Google (GOOG) on Tuesday announced another milestone for its driverless car program. The Internet giant revealed that its self-driving cars have now logged more than 300,000 miles across a wide range of traffic conditions, and no vehicle has suffered from an accident while under computer control. The driverless program combines the company’s Street View technology with artificial intelligence software that fully controls the vehicle with the help of numerous cameras and sensors. The program has come a long way and was recently granted a license from the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles to perform tests on public streets. Google notes that while “there’s still a long road ahead,” it will soon allow some of its team members to drive the cars solo, rather than in the traditional pairs, for their daily commutes. The Mountain View-based company also announced the newest additional to its autonomous fleet, a Lexus RX450h hybrid. More →
Technology in cars doesn’t change as frequently as it does in some other industries, but lately there has been a huge emphasis on what connected technologies can add to a car. On this week’s episode of The BGR Show, we visit Mercedes-Benz’s U.S. headquarters in Montvale, NJ to take a look at the company’s brand new 2013 SL550 featuring the latest Mercedes technology. There’s never been as much focus on the dashboard as there is now, and Mercedes is rolling out something called mbrace 2.0 starting with the SL, which will then hit roll out to other classes this year. Mbrace 2.0 brings apps to the dashboard with things like live Google search (complete with Street View), Yelp, and even Facebook. The brand new sunroof on the hardtop convertible is called MAGIC SKY, and it uses electrically charged glass to allow the roof to go from clear to tinted with the push of a button. You can also get more control over your vehicle by setting up geo-fences that will alert you if your car enters or exits a designated location, and you can even create speed alerts, so if your teenager takes your car and goes above a certain speed you’ll get an alert on your phone. Lastly, the new system from Mercedes is cloud-based and will automatically download updates itself, so you’re not going to have to bother with bringing your car to a dealership to get it updated anymore — this is the future, people.
More →
Waze, the popular mobile application that offers turn-by-turn navigation, will soon make the jump from smartphones to cars later this year, according to the company’s CEO Noam Bardin. The executive revealed that his firm is working with most major automakers, although he failed to disclose which ones. “The same innovation that’s happening in the smartphone is going to tip into the car,” Bardin said in an interview with Bloomberg. Waze, which is available for free on both the iPhone and Android devices, has some 19 million users, all whom have the ability to share traffic information and earn different rewards. The company’s foray into the automobile industry comes as both Apple and Microsoft have revealed plans to greater integrate their ecosystems into upcoming vehicles. More →
Microsoft’s Connected Car team, which is responsible for the technology used in systems such as Ford Sync, may be looking to further integrate the company’s solutions into future vehicles. According to a recent job listing on Microsoft’s website, the software giant is looking to integrate Windows 8, Windows Phone devices, Kinect, Windows Live, Bing, the Azure cloud platform and TellMe voice recognition technology into the next-generation of Connected Cars. More →
Everyone agrees that it’s bad to surf the web while driving, but what if a car happens to double as a giant smartphone? Verizon is taking some steps toward making this happen as it has formed an industry group called the 4G Venture Forum for Connected Cars that includes several major auto manufacturers interested in bringing LTE connectivity to cars. BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Kia and Toyota are joining Verizon as the group’s initial members. The forum has also snagged Massachusetts Institute of Technology mechanical engineering professor Sanjay Sarma to provide guidance on academic technology research relevant to wireless tech and the auto industry. Hit the jump for the full release. More →
The United States Senate has already passed a bill that would require data-recording “black boxes” to be equipped on every vehicle for the 2015 model year, and the House is also expected to approve the bill. The primary function of the black boxes, which are known as Electronic Data Recorders (EDRs), would be to “capture and store data related to motor vehicle safety,” and access to the EDR’s information is only through an “interoperable data access port.” Interestingly enough, EDRs are already found in almost 80% of all vehicles, including models from GM, Ford, Kia, Hyundai, and many others. More →
Nevada is the first state to grant Google a U.S. license to test driverless cars. The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles confirmed on Monday that it had approved the company’s application to test autonomous vehicles on public streets. Google will be required to have at least two people in the vehicle while testing it, however, including one in the driver’s seat. Prior to being approved, the Mountain View-based company had been testing the car on freeways in neighborhoods around Carson City and Las Vegas, according to Fox News. The tests showed the car was just as safe, if not safer, than cars operated by human drivers. “It gets honked at more often because it’s being safe,” said Nevada DMV Director Bruce Breslow. The driverless vehicles will be required to wear red license plates that contain an infinity symbol, which the DMV says represents their status as “the car of the future.” If testing goes as planned and the vehicles are ever used by the general public, the license plates will be green. “They’re designed to avoid distracted driving,” Breslow said. “When you’re on the Strip and there’s a huge truck with a three scantily clad women on the side, the car only sees a box.” More →
A new study from J.D. Power and Associates has revealed U.S. drivers are interested in adding one of the newest and most expensive technologies to their next vehicle — autonomous driving. The feature allows the vehicle to take control of acceleration, braking, and steering without any human interaction. While the technology is still being developed and tested, 20% of all car owners in the U.S. said they “definitely would” or “probably would” include the technology in their next vehicle, even after learning the estimated market price of $3,000. Prior to learning the price, however, a whopping 37% of people were interested in the feature. More →
Chrysler’s Mopar division plans to become the first car manufacturer to eliminate power cords from cars. The company on Monday announced its new in-vehicle wireless charging technology, which will be available in the 2013 Dodge Dart. “At Mopar, we look for every single opportunity to make our customers’ lives easier,”said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO of Mopar, Chrysler Group LLC’s service, parts and customer-care brand. Our industry-first in-vehicle wireless charging system is the perfect solution for those connected customers who are always on the go.” The wireless charging system is installed just below the center stack and in front of the center console. The unit features a built-in charging grid that is activated when a user places their iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, or compatible MP3 player on it, and will begin to charge when the vehicle is started. As with other wireless charging options, a separate phone case will be required. The in-vehicle wireless charging system will be available for $199.99 plus installation, and the 2013 Dodge Dart is scheduled to be available in the second quarter of 2012. Read on for Chrysler’s press release. More →
New York’s Auto Show is always packed with debuts, and this year wasn’t any different. From the 2013 BMW X1 and Mercedes-Benz’s 2013 CL-Class and GL-Class, to the 2013 Ford Explorer Sport, 2013 SRT Viper and many more, I took a spin through the show to check out some of the newest cars that will soon hit the market — and of course, look at a bunch of my favorite rides as well. The show-stopper for me? The matte blue Audi R8 GT, though I loved the Ford Explorer Sport, too. Catch all the McLarens, Aston Martins, Rolls Royces, BMWs, Bentleys, Mercedes-Benzes and more in our 2012 New York Auto Show photo gallery, which is linked below.
PAL-V’s “flying car” has successfully completed its maiden voyage in the Netherlands. The “Personal Air and Land Vehicle” flies likes a gyrocopter with the help of an auto-rotating rotor and a rear folding push propeller. On the road, the company claims the PAL-V ONE drives like a sports car. “We are very proud to announce this successful maiden flight of the PAL-V and we now invite investors to create the future with us,” said Robert Dingemanse, CEO and co-founder of PAL-V. “We know there is a lot of interest for the PAL-V. Prior to announcing these test flights, we were already approached on a daily basis by potential customers and dealers wanting to be part of this exciting project.” The copter-car hybrid features a flying range between 220 miles and 315 miles and a driving range of about 750 miles, and it is capable of reaching speeds of up to 110 miles-per-hour on both land and in the air. The vehicle runs on gasoline, however the company is currently developing versions that will use biodiesel or bio-ethanol. Read on for PAL-V’s press release and video demonstration. More →
These days when we think of wireless charging we think about using an accessory for our cell phones. Not long from now we may be using the same tech to power our electric vehicles. According to CNET, Toyota has invested in a company called WiTricity that, until now, has developed wireless charging solutions specifically for portable electronics. In a recent statement Toyota said that it “believes that resonance wireless charging is suitable for automobiles and aims for its early practical use.” Using magnetic near-field, WiTricity could potentially offer a wireless charging solution for cars, too. We’re imagining a future where, instead of pulling up to the pump, or plugging your electric car into an outlet, you simply need to drive into your garage to begin charging. “WiTricity power sources and capture devices are specially designed magnetic resonators that efficiently transfer power over large distances via the magnetic near-field. These proprietary source and device designs and the electronic systems that control them support efficient energy transfer over distances that are many times the size of the sources/devices themselves,” the firm said. Other companies, like HaloIPT, also offer wireless car-charging solutions, but this is the first we’ve heard of a major car manufacturer getting on board. More →
