Disconnecting People: NTSB Push to Ban All In-Car Cellphone Use May Hurt Automakers

The National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) and the U.S secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, are both trying to reduce road accidents caused by distracted driving.

So far, their efforts have resulted in 35 states, and the District of Columbia, banning the use of handheld cellphones or texting while driving.

Driving is, indeed, a serious activity that requires all of your attention. According to the Department of Transportation’s December 8 release, distracted driving caused 3,092 fatalities in 2010.

The National Transportation Safety Board [NTSB], on the other hand, has embarked on a crusade to ban the use of all mobile devices while driving – even with hands-free devices.

"The safety board has investigated a lot of accidents", said Deborah Hersman, NTSB chairman. "Many times the distraction that is there is not just about the manipulation of something or a visual distraction. It's about a cognitive distraction. It's about not being engaged in the task at hand."

The NTSB wants all 50 states to enforce the ban. But if such a proposal goes through, car manufacturers that are increasingly introducing infotainment systems in their newest models, such as Ford’s Sync, will have to remove many of their features.

While the NTSB is willing to make concessions for certain functions like navigation systems or GM’s OnStar, technology analysts like Strategy Analytics’ Roger Lanctot say that this will be a very costly measure.

"There are billions of dollars of smartphone development activity that would be thrown out the window. You'd have a lot of dark screens in cars," said Lanctot.

He also noted that if the NHTSA or the Congress get influenced and pass new legislation, car manufacturers will have to spend millions of dollars in downgrading the systems in their customers’ existing cars and, of course, redesigning those on new ones.

Ford replied that external research shows that hands-free, voice-activated technology such as the one used on Sync "significantly reduces risk by allowing drivers to keep their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road."

Our take on the matter is that, like most things in life, it's not all black or white. Technology exists to make our lives easier and safer. Using a handheld cellphone is certainly not a clever idea. Banning everything in the name of safety is, well, a bit far-fetched.

Accidents do happen and will happen for a number of reasons. Unfortunately, some of them cause fatalities. Most of them are not related to the issue raised by the NTSB. Should we ban car usage once and for all? What about airplanes or trains? Maybe we should just all stay home. There you have it: no personal responsibility at all. Just beware of the oven or that kitchen knife…

Story References: Automotive News

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ACEA Wants Carmakers to Adopt Standardized Charging Plugs for EVs : Fine Thinking

The European Union has already agreed with cell phone manufacturers to adopt a common charger format for their new phones. Therefore, consumers we will be able to buy a new phone without a charger, which up until now, was different to the one used by their old cellphone.

Now ACEA, the European car manufacturers association, is following the example and wants carmakers to adopt a common standard concerning chargers for their plug-in electric vehicles. To that end, it has already compiled a set of recommendations that stipulates the use of a uniform type of plug regardless of the country or power provider.

“This is a major step towards the broader introduction of electrically-charged vehicles in Europe and paves the way for a harmonized solution around the world”, said ACEA Secretary General Ivan Hodac. “We call on the European commission to adopt these recommendations and to clear remaining issues as soon as possible.”

Up until now, each manufacturer has introduced its own type of charger. A common type of chargers and charging stations will create a uniform infrastructure throughout the continent and is believed to help increase sales of electric vehicle across Europe.

According to Hodac, adopting a common standard will benefit not just the consumer, but also the carmakers and the charging stations providers: “Standardization provides predictability to investors, economies of scale and reduces costs. We have also ensured that our solution meets the highest safety standard and is easy to use.”

ACEA urges the EU to examine and approve of the new standard “as soon as possible”. Car manufacturers, on the other hand, want it implemented from 2017.

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Car Game Review Racing Car Games Lover : "Driver: San Francisco"

Picture this: you’re chasing down an escaped con in a stolen police van when one of his buddies rams your police cruiser off the road. No matter, as you can jump out of your body and into that of suburban soccer mom, using her minivan to disable the escapee and complete the mission.

This is the main gimmick of Driver: San Francisco, the latest in a long-line of cops ‘n’ robbers driving games from developer Ubisoft. And it works, thanks to intuitive game play mechanics and missions that encourage thinking outside the box.

You play as John Tanner, a no-nonsense cop of the Nick Nolte / Bruce Willis variety. After an accident leaves him in a coma, you essentially spend the rest of the game “dreaming” that you’re on the trail of mass murdering psychopath Rip Torn Jericho and his cronies.

The voice acting is good – not great – and the story missions are well paced. You’ll also get distracted by a heap of “win this race”, “stop this person” and “escape the cops” missions that are as numerous as they are varied.

There’s never a dull moment, and with cars ranging from the AMC Pacer to the Aston Martin Rapide you’re unlikely to run out of things to do. The attention to detail in both the cars (inside and out) and the city of San Francisco is excellent, though the real star of the game is Taggart’s orange and black 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T, which helps give the game a real Starsky & Hutch meets Life on Mars vibe.

With a dash of Grand Theft Auto-style arcade racer handling and a pinch of Quantum Leap-style body jumping, Driver: San Francisco is a refreshing twist to a somewhat stale franchise.

It’s no GT5 or Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2, but it is a lot of fun. 4 stars out of 5.

By Tristan Hankins

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Ad Watch: Unboxing of a 2012 Toyota Yaris

If you're a gadget freak, then you're probably no stranger to "unboxing" videos made to showcase a variety of products and which are posted throughout the internet.

Toyota takes the same idea to a different level by applying the concept to a new commercial for its recently launched 2012 Yaris supermini, starring Gizmodo's Adam Frucci.

Those interested may watch the spot in the video after the jump.

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Toyota Invests in Safety, Demonstrates Hybrid Synthetic Sound Alert and More

Toyota has taken a lot of heat in the past couple of years over safety issues, especially in North America. But last January, the Japanese company announced that it will invest $50 million over five years in its Collaborative Research Safety Center (CRSC) to develop new safety technologies.

Recently, Toyota Motor Sales USA organized a Safety Seminar in which it displayed the technologies developed by the CRSC and its partners while also announcing plans to launch 10 new research initiatives with leading US universities and institutions.

One of the initiatives is a solution to the danger electric cars pose to pedestrians who will not hear them, since unlike conventional cars powered by internal combustion engines, they are silent.

Toyota's proposal is a synthetic motor sound alert that makes a humming sound that raises its pitch under acceleration and lowers it under braking, warning not only pedestrians but also bicyclists of the car’s presence on the road.

This system will equip the Prius line-up, the new RAV4 EV that was developed jointly with Tesla Motors, as well as other Toyota hybrids and EVs.

The Japanese manufacturer also demonstrated an autonomous-driving Lexus LS600h, which thanks to its advanced hardware and software, can detect pedestrians.

In addition, the company demonstrated a 35 mph head-on barrier crash test of its brand new Camry mid-size sedan, which sports 10 airbags and Toyota expects will earn top marks for safety both by the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) as well as the IIHS (Insurance Institure for Highway Safety).

“The CSRC intends to publish as much of the research of its partnerships as possible to make it available to federal agencies, the industry and academia”, said CSRC’s director and Toyota Technical Center’s senior executive engineer Chuck Gulash.

Story sources: Toyota & Motor Trend

The Vanishing Tank: BAE Systems’ Adaptiv Technology Renders Vehicles Invisible to Infrared

Camo Adaptive

One of the long-standing goals of science has been the perfection of invisibility. Now, with a new technology developed by BAE Systems called Adaptiv, we’re one step closer to realising that goal.

Although aircrafts like the F-117 Nighthawk have used their unique design and low emission engines and subsystems to avoid radar and infrared detection, true “visual” invisibility has long eluded humanity.

Adaptiv builds on this by taking hexagonal plates called “pixels”, each of which about the size of an anti-tank mine, and fastening to the exterior of a vehicle.

The pixels can very rapidly alter their temperature and thereby alter the visual shape of the vehicle when viewed through infrared goggles and similar surveillance equipment.

In the video below, a CV90 tank fitted with Adaptiv technology seamlessly blends into the background terrain, takes on the shape of a parked SUV and even flashes the company name like a very deadly billboard.

BAE Systems project manager Peder Sjolund describes the technology:

"Our panels can be made so strong that they provide useful armor protection and consume relatively low levels of electricity, especially when the vehicle is at rest in 'stealth recce' [sic] mode and generator output is low.”

Adaptiv’s development has been partly funded by the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) – like Britain’s Ministry of Supply in WWII.

The technology is currently only applicable to the infrared spectrum, though BAE Systems has hinted that over the next few years it could be paired with other technologies to render vehicles – among them helicopters, ships and tanks – invisible to other spectra.

We’ll take two CV90’s and as much Adaptiv as we can carry, thanks. Video below.

By Tristan Hankins

Story sources: BAE Systems via Cnet

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CarHome Ultra: An Android App for Your Car

Android

CarHome Ultra is an app for Android smartphones that combines many useful features. You can store shortcuts to other apps, set direct dial telephone numbers or even save your favourite destinations (for instance, “work to home”).

There’s a talking speedometer, compass, weather and location alerts, a switchable day / night mode for improved visibility, automatic Bluetooth connectivity when entering or exiting your vehicle and much more.

The interface appears to be both nice to look at and easy to use (you’d be surprised how many apps only manage one or the other), with a large and readily readable typeface and colourful icons.

The CarHome app is currently available in English, Spanish, German and Japanese and is priced from US$0.99. It is 554 kb in size and is compatible with Android OS 1.6 and higher. It is available from most online app stores. You can check out some screenshots (and a whole heap of non-English language videos) below and on YouTube.

By Tristan Hankins

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Miniature Lamborghini Aventador to Sell for at Least $4.2 Million or More Than 12 Times the Price of the Real Car!

Lambo

Just when you think you have heard it all, something like this comes along and leaves you speechless. Former Mercedes-Benz engineer and German model maker Robert Gulpen used the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show to reveal an amazing miniature replica of the new Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4.

Leaving aside the tiresome work that went into building the 1:8 scale model, what makes this creation stand out from the crowd is its ridonkulous price tag of at least €3.5 million or about US$4.83 million at the current exchange rates.

Given that the actual Aventador LP-700 costs around US$379,000, the miniature model will be auctioned off for at least 12 times the price of the real car it replicates!

The insanely high price can partially be attributed to the precious materials used for the construction of the model. For example, Gulpen wrapped a 1/1000mm thin thread of solid gold around the carbon fibres that form the body of the car, while the rims and the entire interior were cast from solid gold and platinum.

Furthermore, the Lamborghini logo adorning the bulletproof (!) glass showcase background is made from gold, platinum and precious gems.

All in all, Gulpen says that the materials used for the construction cost €2 million (about US$2.8 million), while he spent around 500 hours to complete the build.

Gulpen says on his website that the Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 will go up for auction at Sotherby's or Chrystie's in New York or Dubai with a starting bid of €3.5 million (US$4.83 million) adding that at least half a million euros (US$690,000) will be given to charity.

Story sources: Robert Gulpen , Youtube via Jalopnik

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Ford to Launch New Mustang Customizer Website

Ford Mustang

With the possible exception of audio and more recently, infotainment systems, the Mustang has never really been on the forefront of technological breakthroughs.

It only just received 6-speed transmissions while up until early 2010, the base model was fitted with a 4.0-liter lump delivering an embarrassing 210HP. And let's not forget that it still features a solid rear axle, a throwback in today's era of independent setups.

But when it comes to marketing gimmicks, Ford always manages to stay in front of the crowd. Now, the Detroit automaker is getting ready to launch a nifty customizer website for the 2012 Mustang.

“This site lets Mustang fans customize cars to their heart’s content,” said Brian McClary, Ford social and emerging media specialist. “It’s a simple-to-use layout that lets users take the base design of Mustang and run with it.”

The customizer website, which will go live on September 20, will allow users to modify a Mustang V6, GT, Boss 302 or Shelby GT500, with a variety of accessories including body kits, wheels, decals, grilles and decklids, along with parts from Ford Racing Performance Parts and Ford Vehicle Personalization.

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Microbe Promises to Turn Old Newspapers into Bio-Fuel

Scientists at New Orlean’s Tulane University have perfected a new strain of the bacteria Clostridium. Dubbed TU-103, this microbe is the first of its kind that can synthesise butanol from cellulose.

What does this mean for our readers? Well, imagine taking a stack of old newspapers or sugarcane waste and turning into useable bio-fuel for your car. TU-103 can take any type of plant or plant product and turn it into renewable, sustainable butanol.

TU-103 was discovered by David Mullin, an associate professor at Tulane’s Cell and
Molecular Biology Department, postdoctoral fellow Harshad Velankar and undergraduate student Hailee Rask over a two-year period. The team is currently testing the microbe on bagasse, a fibrous waste material produced during the harvesting of sugar cane.

Mullin describes his work thusly:

“Cellulose is present everywhere: paper, grass, leaves, corn cobs, corn stalks and renewable agricultural waste products. It is available on a vast scale since things like corn stalks and corn cobs are usually thrown away.”

He continues:

"This discovery could reduce the cost to produce bio-butanol. In addition to possible savings on the price per gallon, as a fuel, bio-butanol produced from cellulose would dramatically reduce carbon dioxide and smog emissions in comparison to gasoline, and have a positive impact on landfill waste."

Compared to ethanol, butanol is a much better product. It uses the useless by-products from existing crop production, rather than needing crops to be grown specifically for use as fuel. It has virtually the same energy content as petrol / gasoline albeit with less CO2 and other harmful emissions. It’s a message echoed Jeffrey Sigler, professor of practice in Tulane University’s Earth and Environmental Sciences Department:

“Biofuels [like butanol] in general are better for air quality than gasoline. They burn cleaner. If agricultural waste products are being used as the feedstock in this case, it seems to me that this could be an important step toward reducing net CO2 emissions from these types of fuels, as well as minimizing land use impacts.”

Better still, butanol requires no special modifications to existing internal combustion engines to work as an automotive fuel. Unsurprisingly, Mullin has great hopes for TU-103 and the butanol as a future fuel:

“I really would like to see this process developed into something at a larger scale that people could utilize. I'm not really equipped to do that here, but if there was an industrial partner that had the capability to produce butanol on a large scale, it would give me some pleasure knowing that our research efforts in some way contributed to reducing the energy dependency of the United States on foreign oil.”

Is butanol too good to be true? I don’t have the scientific background to say so, but from the results Mullin and his team have been getting, it seems that both it – and the TU-103 microbe – could become a key part in our clean(er) energy future.

By Tristan Hankins

Story sources: The Hullabaloo & Wired

Infiniti Launches $5,080 Wrist Watch Made by Bell & Ross

Following in the footsteps of other luxury carmakers, Infiniti offers buyers a line of premium accessories. Now, after last year's launch of the special edition BR03-92 Instrument Phantom wristwatch made to commemorate the arrival of the FX Limited Edition performance crossover, Infiniti has announced a second model, engineered once again by Bell & Ross.

The American watch company headed by Swiss designers Bruno Belamich and Carlos A. Rosillo, came up with an exclusive timepiece named the BR02-8 Infiniti Carbon Case Purple 8 Pro Dial series.

Highlights include the photo-luminescent finish on the seconds' pointer and eighth digit (chosen because it is a symbol of luck in Asia) in the same distinct purple color employed by Infiniti across the globe, and the Infiniti logo engraved on the steel case back.

“The Limited Edition BR02-8 Infiniti Carbon Case Purple 8 Pro Dial wristwatch is a true celebration of our continued association with Bell & Ross, for which we are very proud," said Andy Palmer, Infiniti’s Executive Vice President. "The new timepiece effortlessly embodies the unique qualities of both brands to offer discerning customers a rare and highly sought-after addition to their collection.”

The Japanese carmaker says only 200 examples of the BR02-8 Infiniti Carbon Case Purple 8 Pro Dial series will be available worldwide from any of the Infiniti Centre, at recommended retail price €3,500 (EU), $5,080 (US) or £3,09 (UK).

TECHNICAL DETAILS

• Movement: Automatic mechanical ETA 2982
• Functions: Hours, minutes and seconds (all central hands). Date with quick correction
• Case: Diameter 44mm, steel with matte black PVD finish, screw-in winding crowns, decompression valve
• Back: Screw-down, steel with engraving of the Infiniti signature. Bell & Ross insignia etched below
• Dial: Black. Infiniti purple-coloured seconds pointer and number ‘8’. Index and hands covered in a photo-luminescent coating for optimal night reading. Unidirectional internal bezel toothed and graduated to 60 minutes
• Glass: Anti-reflection sapphire crystal
• Water-resistance: 1,000 metres
• Straps: Black rubber
• Reference: BR 02 Purple 8 Pro Dial
• Price: €3,500 or $5,080
• Unique edition of 200 examples worldwide

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Hacking your Car through a Smart Phone: An Emerging Security Risk

Security consulting firm iSec Partners warns drivers that thieves could exploit smart phone apps that allow the unlocking and starting of cars remotely.

Researchers Don Bailey and Mathew Solnik have hacked the protocols some of these apps use and demonstrated how they can take advantage of them using a laptop.

According to Mr. Bailey, the whole process of hacking and improvising the signals these apps send – what he dubs “war texting” – can take as little as two hours.

Mr. Bailey will discuss the research at Black Hat Technical Security Conference in Las Vegas this week. Of course, he won’t name the products or provide full technical details of Mr. Solnik and his work until the software makers can patch them. GM, Mercedes-Benz and BMW all use the technology in one form or another.

Bailey and his cohort intercepted messages sent between the server and the target vehicle over standard mobile networks. He explains:

"We reverse-engineer the protocol and then we build our own tools to use that protocol to contact that system.”

Researchers at iSec think this is indicative of a more widespread problem created by the proliferation of “cheap and easy” mobile networking technology.

Bailey suspects that security considerations are often minimally addressed, thereby making devices using the technology susceptible to exploitation and misuse.

By Tristan Hankins

Story source: Networkworld