Electric Vehicles & Cars - Page 41

It looks like Apple is not just working on its own autonomous vehicle, but it will be building the car, too. The rumors aren't coming from unreliable sources, either, with The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times and now Reuters all chiming in.

The new information on Apple's super-secret vehicle project has the company not only building its own software platform for the car, but building the actual autonomous car, too. According to Reuters' sources: "Apple is gathering advice on parts and production methods... adding that Apple appeared not to be interested in combustion engine technology or conventional manufacturing methods".

When it comes to the iCar (that's what we're calling it until it's officially named) we should expect it to be an electric vehicle, so think of the best world's between an autonomous car and Tesla Motors' various electric vehicles. The world of automobiles is about to get very exciting.

An Apple employee has teased some exciting news with Business Insider, that the company is working on a new project that would "give Tesla a run for its money".

Business Insider reports: "After writing about how the van could be used for a self-driving car, we got an unsolicited email from an employee at Apple about "vehicle development" at the company. Apple's latest project is too exciting to pass up," the person said. "I think it will change the landscape and give Tesla a run for its money".

We know that Apple employees have been moving over to Tesla Motors in droves, but now it's being reported that Tesla employees are coming back to Apple for this mysterious project, which sounds like a stretch. If Apple were working a self-driving car, it could be a big deal, but a self-driving car consists of many technologies that need to work together perfectly, on its first shot. We'll continue to report on this as it breaks.

While Uber continues to dominate the industry, it is still facing a very uphill battle with its various lawsuits, bans, privacy issues, bad PR and reports of even sabotaging competitors. This hasn't stopped Google from reportedly developing a competitor to Uber.

Bloomberg is reporting that Google's Chief Legal Officer David Drummond has teased that the Mountain View-based search giant could be working on its own Uber alternative. Uber executives have reportedly seen screenshots of a new ride-sharing application that Google is working on, something that is currently in use by select Google employees.

What better way to compete with Uber than with its own self-driving autonomous cars, that you could book through your smartphone? This could be the future, but there will be various legal problems Google (and other companies) will need to sort out. But for now, Google could unveil an Uber-like service, eventually replacing it with a fleet of autonomous vehicles.

Google is looking for partners in the auto industry to lend a hand with self-driving and fully autonomous vehicle technology. Potential partners range from General Motors and Ford to Toyota, Volkswagen and Daimler, as fully autonomous vehicles could be production-ready in less than five years. The Silicon Valley tech giant already is working with LG Electronics, Continental AG and Robert Bosch, with its self-driving prototype cars also using NVIDIA hardware.

"We'd be remiss not to talk to... the biggest auto manufacturers," said Chris Urmson, director of the Google self-driving car project, in an interview with Reuters. "They've got a lot to offer. For us to jump in and say that we can do this better, that's arrogant."

It's possible a lack of government regulations regarding self-driving cars could push back mass production until 2022 or 2023, but companies want to make sure they are on top of the technology.

Verizon today unveiled its Verizon Vehicle service during the North American Auto Show in Detroit, helping unconnected cars become connected. The service is available to almost 9,000 models, any vehicle from 1996 or later, available regardless of mobile service provider.

The technology works when an OBD reader is plugged into a vehicle's onboard diagnostic port, with a two-way Bluetooth speaker located inside the cab of the vehicle. Once installed, drivers have access to a mobile app that allows for emergency aid requests, diagnosing mechanical problems, and dispatching a tow truck if mechanical failure occurs.

"Verizon Vehicle is a unique and truly holistic aftermarket solution available to over 200 million vehicles on the road today," said Erik Goldman, president of Verizon Telematics, in a press release. "It affords millions of drivers the power of knowing when things aren't working well, potentially before a breakdown occurs - fostering a safer, smarter and more economical way to drive and maintain a vehicle. And while even the best technology can't prevent every breakdown, the service modernizes the traditional roadside assistance offerings which, for the most part, haven't been updated in 50 years."

Although there is nothing official regarding General Motors and Google working together regarding autonomous vehicles, it's something GM would be interested in hearing more about. Google will take the stage later this week at the Detroit auto show, calling for potential automaker partners to work with.

"I'm not in charge of deciding what we will and won't do, but I'd say we'd certainly be open to having a discussion with them," said Jon Lauckner, chief technology officer of GM, speaking to Reuters. "You have to figure out how would something like that actually work? Would it be something where it would be an opportunity to work together in a joint development agreement?"

Self-driving technology, whether semi-autonomous or fully-autonomous, will only increase in upcoming years - receiving a larger amount of dedicated research.

Autonomous vehicles could begin to see wider rollout on American roads and highways by 2017, with an estimated market valued at $42 billion by 2025, according to the Boston Consulting Group.

It's possible an automaker will introduce a self-driving model in the next five years, according to Ford CEO Mark Fields at the CES 2015 last week.

"Many people don't realize how far along some of these technologies are," said Savier Mosquet, from the Boston Consulting Group. "Even more surprising, consumer interest and the production costs will make autonomous vehicles highly attractive to both carmakers and their customers."

General Motors teased us in late 2014 with a 200-mile range electric car, with media outlets reporting that it was going to be something similar to the Chevrolet Sonic - a car which saw its debut in 2011.

The Wall Street Journal has unleashed information on GM's new market offering - the Chevrolet Bolt, pinned for a 2017 release. The report outlines that this car is styled to look like a crossover and the concept will be featured this coming Monday at the Detroit Auto Show.

Claimed to be released to the public for only $30,000, it's not clear if this price is inclusive or excluding the $7,500 federal tax credit. Comparing the Spark to the Bolt, its older brother only costs $26,820 excluding the tax, meaning that if GM are releasing their Bolt for $30,000 including tax - you're getting double the range for only $3,000 more.

Car maker Nissan and the NASA space agency have signed a five-year research and develop partnership, which will boost autonomous vehicle research. Nissan has already tested its autonomous vehicles in urban environments, with the car designed to deal with other vehicles, construction, pedestrians, cyclists, and other common scenarios.

Specifically, there is interest in developing software algorithms, concepts and integrated prototypes of self-driving autonomous vehicles - giving Nissan a much-needed boost in the surging market, while NASA hopes to implement breakthroughs into its space research.

"All of our potential topics of research collaboration with Nissan are areas in which Ames has strongly contributed to major NASA programs," said Pete Worden, director of AMES. "Ames developed Mars rover planning software, robots onboard the International Space Station (ISS) and next-generation air traffic management systems to name a few. We look forward to applying knowledge developed during this partnership toward future space and aeronautics endeavors."

CES 2015 - Similar to other major auto makers, Ford has already developed semi-autonomous vehicle features, but is dreaming big and looking ahead to fully autonomous technology.

The company already has lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, pre-collision assist with pedestrian detection, and active park assist in newer Ford models.

"We're already manufacturing and selling semi-autonomous vehicles that use software and sensors to steer into both parallel and perpendicular parking spaces, adjust speed based on traffic low or apply the brakes in an emergency," said Raj Nair, VP and CTO of Ford, during the Ford CES keynote. "There will be a Ford autonomous vehicle in the future, and we take putting one on the road very seriously."

CES 2015 - Automaker Subaru has announced it will work with AT&T to bring new features to its STARLINK in-vehicle connectivity system via 4G LTE.

Subaru's STARLINK allows for hands-free connectivity, infotainment, and safety services - and the AT&T 4G LTE communications module will open the door to automatic collision notification, stolen vehicle recovery, remote vehicle services, and monthly vehicle health reports.

"Collaborating with AT&T, a trusted industry leader, is a natural fit for Subaru," said Alan Bethke, VP of Marketing of Subaru America, in a statement. "AT&T will enable STARLINK to provide Subaru customers with additional peace of mind through new safety and security services, as well as enhanced connectivity."

CES 2015 - BMW has joined forces with the Nokia-owned company HERE, claimed to be a leader in navigation, mapping and location experiences. This collaboration is described as the forefront in automotive technology through their recently issued press release and their work will be proudly displayed later this week during CES 2015.

This collaboration has seen these two powerhouse companies work together to develop a suite of location-based services for your car, helping "integrate them into modern urban transport systems". These services were worked on directly by a select few experts from each company, eventually developing their highly precise and dynamic location information in a short 12 month period.

Some of these new services will be shown off to the public during the trade show in Las Vegas, this week.

CES 2015 - Escort Radar introduced the Passport Max2 radar detector and rolled out Escort Live mobile app updates during the 2015 Consumer Electronics show. The new detectors feature English and Spanish language voice alerts, and utilizes a multi-color graphics display that is easier to read.

The Escort Live app now includes Air Patrol alert features so drivers are alerted if they begin traveling through a stretch of roadway that is monitored by air. Also, the "Intelligent Speed Trap" feature automatically provides drivers about user reports of other Escort Radar owners in the area - and can support manually entering data.

"We're thrilled that we can offer known areas of enforcement that have been verified by millions of data points," said Tim Coomer, VP of product development at Escort Radar, in a press statement. "Advanced notification in these high-risk areas can be extremely useful in defending against instant-on radar and the use of laser guns."

CES 2015 - Hardware manufacturer Broadcom has introduced a new Near Field Communications (NFC) chip designed to serve in connected vehicles. If implemented, drivers will be able to pair a smartphone or tablet by tapping it against the vehicle's dashboard, an easier method than trying to navigate device menus.

The BCM89095 chip joins Broadcom's growing number of connected vehicle technology products, which already includes a Bluetooth Smart chip and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth Smart combination.

"Today's advanced in-car technologies are driving a dramatic leap forward in automotive entertainment," said Richard Barrett, director of wireless connectivity at Broadcom, in a press statement. "Broadcom's new automotive NFC chip offers an innovative architecture that reduces development time for our customers while providing a simplified tap-to-connect experience for drivers and passengers."

CES 2015 - If you haven't seen our coverage of NVIDIA's CES 2015 press conference, then you're probably not up with the new Tegra X1 processor. The new Tegra X1 processor from NVIDIA has a huge 256 GPU cores thanks to the company's Maxwell architecture, but it also packs an 8-core 64-bit processor, too.

Well, the company is investing into fully autonomous vehicles as the new Tegra X1 processor, and beyond, are capable of reading countless parts of the car (cameras, sensors, etc) that can detect things like pedestrians, cars, police cars, trucks, and more. It's impressive, as all of this is done by a couple of SoCs in the car, and not by an actual computer.

All of this is done thanks to NVIDIA's new Drive CX platform, which is a "digital cockpit computer". This computer is the "industry's most advanced visual computing platform" that features NVIDIA's Maxwell architecture, and their newly announced Drive Studio.

CES 2015 - Electronics manufacturer Visteon plans to show off new software, services and connectivity during the 2015 Consumers Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. The company will unveil more than 60 different displays and innovation concepts to attendees that visit its booth in the Las Vegas Convention Center Central Plaza (booth #20).

The company will also have an autonomous driving simulator to show how autonomous driving technology continues to evolve and mature at a rapid rate. The technology makes use of Visteon's human machine interaction (HMI) interface, a major research effort that the company has developed over years of tinkering.

"As one of the leading cockpit electronics suppliers, we are now turning our focus to designing connectivity into all our products utilizing cloud-based technology and over-the-air connections - creating a truly connected driving experience," said Martin Thall, EVP and president of the Visteon electronics division. "Whether on the open road, in a garage or at a body and assembly plant, Visteon has service offerings to unlock the value of connectivity."

CES 2015 is going to be a year to remember for technology and vehicles, with Mercedes-Benz set to show off its plans for a self-driving vehicle, and so much more. We should know more during their keynote speech, with a super cool prototype to be shown off at the show in Las Vegas.

LG has also revealed that it will be supplying Mercedes with the mono and stereo camera systems, cameras that will be used to keep these cars in their lanes, dim the headlights, brake autonomously, and detect pedestrians or cyclists on or near the road. LG will also be providing biometric systems that will monitor drivers' eye movements and alertness, as well as its mobile and home entertainment expertise.

Merdeces will be providing LG with a license to its 6D Vision self-driving technology, so that LG can share it with other automakers.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas over at Google, with the Mountain View-based search giant unveiling its first real build of its upcoming self-driving car, which will hit the roads of California next year.

The company has shown off previous builds of its self-driving car, but they weren't exactly production models. They were early mockups at best, with no real headlights - stickers in their place - and a huge exposed sensor on the roof. There are many more prototypes now, each testing out various functions of the self-driving car, with a more refined, real, and functional feel.

Google has said that it plans to put the car through various tests during the holiday season, and have it on the roads of Northern California in the New Year. This isn't the final product yet, as the company will continue to tinker and tinker until it gets it right.

Half of drivers tested by researchers from Wayne State University committed "lane excursions" into other lanes, while being instructed to text and drive with one hand on the steering wheel. However, it would appear older, more experienced drivers were more likely to drift into other lanes - as 100 percent of drivers from 45 to 59 years of age committed this driving error, with younger drivers doing better.

Eighty percent of drivers from their mid-thirties to mid-forties committed lane excursions, with that number dropping to 50 percent for drivers from 25 to 34 years of age. Just 25 percent of drivers from 18 to 24 years of age swerved while texting and driving, researchers noted, doing better than what many would assume.

"Generally, people believe that younger drivers are more easily distracted and therefore would be more susceptible to the dangers of texting and driving," said Randall Commissaris, one of the authors of the study. "However, our study - which included drivers ranging in age from 18 to 59 - demonstrated just the opposite. Although texting while driving had a negative impact on drivers of all ages, younger drivers were less distracted by texting, and older drivers' performance was much worse because of their texting."

Google wants to see its Android mobile operating system built directly into connected cars, hoping drivers and passengers are able to enjoy connectivity even before connecting their smartphones. If this occurs in 2015, it would be a major step beyond just the Google Android Auto software - and the first wave of vehicles should be available sometime in 2015.

Despite increased interest in connected vehicles, Google still has remained relatively quiet about its long-term Android plans in vehicles. However, Android M should have a major role in providing connected features to drivers. If everything goes according to Google's plan, Android will evolve into the major platform used to power infotainment and navigation for connected cars.

"It provides a much stronger foothold for Google to really be part of the vehicle rather than being an add-on," said Thilo Koslowski, VP and Automotive Practice Leader of Gartner, in a statement published by Reuters.