10 car features we want by 2020

Hey, automobile industry, we need to talk. You've been making a lot of promises lately and, well, we're not really sure if we believe you anymore. How can you even ask why? Remember that whole "flying car" thing? Yeah, It's the new millennium and we're still getting our tires changed.

Hearts. Still. Broken.

Maybe it's time to give the industry another chance. General Motors, after all, is saying that we'll have driverless vehicles by 2015 and that sounds really neat. So we're not going to be greedy — 2020 gives the industry a little breathing room to make good, and it sounds like a swell time to kick-start the glorious future. Click Continue to see what to expect.

1. Cars that drive themselves
Larry Burns, GM's vice president for R&D, said of self-driving autos: "This is not science fiction." General Motors could have the technology in place by 2015 and have the cars on the road as early as 2018. The one large obstacle the company foresees is demand.

What would be the benefit? Less deaths on the road, for one, as a substantial amount of them are caused by driver recklessness. Also, a more even consumption of gas all around, less congestion, and the technology could act as a gateway to more advancements, such as vehicle-to-vehicle communication that will allow cars to react to construction detours and reroute in the face of traffic delays.

2. Failing that, cars that park themselves
Last year, Lexus wowed automobile enthusiasts with a self-parking LS460 sedan. Still, the system wasn't entirely automated. It used a sonar sensor to detect an open parking spot, and then you could adjust the car's parking target area by way of a in-dash monitor. The car then guides itself into the spot, handling the steering, but relies on you to keep the car's speed down by using the brake as you follow on-screen cues. A cool system to be sure, but not quite 2020 cool — I don't want to touch the pedals or the wheel.

It's not so much my own car I want parked as other people's: I could do without my mangled fender after a botched parallel parking job by someone in a hurry, or that jerk at the mall who lazily rolls into more than one space.

3. Rotating tires for easier parking
It's an idea that is still on the cutting room floor for the most part: tires that rotate so that a car can move sideways into a parking spot. Parallel parking is still one of the trickiest maneuvers most people face, especially in the city, and being able to line up your vehicle and slide right in would save a lot of bumpers. It'd also allow the driver to slip out a little easier when stuck behind an accident or a stall.

4. Unintrusive heads-up displays
Keeping a drivers eyes closer to the road is key. Having the same information your dash provides projected around the edges of the driver's side of the windshield can be a great help, especially when it comes to controlling your speed. It's already being done in a few vehicles, but it should really become standard practice.

5. Improved anti-theft methods
If my car gets stolen, there's a good chance I want it back. Though there are some pretty radical ideas out there about protecting a vehicle, some of the more rational include GPS tracking and being able to remotely turn off the engine. Services such as OnStar, provided by General Motors, are already toying with remotely causing a vehicle to slow down so it can be stopped easier by law enforcement, a feature OnStar hopes to have running by 2009.

And, hey — with self driving cars on the way, how about one that can drive itself to the police station?

6. Get rid of those fossil fuels
Fossil fuels, as we use them in automobiles right now, are heavy pollutants. More than that, we're running out of them. The more we learn to use gas more efficiently, or to simply cut gas out of the equation entirely, the better. Better for us, and better for our environment.

With our current level of technology and a push by the automobile industry for hybrids, it seems only a matter of time before gas stations are a thing of the past. How about them fuel cells, for instance?

7. Finger vein scanners and improved vehicle control
We'd like to see technology that allows us to interact with everything in our vehicle — from our air conditioner to our MP3 players — as little more than an afterthought. Hitachi's finger vein scanners, for instance, represent such an alternate control method. Each finger has a system of veins as unique as a fingerprint, and Hitachi's scanning technology can read those patterns and map functions to them, allowing you to control your vehicle's systems without reaching over for the air conditioning knob or volume control.

If finger vein scanning is too complex for our 2020 target, we'd settle for more car peripherals with voice recognition. Or hey, how about a little bit of mind control?

8. More information for the driver
Knowing the speed of the car ahead and behind you, the quality of the road you're on, the existence of a crosswind and more would all help, even if only in a small way. The auto industry has slowly been ramping up how much the car assists the driver, from larger vehicles that have a sensor which beeps when you're approaching an obstacle when backing up, to vehicles equipped with screens to put eyes where the driver can't see, like Nissan's Around View Monitor.

9. Smarter cars that save us from ourselves
On the flipside of an informed driver is an informed automobile.

There's a lot that can be said for a friendly robotic assistant who has your back on a drive. The smarter your car is and the more it knows about you, the less chance there is of an accident. If the driver falls asleep, for instance, the car could come to a gentle stop, giving other vehicles time to avoid it and keeping the car from running into a tree. The car could also deny an intoxicated driver from getting on the road in the first place.

10. Cars that won't turn unless you use a blinker
There are a few basics we should all observe in a car, like proper safety (such as wearing a seatbelt), and proper signaling.

A few years ago, Dave Barry received a write-in that suggested if a blinker was left on for a lengthy amount of time, the car should turn in that direction. Rather than include a feature that will permanently remove all drivers above the age of 65, how about turning the idea around? What if a car forced you to signal, or could signal for you? This ties back into an informed driver and car — just like holding your hand up to signal when you're on a bike, signaling to other drivers what you plan to do allows them to react accordingly.

11. Flying cars
Oh my, how did this get here? Sure, I don't trust the quality of driving I see out on the roads every day to translate into a safe aerial environment. Yet, if all of the above ever gets taken care of, why can't we have cars that drive themselves — and fly?

The Future of Flying: Finnair Forcasts Aviation in 85 Years

Finnair may not be the world’s most high-profile airline, but after celebrating 85 years of existence in the air, the company feels as if it has something to offer on the future of the industry. Teaming with the innovative minds at Airbus, Finnair is offering up five examples of what it believes aviation could look like in 85 more years. The concepts run from quite plausible, super-sized luxury liners, to more out-of-box conveyances to outer space. Have a look at the group, with attendant explanations and stats from Finnair, in our gallery above.

Caption:

Finnair A1700-2400 Cruiser
A charter aircraft with turning engines located in front – designed for both gliding and vertical take-off. In an emergency, the aircraft can land on water.All of the vessel’s 1,700 to 2,400 passenger places are in one- to four-person cabins, which have their own toilet and shower as well as internet and satellite links. Some cabins have windows. All cabins also have AV windows, offering zoomable views of the sky or downwards to earth. The AV windows also act as display terminals and receivers, on which passengers can watch television transmissions or even follow shows held in the vessel’s restaurant.
Specs
• Passenger seats 1,700–2,400
• Length 118.30 m
• Width 98.70 m
• Height 32.60 m
• Maximum take-off weight 422,000 kg
• Cruising speed 160–750 km/h
• Maximum cruising level 14,800 m
• Runway length when taking off 2,100 m
• Runway length when landing 1,300 m
• Flying range 21,600 km
Engines
• Take-off power along runway 7 x 530 kN
• Take-off power vertically 12 x 850 kN
• Take-off speed along runway 210 km/h
• Landing speed along runway 165 km/h

5 Things Your Car Will Finally Do In 2020

1. Your Car Will Predict The Future

Self-parking cars are great and all, but there’s a big difference between features of convenience and the kinds of safety technologies on the horizon. We’re talking about cars that can see into the future and react on a dime—whether that means detecting a person crossing the street or swerving to avoid oncoming traffic.

There’s no doubt the artificial intelligence required to protect you from those dangers is incredibly sophisticated, but it’s becoming more widely available every day. Vehicles equipped with hundreds of sensors will be able to monitor their surroundings, both from a short-range perspective (to detect things like barriers and stop signs) and a long-range perspective (to detect things like a truck barreling toward you). But they won’t be working alone.

Cars of the future will also utilize video monitors located at intersections. Currently planned for many towns and cities across the United States, these monitors will feed data to your car over a wireless network. From as far as 30 miles away, they’ll be able to transmit video imagery right to your dashboard. So, if you didn’t see that pedestrian walking into the street, the video system would know where you were, know about the pedestrian, and warn you to pay attention. It’s similar to Google’s new Street View maps system. Already available in larger cities like San Francisco and New York, the application shows fluid, 360-degree video images of nearly every block in the area. And while it’s only accessible from computers now, similar real-time images will soon be available right on your dash.

Taking the concept one step further, engineers also plan to equip cars with computer processors that can analyze these kinds of video feeds to assess abnormalities in traffic. So rather than just warning you of an upcoming obstacle in the road, cars will use the data to deploy airbags at just the right location within the vehicle. Or, they could decide to take over the steering when needed.

Basically a smarter version of the existing Electronic Stability Control feature (available on several luxury car models now), the cars will monitor weather and traffic, and adjust tire speeds to make sure you stay on the road and don’t flip the vehicle. How long ’til everyone on the block has one? The system will be required on all new U.S. cars for the 2012 model year, but you should expect to see it even sooner than that.

2. Your Car Will Talk To The Road – And The Road Will Talk Back

It’s one thing to have a car that senses other vehicles, but something else entirely to have the road itself know where your car is at all times. To make that possible, city governments and automakers are joining forces to launch new Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) systems. Using short-range wireless signals, vehicles will be able to communicate not only with each other, but with all the infrastructure on the road. Transportation agencies in cities across America currently have plans to install DSRC technology at major intersections and high-accident areas. In response, major auto manufacturers will offer DSRC support for their cars. The communication network will monitor where cars are traveling, as well as read traffic-light information and road-sign sensors. With both cars and roadways enabled, formerly unimaginable safety benefits will become a reality. For instance, ambulances will be able to trigger upcoming traffic lights to change from red to green.

But there are plans to go even further. According to DaimlerChrysler, old satellites (accurate to about 3 feet) could be replaced with much more powerful Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites, which could pinpoint your vehicle to a few centimeters. And while there are only 30 active GPS satellites in space today, engineers hope to have as many as 50 in the future. The new system will be able to track weather conditions and suggest alternate routes. For example, you could avoid a tornado in Kansas or damaging hail in Fargo, or loop around Chicago traffic using real-time data that’s continually updated.

3. Your Car Will Take Itself Into The Shop For Maintenance

Having wireless networks set up along the roadways—such as those necessary for seeing images of upcoming intersections—translates to endless possibilities for cars and drivers in the future. Example: Imagine passing a maintenance station that remotely signals your in-car navigation system that it’s time for an oil change. Better yet, it could go ahead and wirelessly upgrade your car’s software modules or check the performance of its safety sensors.

Perhaps even more exciting are the possibilities for electric hybrids. Once electric cars outnumber gas-engine cars, satellite-based wireless power systems could recharge vehicles from space. How’s that possible? The satellites would gather solar energy from space and then transmit the power to a receiver on the vehicle via a wireless signal. It would work the same as a wireless computer network, except the signal would carry energy instead of data.

4. When You Drive Through McDonald’s, Your Car Will Be Debited, Not Your Visa

Microprocessors are already embedded into many parts of an automobile—from an engine’s control-valve timing system to the seat controls. So why not have a microprocessor that manages financial transactions? Several states already offer special debit cards that mount to your windshield as you pass through a toll, but those are primitive compared to what’s to come.

In the future, when you pull into the drive-thru at a fast food restaurant, a local Wi-Fi network will be able to communicate with your vehicle by way of an encrypted wireless signal. In other words, after you order your food, the car will automatically make the financial transaction. And the electronic signature? It’s likely that the navigational systems in your car will have expanded beyond route planning and safety warnings into something involving a signature pad that would allow you to type in a passcode (or use a fingerprint or eye retina scan) as an electronic signature. Once the infrastructure is in place, your car will become like a mini-ATM for drive-thru establishments. Of course, whether or not that’s a good thing for your budget remains to be seen.

5. Go Ahead, Take A Nap. Your Car Will Drive Itself.

Futuristic cars tricked out with their own ATMs and self-maintenance features sound nice, but for many engineers, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The real holy grail? A fully automated, driverless car.

Shining a big spotlight on such efforts is DARPA (the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), a Department of Defense organization aimed at perfecting the robotic technology needed for safe, autonomous military vehicles. In 2005, Stanford robotics expert Sebastian Thrun (who we gushed over in our last issue on page 33) won the DARPA Grand Challenge with his autonomous car, Stanley. Although the competition is aimed at developing machinery to protect soldiers, Thrun believes the technology will reach civilians sooner than you might think. And driverless cars, he believes, could save thousands of lives each year.

In June 2007, Thrun’s new robotic roadster, Junior, completed several test runs in preparation for the DARPA Urban Challenge (scheduled for November 2007). Although Junior never went faster than 15 mph, it made a three-point U-turn and navigated through a four-way stop. That’s right; Thrun is getting close to achieving a fully automated, road-ready car.

Where could this lead? Well, a highway system for starters—say, from San Francisco to Los Angeles—for driverless vehicles only. Using a wireless signal, barriers on either side of the road could communicate with cars to keep them on track. And vehicles could simply use older cruise-control technology to maintain steady speeds. Conceivably, this would allow drivers to sleep through long stretches of highway—or at the very least read the morning paper and drink their coffee. Another advantage is that these routes could have less restrictive speed limits—likely well over 100 mph—which could redefine the morning commute for many Americans.

Germans are developing 'cognitive' cars

KARLSRUHE, Germany, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- German engineers say they are developing a software program that will, for the first time, help several cars coordinate their movements to avoid an accident.

Scientists said the software allows vehicles to form a network via car-to-car communication.

"In dangerous situations, the cars can independently perform coordinated maneuvers without their drivers having to intervene," said Thomas Batz, who developed the software with colleagues at the Fraunhofer Institute for Information and Data Processing and Karlsruhe University.

The so-called cognitive automobiles are equipped with integrated sensors such as cameras, GPS and radar systems and continuously transmit current position and driving information to a car designated as group coordinator.

Sudden dangers, such as a child running onto the road, are recognized not only by the car directly affected, but also by the group coordinator. If the car in question can neither brake nor swerve because there's another car on the lane to the right, the group coordinator orders both vehicles to swerve to the right in a coordinated maneuver to avoid an accident with the child or a collision with one another.

Although the system is still under development, the scientists said its group formation function has already been implemented.

[via] upi

Stallion Take Wing: The Unbelievable Flying Ferrari ‘Autovolantor’ Concept by Moller

High on our list of concept cars that probably won’t see the light of day is this new, and rather bananas concept from Moller International, a flying version of Ferrari’s 599 GTB called the Autovolantor.

Designer Bruce Calkins has theoretically fitted the wacky supercar with a specially designed hybrid fuel and electric power system to run the eight thrusters that would give lift to the car/plane, a system that Calkins believes could be good for as many as 800 horsepower. That power translates to a top speed of 150 miles per hour in the air, with altitudes of up to 5000 feet attainable.

The fans propel the concept on both the ground and in the air, pushing the Ferrari body forward on its wheels with a “firm but not-too-powerful thrust of deflected air,” or skyward with a hovering effect.

The 599 was chosen as the base vehicle for this project because of its distinctive shape, with Calkins noting that testing with scale models, “allowed us to quickly verify that it could in fact be done.”

A production version of the Autovolantor, as unlikely as it may be to every come about, is estimated to ring up for something like $800,000 per vehicle, and could conceivably lead to the worst crash in the history of the Ferrari marquee. Happy flying.

+ Telegraph.co.uk

2010 Ford hybrids to include sexy SmartGauge video instrument panels

If the Ford Motor Company still exists by 2010, its Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids will roll out with some pretty snazzy instrument panels. In the middle, you see the conventional speedometer, but on either side, there are video screens that use elegant animations to show you EcoGuide, clearly showing you how that lead foot of yours is destroying the planet.

The system lets you decide how much information you want to see, reading out such data as battery-charge status, tachometer, engine output power, accessory power consumption, and amount of power applied to the wheels. It even shows charts and graphs, interesting enough to endanger your safety. Then when you're on a long cruise, you can simplify the display to show you basic info such as how many miles until your tank is empty.

By the time the 2010 model year rolls around, hopefully other hybrid car makers will follow suit with even swankier displays of their own. Take a look at a video of the graceful animations and forward-thinking readouts Ford has created, with a little help from industrial design gurus IDEO and Smart Design:

2008 LA Design Challenge

What will you image the the World of Motorsport in the year 2025? This year's LA Design Challenge will tell you, they choose the "Motorsports 2025" as this year's theme. You can see the concepts come from the Audi, Mitsubishi, BMW, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, GM, Toyota, Honda and Volkswagen. The upper pictures are the Mercedes-Benz Formula Zero.The 2008 LA Design Challenge includes Audi R25, Hydrogen Powered Salt Flat Racer, Chaparral Volt, Honda The Great Race 2025, Mazda Kaan, Mitsubishi MMR25, Mercedes-Benz Formula Zero, Toyota Lemans Racer, Volkswagen Bio Runner."Luxury racing arrives in the Formula Zero Racer by incorporating the thrill of Formula One, the track dynamics of the bobsled or luge, and the grace and efficiency of yacht racing. Reminiscent of the Mercedes Benz racing heritage of the 1930's, the Formula Zero Racer is loaded with technology designed to extract the maximum thrust from the electric hub motors, aero-efficient solar skin and high-tech rigid sail. Each team is allocated the same amount of stored energy and it is left to the teams and drivers to manage the variables to win the race. The winner is determined by total elapsed time combined with the energy efficiency factor. Spectators at the Mercedes Benz Formula Zero racing Series are treated to a new dimension of racing as the transparent track is visible from all perspectives - even from below!"

[ Via ... ]

Top New Car Technologies for 2009 – Part 1

Exciting innovations in automotive technology are introduced every year: from new safety features to the latest in in-car entertainment amenities. The model year 2009 presents an exciting array of new car technologies that aim to enhance how our automotive experience. Even with a crisis facing the automotive industry, the demand for new technologies that will enhance safety, entertainment, comfort and connectivity will has nowhere to go but up. Here’s a rundown of the top new car technologies for the 2009 model year.

Adaptive Cruise Control – also known as active or intelligent cruise control, ACC uses radar and/or laser sensors usually located behind the grille to determine the speed and distance of the vehicle in front. It maintains the vehicle’s pre-set speed and adjusts it accordingly to maintain the proper distance between vehicles in the same lane. For instance, if the vehicle in front slows down, the system sends a signal to the engine or braking system to decelerate. The system accelerates to the last speeds setting when it detects that the distance is safe again.

Traffic and Weather Alert Navigation – Future drivers will be more informed about weather and traffic conditions with real-time information superimposed on GPS-based navigation systems. The weather/traffic information is scaled and customized for the driver’s location and route. The service provides alerts about severe traffic and weather conditions that can help drivers avoid a massive traffic jam or a storm brewing on the road ahead.

Adaptive Headlamps – A vehicle’s headlamps can now follow wherever the driver turns the steering wheel to illuminate where the driver is looking instead of the car’s front end only. The adaptive headlamps system involves processing of information about the location of the steering wheel and the speed of the vehicle which then signals electric motors behind the headlamps to turn left or right accordingly.Portable Nav Device Integration – As portable navigation devices become even more popular, automakers are now equipping their vehicles with interfaces and storage compartments for these gadgets.

Portable Nav Device Integration – As portable navigation devices become even more popular, automakers are now equipping their vehicles with interfaces and storage compartments for these gadgets.

Collision Avoidance – This system monitors the distance and closing rate between the vehicle equipped with the system and the vehicle or an object ahead on the road. If the system thinks that the driver is not braking enough, it alerts the driver with tools such as flashing lights, vibrating seats, tugging seatbelts and more. In some collision avoidance systems, the brake is applied automatically at the last moment if these alerts don’t work.

Source: MSN Autos

Top New Car Technologies for 2009 – Part 2

21st Century Car: Ford Model T 2.0, redesigned to cost $7000

It's been 100 years since Ford's first Model T hit the road, and to commemorate the occasion, Ford commissioned a design contest to create Model T 2.0. Of the two winners of $25,000 in scholarship money, the Model T2 design you see above was our favorite, a three-wheeled coupe from Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia. It has motors on each wheel's hub, powered by compressed air. It also sports an unspecified "novel steering system," which we figure has something to do with all three wheels getting into the act.

The parameters of the design competition were tough, requiring the vehicle to cost less than $7000 and have a range of 125 miles. It's not going to be easy to actually build a car that cheaply, since the most inexpensive car available these days costs nearly twice that. But if a car like this could get you a $7500 tax break like the increasingly expensive Chevy Volt, they'd be paying you $500 to drive one away from the dealership. Take a look at the other winning design:

This is the 2015 Ford Model T, designed by students at Aachen University in Cologne, Germany. Like the old version 1.0 jalopy, this vehicle uses a common chassis that can accommodate various bodies such as a truck, sedan or mini city car. Both designs are simple, but we're still not sure if these cars could be built for $7000 — maybe if the currency deflates to half its value by 2015.

via Jalopnik

Drivable Star Wars Landspeeder gets it right down to every little dent

Finally, one man will be able to rock a "My Other Car is A Landspeeder" bumper sticker and mean it. Daniel Deutsch spent six weeks building a replica of Luke Skywalker's Landspeeder featured in Star Wars: A New Hope, and it looks so good he could have fooled us saying he just bought the movie prop. All the damage and dents are where they should be, the paint job is perfect and, it really drives. Sure, it doesn't hover like it does in the movie, but, when that technology finally rolls out, we're betting we'll be writing about Deutsch's updated Landspeeder.
Deutsch wrote Neatorama detailing the construction process:

"The speeder was a collaborative effort. The body mold and windshield were
produced in California, and then shipped here to Orlando. We then did the
bodywork, chassis, and electronics. The side grills were waterjet cut from PVC,
then spaced and stacked... It has lighting effects in the engine pods that
change with the sound during acceleration... The entire speeder was built in six
weeks, and was first revealed in Los Angeles at the Star Wars Celebration IV
event (30th anniv.) in May 2007."

Daniel Deutsch, via Neatorama, via Gizmo Watch

GYM concept car makes you exercise for your ride

We’re nuts about the open-wheel design of this GYM electric car, but might be too lazy to get it to go anywhere. That’s because inside this far-fetched design concept of a rowdy-looking roadster is also a gym full of exercise equipment, urging you to use your own elbow grease to get this show on the road.

Sure, you can plug it into the wall for easy charging, but that wouldn’t be as much fun as hopping on the car’s stepping machine, grunting through a few reps on its bench press, rowing for a while and then doing a set of pull-ups.

Only thing missing is pushups, but wait, that might be possible by strapping the car’s arm weights onto your back. So Corporal, you want to go Oscar Mike? Hit the deck and give me twenty!




100 Percent Car, via Gizmo Watch

Capsule Caravan – An ultra compact pod for urban caravanning

Keeping up with the spirit of up-scale alfresco entertainment that oozed from the 10 Best Tailgating options, here’s another equally smart, compact, self-sufficient alternative. Sadly still a concept, the Capsule Caravan is conceptualized by David Tonkinson for a fun-filled caravanning time. Intending to revive the old fashion of caravan living, David has shaped up this uber compact and light-weighted capsule that can comfortably house two people. Simply hook it to your city car and tow it to your destination to cut off from this chaotic lifestyle.It can expand as well contract with the use of linear actuators which facilitates easy storage and towing. When closed down, it can be aptly parked in a standard sized car parking space.

Enough talking about its form, lets step inside this capsule. The interior is split in to two pods for comfortable living. The Comfort Pod provides seating and sleeping space for two adults with a 12v power supply and a audio system while the Service Pod provides water system, power supply and storage space for personal items. The large central window provides natural light and contains an electrochromatic film, which changes from transparent to opaque at the flick of a button.

Hey David, with the weekend right on, I’m already dreaming of cozying up by the river bed in this uber-cool capsule.

T-6: A Volkswagen for the future brings office to wheels!

There are many concept cars that are out there which claim that they are the future of automobile world and each of them makes a valid claim for the title. The T-6 Volkswagen Concept is something that takes technology of the future and puts it in a design of the future. The T-6 is a brilliant design that was conceived by the designer Alexander Zhukovsky as it amalgamates a wonderful external structure with beautiful and astonishing interiors.

The shape of “T-6″ is an attempt to bind functional demands of a modern society with new technologies (technical advances) and aesthetic tendencies of a new millennium. “T-6” is a mobile office, which combines the functions of a working place with comfort of a business-class car. “T-6″ is a mobile office, which combines the functions of a working place with comfort of a business-class car. The main morphological constituents of this concept are two cylinders, connected with a transformable section in the form of a hinge. The wheels are removed onto the periphery of the car body and revolve around the two cylinders. Such assembling in “T-6” made possible to save enough space in order to expand significantly the passenger compartment.

Now to get in a car one doesn’t experience any discomfort with high thresholds. The peculiarity of “T-6” is that it enables one to work on his own and can turn the car saloon into a conference-space if required. It makes possible to organize business meetings both when driving and when standing in traffic jams. Besides “T-6″ is equipped with all the necessary things for conducting presentations. A transformable monitor is mounted into the ceiling. While the concept is great I really dread the thought of my office following me on wheels!

Via: cardesign

Prospect developers are going to love Scion MBox

Umeå Institute of Design researcher, Chia-Yi Cho, has come up with a transportation design of Toyota’s Scion MBox intended to be marketed in North America. What’s interesting to notice is that this vehicle could be obtained either in a basic frame form or in parts as desired. Consequently, what one gets is a vehicle extremely modifiable and susceptible to transformations whenever one wishes to. Accordingly, prospect researchers and developers can avail this basic platform at the cheapest minimum. It’s going to lend you an opportunity to exhibit your ingenuity through customizing the vehicle and improvising it to the best effect with some very personal masterstrokes. What I could perceive at this juncture is some potential designers and developers coming forward with their craftsmanship to render its sheen and tint.

Source: Dh

A street smart car for the city streets!

Modern automobile designs are all about maximizing space and minimizing fuss by making it function specific. It aims at solving specific consumer problems rather than shoving plenty down out throat in a cumbersome package. It is all about being street-smart in your design and the Capca is exactly that ad a lot more. This all about travelling across the city on a daily basis with little to absolutely no fuss and doing so in simple and ergonomic fashion.

Inspired by nature this petite design can function as a recharging station, solar energy storage batteries and an oxygen generator. The glasses of the car are made of transparent solar batteries and has a transparent monitor built into the windscreen. The car is equipped with sensors and panoramic view cameras, with navigation and auto-parking systems. The electro-engines are located in the back wheels and what takes this car a mile ahead of the other ones is its unique feature of making itself small when the wheel-engines are shifted together during parking.

There are also two accumulators in the car, the first for a chassis and the second for electronics with maximum speed being 90 km/h. The fuel distance at one battery charge is approximately 180 km; full charge time from solar batteries is approximately 10 hours under average sun activity. The Capca is all about sense, simplicity and space and it achieves its goals with elegant ease.

Via: Ecofriend

This is pretty much what has become the run-of-the-mill future car and by that I do not mean any disregard towards the man who crafted it so painstakingly. Every creation takes plenty of effort put in to it and one mostly dismiss it as nothing without often even taking a good look at it. But we here never intend to do that while taking a constructive look at whatever has been laid down in front of us. The Mily concept car is another futuristic design that has its merits and obvious failings!

The young Russian designer who came up with this design apparently spent little more than 4 days designing and perfecting it and as incredible as it sounds, I would still like to see these fancy things actually be built as a prototype rather than just sketches and CG images. The fact is that there a physical limitations that normally do not transcend in to the digital world and hence you can prance around with designs as much as you like and we have seen that not even 1% of these ever make it to the roads.

The car looks lavish and expensive and looks obviously like a city commuter that it was designed to be. While I do like the stunning and special look of the car, once again this will most likely be another one of those millions of images that translated in to nothing. Hope it is different, but highly unlikely!

Via: Cardesign

The next 50 years

What will happen to cars--and the car guy--by 2058?

we'll call him Dan the Car Guy--is enjoying a morning commute like any other. Today, he is doing what was once called multitasking but is now simply life. He listens to a podcast delivered through a tiny device implanted in his right temple. The implant was done at one of the many Cyberthetic franchises specializing in "Everyday Biomechanical-Human Interface Tech for You!" It was painless and, as guaranteed, took 30 minutes or less. To catch breaking news, Dan has paused the movie that was being projected onto the inside of his car's windshield.

Dan's macchiato was brewed to his personal liking in the part of his car that was once called a glove compartment. Breakfast was dispensed from a customized yogurt-and-granola machine next to the coffee maker.

When the news is over, Dan switches to techno music, turns on a revolving light display and works out with a miniature weight set. By the time he actually gets to the office, he'll have attended a short video conference and submitted a brief report about it to his boss.

Yes, Dan is in his car, but he is not driving it. The car drives on its own, using a combination of smart cruise control, instantaneous GPS traffic and weather information and an intelligent highway system that has recently come online after decades of construction and remapping.

The year is 2058. Much has changed in the automotive industry in the last 50 years as a result of safety, security and environmental requirements and the evolution of technology and law. Energy policy, oil prices, geopolitics, the global economy and consumer behavior all over the world have had serious implications for the auto industry--and for drivers.

What has happened to automotive enthusiasm? What has become of the Car Guy?

As AutoWeek celebrates its first 50 years and looks ahead to the next 50, we asked Dr. Sheila Ronis--director of the MBA program and the Master of Science in Strategic Leadership degree at Walsh College, who chairs a group being asked to write the next National Security Act--to give us her predictions.

Here is her view of how the future just might unfold.


Today, in 2058, almost all vehicles are ultragreen and electric. No internal-combustion engines have been built anywhere on the planet for a couple of decades. Cars that already had them now require a box retrofitted to the exhaust that keeps pollution from fouling the air. Cars use many different energy sources to run their electric powertrains; hybrid electrics that plug into the energy grid let Americans get the equivalent of hundreds of miles to the gallon of gasoline, but most of them aren't burning gasoline.

Smart vehicles talk to the roads and to other vehicles, and the roads and other vehicles talk back. All cities are networked--vehicles as well as residences. Almost all homes use fuel cells partially powered by solar panels and their own wind turbines. That's why, as Americans plug their daily drivers into the electrical grid, the national system doesn't crash.

All vehicles built today use drive-by-wire technology. In fact, federal and state officials passed regulations that make it against the law to drive, except in emergencies. For this reason, and thanks to intelligent highway systems, motor-vehicle accidents are extremely rare. Computers monitor navigation, engine controls, HVAC and steering, and the task of motoring is more carefree than ever.

But don't think people don't love their cars. They do. Today's vehicles have personalities; most owners have taken to giving them names. (Dan calls his "Mario.") Exterior skins are made of new materials that breathe, repel the elements and keep snow and ice from forming on the windows. Based on how you might feel or what your needs might be, hydrogen skate chassis are frequently married to many different body types and styles.

It's just that simple.

This convergence of technologies really started to gather momentum at the end of the first decade in the 21st century. That was when the National Security Act of 2010 brought energy independence into the U.S. national security equation. Before that, military capability was considered paramount to national security; after the new act, however, it was defined as the integration of all of the elements of national power--economic, political, military and diplomatic--to support American interests, people and property around the world. Also with the new act, the economic element and the systems nature of national security began to be better understood, including the need for energy independence.

Americans' love affairs with their cars, their SUVs and their internal-combustion engines were seriously stressed. As the price of oil began to climb, many asked, "When will the alternative-fuel vehicles and their infrastructures be ready?" Hubbert's peak oil theory, which described the availability of oil, was proven valid when production failed to keep up with spiraling global demand. (M. King Hubbert, more than a century ago in 1956, accurately predicted that U.S. oil production would peak around 1970. His logistical model, sort of a dipstick for the Earth, has since been used to predict the peak and decline of petroleum production of many other countries.)

In 2009, as the U.S. economy began to crumble in earnest, the nation recognized it was in serious trouble.

It was energy-driven. While the price of energy soared, the country's economy went into a deep recession; jobs were lost, and quality of life began to deteriorate. This led to strife on many different levels.

At the time, because of the nation's energy dependencies, the U.S. economy was at risk. The stark realization hit: Americans could not sustain the kind of economy they had enjoyed if they continued their oil dependence. The U.S. national security community recognized that the ability of the country to remain a world leader, let alone a superpower, was at stake.

Understanding the complex systems nature of national security and why the economy and energy policy were parts of the equation was crucial. The world was a small place. The peak of Hubbert's curve had come and gone, and it became clear to those in charge that the world needed to live without oil by investing in new infrastructures on a full scale.

Of course, there would be other effects. Traffic congestion in the world's cities needed to be reduced or eliminated. The environmental impact of emerging world powers, especially China and India, and their increasing use of energy became major global issues by 2015.

America needed a better understanding of sustainability--both economic and environmental--and its relationship to national security and the security of the world. Americans' addiction to powerful cars and the gasoline they used was problematic and expensive, driving the United States toward bankruptcy.

America's entire economy was based on inexpensive petroleum. For that reason, the country was especially vulnerable to oil-supply disruptions and high prices. With the political and economic instabilities in the oil-producing countries of the Middle East, along with Russia, Venezuela and the "Stans" of central Asia, America was forced to learn how to reduce its dependence on foreign oil. Yet the United States was defending its oil interests in the Middle East and elsewhere, supporting nondemocratic and frequently corrupt regimes to ensure energy stability.

The cost of this oil dependence for the United States, including wealth transfer to oil producers and loss in gross domestic product for a 30-year period at the end of the last century and the beginning of this one, was an estimated $7 trillion (1998 dollars). That money could have funded many items in the federal budget.

By 2015, when gasoline at the pump cost $20 per gallon, federal spending went for energy alternatives, alternative-fuel vehicles and basic R&D. The technologies pursued included hydrogen, biomass, nuclear and a combination of many identified energy sources that would support the economy.

The United States had several peer competitors by 2040, including the EU, China and India. Their appetites for petroleum had an enormous effect on global oil prices. China became the manufacturing center of the world; India became the IT and "backroom services" capital of the world. To remain a leader, the United States had to do something to win in this economic world war. It came to this global battle with the same spirit of innovation and unified commitment that had served the country in earlier crises.

Because of work done by the automakers, the United States was able to change the world paradigm by coming up with an alternative to fossil fuels with its plug-in electric-vehicle portfolio. This gave the country an edge for nearly a generation as others raced to catch up.

The U.S. Congress began to work in a nonpartisan way as well when it came to embracing energy independence. First, legislators supported increased research into and development of alternative fuels, such as those from biomass that used renewable energy technologies. They also put together a "Manhattan Project" for alternative energy for transportation and electrical-grid residential needs. Congress gave incentives to industry to invest in technologies that would assist in getting to a hydrogen economy and increase the use of solar and wind energy. Congress also made permanent the production tax credit supporting wind projects.

As a younger generation looks to the future in 2058, everyone is talking about nuclear-fusion solutions, which appear promising. It has been a century since the fusion studies began, but most experts see the world's energy future coming from the new technologies that nuclear fusion offers, since generated electricity will power everything on the planet, including all modes of transportation--at least for the foreseeable future.


As for our car guy, Dan, and other AutoWeek readers, their enthusiasm for automobiles has been channeled into personalizing the cars that they don't actually drive. Still, they do have out-lets for their driving passion.

Private clubs have sprung up that cater to this undying passion, where members can drive their vintage and collectible internal-combustion-engine cars. The latest cars on the lust chart: Audi's R10 and R12 diesel.

People can still drive in certain gated communities--with strict limits on both speed and energy use--which have become fashionable places to live or visit. Club fees are high and include an energy security tax that helps fund partnerships between vehicle companies and government laboratories.

As Dan's car pulls into the company garage and plugs in for recharging and reprogramming, the beep of the sliding door nudges him awake. He has nodded off, dreaming of the weekend, when he'll head to the club-a theme park run by his favorite car magazine, AutoWeek--to drive some real, honest-to-goodness Porsches, Ferraris and Corvettes on a real, honest-to-goodness racetrack, at full speed, to his enthusiast heart's content.

By SHEILA RONIS

IED students conceptulize the BMW of the future

Third-year students of the European Institute of Design (IED) in Turin were given the task of designing the BMW of 2015, with the goal of creating a vehicle that would appeal to someone aged in their mid-30s. The project was endorsed by BMW and a special commission was established by the carmaker to follow the designs through their internal stages. The commission was made up of Thomas Plath, the director of Model Techniques and Process Management at BMW, Anders Warming, director of Exterior Design at BMW and (in)famous BMW design chief Chris Bangle.

The directive given to the students in designing the BMW of 2015 was to ‘interpret the language, evolution and the trademark essence, in view of the company’s future perspectives’. The resulting concepts look more like Batmobiles than BMW’s but are impressive in their creativity and wild appearance.

In particular, the works “Africa. Decompose concept” by Raphael Laurent and Mihai Panaitescu and “Snug” by David Raffai, Kevin Schlaepfer, Andrea Torchia and Alberto Usai were met with high praise from the BMW commission.

While there were 18 teams, only eight were developed into physical quarter scale models, while another four were turned into virtual designs models.

Caran Design Concept: A traffic system for 2020!

Mobility in the modern world is acquiring a new meaning each day with people wanting their cars to do stuff and go places unlike any other time in the past. This new and innovative design for Caran Cars in Sweden allows us to use the car both on road and rail. This unique design helps the car charge up while it is on the rail and that charge is used to drive it on road! The concept is sure to be taken warmly to as it not only is luxurious, lavish and stylish but it saves on space and reduces pollution by advocating a green mode of transport.

The car’s front seems more like its back with the headlights placed behind the windscreen and turning off when the light is not really needed making them invisible. The bumper of the car opens up like the door of a flight so that your royal feet get the right landing when you open your door which is more like a hood in this case. The design of the car and the execution coupled with the green intent make the Caran Concept Car a sure success. Let’s just wait for this one to hit both the road and the rail!

Via: Perbrickstad