, Ford

Just like every other automaker, Ford is looking into making its cars lighter, and thus more eco-friendly. Thanks to a bubble-infused plastic introduced at the Massachussetts Institute of Technology [MIT] called MuCell, Ford says it can step further toward its goal of lightening all its cars by anywhere from 200 to 750 pounds.

MuCell is made by pumping tiny bubbles of nitrogen or carbon into standard injection-molded plastics. Though the bubbly plastic is slightly weaker than the standard stuff, Ford says the difference will be negligible, since its plastic parts are engineered to be 50 to 100 percent stronger than they should ever need to be.

Though the idea is still in development, Ford says it wants to be running MuCell plastics in all its cars by 2020. Though the technology has been around since 1995, it hasn't made sense for automakers to start buying in until now. With a new focus on green technology in the automotive industry, the move suddenly makes a lot of sense, and Ford will start using the plastic in items like engine covers beginning in the next few years. Check out the official press release after the jump.

[Sources: Ford, FastCodeDesign]

Continue reading Ford looks to save weight with bubble-infused plastics

Ford looks to save weight with bubble-infused plastics originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 18:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Tata pours $15M into project researching water as fuel

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: Technology, Earnings/Financials, Tata

The lure of extracting hydrogen from water in a somewhat real-time fashion in sufficient quantities to power an automobile has so far been a complete dead-end pursuit. One of the biggest problems is that it takes more energy to release the hydrogen from its water-tight bonds than is actually returned by the resulting hydrogen.

But those basic laws of physics haven't stopped scientists with well-funded checkbooks from trying. The latest endeavor comes from Daniel Nocera of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is being funded by Indian businessman Ratan Tata, who, among other things, heads the global automaker that bears his name. At this time, the total grant comes in at $15 million.

As intriguing as all of this sounds, it bears mentioning that water-powered cars have repeatedly failed in their missions (see here) of offering nearly free fuel for all.

Take the story of the MDI's air car. In 2007, Tata signed a deal with MDI to bring the air-powered car to market and the companies said in early 2008 that the car would require nearly two years of work. We have heard little about it since then except a name change to FlowAir and a lot of skepticism that it would ever see the light of day at all. Will Tata's hydrogen bet fare any better? Thanks to Matteo and Roy B. for the tips!

[Sources: Sify News, ANSA.IT | Image: AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade]

Report: Tata pours $15M into project researching water as fuel originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Inventor: Side bumpers drastically improve safety

Zach Bowman — Fri, 07 May 2010 16:28:00 EST

Filed under: Safety, Technology

Once upon a time, in a history not that far removed from present day, automakers descended into design madness by equipping all of their vehicles with federally-mandated rubber bumpers wide enough for a Boeing to land. It was a dark time that eventually saw the svelte chrome bumpers of old banished for good. Now it looks like one MIT graduate would like to see similar technology come to small cars in the form of side bumpers.

Steve Shoap has patented a system that he believes will allow manufacturers to build lighter, safer small cars in an effort to increase fuel efficiency. His system involves incorporating substantial bumpers into a vehicle's side as well as a new "crumple box" that will help absorb and dissipate the energy from a side-impact collision.

Shoap's only prototype isn't exactly pretty, but he's confident the tech will allow the use of lighter-weight B-pillars and doors. If you're thinking those rods built into the side of the cardboard car above look like they'd up your chance of being impaled four-fold, don't worry, the inventor says that the bumpers would bend up and out of the way in the event of an accident. Color us skeptical.

[Soure: Autopia]

Inventor: Side bumpers drastically improve safety originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 07 May 2010 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Audi in on developing dashboard-mounted buddy robot

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:01:00 EST

Filed under: Technology, Videos, Audi

MIT and Audi present Aida -- Click above to watch video

We don't know where carmakers got the idea that we want intelligent robots learning our behavior and then talking to us. Wherever it was, we don't want it any more than they thought we did 25 years ago in a talking Maxima. Nissan has its PIVO concept, which has the distinction of being as creepy as it is cute. Now Audi's in the game with it's much cuter, Wall-E reminiscent cybernetic accomplice, Aida.

In conjunction with MIT labs, Aida - an acronym for Affective Intelligent Driving Agent - is not only meant to help you think less about where you're going and how you're going to get there, she also pays attention to all of your driving so she can start recommending things (we call Aida "she" because of the LED eyeliner).

Yet even though cuter, Aida is just as creepy as PIVO because "after two weeks, Aida learns your favorite areas of town... and builds knowledge about the different activities you enjoy in the city." Eventually Aida knows all of your driving habits and then starts suggesting detours based on real world events happening nearby. That might sound cool until your wife borrows your Audi one day and Aida chirps, "It's 7 a.m.! Time for the crack house!" Follow the jump to watch the video, and prepare for your precocious robot overlords.

[Source: Engadget]

Continue reading VIDEO: Audi in on developing dashboard-mounted buddy robot

VIDEO: Audi in on developing dashboard-mounted buddy robot originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New lithium-ion process could lead to super fast charging, but still needs BIG pipe

Sam Abuelsamid — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:58:00 EST

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have been researching where the bottlenecks are inside lithium-ion batteries that limit charging and discharging rates, and they've learned some interesting things. Lithium iron phosphate chemistry is particularly promising in terms of high charge and discharge rates. Researchers found that some new processes for manufacturing the lithium phosphate coating on lithium iron phosphate crystals could provide better access to the lithium ions, allowing them to move around more readily.

This all sounds similar to the premise behind the lithium iron phosphate batteries produced by A123 Systems and the lithium titanate cells produced by Altairnano. The increased surface area of material allows more ions and electrons to move in and out without heating up as much as traditional lithium cobalt oxide cells. The result is that cells made with these materials can be charged at very high rates without degrading the charge capacity over time. Imagine charging your electric vehicle in two minutes rather than 12 hours and you can understand the significance of this research.

The bigger issue remains the power needed to actually charge an automotive sized battery pack in a few minutes. A five-minute charge would require 180 kW or more, which is not something that's available at home or any existing charging stations.

[Source: ars technica]

New lithium-ion process could lead to super fast charging, but still needs BIG pipe originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM-powered Carnegie Mellon team take first prize at DARPA

Damon Lavrinc — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 02:39:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Technology

After the DARPA dust settled, only 40 minutes separated the first, second and third place contenders for this year's $2 million bounty. The Carnegie Mellon team, behind the virtual wheel of a tech'd-out Tahoe dubbed the "Boss," won the DARPA Urban Challenge, the first event held in a mock city environment.

The Mellon crew beat out Stanford, Virginia Tech and MIT, and according to Wired's report, none of the top competitors were cited for traffic violations - something that most manned vehicles can't claim. Average speeds ranged from 13 to 14 mph over the course of the 55-mile trek. There was no mention of top speed and we're still uncertain about what specific obstacles were set out to befuddled the ghosts inside the machine.

There's no word yet on whether the DARPA event will continue, as many maintain that since the technical end of things have been sorted, it's time for private firms to take the lead. We'll have more on DARPA when Mr. McElroy reports on the event later in the week.

[Sources: GM (Press Release after the jump), Wired]

Continue reading GM-powered Carnegie Mellon team take first prize at DARPA

GM-powered Carnegie Mellon team take first prize at DARPA originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Nov 2007 02:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MIT helps Ford apply pressure

Dan Roth — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 09:20:00 EST

Filed under: Green, Technology, Ford

Ford is looking for ways to pack their automobiles with innovative technology that achieves the seemingly impossible goal of using smaller, more efficient engines while still delivering the performance wallop customers are demanding. Not only is the Blue Oval seeking more involvement from their suppliers to push new technology and techniques forward, but the automaker's also looking outside the typical realm of automotive OEMs.

One promising new technology is a system developed by a Massachusetts Institute of Technology startup company. Putting a modern-day spin on the concept of water or alcohol injection to either boost octane or cool the cylinder charge (or both), the MIT developed fuel injection system uses direct injection to deliver a shot of ethanol when the engine is under heavy load. The intravenous drip allows turbocharger boost pressure to be cranked way up, adding a significant amount of power gain. Normally, with your wastegate actuators cranked all the way down, you'd discover new and exciting ways to ventilate the crankcase, but this system keeps detonation at bay, which keeps the pistons in the block.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Continue reading MIT helps Ford apply pressure

MIT helps Ford apply pressure originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 11 Aug 2007 09:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MIT publication pries open a Prius

Chris Tutor — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 18:02:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Technology, Toyota

The Toyota Prius is a fairly high-tech piece of automotive equipment compared to the simple-engined vehicles of the not-too-distant past. Even so, like us, most of you gearheads can give at least an elementary explanation of how the fuel-efficient Prius works. Toyota takes specially grown unicorns and grinds them into a paste that is then packed into magic elfen-made batteries. Those batteries power tiny but powerful electric motors brought back from far in the future using Toyota's time machine technology. Or something like that.

For a much more technical answer (that's filled with elusive little things called "facts"), take a look at MIT's Technology Review. The interactive graphic could help you explain to less car-centric family and friends how hybrid technology works. Or it could help clear up some of the more fantastic myths (time machines?) about Toyota's popular hybrid.

[Source: Technology Review]

MIT publication pries open a Prius originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 29 Jan 2007 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Giving your car a hydrogen boost

Joel Arellano — Mon, 03 Apr 2006 19:03:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Green, Technology

As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention. That can be re-interpreted, for automakers, as the more consumers want your car, the more money they'll spend your way. And what consumers want right now is better gas mileage, as gas prices continue to climb towards that magical $3 a gallon mark.

Bob Brooks of Consumer Guide reports on one technology, the hydrogen-boosted engine, as a possible future consumer demand. This gas engine injects hydrogen in the regular air/fuel mix of a normal gasoline powertrain. Fuel economy is increased by as much as 30-percent. Other advantages include very little NOx emissions, and low installation costs. The biggest issue, of course, is the lack of hydrogen-fueling stations.

The technology was developed by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with ArvinMeritor and IAV currently developing it. An SUV is being equipped with the engine for trials, with the first production vehicle planned for delivery by 2010.

More details on the hydrogen-boosted system can be found at the link.

[Sources: Consumer Guide, ArvinMeritor]

Giving your car a hydrogen boost originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Apr 2006 19:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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