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: Seattle earthquake viaduct simulation released; timing politically motivated?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/30/video-seattle-earthquake-viaduct-simulation-released-timing-po/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/30/video-seattle-earthquake-viaduct-simulation-released-timing-po/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/30/video-seattle-earthquake-viaduct-simulation-released-timing-po/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Alaskan Way Viaduct earthquake simulation -- Click above to watch video

The Alaskan Way Viaduct (AWV) is an elevated roadway running along the Elliot Bay Waterway in Seattle. An earthquake in 2001 damaged the viaduct, and the structural degradation has only gotten worse over the years. To forestall the possibility of having the conduit collapse in another natural disaster, the city and Port of Seattle, King County, and the state government agreed earlier this year to dig a deep-bore tunnel to go under the waterway and eventually shut down the viaduct.

According to the Seattle Times, the tunnel is a contentious issue, with residents fervently pro and against. Two years ago, though, the state commissioned a video to show what would happen to the AWV if another serious earthquake hit. The six-minute CGI video that resulted could be a clip right out of the disaster movie 2012, and because of its sensationalism, it was never shown. Seattle resident Elizabeth Campbell doesn't want the tunnel and recently requested to have the video released. After saying that Campbell wouldn't get it for eight months, the city put the video on a local news show - and Campbell still hasn't received her copy.

Naturally, there's some political intrigue to accompany everything. The problem is that there's a mayoral race happening right now, with the current mayor siding for the tunnel and his opponent is against it. It has therefore been suggested that the video has been released in order to help that current mayor's campaign - you would not want to be anywhere near the AWV and phrases like "liquefied soil" if the video is anywhere close to reality. Whether it will affect votes remains to be seen. Either way, you can check out the video footage for yourself after the jump.

[Source: Seattle Times]

Continue reading VIDEO: Seattle earthquake viaduct simulation released; timing politically motivated?

VIDEO: Seattle earthquake viaduct simulation released; timing politically motivated? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alaskan way viaductAlaskanWayViaductDOTearthquakeelizabeth campbellElizabethCampbellelliot bay waterwayElliotBayWaterwaygovernmentnatural disasterNaturalDisasterroadseattleseattle timesSeattleTimesviaductvideowashingtonwashington state department of transportationwashington state DOTWashingtonStateDepartmentOfTransportationWashingtonStateDotFri, 30 Oct 2009 11:29:00 EST<![CDATA[VIDEO: 2007 Scion xB In the Autoblog Garage]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/05/video-2007-scion-xb-in-the-autoblog-garage/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/05/video-2007-scion-xb-in-the-autoblog-garage/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/05/video-2007-scion-xb-in-the-autoblog-garage/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


click above to watch video

Here's a little something we've been cooking up for a while. We've seen your cries for more video reviews, and it's on our minds, too. We've been trying to bring you more video in a lot of ways lately; Chris Shunk recently walked us through the new Grand Caravan, and Damon and Sam shot some video when they went to visit Tesla to drive the Roadster. You can visit our YouTube Channel to see just how many videos we've been producing lately.

We decided to try our hand at producing an In the Autoblog Garage new car review on video, and you'll find our results after the jump. Let us know what you think of our first video review, which stars the 2007 Scion xB, as we hope to make it a regular feature. Also check out Sam Abuelsamid's review of the 2007 Scion xB in written form.

Gallery: Review: 2008 Scion xB

Continue reading VIDEO: 2007 Scion xB In the Autoblog Garage

VIDEO: 2007 Scion xB In the Autoblog Garage originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Feb 2008 12:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2007 scion xB2007ScionXbautoblog garageAutoblogGaragefeaturedgaragein the autoblog garageInTheAutoblogGaragereviewroadroad testRoadTestscionscion xBScionXbtestvideoxbTue, 05 Feb 2008 12:03:00 EST<![CDATA[In Japan, the road serenades YOU!]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/13/in-japan-the-road-serenades-you/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/13/in-japan-the-road-serenades-you/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/13/in-japan-the-road-serenades-you/#commentsFiled under: , ,



When you get right down to it, music is all about assembling the right vibrations at the right time. Thus, it should come as no surprise that roads can be designed to sing you a song. In Japan, there's a stretch called Melody Road, which has a series of grooves cut into it with spacing varied to produce different tones as car tires roll over them at speed. The quarter notes painted on the road surface are a visual indicator to unsuspecting motorists that their car is not going to puke its driveshafts out, it's just the pavement having a little fun.

Here in the US, we've only got the wakeup strips in front of tollbooths and those warning divots cut into the shoulder to let you know when you're about to drift into the median. We wonder if designers of the singing roads start with simple riffs, like "Smoke On The Water," before moving on to more complex pieces. The first guy who manages to get a Bach Fugue down in asphalt will have our undying admiration. Do old roads get old songs? If that's the case, they'll be teaching the youngsters Sukiaki.

Video embedded after the jump.

Thanks for the tip, Ben!

Continue reading In Japan, the road serenades YOU!

In Japan, the road serenades YOU! originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Nov 2007 12:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>japanmelody roadMelodyRoadmusical roadMusicalRoadroadvideoTue, 13 Nov 2007 12:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Winding Road invents "Speed per Dollar" index]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/01/winding-road-invents-speed-per-dollar-index/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/01/winding-road-invents-speed-per-dollar-index/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/01/winding-road-invents-speed-per-dollar-index/#commentsFiled under: ,

click image above to enlarge

The good boffins at Winding Road have come up with a metric called Speed per Dollar (SpD). Its aim is to put straight-line vehicle performance into an easy-to-understand financial perspective. In light of the monetary component, the best and worst SpD ratings among the sample cars tested aren't entirely surprising: Ariel Atom at the top, Bugatti Veyron at the bottom. Supercars -- and their super prices -- would of course fare poorly. However the Mazdaspeed 3, with "just" 263 hp, climbs up the charts to score second place. As Winding Road admits, the chart doesn't take handling (or luxury or Making the Jones' Jealous) into account. But Autobloggers (and Winding Roaders, we're sure) are hugely interested in price-for-performance, and this is a novel new way to compare speedsters. Let the calculations, comparisons, and commentary begin.

[Source: Winding Road]

Winding Road invents "Speed per Dollar" index originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 Jun 2007 18:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chartcomparisongraphroadspeed-per-dollarwindingwinding roadWindingRoadFri, 01 Jun 2007 18:34:00 EST<![CDATA[Giant pothole forms spontaneously in Chinese province]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/26/giant-pothole-forms-spontaneously-in-chinese-province/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/26/giant-pothole-forms-spontaneously-in-chinese-province/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/26/giant-pothole-forms-spontaneously-in-chinese-province/#commentsFiled under:



Having lived in Detroit for a period of time, I can attest to the damage that potholes can inflict on a car's suspension. One particularly bad crator nearly threw me and my little Mazda Protege off a stretch of I-75 just south of the city one time. Still, despite the crumbling roads of Michigan caused by overweight semis running back and forth, I've never encountered a pot hole like the one that recently formed in Nanchang in the Jiangxi Province of China. The giant hole apparently opened up on its own this week, taking 72 square meters of road surface with it. It's depth is seven meters, which would easily swallow a Protege bearing myself as cargo and a half dozen other cars, as well. Thankfully, no injuries were reported, but if the Jiangxi Department of Transportation is anything like MDOT, we expect a road crew, some orange barrels and one serious order of asphalt to be on the scene by June.

[Source: Sina via Carscoop]

Giant pothole forms spontaneously in Chinese province originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Apr 2007 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chinacraterpotholeroadstreetThu, 26 Apr 2007 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[VIDEO: Ferrari F40, the dyno-saur of supercars]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/25/video-ferrari-f40-the-dyno-saur-of-supercars/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/25/video-ferrari-f40-the-dyno-saur-of-supercars/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/25/video-ferrari-f40-the-dyno-saur-of-supercars/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Coming up on nearly twenty years old now, some would be mistaken to consider the legendary Ferrari F40 a bit of a dino - not because it was part of the series named after Enzo's dear departed son, rather because, as far as supercars go, the F40 seems is a bit of a relic, dating back to an age before modern developments like electronic stability control and paddle-shifted transmissions roamed the earth. And yet the F40 can still thoroughly devour almost anything and everything on the road today. What better way, then, to take in the brutal monstrosity of the dinosaur that is the Ferrari F40 than spooling up its turbos on a dyno. Better not let it loose....

This video, which has been floating around the internet, was shot after an F40 was fitted with a custom Tubi exhaust. Check it out after the jump.

[Source: Motor Authority]

Continue reading VIDEO: Ferrari F40, the dyno-saur of supercars

VIDEO: Ferrari F40, the dyno-saur of supercars originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 25 Mar 2007 11:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>customdynodynomameterdynometerexhaustf40ferrarihorsepowerroadrollingtesttubivideoyoutubeSun, 25 Mar 2007 11:12:00 EST<![CDATA[In the Autoblog Garage: 2007 Mercury Montego Premier]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/22/in-the-autoblog-garage-2007-mercury-montego-premier/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/22/in-the-autoblog-garage-2007-mercury-montego-premier/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/22/in-the-autoblog-garage-2007-mercury-montego-premier/#commentsFiled under: , ,

click above image for desktop-sized pics of the 2007 Mercury Montego

Alas, Montego, we hardly knew ye. Of course, the large sedan from Mercury is not going away, but being relaunched as the Sable with a new schnoz, larger engine, and some interior upgrades. The Montego name will once again drift off into obscurity like its Torino-based forebear. While the Sable picks up where the Montego left off, it would be foolish to think the Montego is a dud. The 2007 Montego Premier AWD is a big car, with some dimensions exceeding the Grand Marquis. With a bump here and a nip there, the Montego would make the best Marquis ever. As it is, the Volvo-donated architecture underneath the Montego makes it a very modern driving sedan that belies the comfort-sized dimensions.

Gallery: 2007 Mercury Montego Premier AWD

Continue reading In the Autoblog Garage: 2007 Mercury Montego Premier

In the Autoblog Garage: 2007 Mercury Montego Premier originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Mar 2007 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>autoblogfivefive hundredFiveHundredfordgaragehundredinmercurymontegoreviewroadroad testRoadTesttesttheThu, 22 Mar 2007 13:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Traffic sim: Recreate your morning commute on a PC]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/12/19/traffic-sim-recreate-your-morning-commute-on-a-pc/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/12/19/traffic-sim-recreate-your-morning-commute-on-a-pc/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/12/19/traffic-sim-recreate-your-morning-commute-on-a-pc/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Here's something we wish every highway planner was required to use any time they had a bright idea (like those darned roundabouts they're so fond of calling "rotarys" here in Massachusetts!). This neat little Java-powered (much like us AutoBloggers!) website allows you to adjust and model traffic flows on a variety of road conditions. The Dresden University Institute for Economics and Traffic has made quite a study of traffic dynamics, and this website is just part of a larger study of where those pointless standstills for nothing come from. The microsimulation of traffic flow appears to treat traffic as a "fluid" and working the variables allows you to see how you could use traffic density to control speed limits, passing and light cycling.

It'd be great if more attention could be paid to maximizing the efficiency of the infrastructure we've already got. Sure, we need a new infrastructure to go along with the massive volume in some areas, but some thought and calculations would go a long way in smoothing out the flow on existing roads. There's lots of information and different simulations at your fingertips here. We don't pretend to understand all of it, but it looks like just a little bit of this deeper thinking would go a long way to alleviating the pressure on our backsides every morning. Very cool little toy, bring your slide rule!

Thanks for the tip, mfridman!

Traffic sim: Recreate your morning commute on a PC originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Dec 2006 12:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>engineeringhighwayhighway planningHighwayPlanningroadroad planningRoadPlanningTraffictraffic dynamicstraffic flowTrafficDynamicsTrafficFlowurban planningUrbanPlanningTue, 19 Dec 2006 12:05:00 EST<![CDATA[RIP: Clay Regazzoni 1939-2006]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/12/16/rip-clay-regazzoni-1939-2006/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/12/16/rip-clay-regazzoni-1939-2006/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/12/16/rip-clay-regazzoni-1939-2006/#commentsFiled under: ,

We're saddened to report the untimely passing of former F1 driver Gianclaudio "Clay" Regazzoni. Clay was killed yesterday when he collided with a truck in the northern Italian city of Parma, where he was reportedly driving at high speed and failed to stop in time as he met an unexpected traffic jam.

Born in the Italian sector of Switzerland only days after the end of World War II, Clay Regazzoni rose through the ranks all the way to Formula One, where he raced alongside such greats as Niki Lauda and Jacky Ickx at such teams as Ferrari and Williams. Clay's record includes five grand prix victories, and he was known as a particularly reckless driver.

In 1980 Regazzoni was paralyzed from the waist down when the brakes on his Ensign F1 car failed during the grand prix at Long Beach, resulting in a terrible crash that sent his car flying into a concrete barrier at the end of the straightaway. In subsequent years, Clay fought an often uphill battle for certification to compete in racing cars modified with hand controls, and found success racing in off-road rallies as well as in endurance sportscar racing.

Clay was only 67 upon his death. Our condolences go out to his family and friends.

[Source: GrandPrix.com]

RIP: Clay Regazzoni 1939-2006 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 16 Dec 2006 19:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accidentclaygianclaudiokilledparmaregazzoniriproadSat, 16 Dec 2006 19:41:00 EST