Archive for the ‘Auto Technology’ Category
Tired of life’s inconveniences — everything from red light cameras and speed traps to more natural hazards like traffic and falling rocks. The iRadar has it. The service and product revolves around a small device mounted in the car combined with an iPhone app from which you can control anything and everything with the device itself. Combine the hardware with Cobra’s constantly and instantly updated database of various types of road hazards and you’ve got money well spent. Our personal favorite feature of the iRadar app in particular is how a single, large icon/image of the hazard ahead is displayed on screen when coming within range of the hazard.
We got a short hands-on time with the iRadar app and product back at CES and were quite impressed. While we’ve seen other similar services, Cobra’s is one of the nicer designed services and products we’ve seen. Hop on past the break and check out the demo video…
Consumer electronics company and mobile wireless accessory manufacturer, Parrot, revealed a new connected car audio receiver tonight at CES: Unveiled. The “Parrot ASTEROID” is powered by Google’s Android operating system and ships with a GPS key that when combined with a 3G key (purchased separately) can bring literally anything and everything into your car and display it front and center on your dashboard. Everything from weather, to news, to streaming Last.fm can be accomplished with this head unit, and any iPod or other MP3 player can be attached via USB ports on the back of the device as well as paired via Bluetooth.
As for sonic qualities, the unit features (2) pairs of RCA pre-amp outputs and a separate RCA output for a subwoofer. Specifics are still being obtained as is pricing. However, users can expect the ASTEROID’s release in Q1 for France, Spain, Italy, UK, Germany, Benelux and Q2 for the United States.
Keep checking back! Gallery after the jump.
[Press Release] — PDF
If you’re a resident of Michigan and currently dote around in an electric vehicle, you’re going to want to add Meijer to the list of places to stop — for necessity and food. Julie Croll, Senior Vice President of Properties and Real estate at the popular Hypermarket, announced that the company is currently in the process of installing new electric vehicle chargers (in partner with Coulomb Technologies) at several of their Michigan stores, though the first station is already live in Warren, Michigan. Allen Park and Holland are the next to Mejier locations scheduled for installation.
The best part for consumers is that each one of these SAE J1772-compliant stations are 100% free, and provide 110v or 220v charging options. Right now, the maximum number stations per store is two. Croll added, however, that up to 20 more Meijer stations would be “electrified” by the end of 2011.
Any mid-westerners going to make the trek up to Michigan to check the new charging stations out?
- September 26, 2010 10:06 am
Not a car blog. I know. But who’s going to hate on an 1,100 horsepower (on pump gas, 1,300 with racing gas) twin-turbo V-12 Murcielago SV that not only rockets down the road, but spews fire on downshifts? Yeah, not many people. It’s a nice addition to an already beautiful car that isn’t overly tacky or gaudy. The gear head buffet is provided by Underground Racing. The particular package that you see the after effects of costs an eye melting $129,000 on top of the Murcielago’s already $200,000+ sticker price. Wow…
Hop inside for a short video showing the hot stuff in action…
The Chevy Volt is one of those cars that manages to gain a fairly geeky image. While it’s green roots are what it’s most known for, electronics, gadgets, and complex science are never something to ignore. Unfortunately, GM utterly failed in delivering an “affordable” and dependable electric vehicle. Besides the actual price coming of of GM being a good $10,000 higher than what was expected, dealers themselves are showing their tried and true colors (read: Greedy green) by marking up the popular yet scarce hybrids by as much as $20,000, bringing the total after-tax-credit-price to $52,000.
I don’t know about you, but that has failure written all over it. Still, I have no doubt people will soak up the limited 10,000 vehicle run for this year. The situation is ironic given GM’s statements claiming they’d “watch for dealers overcharging customers for the Volt”. Too bad for GM it was overpriced to begin with. Adding more on top of it at the dealer level only makes it worse.
Anyone miffed/saddened?
Have you ever looked at your pathetic typical American car and wished for more? We all have. It’s only natural to want something better than what you’ve got. For many, money is the only barrier between what is and what could be. So if you’re going to dream, dream big, right? That ideology is perfectly captured by this 1982 Porsche 928 with a slight engine mod — a Boeing Turbine engine crammed into the engine bay.
According to the seller, it’s his daily driver, tops 160MPH, has 360hp and 700 foot pounds of torque. Not to mention, it does all of that while running on straight diesel and managing to net 17mpg. Not bad for a turbine Porsche car, huh? It may not win any stop light races, but it’ll certainly look bad ass with those straight pipes out of the hood.
Interested parties can check out the full list of features over on the eBay listing page. Oh yeah, this baby’s for sale! As of writing, the bid is up to $12k. Not bad for what you’re getting. Better hurry…
Land Rover’s aren’t cheap. This is no secret. But when money is no object and you bathe in fine caviar and smoke the finest cigars, a tricked out Range Rover is the only answer to mobile luxury. The Design Q designed Range Rover is marketed as a private jet on wheels. Lavish goodies such as extra seat room, personal mini spa, humidor, and plenty of other over-the-top features ensure your bank account will bleed deep, dark red before all is said and done.
Anyone up for a cocoanut facial and Brazilian wax while doing 90 on the highway through downtown Iraq? Yeah, I’ll pass…
Fancy saving a tree or two and happen to title yourself a nerd? There’s no doubt that Chevy’s ambitions Volt project has been a long time coming. Since the truck market bombed out a few years back, they’ve been scrambling to catch up to other manufacturers more fuel efficient and alternative fuel-powered vehicles. And up until now, the biggest mystery about the Volt was the price. Price it to high no one will buy it. Lucky for consumers, it looks like Chevy will make it relatively affordable, at a now confirmed base price of $41,000. Interested parties may even get a stab at the electric wonder vehicle for a far cheaper price, however. At stake is a tax credit totaling up to $7,500 as well as leasing options. Speaking of the latter, the leasing program looks like it’ll hit a little closer to more individuals’ homes with a $350 monthly payment and $2,500 due at signing.
But what good is a hot new geek car with relatively new and untested reliability without decent warranties and protection from the factory? Oh dear reader, jump on in and find out…
People always look to flying cars as *the* sign that the future has arrived. While a flying car has recently been talked about as making its way into production (albeit in limited quantities), right now the general consensus is that battery-powered cars are where it’s at. The only issue so far has been runtime. Cars are very large and very thirsty machines. Most of our batteries simply don’t have the power or longevity to make solely battery powered cars practical or affordable. But things are projected to change with the introduction of the Chevy Volt.
Taking on the image of a sort of “Mechanical/Electrical Jesus”, the Chevy Volt has certainly enjoyed its fair share of media attention. But one very important aspect, replacing the spent battery pack after a few years of continuous charge/discharge cycles, hasn’t been highlighted quite as often as one may like. But the jury has finally come back and it’s looking pretty promising. How’s an 8-year warranty sound? That’s what GM is offering. Yeah, it’s not as long as non-battery vehicles. But it’s pretty much the king of warranties compared to other offerings from foreign manufacturers.
What’s the big deal you ask? Well, the most recent estimates have a full replacement of the Volt’s battery sitting heavy at $10,000 per pack. So warranty replacements are a pretty big deal if you ask me. Is it enough to sway you in the direction of electric vehicles?
