technology


VIDEO: Audi in on developing dashboard-mounted buddy robot

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 ... Read more →

Stealing Current: LoJack goes no-power for hybrids Jonathon Ramsey

LoJack systems draw their power from your car or your motorcycle's (or laptop's) battery to send their signal. With a traditional vehicle, this generally isn't a problem as the draw is small and ...

VIDEO: More autonomous VW action from Stanford Jonathon Ramsey

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 ...

Stanford to run driverless Audi TT-S up Pikes Peak next year [w/VIDEO] Jonathon Ramsey

If you read AutoblogGreen regularly, then you already know that Volkswagen and Stanford University have taken their relationship that began with developing autonomous vehicles to compete in the ...

Tokyo 2009: Mazda's Sky G and Sky D engines should come with straws for sipping Jonathon Ramsey

The Mazda Sky D diesel and Sky G gasoline engines are meant to bring "everlasting blue sky" to oversee "sustainable Zoom-Zoom." Both utilize low-friction engine blocks, direct injection and ...

VIDEO: Microsoft may one-up Google Street View with virtual video drives 18 days ago on Autoblog

Until cars drive themselves and we absolutely can't get lost, automakers and sat nav companies are steadily enhancing the graphics of navigation systems to make it easier to find the next right turn. Navigation systems in Renaults, for instance, provide a graphic representation of buildings that ...

VIDEO: Citroën using cool interactive "augmented reality" tech to pitch new DS3 26 days ago on Autoblog

Citroën is using the latest in video technology to promote its newest compact, the DS3. First, you go to Citroën's augmented reality website and print out the interactive pages. Then, after you enter the augmented reality area of the site, you hold those interactive pages in front of ...

VIDEO: The future of car configurators, brought to you on Microsoft Surface 1 month ago on Autoblog

Microsoft Surface is, at its most basic, a table-sized touchscreen computer. You can play with them at rather select locations, but we haven't yet begun to see what the thing can do because there aren't enough people investing in applications for it. But for a glimpse of a potential automotive ...

Ilmor Engineering builds a five-stroke engine 2 months ago on Autoblog

English engineering firm Ilmor knows all about engine design, having produced powerplants for Formula One, IndyCar, and NASCAR. But its latest internal combustion creation, in contrast to those racing engines, is designed to burn fuel more frugally: a gas-powered five-stroke with diesel ...

VIDEO: Fantastic and fanciful old-timey explanation of the differential 3 months ago on Autoblog

During the first couple of minutes of this clip, you might be asking yourself why a bunch of Tom of Finland types are riding around the desert on motorbikes. Like many of life's great mysteries, all is eventually revealed, if not explained. Speaking of mysteries, differentials are pretty nifty. ...

Why does a road ripple like a washboard? Here comes the science... 4 months ago on Autoblog

The good news is that the men in white coats have figured out why washboard roads develop on sand, gravel or any other loosely-surfaced roads. Above a certain speed, any linear force interacting with the surface causes the force to skip over the surface like a rock skipping over the water. The ...

VIDEO: What goes into German engineering - Audi's TechDay Quality 4 months ago on Autoblog

Why are German luxury cars so expensive? Because of German engineering. And what is this whole "German engineering" thing all about? That's the question Audi tries to explain once a year when it takes outsiders through its quality processes during its factory TechDay. According to the Audi, ...

Dead Diesels: Six automakers reportedly kill plans for oil burners 4 months ago on Autoblog

Diesel's near-term prospects in America took a huge hit with the revelation that nine diesel-powered 2010 models are on hold. Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, Toyota, Honda, and Nissan have put the kibosh on rolling out more oil burners due to cost and perception issues. Toyota's obviously on a ...

Audi updates MMI system for 2010 A3, TT and R8 4 months ago on Autoblog

Audi's Multi-Media Interface, which is arguably the best of the various all-in-one graphical user interface systems favored, has just got better. According to Audi, resolution on the system's 6.5-inch screen is getting bumped up to 800 x 480, route calculation will happen faster with a 600 MHz ...

Pioneer using WiMax to send content to your car 4 months ago on Autoblog

With so many infotainment devices being created, we're beginning to wonder what people are actually doing in their cars -- or rather, if they ever get out of their cars. Pioneer has thrown another electronic log onto the in-car streaming entertainment fire with its prototype network A/V ...

Spy Shots: Mercedes-Benz S-Class mule with PRE-SCAN technology spotted? 4 months ago on Autoblog

At the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show, Mercedes-Benz revealed its F700 concept. In addition to being a big sedan with a tiny gas engine, it also wore a version of Mercedes' PRE-SCAN predictive suspension system. The technology scans the road ahead with a set of lasers mounted next to the headlights, and ...

VIDEO: Mercedes-Benz ESF S400 Concept's "Braking Bag" in action 4 months ago on Autoblog

Mercedes-Benz has built an S400 Hybrid called the Experimental Safety Vehicle (ESF in German) as a rolling jack-in-the-box of the company's safety technology. One of those tech highlights is the braking bag -- the panel under the car in the picture above -- which operates both as an air ...

The new Audi: more performance, less weight 5 months ago on Autoblog

Audi is developing the groundwork for an entirely new way of building its cars. The future for the four rings is light weight, giving it the proper base to support the best hybrid and electric cars, as well as extract the most from its traditional offerings. As previously reported, the first ...

Ford launches new free app for 2010 vehicles with SYNC 5 months ago on Autoblog

SYNC has given Ford a much-needed technology boost. The infotainment device provides motorists with features such as voice-controlled integration with MP3 players and automatic calls to emergency services in the event of an accident. For the 2010 model year, SYNC adds GPS hardware, giving owners ...

REPORT: Volkswagen's next-gen nav system to get Apple iPhone-like gestures 5 months ago on Autoblog

Vehicle infotainment systems, those all-inclusive interfaces controlling the myriad electronics on today's modern cars and trucks, can make or break the driving experience. CNET is offering us a sneak-peek at Volkswagen's latest iteration from the company's Electronic Research Laboratory (ERL). ...

REPORT: BMW dropping a cylinder for next-gen 1- and 3-Series 6 months ago on Autoblog

The next 1- and 3-Series cars from BMW, as well as the Z2 roadster, are rumored to be getting a new range of turbocharged three- and four-cylinder gasoline engines as part of BMW's push to cut emissions and fuel consumption. Of the five powerplants reportedly in development, three are 1.35-liter ...

REPORT: Honda to invest in Pioneer electronics 6 months ago on Autoblog

In spite of Honda's $2.91 billion Q1 loss, the Japanese marque knows the investment show must go on, and it's reported to be finalizing a stake in Pioneer. The Japanese electronics maker is shutting down its home electronics division, which has been losing money for years, in order to focus on ...

Transparent displays on their way to automobiles 6 months ago on Autoblog

There's no doubt that car dashboards will soon be swept up in the technology revolution -- but rear-view mirrors? Korean company NeoView Kolon developed a kind of transparent transistor for an OLED display, and now they have found a way to integrate that technology into a rear-view mirror. As seen ...

Mazda makes commitment to diesels, weight reduction over hybrids 7 months ago on Autoblog

Not long ago, the premium German manufacturers said they were going to push diesels instead of hopping on the hybrid train, but we see where that's gone: Porsche has hybrids, BMW is pushing its coming hybrids, and Mercedes is oozing its hybrid desires everywhere. Of course, all three brands ...

GM to engage in tech-sharing with Saab even after parting ways? 7 months ago on Autoblog

Glimmers of hope are arguably about all Saab has to hang onto now, but the Swedish brand hasn't stopped reaching for them. Saab is currently in bankruptcy proceedings while parties on both sides look to extricate the quirky automaker from parent General Motors' web. Getting ready for that ...

Freightliner debuts RunSmart Predictive Cruise Control 7 months ago on Autoblog

The next step in cruise control comes courtesy of Freightliner semis and GPS data company NAVTEQ. Freightliner broadened communication between the cruise control and map data: the GPS transmits information on the road ahead up to a mile, and then the cruise control computes the best speed at which ...

Shakeup: Fast & Furious to be first major movie release with D-Box 7 months ago on Autoblog

D-Box aims to put viewers into the movies they've paid to go see by moving the chairs they sit in. It works by translating the onscreen action into motion code, which is then used to control chairs equipped with actuators that can pinch, roll, heave, and vibrate the seat in sync with whatever's ...

Researchers develop self-repairing paint powered by the sun 7 months ago on Autoblog

In another case of Nature to the Rescue, scientists have come up with a polyurethane coating that repairs itself in the sun. The secret ingredient: chitosan, which comes from the shells of crustaceans and is also used for water filtration, blood clotting and as a diet aid. The common principle ...

Could it work? Eight-way adjustable wheels for more cornering force 8 months ago on Autoblog

When Charles Pyott considered the possibility of on-the-fly adjustable camber, he looked at motorcycles, the human foot and cars like the Mercedes F400 Carving and the BMW Clever. What he came up with isn't something you'll find on any of them: the Dynamically Augmenting Wheel System, or DAWS. ...

Mitsubishi unveils in-dash Blu Ray player 8 months ago on Autoblog

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (MEC) wants to be able to offer a 1 DIN Blu-ray DVD player in the 2009 fiscal year. The unit, 1/3 the size of an at-home Blue-ray player, will not only fit in a standard dash slot but will also play BD-ROM, BD-R, and BD-RE discs. MEC says the kit is expected to go ...

Hughes Telematics working on downloadable apps for vehicles 8 months ago on Autoblog

What's good for the iPhone is apparently good for the sedan. Hughes Telematics is working up a suite of programs that will work with its in-car communications technology and allow you to download applications for your car. From tailored data collection to controlling your car's systems with your ...

Audi partners with PDM to create 'Holographic Virtual Assistant' 8 months ago on Autoblog

The woman you see in the picture above isn't an actual human -- she's a life-sized hologram. PDM, an Australian out-of-home digital media company, created the hologram to present "customers an entertaining way to gather product knowledge and information about Audi's offering." A load of tech and a ...

Nissan working on wrong-way warning system 9 months ago on Autoblog

Earlier this week, a 21-year-old driver got on the wrong entrance ramp to the 10 freeway in Los Angeles and ended up going westbound in the eastbound lanes. Doing up to 70 mph in the fast lane, he collided head-on with a police car and he and the officer were killed instantly. Nissan and West ...

Michigan International Speedway joining with state to create car test facility 9 months ago on Autoblog

Michigan International Speedway (MIS) plays host to two NASCAR races: the 3M Performance 400 Presented by Bondo in the Sprint Cup Series, and the Carfax 250 in the Nationwide Series. Both races are likely to involve a fair number of cars crashing into each other, so it's ronic, then, that the MIS ...

BMW influencing low-cost housing with GINA Concept? 9 months ago on Autoblog

The BMW GINA Light Visionary Model was not only about doing more with your car, it was about multiplying the concept of what kind of object a car could be. BMW's design chief ,Chris Bangle, the man behind the BMW GINA Concept, was a recent guest professor at the Harvard University Graduate School ...

New police pursuit-ending device inspired by Spiderman, squid 9 months ago on Autoblog

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 ...

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Autoblog Podcast #151: With Car and Driver's Eddie Alterman

Eddie Alterman wades in with Sam, Chris, Dan, and Jonny to talk about SEMA and other recent events.

 
 

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