The Rise of Car Robot was finally seen.
Don’t be confused. I’m not talking about the movie Transformers. I’m talking about the real car robot that received a standing ovation and recognition from those who witnessed the rare event of seeing it take a test drive.
It was a robotic car developed by the Carnegie Mellon University's Tartan Racing. The car robot is said to be like a 16-year-old who already got a driving license and is so keen with traffic rules, braking, accelerating and maneuvering a vehicle.
And what’s this? The car has a name - Boss! The robotic car manages to avoid all white and double-yellow lines, stops exactly at stop symbols, and powerfully turns around on dead ends. Wow, I give this car a 100% mark for that - PERFECT!
This robot car is one of the two 2007 Chevrolet Tahoes donated by GM to Tartan Racing and it took almost 50,000 hours of human power just to convert it into a robot.
It was able to witness a driving exhibition at the Department of Defense representatives of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Actually that presentation was just in preparation for the upcoming robotic cars culminating activity on November 3. The event was sponsored by the Urban Challenge competition in a 60-mile race.
During the presentation, Boss performed its task as if it was a beginner and on the three-hour trial, it went through four runs on the course. This was done on the quarter-mile road along the Monongahela River.
Of course, when you say robot, there’s no need for human assistance, right? It is able to find its way through hectic crossroads and has passed parked vehicles in its personal path.
After the whole test drive, a big round of applause came from those people who witnessed how good Boss was.
The Urban Challenge Program Manager of DARPA, Norm Whitaker, noted that the robot did not go over 15 mph. Whitaker also noted that the vehicle had been able to stop within a meter of the white line at stop symbols and had stayed behind a number of car lengths in its lane.
There will be 53 competing robot vehicles. After that, there would be a final set of 30 robot vehicles which would take on new challenges. The results will be broadcasted this Aug. 9.
In the final round, all robot vehicles should go through 60 city miles in six hours maximum. It should also keep away from looming traffic and other obstructions. It must pass and go through traffic then successfully cross intersections and traffic circles. Most importantly, it should be able to follow traffic laws.
If Boss will make it as one of the three finalists, it could go home with these prizes: 1st prize winner will have $2 million, the 2nd prize is $1 million and the third placer will get $500,000.
Want a bet which robot car will win? Well then I’m going to bid to you my Mercedes Benz AC compressor and Mercedes Benz AC condenser that Boss will make it to the last end of the competition.
The latest BMW Hydrogen 7 car was presented to the Deputy Mayor of London and London Hydrogen Partnership Chair, Nicky Gavron, at the City Hall and the vehicle was handed by BMW's Head of Government and Industrial Affairs, John Hollis, last June 17. Such a move was taken as part of the company’s aim to elevate hydrogen consciousness as a substitute energy source for consumers in the near future.
The said model is part of BMW's scheme to support a debate around the function of hydrogen in the economy. For the next coming two months, cars will be assessed in the UK by business leaders and opinion formers. Almost 100 Hydrogen 7 cars have been manufactured for worldwide assessment. Six cars are in the UK over the summer.
According to John Hollis, "BMW is a pioneer in the development and use of hydrogen as a fuel source and shares the vision of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor that London should be one of the world centers for Hydrogen. In recognition of the work the Mayor's Office has done in this field, BMW would like it to be the first public organization in the country to have the use of a Hydrogen 7 car."
Based from the existing 7 Series, this BMW Hydrogen 7 is coupled with an internal combustion engine that has the capacity of running on hydrogen or petrol. If the car is in hydrogen mode, the vehicle emits water vapor which is a great advantage to us since there will be a decrease in the greenhouse effect and air pollution caused by cars will be lessened. After all, we know that cars emit unhealthy gases.
The BMW Hydrogen 7 will be powered by a 260hp 12-cylinder engine that leads to an acceleration starting from zero to 62mph in just 9.5 seconds before jumping to an electronically-limited 143mph top speed. Unbelievable but its true!
This action made by BMW is not just because they want to support hydrogen as substitute energy but also because they want to leave an impact to the local market in particular and to the international market as well. They will be competing against hybrid vehicles and those that come with diesel technology.
It seems to be a great concept but there are speculations if this one will truly be realized. Even if there are a lot of advantages that buyers can get from this, it still seems to remain to be just an idea for life.
Well then I still have to look were I placed my new BMW ball joints and BMW 528I parts since I have to finish replacing those old car parts of mine.
My old car is wearing out. Last night it bugged me when I parked it in the garage. Some parts are not working anymore. Well, maybe it’s time that I buy a new one. Of course, I am a top-down type of driver and that is just the type of car I need. So I visited the net after I woke up. I hope to find the best convertible for my outgoing type of personality.
Forbesauto.com is one among the most reputable websites for car information, pricing, specifications and car reviews. Early this morning, I had a chance to visit their official website and guess what I found out? Aha, a super gorgeous convertible coming from the German auto maker. Ladies and gentlemen, brace yourselves to the all new 2007 Volkswagen Eos. A special thanks to forbesauto.com for the specifications I found on their site. Here check it out.
Standard Equipment Highlights
Power and Performance
Engine: 2.0L I-4 16 valve DOHC direct gasoline injection
Transmission: 6-spd manual w/overdrive
Drive Type: Front-wheel drive
Axle Ratio: 3.94 axle ratio
Exhaust: Stainless steel exhaust
Battery: 570 CCA 72 amp hours (Ah) battery
Alternator: 140 amp alternator
0-60 mph: 8 seconds
1/4 mile: 16 seconds 85 mph
lateral acceleration (g): 1
slalom: 60 mph
Active and Passive Safety
Braking System: 4-wheel anti-lock brakes (ABS)
Lights: Center high mounted stop light
Ignition Security: Immobilizer III ignition disable
Airbags: Dual airbags
Comfort and Convenience Features
Air Conditioning: Climatic manual air conditioning
Radio: AM/FM stereo
Radio: In-dash mounted single CD player
Door Locks: Power with 2 stage unlock door locks
Instrumentation: Trip odometer
Warning Indicators: Engine temperature
Warning Indicators: Battery warning
Warning Indicators: Door ajar warning
Steering Wheel: Tilt steering
Steering Wheel: Telescoping steering
Windows: Light tinted windows
Basic Specs
Body style: Convertible
Seating capacity: 4
Engine: 2.0L I-4 16 valve DOHC direct gasoline injection
Engine horsepower: 200hp @ 5,100RPM
Engine torque: 207 lb.-ft. @ 1,800RPM
Transmission: 6 speed manual
Drivetrains: front-wheel
Curb weight: 3,503lbs (1,589kg)
Miles per gallon (city/hwy): 23/32 Performance Specs
0-60 mph: 8.3 seconds
Lateral acceleration (g): .9
Payload: 893lbs (405kg)
Power-to-weight ratio: 17.5 lb/hp
For a price that starts at $28,110 for the 2007 Volkswagen Eos, $30,110 for the Eos 2.0T and $36,970 for the Eos 3.2L, buying one is just worth it. If you are into gorgeous convertibles with class and elegance, this new white Eos is definitely the car for you. So, start saving up and get one now.
You might find it really hard to sneak and find the cheapest gas prices, right? Not like looking for car parts online such as the Chevrolet Tahoe bumper insert, a Dodge Ram pickup car cover and a Dodge Ram pickup nerf bar which are all available online. But just as these car parts are easy to find online, automotive.com made it easy for us to find the lowest prices of gas and fuel online. Yup, you can now visit the Gas Price Finder for the best deals on gas prices.
Automotive.com makes it easy for us to find the low-priced gases online. We all know that summer is the peak season where gas prices usually increase its price and it never seems to go down. Gas Price Finder offers us the easiest way to find the cheapest fuel in the city or in any place in the US.
Users that visit the particular site have all the chances to see updates about all the available gases for the different vehicles. A grid view of per gallon statistics are presented on the site including their updates on prices so you will never find a hard time finding which has the lowest offered price. They all got plus, regular, diesel fuel and premium updates including the station where you can get those. So, if you plan for a long road trip, you can simply find the places where these stations are located so there is a minimal hassle for you to find those.
The Chief Executive Officer of PRIMEDIA Automotive Digital, Josh Speyer, said, “Gas prices are at or near record highs all across the country, and consumers can achieve material savings by locating the lowest gas prices where they live, along their commute or while traveling. This is a truly useful and relevant tool that leverages the distributed and immediate nature of the Internet to help consumers make everyday decisions about where and how to save money and the savings add up quickly.”
Viewers will not only view the different gas prices but viewers are also provided with information of the latest national average price per gallon so they will be able to compare the prices on their local area to the places that they are going to visit.
After the introduction of the Automotive.com’s Gas Price Finder, the traffic on the site has increased dramatically. Meaning, there are many people visiting the site. This only demonstrates the new site’s popularity and usefulness.
What Car? Revealed that men are getting a greater amount of the best deals in terms of car buying. Evecars.com also revealed the same info on their website yesterday. In an overall rate, men are more secured when it comes to car shopping that £544 or more amount is deducted to the car’s regular price.
A research was done by two undercover agents - a male and a female. They were to travel around the country and find a clearer view on this matter. The challenge was to negotiate for huge discounts on five auto brands and models namely:
v Audi A4
v Ford Focus
v Honda CR-V
v Renault Clio
v Vauxhall Zafira
And it turned out that the man got the best deal with 55% taken off the regular price while the woman undercover got only a 20% discount.
What Car?’s group editor, Steve Fowler, said, ‘We’re shocked that gender appears to have a bearing on the discount offered in car dealerships. It seems that car dealers see women as an easy touch and don’t feel the need to offer such keen prices as if it was a man sitting in front of them. Discounts can be relatively easy to come by if you’re well prepared before you go shopping. Our Target Price proves that you can save an average of £1454 on a new car – often much more.”
Evecars.com’s editor, Alex Jenner-Fust, also said: “This shows just how important it is to research the price you should pay before hitting the showroom, and to be brave about pushing salespeople for a better price. And if you really hate haggling, using an online broker is another way of getting a great deal.”
The Saturn cold air intake and the Subaru cold air intake are both important parts of your car. So, get one now if these car parts malfunction.
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