Automotive

A multi-purpose vehicle capable of delivering emergency housing and supplies to disaster areas then rapidly returning to base ready for another mission – that is the concept behind the Aid Necessities Transporter (A.N.T.). The idea takes inspiration from it's namesake in the insect world – creating more than just a unique concept vehicle but an entirely new aid distribution system. The A.N.T has been designed to traverse rough terrain that would be impossible for conventional trucks to navigate, delivering supply pods and temporary shelter to disaster stricken communities. The vehicle then transforms itself into a low-profile form for a swift return to headquarters. Read More

According to a 2008 study by the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute, about 20 percent of all road traffic accidents are caused by driver fatigue. Tired motorists are also eight times more likely than rested motorists to get in an accident, displaying driving abilities similar to those of someone who is intoxicated. The problem is, we often don’t know when we’ve reached that “too tired” state – a situation that the Anti Sleep Pilot was created to address. The Danish-designed device sits on your dashboard, monitoring you and your driving conditions, and lets you know when it’s time to pull over and take a ten-minute rest. Read More

Almost every day, we hear about advances in the development of practical electric cars. Those advances won’t mean much, however, if no one is buying the things. With that in mind, ZPryme Research and Consulting recently conducted a web-based survey of 1,046 men and women across the U.S., asking how they felt about various aspects of buying an EV (electric vehicle). Read More

Twenty-eleven is rolling in and we'll be heading back to Detroit to check out the best of what the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) has to offer. We've already been teased with the prospect of an all-new Toyota Prius, concepts from Ford and MINI and a new Benz C-Class. So what else can we expect to see under lights at the COBO Center come mid-January? Read More

As part of the latest update to its C-Class, Mercedes-Benz has brought internet access to its COMAND infotainment system for the first time. Unlike some other in-car systems that use a built-in SIM card slot, the Mercedes system will use Terminal Mode – the proposed industry specification for the integration of mobile applications into car dashboard systems developed by Nokia and Consumer Electronics for Automotive (CE4A) – to duplicate the display of a smartphone on the in-dash display and allow control through the COMAND user interface. Read More

Auto Stop-Start technology that shuts off a vehicle’s engine when it comes to a stop to save fuel is a standard feature on many hybrid and electric-vehicles (EVs), including Ford’s Fusion Hybrid and Escape Hybrid. Ford has now announced its Auto Start-Stop system will be added to conventional cars, crossovers and SUVs in North America from 2012. Read More

The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) has claimed a world first by deploying electric buses on a commercial route. Previous electric bus operations have all been trials, or in the case of Expo 2010 in Shanghai, free public services. The buses went into service on December 21 after an 18 month development project with Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hankuk Fiber. Read More

All of the different places I've lived in have had one thing in common – an early morning wake up call when the refuse truck appears in the street. Any move to make such things a little quieter is very welcome indeed, and if it benefits the environment too, then that's another tick in the plus column. Dow Kokam and PVI have announced that a fleet of much less noisy electric refuse trucks is to be rolled out in 2011 by SITA Ile de France, offering similar power and performance levels as their fossil-fueled counterparts. Read More

The 2011 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) is rapidly approaching and the pre-show teasers are racking-up. Toyota is responsible for getting the hybrid ball rolling with the launch of the first mass-produced gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle back in 1997, so one of our first stops on the show floor will be the company’s unveiling of the first all-new edition to the Prius Family. Read More