MOTORHUB MAGAZINE
Google Driverless Cars.
O
n December 23, Google announced its first
fully functional driverless car, which is ready
for testing on public roads. Prior to this, the
Internet giant developed various prototypes that lacked
on different fundamental and functional aspects.
The latest prototype has all the important elements
like headlights, steering and brakes. The company
have also created a self-driving system with sensors
and computers that can be fitted to SUVs like Lexus.
This new technology will not only be a breakthrough
in tough traffic congestion but sensing technology can
also increase road safety. Countries such as the UK
and US are working on laws to allow driverless cars.
Toyota’s Hovering Car
T
oyota is developing a future airborne car. Media
reports the managing officer at Toyota as saying the
company has been toying with the idea of flying cars.
The concept car being developed won’t be actually flying around, but
instead would be floating slightly above the road like a hovercraft to
reduce friction. This is just a case-study and the actual Toyota hovering car may not make it to the showrooms anytime in the near future.
Bus Powered by Human Waste.
I
n November, the world witnessed the first ever bus to run on
human waste on the roads of Britain. According to researchers, the bus can provide a sustainable way of fuelling public transport — cutting emissions in polluted towns and cities.
The 40-seater Bio-Bus, which runs on gas generated through the
treatment of sewage and food waste, helps to improve urban
air quality as it produces fewer emissions than traditional diesel
engines. The bus can travel up to 300 km on a full tank of gas.
V2V Communications .
I
n February, US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that it will begin taking steps
to enable vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication
technology for light vehicles. This technology would allow
vehicles to “talk” to each other and ultimately avoid many
crashes altogether by exchanging basic safety data, such as
speed and position, ten times per second, to improve safety.
It uses ‘ad hoc network’, where every car is free to associate with any other car available in the network and
share equal status. V2V, which is also known as VANET
(vehicular ad hoc network), is a variation of MANET
(mobile ad hoc network). Many automobile manufacturers
including are BMW, Audi, Honda, General Motors, Volvo
and Daimler working and developing this technology to
improve safety, overcome blind spots and avoid accidents.
Smart Cars
A
fter smartphones, we will soon have smart cars around. In
June 2014, Google launched its ‘Android Auto’, a telematics software that can be connected to car dash board for
infotainment. It also enables the driver to access GPS, maps,
streaming music, weather, and a host of other applications. A
slew of carmakers including Abarth, Acura, Alfa Romeo, Audi,
Bentley, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Ford, Infiniti, Jeep,
Kia, Maserati and Volvo will offer Android Auto in their cars
Earlier, at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2014, Apple announced
its ‘CarPlay’ software, which allows devices running on the iOS
operating system to function with built-in display units of automobile dashboards. Carmakers like BMW, Daimler, JLR, Honda and
Hyundai have installed it in their cars. Infotainment manufacturers
like Pioneer & Alpine too have shown interest in Carplay from Apple.
Pre-Collision Technology.
T
Start- Stop Technology
H
ero MotoCorp introduced its first bike with startstop technology, Splendor iSmart, in March 2014.
The company calls it i3s technology which is
also known as Idle Start and Stop System. i3s is a green
technology that automatically shuts the engine when
idling and turns it on, when needed, with a simple press
of the clutch, giving more mileage in congested cities.
op carmakers such as Ford and Hyundai have developed a pre-collision assist
and pedestrian detection technology.
Besides helping the driver detect blind spots,
this technology also alerts the driver when
he/she is not paying attention on the road. And if the driver falls asleep
and does not respond to the warning, then the system applies the
brakes on its own. The driver assist system has two types of sensors.
One is millimetre-wave radar located inside the front grille, and the
other is a monocular camera mounted on the upper, inside part of
the windshield. Its collision mitigation braking system delivers an
audio and visual warning when there is a risk of a head-on collision.
If the driver fails to react, the car will automatically begin breaking itself to prevent or reduce the severity of a crash. This
technology will debut this year with Ford Mondeo in Europe.
Hyundai would introduce it in the new Genesis sedan.
ISSUE #2 Jun - Sept
17