Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[VIDEO: More autonomous VW action from Stanford]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/27/video-more-autonomous-vw-action-from-stanford/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/27/video-more-autonomous-vw-action-from-stanford/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/27/video-more-autonomous-vw-action-from-stanford/#commentsFiled under: , ,


VAIL Autonomous valet parking demo -- Click above to view the video after the jump

You didn't think having an Audi TTS climb Pike's Peak was the only thing that Stanford's Volkswagen Automotive Innovation Laboratory was working on, did you? No, they're also working on something closer to home -- or the restaurant or club -- with a project to get cars to find spots and park themselves.

A "mostly stock" VW Passat wagon equipped with some computer gear in the trunk and -- paging Dr. Evil -- lasers. The extra bits are off-the-shelf (or some shelf, at least), and one write-up says that VW's computers could control the car without Stanford's added electronics package.

The caveats are that right now the car can't detect obstacles like people, and it needs a detailed map of the parking lot where it's trying to find a spot. Details, details. For now, follow the jump to enjoy another glimpse at one possible future, brought to you by VAIL.

[Source: Bot Junkie]

Continue reading VIDEO: More autonomous VW action from Stanford

VIDEO: More autonomous VW action from Stanford originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>autonomousautonomous vehiclesAutonomousVehiclesresearchrobotstanfordtechtechnologyvideovolkswagenvolkswagen automotive innovation laboratoryVolkswagenAutomotiveInnovationLaboratoryvwTue, 27 Oct 2009 18:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyundai trumps BMW and Jaguar in J.D. Power 2009 APEAL study]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/16/hyundai-trumps-bmw-and-jaguar-in-j-d-power-2009-apeal-study/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/16/hyundai-trumps-bmw-and-jaguar-in-j-d-power-2009-apeal-study/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/16/hyundai-trumps-bmw-and-jaguar-in-j-d-power-2009-apeal-study/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,


Click above for a gallery of the graphics from J.D. Power and Associates

Porsche grabs the top spot for the fifth year in a row in the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Automotive Performance, Execution, and Layout (APEAL) Study. For this year's study, the team at JDPA gathered information from more than 80,900 purchasers and lessees of new 2009 model-year cars and questioned them on more than 90 vehicle attributes. Their studies examined "how gratifying a new vehicle is to own and drive," based on those evaluations.

While the APEAL nameplate ranking is significant (Porsche, Jaguar, and Cadillac round out the top-three), the segment winners offer more insight into what today's buyers are seeking. This year, it appears to be the newly launched models including the Volkswagen CC, Nissan Maxima, Dodge Challenger, and Ford Flex... each took top honors in their respective category. This year's biggest upset comes in the "Midsize Premium Car" segment as the all-new Hyundai Genesis (sedan) knocks the BMW 5 Series from the podium. Check out the gallery for the graphics, and read the full press release after the break.


Gallery: 2009 J.D. Power APEAL Results



[Source: JDPower.com]

Continue reading Hyundai trumps BMW and Jaguar in J.D. Power 2009 APEAL study

Hyundai trumps BMW and Jaguar in J.D. Power 2009 APEAL study originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2009APEALBMWDodge ChallengerDodgeChallengerFord FlexFordFlexHyundai GenesisHyundaiGenesisj.d. powerj.d. power and associatesJ.D. Power.comJ.d.PowerJ.d.Power.comJ.d.PowerAndAssociatesJDPALexusResearchStudyVolkswagen CCVolkswagenCcThu, 16 Jul 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New police pursuit-ending device inspired by Spiderman, squid]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/20/new-police-pursuit-ending-device-inspired-by-spiderman-squid/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/20/new-police-pursuit-ending-device-inspired-by-spiderman-squid/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/20/new-police-pursuit-ending-device-inspired-by-spiderman-squid/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Click above for a walk-through of how the SQUID works

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Science & Technology Directorate has been working with a research firm in Arizona that has come up with the Safe Quick Undercarriage Immobilization Device (SQUID). The SQUID is designed to safely, non-lethally stop drivers trying to elude the police.

Here's how it works. The SQUID disc is placed in the middle of the road, and a remote operator triggers a two-stage explosion when the getaway car gets close to it. The first explosion sends barbed straps flying out away from the disc, which get hooked on the wheels and undercarriage when the car drives over them. The second explosion occurs when the SQUID detects engine heat directly overhead and sends a burst of "sticky tendrils" that cling the straps to the axles and driveshaft. Within 500 feet, the axles can't turn any more and the car skids to a halt.

The key now is to make it lighter, stronger and cheaper. Last year the SQUID stopped a Dodge Ram pickup traveling at 35 mph, but authorities want to be sure it will stop an F-150 at 120 mph before they'll seriously consider using it. We aren't sure that an F-150 doing a four-wheel skid at 120 mph is the safest way to bring someone in, but it is probably better than bullets. The scientists are working on that this year, and if they get it done it could give the word "dragnet" a whole new meaning.

Check out a walk-through of how the SQUID works by clicking through the gallery below.

Gallery: Safe Quick Undercarriage Immobilization Device (SQUID)


[Source: DHS via Physorg]

New police pursuit-ending device inspired by Spiderman, squid originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Jan 2009 18:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>authoritiescar chaseCarChasecrimedepartment of homeland securityDepartmentOfHomelandSecuritydhsgadgetsgovernmentlegalpolicepolice chasePoliceChaseresearchsquidtechtechnologyTue, 20 Jan 2009 18:37:00 EST<![CDATA[Riders on the Storm: Does car exhaust contribute to lightning strikes?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/20/riders-on-the-storm-does-car-exhaust-contribute-to-lightning-st/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/20/riders-on-the-storm-does-car-exhaust-contribute-to-lightning-st/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/20/riders-on-the-storm-does-car-exhaust-contribute-to-lightning-st/#commentsFiled under: , ,



You can add another life-killing phenomenon to the list of deadly byproducts attributable to cars: increased lightning strikes. Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem found that in the southeastern U.S. from 1998-2008, there was 25% more lightning during the work week than on the weekend.

This follows from research by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center that found rainfall in that same area of the country rose during the week. The suspected culprit is automobile pollution, which is causing more storms during the week and increasing the severity of storms. That pollution, and the humid air in the southeast, makes for more clouds to rise and create more conditions for lightning strikes. It's just another step closer to the apocalypse, and we don't doubt that they'll soon be telling us cars cause cancer. Oh, wait... Thanks for the tip, Corey!

[Source: Scientific American via The College Driver]

Riders on the Storm: Does car exhaust contribute to lightning strikes? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Jan 2009 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>environmentetclightningpollutionresearchsciencestormtechweatherTue, 20 Jan 2009 15:58:00 EST<![CDATA[US DOT report confirms speed not major cause of accidents]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/18/us-dot-report-confirms-speed-not-major-cause-of-accidents/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/18/us-dot-report-confirms-speed-not-major-cause-of-accidents/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/18/us-dot-report-confirms-speed-not-major-cause-of-accidents/#commentsFiled under: ,

Sometimes numbers lie. But we keep them around because they tell the truth more often than not. The NHTSA undertook a two-and-a-half year study that examined 5,471 injury accidents nationwide in order to figure out how accidents were being caused. Government researchers conducted their own evidence gathering at crash sites in order to establish a first-hand account of causation. What did they find? Among other things, that more drivers crashed as a result of crossing the center line (11%) than as a result of speeding (5%). Speeding, in this case, defined by "too fast for conditions," not necessarily above the posted limit.

In accidents where driver error was the cause, speeding also came in last as a causative: the 8% who drove too fast were tied with the 8% who fell asleep or had heart attacks while driving. What's more, the NHTSA's causation percentages are strikingly similar to the percentages found in an independent study conducted by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. In its study of crashes in 2007, the VDoT found that 2.9% were due to speeding -- dead last -- while 3.8%t were due to drivers falling asleep or falling ill at the tiller.

What will this mean to the politicians setting and revising speed limits based on the "Speed Kills!" mantra? Probably nothing. But it's nice to know, and nice to have the government researched numbers to back it up.

[Source: The Newspaper]

Continue reading US DOT report confirms speed not major cause of accidents

US DOT report confirms speed not major cause of accidents originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Dec 2008 10:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There's a variety of flavors of in-car networking standards that corral the large number of embedded computers and nodes present in the modern automobile. BMW Research and Technology, an R&D division of BMW, has found Internet Protocol up to the tasks that the other standards currently perform. BMW engineers used a standard PC and connected it up to the expected gear -- ECUs, engine and chassis control systems, even a multimedia server for the entertainment system. The reasoning behind using IP versus the more specialized protocols is to anticipate future needs and requirements, as well as reducing costs. Costs drop because fewer specialized components are needed, and the new version of IPv6 is even better than the more than fine performance from IPv4. It's a little spooky to think that your fly-by-wire throttle could be trying to chat with the engine using the same technology that we use to send instant messages, but IP proved itself capable enough even for critical safety functions. The research is ongoing, but BMW's work bodes well for adding functionality and decreasing costs. Adding aftermarket goodies should be fairly painless and service shops will also have an easier time of it by going with a more universal language. Imagine surfing the web with iDrive, though. Blech.

[Source: Automotive Design Line, Photo: Zercustoms]

iDrive via IP? - BMW uses Internet Protocol underhood originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 01 Dec 2007 17:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bmwCANcarFlexrayin carInCarinternetinternet protocolInternetProtocolMOSTnetworknetworkingprotocolresearchSat, 01 Dec 2007 17:04:00 EST<![CDATA[Nissan puts out the most: carbons, that is]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/04/nissan-puts-out-the-most-carbons-that-is/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/04/nissan-puts-out-the-most-carbons-that-is/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/04/nissan-puts-out-the-most-carbons-that-is/#commentsFiled under: ,

From 1990 to 2005, Nissan's carbon emission levels have grown more than any of the other top six automakers selling cars in the US -- and not by a little. The company's 2005 fleet is responsible for 9.2% more carbon output over its lifetime than the 1990 fleet, according to a study by Environmental Defense. The next highest gain was Daimler Chrysler at 4.8%, then Honda at 4.4%. GM -- often the whipping boy in studies like this -- had the smallest rise with 3%, and Toyota's comparative carbon output actually dropped 3%.

Not knowing the study's methodology, a host of factors could skew the outcome. Nissan replied to the study by saying "Since the end of this report in 2005, we have added the subcompact Nissan Versa, Altima Hybrid and flex-fuel-capable trucks." It's interesting to note, though, that Nissan has stood apart from the group of automakers fighting the CAFE battle in Congress, which is all about carbon emissions. It has also stayed out of the environmental debate spotlight, except to say that it is committed to being good to the earth. With Congress soon returning to the CAFE debate, Nissan might want to speak a little louder.

Thanks for the tip, Emanuel!

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

Nissan puts out the most: carbons, that is originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Sep 2007 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carbon emissionsCarbonEmissionsemissionsenvironmentnissanresearchstudiesTue, 04 Sep 2007 14:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Seen a salad do 150 mph? Check out the Eco One]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/31/seen-a-salad-do-150-mph-check-out-the-eco-one/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/31/seen-a-salad-do-150-mph-check-out-the-eco-one/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/31/seen-a-salad-do-150-mph-check-out-the-eco-one/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Faced with a bucket full of potatoes, cashew shells, hemp, rapeseed oil, wheat, and sugar beet, most of us would try and find some pigs to feed. If your name were Ben Wood, however, you'd snag that bucket, shells and all, add 20,000 British pounds sterling and make a car called the Eco One Speedster.

Designed by a researcher at Warwick University's Manufacturing Group, the department that works with industry, the car took Wood two months to build. The tires are partly made with potato starch, which creates less friction on the road. The brake pads are made from cashew shells blended into a resin, which means brake dust that doesn't hurt the environment. The body is fashioned from hemp and rapeseed oil. It's powered by a Triumph Daytona engine, which was not made from fruits or legumes, but steel. Yet that engine runs on fermented wheat and sugar beet, and still gets to 60 in under 4 and is good all the way up to 150 mph.

The car is 95% biodegradable or recyclable, that last 5% comprising things like its steering wheel, seat and electrics. It is nearly the ultimate expression of what can be done with food -- and we say "nearly" because it still has some plastic components that Ben says could be made from organic items. Ultimately, the aim is to race the car and convert many of its applications to motorsport. In the mean time, for those of you England-way, the car will be on show at the National Science Museum in London from August 28-30.

[Source: Daily Mail]

Seen a salad do 150 mph? Check out the Eco One originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Jul 2007 22:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biodegradableecoeco oneEcoOneenironmentalgreenresearchspeedsteruniversityTue, 31 Jul 2007 22:04:00 EST<![CDATA[Honda has APEAL: wins most segments in JD Power's rankings]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/02/honda-has-apeal-wins-most-segments-in-jd-powers-rankings/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/02/honda-has-apeal-wins-most-segments-in-jd-powers-rankings/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/02/honda-has-apeal-wins-most-segments-in-jd-powers-rankings/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Honda took four categories in the latest J.D. Power's 2007 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study. APEAL measures how happy an owner is with the design, content, layout, and performance of their car within 90 days of purchase. When the votes were tallied from the 91,000 respondents, Honda won with the Fit (Sub-compact), CR-V (MAV), Ridgeline (Mid-size pickup), and Odyssey (Van), beating Mercedes and BMW who both took three categories each.

Among the domestics, Ford was the only winner, with the Mustang and the Edge. According to J.D. Power, new or redesigned vehicles tend to score the best, and that cars that score well in the APEAL Study need lower incentives to lure buyers. And in case you were wondering, closely following another study that took the same measure of owner happiness, the Jaguar S-Type did not make the list this time.

[Source: J. D. Powers]

Honda has APEAL: wins most segments in JD Power's rankings originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Jul 2007 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>APEALawardawardsJ. D. PowerJ.D.PowerresearchstudyMon, 02 Jul 2007 07:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Model street unveiled, goal to limit crashes]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/26/model-street-unveiled-goal-to-limit-crashes/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/26/model-street-unveiled-goal-to-limit-crashes/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/26/model-street-unveiled-goal-to-limit-crashes/#commentsFiled under: , ,

"Accidents happen." It's the oft-quoted mantra of anyone who spends time behind the wheel. Sooner or later, you'll witness or partake in a vehicular mishap. The Japan Automobile Research Institute aims to take a less stoic attitude about accidents and have set up a model street to evaluate accident prevention systems and practices.

The model street, which is larger than three football fields, includes straight and curved sections and will offer Institute researchers better insight into the conditions that cause accidents. We can't speak for what causes fender benders in Japan, but in the US, the number one cause has got to be drivers with absolutely no training paying limited attention to the task at hand. Who can blame them? The allure of text messaging is so much more enticing than piloting a 3500-pound projectile rendered in metal, composite and glass. Familiarize yourself with good car-brandishing skills and then observe the idiots that surround you. There's no institute needed to discern that inattention and ineptitude often play roles, but there are often plenty of other factors. That's what the model street has been developed to study. Here's to safer travels for drivers and pedestrians alike -- and let's hope they export the stuff that actually works at reducing incidents.

[Source: MSN - Mainichi]

Model street unveiled, goal to limit crashes originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Jun 2007 08:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accidentinjuryinstitutejapanmodelpreventionreductionresearchsafetystreetstudyTue, 26 Jun 2007 08:27:00 EST<![CDATA[Pasta Cargioli? Pasta powered fuel cell]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/30/pasta-cargioli-pasta-powered-fuel-cell/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/30/pasta-cargioli-pasta-powered-fuel-cell/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/30/pasta-cargioli-pasta-powered-fuel-cell/#commentsFiled under: , ,

High fuel prices and energy mandates bring all sorts of alternative fuel research and technology to the fore. University and government researchers recently whipped up a special blend of 13 enzymes and spices that releases hydrogen from a mixture of starch and water. There's no word on how it tastes, but it will definitely give you some pep, packing into six pounds the same wallop as a gallon of gasoline. The process produces hydrogen efficiently, so a vehicle using a hydrogen-powered fuel cell would only need to carry 12 gallons of water and 60 pounds of solid starch (96 lbs total), plus the enzyme blend, to achieve a 300-mile range. While this process appears to be an economical way to produce hydrogen in a manner quick enough for use in an automotive fuel cell, it does generate carbon dioxide. The reaction also requires a temperature of 86 degrees farenheit. Neither problem sounds as difficult as cold fusion, and the technique will be test driven in small fuel cells for mobile phones before testing in vehicles. Sugar water, pasta power, call it what you will, wouldn't it be nice to fizz up some power to get you on your way?

[Source: Automotive DesignLine]

Pasta Cargioli? Pasta powered fuel cell originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 May 2007 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cellenzymefuelfuel cellFuelCellgreenhydrogenresearchtechWed, 30 May 2007 17:01:00 EST<![CDATA[In the Autoblog Garage: 2007 Hyundai Azera Limited]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/31/in-the-autoblog-garage-2007-hyundai-azera-limited/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/31/in-the-autoblog-garage-2007-hyundai-azera-limited/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/31/in-the-autoblog-garage-2007-hyundai-azera-limited/#commentsFiled under: , ,


click above image to view high-resolution photo gallery

Much has been said about Hyundai's rise from being a pusher of Point-A-to-Point-B transportation to the purveyor of high value, safe and stylish vehicles. Nearly its entire lineup is full of ready for primetime hardware, save the Tiburon that idles into 2007 with merely a refresh of its aging design. The Azera debuted as a 2006 model to replace the XG350, a Korean import that filled a hole in the company's lineup but whose claws weren't sharp enough to play in the tiger pit that is the large car market in North America.

Like all the new models Hyundai has marched out in the past few years, the Azera looks great on paper and stacks up extremely well against other large cars in its class, like the Toyota Avalon, Ford Five-Hundred, Buick Lucerne and Chrysler 300. It starts with a low base price and piles on a big V6, lots of standard safety equipment and a sheetmetal suit that fits just right. But does the Azera have that something special that makes a contender into a champion, or do the sum of its parts equal no more than just the sum of its parts?

Gallery: Autoblog Garage - 2007 Hyundai Azera Limited

Continue reading In the Autoblog Garage: 2007 Hyundai Azera Limited

In the Autoblog Garage: 2007 Hyundai Azera Limited originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 31 Jan 2007 10:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AzeraAzera LimitedAzeraLimitedHyundainew carNewCarresearchreviewWed, 31 Jan 2007 10:07:00 EST