Switched http://www.switched.com Switched http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Switched http://www.switched.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Scottish Researchers Want to Give Cars a Whiskey for the Road]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/20/scottish-researchers-want-to-give-cars-a-whiskey-for-the-road/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/20/scottish-researchers-want-to-give-cars-a-whiskey-for-the-road/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/20/scottish-researchers-want-to-give-cars-a-whiskey-for-the-road/#commentsFiled under: ,

varieties of whiskey
Raise a glass, and fill up your ride, too. Rightly so, the Scots (purveyors of some of the world's finest spirits) have found a way to power cars with leftover whiskey. According to the BBC News, researchers at Edinburgh Napier University used the delicious distilled drink's byproducts to create biobutanol, a fuel that's 30-percent more efficient than ethanol and can be put straight into a gas tank without any engine modifications. Each year, Scotland's whiskey industry throws away about 420 million gallons of pot ale (the liquid runoff found in copper stills), and 410 million pounds of draff (spent grains). The intrepid researchers decided to recycle these byproducts into an alternative fuel source that they hope to make available at the pumps. Best of all, your car -- unlike your body -- won't get a hangover after you get it sauced. [From: BBC News, via: Engadget]

SwitchedScottish Researchers Want to Give Cars a Whiskey for the Road originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AlternativeFuelbiofuelcarcarsdrinkingethanolfuelFuelEconomyGreenFuelstopwhiskeywhiskyFri, 20 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Priest Drives 'God Squad' Car Around Town, Best Buy Threatens to Sue]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/priest-drives-god-squad-car-around-town-best-buy-threatens-to/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/priest-drives-god-squad-car-around-town-best-buy-threatens-to/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/priest-drives-god-squad-car-around-town-best-buy-threatens-to/#commentsFiled under:

God Squad Car

Father Luke Strand thinks it is a great idea to drive around Fond du Lac, Wisconsin in a VW Beetle with stickers that look exactly like those on Best Buy's Geek Squad cars, except for one thing: his stickers read "God Squad." Best Buy didn't find this to be cute, but instead a violation of its trademark -- one that, by precedent, it couldn't treat any differently from any other violation. Therefore, Strand received a cease-and-desist letter, telling him that he could either cut it out or face legal action.

Strand has owned the car for two years, but the electronics retailer has just recently become aware of it. Strand's former colleague, Father Dan Janasik, told The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "It's obviously not a Best Buy vehicle. When people see it, they usually laugh." While Best Buy will not stand for the trademark violation, it is reportedly helping Strand to create a new logo. [From: Journal Sentinel, via: PC Mag]

SwitchedPriest Drives 'God Squad' Car Around Town, Best Buy Threatens to Sue originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 07:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BestBuycarfunnyGeekSquadGodSquadlawreligiontrademarkWed, 18 Aug 2010 07:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Swedish Driver, Eluding Radar, Faces Up to $962K Ticket for Driving 180 MPH]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/14/swedish-driver-eluding-radar-faces-up-to-962k-ticket-for-driv/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/14/swedish-driver-eluding-radar-faces-up-to-962k-ticket-for-driv/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/14/swedish-driver-eluding-radar-faces-up-to-962k-ticket-for-driv/#commentsFiled under:

a black mercedes benzBefore your author relocated to New York, he had incurred exactly one speeding ticket, for driving 80 mph in the express lane of a 65 mph highway. The California Highway Patrol officer involved -- who, your author feels it is important to point out, was no even-tempered Erik "Ponch" Estrada -- angrily, if not threateningly, berated him for the danger he posed to other drivers on the road. Without diminishing your writer's offense, we wonder what that CHiP might think of the Swedish leadfoot who was just caught driving 180 mph along a Swiss motorway.

Coasting down the road in his black, 570-horsepower Mercedes-Benz, the Swedish driver needed almost a half mile of road to slow his car to a full stop. Having possibly set the Swiss record for most flagrant speeding offense, the man faces a fine of up to a million Swiss francs, or $962,000. Swiss speeding fines are based on the severity of the offense and the offender's income level; MSNBC notes that a millionaire who plowed through a sleepy Swiss village at 60 mph in January received a $290,000 penalty.

Continue reading Swedish Driver, Eluding Radar, Faces Up to $962K Ticket for Driving 180 MPH

SwitchedSwedish Driver, Eluding Radar, Faces Up to $962K Ticket for Driving 180 MPH originally appeared on Switched on Sat, 14 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Voice Actions

It was shockingly last minute, but Google decided to organize a little press conference today. On the menu were a pair of new features for Android that close a few of the remaining performance gaps between iOS and Google's mobile OS. Although there was no mention of video chat (as many speculated), and although we were denied a peak at the next generation of Android (dubbed Gingerbread), we did get two genuinely useful tools for enhancing your Android experience.

Voice Actions is a voice control application for Android devices running 2.2 (Froyo). The ability to initiate some functions with nothing but the power of your voice is one of the few features iOS could claim that Android lacked. But, rather than simply match Apple's offering and move on, the Voice Actions feature delivers far more flexibility. Simply tap the microphone icon on the search widget, and you can tell the phone to play music, call a contact, or navigate to a destination using Google Maps Navigation. But those are the simpler actions. You can also send e-mails and text messages by speaking a contact's name, and then dictating the message you want to send. If you want to call a business, just say its name, and let Google find the number for you. Check out the video after the break to see it in action.

Continue reading Google Unveils Voice Actions and Chrome to Phone, Skips Video Calls

SwitchedGoogle Unveils Voice Actions and Chrome to Phone, Skips Video Calls originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 12 Aug 2010 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Androidchrome to phoneChromeToPhonetopvoice actionsVoiceActionsThu, 12 Aug 2010 14:10:00 EST<![CDATA['Digi-Bike,' A Darling Contraption to Help Stop Brit Crime]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/12/digi-bike-a-darling-contraption-to-help-stop-brit-crime/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/12/digi-bike-a-darling-contraption-to-help-stop-brit-crime/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/12/digi-bike-a-darling-contraption-to-help-stop-brit-crime/#commentsFiled under: ,

digi-bikeThe town of Dudley in West Midlands, England has just deployed a crime-fighting vehicle that's more cute than it is fearsome. According to the BBC, after a "slight increase" in the number of robberies since April, the Dudley Bobbies decided that a pedal-powered contraption in the shape of a giant, sideways apostrophe would help make civilians more protective of their valuables. The 'Digi-Bike,' as it's called, plays videos on either side of its broad exterior, showing surveillance footage of nasty old hoodies filching a bit from strangers' cars.

The bike will also send out messages via Bluetooth to passersby, encouraging them to register their cell phones with the police so that, if stolen, they can be more easily tracked down. What an adorable crime-fighting strategy! Here in New York, we just shoot people. Check out the non-lethal bike in a video here. [From: BBC]

Switched'Digi-Bike,' A Darling Contraption to Help Stop Brit Crime originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 12 Aug 2010 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bicycleBicyclesbikebluetoothcrimeCrimePreventiondigi-bikeenglandpolicerobberytopukvideoWestMidlandsThu, 12 Aug 2010 13:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Researchers Hack Cars via Wireless Tire Pressure Sensors]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/11/researchers-hack-cars-via-wireless-tire-pressure-sensors/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/11/researchers-hack-cars-via-wireless-tire-pressure-sensors/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/11/researchers-hack-cars-via-wireless-tire-pressure-sensors/#commentsFiled under:

Researchers hack into car's tire pressure computer.
Back in May, we told you about a study that proved it's fairly easy to remotely hack into a car's onboard computer. Now, according to Technology Review, researchers at the University of South Carolina and Rutgers University have figured out how to hack into the tire-pressure-monitoring systems (TPMS) featured on many vehicles. The researchers used easy-to-find equipment that cost about $1,500 -- including a programmable radio transmitter, a specialized circuit board and free software -- to remotely hack the TPMS. By doing so, they could trigger warning lights by altering wireless communications, and remotely track the vehicle wherever it went, due to the fact that each TPMS features a unique ID.

In and of themselves, these findings, which will be presented at a security conference in Washington, D.C. this week, don't pose a huge threat to drivers. The troubling part is the bigger picture; it appears that more and more evidence supports the idea that the wireless computer systems featured on most vehicles are greatly lacking in security. These built-in computer systems have made driving both more pleasurable and safer, but, as with any industry, technological change should never outpace security or safety. [From: Technology Review]

SwitchedResearchers Hack Cars via Wireless Tire Pressure Sensors originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carcar techCarHackingcartechhackRutgersUniversitysecuritytoptpmsUniversityOfSouthCarolinaWed, 11 Aug 2010 18:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Volkswagen to Launch Hybrid Beetle at 2011 Detroit Auto Show]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/11/volkswagen-to-launch-hybrid-beetle-at-2011-detroit-auto-show/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/11/volkswagen-to-launch-hybrid-beetle-at-2011-detroit-auto-show/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/11/volkswagen-to-launch-hybrid-beetle-at-2011-detroit-auto-show/#commentsFiled under: ,

Hybrid VW

Next year, Volkswagen's most recognizable, dome-shaped classic will be getting a redesign. According to Autoblog Green, VW plans to debut a Beetle with a hybrid powertrain and a new exterior design at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show. The car's specs should be similar to the New Compact Coupe (NCC) that VW revealed last year. That vehicle carried a 1.4-liter TSI inline-four cylinder engine, a 20-kilowatt electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack. All in all, it packed 177 horsepower and 110 pounds of torque, while averaging about 45 miles-per-gallon -- not bad for a car most people want to cuddle. Autoblog Green reports that the hybrid Beetle will at least match those numbers, and could even improve upon them. VW has established itself at the forefront of cutting-edge car tech, whether it's this 'green' Bug or a super-sleek car that reads road signs. [From: Autoblog Green, via: Fast Company]

SwitchedVolkswagen to Launch Hybrid Beetle at 2011 Detroit Auto Show originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 17:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>autocarCarTechgreenhybridHybridCarstopvolkswagenVolkswagenBeetleWed, 11 Aug 2010 17:50:00 EST<![CDATA[CyberMotion Simulator Helps Scientists Steer a Course Toward Robo Racing]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/07/cybermotion-robocoaster-helps-scientists-steer-a-course-toward-r/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/07/cybermotion-robocoaster-helps-scientists-steer-a-course-toward-r/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/07/cybermotion-robocoaster-helps-scientists-steer-a-course-toward-r/#commentsFiled under: ,

Robocoaster

With a massive, controllable robotic arm, many unprecedented and momentous tasks become achievable. Such an appendage could perform difficult rescue missions, extraordinary construction tasks and urgent emergency responses. But, its greatest perk might be the reactive, mid-air environment it can contribute to incredibly awesome gaming sessions.

Germany's Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics has created a CyberMotion Simulator Robocoaster for just that high-flying function. (The Nobel Prize winning founder of quantum physics must be proud.) The Robocoaster simulator allows gamers to realistically drive a Ferrari F2007 through a Formula 1 course, while cradled in an enormous, responsive and elevated robotic hand. The Institute's Paolo Robuffo Giordano believes his group's enhanced "six-axis Kuka KR 500" should be used as "a fundamental tool to understand how humans experience the sensation of motion." But two unanswered, pertinent questions require a resolution: Who is the lucky guy in the video? And, how do we get his job? [From: ieee Spectrum and YouTube]

Continue reading CyberMotion Simulator Helps Scientists Steer a Course Toward Robo Racing

SwitchedCyberMotion Simulator Helps Scientists Steer a Course Toward Robo Racing originally appeared on Switched on Sat, 07 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>car techCarTechcybermotion simulator robocoasterCybermotionSimulatorRobocoasterferrari f2007FerrariF2007formula 1Formula1gamingMaxPlanckRoboticArmsix-axisSIXAXIStopvideo gamesVideoGamesSat, 07 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Late for School? Hop on the Jet-Powered Bus]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/06/late-for-school-hop-on-the-jet-powered-bus/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/06/late-for-school-hop-on-the-jet-powered-bus/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/06/late-for-school-hop-on-the-jet-powered-bus/#commentsFiled under: ,

paul stender's 'School Time Jet-Powered School Bus'

What global warming? Paul Stender, the creator of 'The School Time Jet-Powered School Bus,' pumps 150 gallons of fuel into his mad-cap vehicle to power a hair-raising, quarter-mile joyride, which you must definitely watch in the video after the break. The converted yellow bus -- rigged with a Phantom fighter plane jet -- seems to have no purpose other than to inspire awe (or anger, if you're of the greener stripe), but we won't fault Stender's low-concept thinking. He told the Telegraph, "I built the bus for two reasons. The first is to entertain people because, come on, it's a jet bus. The second, is to keep kids off drugs. Jets are hot, drugs are not." Jet fuel totally helped to keep us off meth, too.

Stender and his Indy Boys Inc. outfit, based in Indianapolis, modified the bus, which Stender claims only sports about 5-percent of its original parts. "There's still some bus left on it, a little bit on the front." He had to fit the bus with metals that could withstand jet-engine heat, and mod the the rest of the vehicle so that it could reach its top speed of 367 mph.

Continue reading Late for School? Hop on the Jet-Powered Bus

SwitchedLate for School? Hop on the Jet-Powered Bus originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 06 Aug 2010 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ted kulongoski charges nissan leaf with nec/pge charging station
Portland General Electric (PGE) and NEC unveiled what they've billed as "North America's first public-use, quick-charge station for electric vehicles" yesterday. Governor Ted Kulongoski helped to juice up a yet-to-be-released Nissan LEAF at the station, which will charge lithium-ion-battery-based vehicles to 80-percent of their capacity in 20 to 30 minutes. "The station was awarded public-use certification by the City of Portland," according to the press release, and is located in the parking garage of PGE's headquarters. So convenient!

Still, the charging station sets a precedent for other cities considering public vehicle-charging programs. (And we guess there's no better place to start than a corporate car-park?) No word yet on if and when NEC and PGE plan to roll out more of the 50-kilowatt-output stations to the rest of the city, but hopefully the next one will be in a really accessible place like a landfill, or the bottom of a river. Check out a video of the unveiling at the link. [From: Engadget]

SwitchedFirst Public Quick-Charge Station Isn't All That Public originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 06 Aug 2010 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carcar techCarTechElectricCarElectricCarChargerElectricCarChargingStationElectricVehiclegreen techGreenTechnecNissanLeafNissanLeafEvpgeportlandTedKulongoskitransportationFri, 06 Aug 2010 11:10:00 EST<![CDATA[San Francisco Tests New Meters that Set Fee by Supply and Demand]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/06/san-francisco-tests-new-parking-program-meter-prices-determined/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/06/san-francisco-tests-new-parking-program-meter-prices-determined/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/06/san-francisco-tests-new-parking-program-meter-prices-determined/#commentsFiled under:

'sf park' parking meter rendering
Drivers in the gloriously progressive city of San Francisco may soon have a lot less trouble finding curb-side real estate, thanks to a high-tech parking system that the city has just begun testing. The San Francisco Metro Transit Authority's SFpark project is a two-year, federally funded endeavor, aimed at making city parking less stressful, and more efficient. As part of the project, the SFMTA has already begun replacing old parking meters with new "coin and card" meters that let users pay with credit cards. As PSFK reports, the new meters will also be equipped with sensors that can instantly measure the current demand for parking space on a given block. The price of a space, then, will be automatically calibrated according to demand, although, as the SFMTA promises, a price will never rise by more than 50 cents at a time. The SFMTA has also apparently taken a page from Google's 'Open Spot' book, by allowing especially anxious drivers to check parking availability and prices on their smartphones or computers, before even leaving the house.

Ultimately, the effectiveness of the program will depend on how quickly the sensors can measure demand, and, more importantly, on whether or not the price fluctuations are enough of an incentive to change consumer behavior. Will a 25-cent price differential, for example, be enough for a random commuter to park farther away from her office? If it means she wouldn't have to spend 15 minutes driving around like a vulture, then she might take the bait. Others, though, might be more finicky about their parking preferences. Either way, it seems like it'll take some time for road warriors to warm up to the program, and for the SFMTA to find a pricing system enticing enough to lure them in. [From: SFPark; via: PSFK]

SwitchedSan Francisco Tests New Meters that Set Fee by Supply and Demand originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 06 Aug 2010 09:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>demandparkingParkingMeterpricePriceDroppricesSanFranciscosfmtaSFparksupplySupplyAndDemandtopFri, 06 Aug 2010 09:25:00 EST<![CDATA['Racer' Game Puts Driver in P.O.V. of Real Life RC Car]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/06/racer-game-puts-driver-in-p-o-v-of-real-life-rc-car/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/06/racer-game-puts-driver-in-p-o-v-of-real-life-rc-car/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/06/racer-game-puts-driver-in-p-o-v-of-real-life-rc-car/#commentsFiled under: ,

Racer

To a certain extent, racing games take after one another in concept, so it would seem that true innovation would be difficult to find in a car game. But not for Designer Malte Jehmlich, whose game 'Racer' fuses an arcade booth, a remote-control car outfitted with an onboard camera, and a track constructed of old refrigerator boxes. All in all, it's an augmented reality version of a game you might have played back before the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. He designed the track to have the look and feel of the '90s classic 'Wipeout,' claiming that he did so "not only for style, but first of all for efficient use of material."

Jehmlich spent the better part of two months building 'Racer,' and now the whole system can be set up in less than three hours. Aside from the player having to physically be in the same room as the track, the gameplay is similar to racing on a more traditional system. Players sit in the arcade booth, and control the car via a steering wheel and monitor. Menus and timing graphics are overlaid on the screen, which displays the car's point of view in real time to further reinforce the illusion of a classic-style game. Part racetrack set (as you can watch the car actually drive through the track) and part arcade game, this augmented reality game might make the casual builder dust off his or her own track pieces and forgotten Nitro RC car. [From: Co. Design]

Continue reading 'Racer' Game Puts Driver in P.O.V. of Real Life RC Car

Switched'Racer' Game Puts Driver in P.O.V. of Real Life RC Car originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 06 Aug 2010 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AugmentedRealitygamingMalteJehmlichracerRacingRacingGametopvideogamesFri, 06 Aug 2010 07:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Naruse Pedal Distinguishes the Gas From the Brake, Prevents Confusion]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/05/naruse-pedal-distinguishes-the-gas-from-the-brake-prevents-conf/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/05/naruse-pedal-distinguishes-the-gas-from-the-brake-prevents-conf/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/05/naruse-pedal-distinguishes-the-gas-from-the-brake-prevents-conf/#commentsFiled under:

Naruse Pedal

A few months ago, Toyota was forced to recall millions of vehicles following accusations that some of their cars accelerated without warning. While the company acknowledged that many of the incidents could be attributed to faulty pedal placement, it also suggested that some drivers may have simply confused the gas pedal with the brake. Toyota may be able to tinker with its pedal arrangement, but it won't do much about what appears to be naturally occurring confusion -- unless, that is, it adopts the Naruse Pedal.

"We have a natural tendency to stomp down when we panic," inventor Masuyuki Naruse told the New York Times. "The automakers call it driver error. But what if their design's all wrong?" With Naruse's pedal, the braking and accelerating functions become much more clearly distinguished. Drivers using his system would still have to press down on a pedal to brake, but, if they want to accelerate, they'd have to push sideways on a lever located to the right of the brake pedal.

Continue reading Naruse Pedal Distinguishes the Gas From the Brake, Prevents Confusion

SwitchedNaruse Pedal Distinguishes the Gas From the Brake, Prevents Confusion originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 05 Aug 2010 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BrakePedalbrakescarcarsafetycartechdesigngaspedalMasuyukiNarusenaruseNarusePedalsafetytoptoyotaToyotaRecallThu, 05 Aug 2010 18:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Nearly 90-Percent of Teens Drive While Distracted]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/04/nearly-90-percent-of-teens-drive-while-distracted/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/04/nearly-90-percent-of-teens-drive-while-distracted/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/04/nearly-90-percent-of-teens-drive-while-distracted/#commentsFiled under: ,

Driving While Distracted
In May of 2009, we learned that, despite fully knowing the dangers of doing so, most teens were still driving while texting. A new survey from AAA and Seventeen Magazine shows that, even though awareness has improved, still more teens are engaging in distracting behavior while driving. The study asked 1,999 teens (apparently unable to get just one more kid), ages 16 to 19, about the sorts of things they did while driving, and whether or not they were aware that such activities were potentially dangerous. Though 84-percent of respondents said they knew that distracted driving increased their risk of being in an accident, a staggering 86-percent of kids still engaged in such behavior, including texting, talking on a cell phone, eating and applying makeup.

One positive note in the study is that the number of teens texting at the wheel has dropped dramatically to only 28-percent. However, it does reveal that texting isn't the only distraction teens face when cruising. Adjusting the stereo, eating and talking on a cell phone were all clear leaders for in-car distractions. The survey also showed that, as teens get older and more comfortable behind the wheel, they're actually more likely to engage in such reckless behavior. Perhaps the most disturbing revelation is why, despite knowing the dangers, teens continue to distract themselves. Nearly a quarter of those surveyed replied that it "makes driving less boring." Apparently it's not good enough that a vehicle functions as a mode of transportation; now it has to be an entertainment and communications hub. We never thought we'd say it, but we just don't understand kids these days. [From: USA Today]

SwitchedNearly 90-Percent of Teens Drive While Distracted originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 16:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cartechDistractedDrivingdistractionDrivingWhileDistractedDrivingWhileTextingdwtsurveyTextingWhileDrivingtopWed, 04 Aug 2010 16:50:00 EST<![CDATA[China Plans Giant, Road-Straddling 'Buses' to Defeat Traffic]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/04/china-plans-giant-road-straddling-buses-to-defeat-traffic/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/04/china-plans-giant-road-straddling-buses-to-defeat-traffic/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/04/china-plans-giant-road-straddling-buses-to-defeat-traffic/#commentsFiled under: ,

Giant
China thinks it may have a solution to its growing car and congestion problem: giant buses that straddle the road. Although calling these monstrosities "buses" seem misguided (as they run on tracks, and independently of other street traffic), it's obvious that they could greatly increase the speed and quality of your average Beijing commute. The shuttles arch over the road, allowing other vehicles to pass underneath. When the "bus" stops, it doesn't slow the movement of traffic. By using available space between traffic lanes and dividers, the "straddling" buses are able to keep costs down. One estimate puts the price of one "bus" and 40 km of track (about 25 miles) at just 10-percent the cost of a subway train on a 40-km track. (We think they're more like trolleys, anyway.) Since it's powered by solar and existing electrical infrastructure, it's better for the environment than a gas-burning auto.

Shenzhen Huashi Future Car-Parking Equipment, the company behind the design, plans to begin construction on the first 115-mile section of track in the Mentougou district of Beijing by year's end. You can watch a presentation (in Chinese) of the system after the break, but check out the source link for a translation. [From: ChinaHush, via: Engadget]

Continue reading China Plans Giant, Road-Straddling 'Buses' to Defeat Traffic

SwitchedChina Plans Giant, Road-Straddling 'Buses' to Defeat Traffic originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Beijingbuscar techCarTechchinacommutegreengreen techGreenTechtoptraffictransportationtrolleyurbanplanningWed, 04 Aug 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Aussie Family Stranded Three Days After Following GPS Into Outback]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/03/aussie-family-stranded-three-days-after-following-gps-into-outba/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/03/aussie-family-stranded-three-days-after-following-gps-into-outba/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/03/aussie-family-stranded-three-days-after-following-gps-into-outba/#commentsFiled under:


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How far will travelers blindly follow a GPS device? According to The Sydney Morning Herald, an Australian family of four (and their poor pup) followed directions given by their GPS onto a road closed by heavy rainfall and became stranded for three nights in a pickup truck. The family, believe it or not, ignored posted warning signs and turned onto the Darling River Road while traveling between Brisbane and Perth in the northwest part of the continent. The truck promptly became bogged down in the thick mud, leaving the family stuck in the middle of the Outback, far from civilization. They called police immediately, but since conditions were so poor, it took authorities three nights to finally reach the foolish travelers on Sunday. Ignoring a closed city street sign is one thing, but driving right past a warning sign in the middle of Australia's wilderness just because your GPS device tells you to is another thing all together. [From: The Sydney Morning Herald]

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SwitchedAussie Family Stranded Three Days After Following GPS Into Outback originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 03 Aug 2010 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>australiadirectionsGPSgps navigationGpsNavigationnavigationoutbacksatellitetoptravelTue, 03 Aug 2010 06:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Bloodhound Rocket/Car Targets 1,000-MPH Land Speed Record]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/07/22/bloodhound-rocket-car-targets-1-000-mph-land-speed-record/http://www.switched.com/2010/07/22/bloodhound-rocket-car-targets-1-000-mph-land-speed-record/http://www.switched.com/2010/07/22/bloodhound-rocket-car-targets-1-000-mph-land-speed-record/#commentsFiled under:

Rocket/car hybrid could break the current world land speed record.
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What's the best way to get kids interested in science? A supersonic, rocket/car hybrid that might be able to travel across land at 1,000-mph. According to Autoblog, that's what the guys behind the Bloodhound Education Program, which is a super-expensive albeit cool way to get youngsters' attention, is banking on, anyway.

The team, which includes speed-record legend Richard Noble and driver Andy Green, recently unveiled a full-scale model of the 42-foot-long vehicle that could break the current world land speed record, which is set at 763-mph by the ThrustSSC car. To do this, the Bloodhound will use three types of propulsion: a hybrid rocket, a Eurojet EJ200 jet engine and an 800 bhp V12 engine. Noble and his team are talking with a company about constructing the front half of the car soon, and construction for the car's rear end should begin by the end of next year. That means the Bloodhound could start test runs as early as 2012.

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SwitchedBloodhound Rocket/Car Targets 1,000-MPH Land Speed Record originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 08:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bloodhoundBloodhoundProjectBloodhoundSupersonicCarcarlandspeedrecordrecordRichardNoblerocketcarsupersonictoptransportationThu, 22 Jul 2010 08:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Meet AJ, the Ford Fiesta That Tweets]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/07/21/meet-aj-the-ford-fiesta-that-tweets/http://www.switched.com/2010/07/21/meet-aj-the-ford-fiesta-that-tweets/http://www.switched.com/2010/07/21/meet-aj-the-ford-fiesta-that-tweets/#commentsFiled under: ,

AJ, the tweeting Ford Fiesta
AJ is a lime green, decal-bedecked 2011 Ford Fiesta. Like HAL from '2001,' he has his own man-made intelligence, and thus the gendered pronoun. He's been making his way around the country, sending messages to anyone who will listen. You see, AJ is a car that tweets.

Ford engineers gave AJ (short for American Journey 2.0) the ability to connect to the Internet by outfitting him with a Dell computer running Windows 7, a Wi-Fi router and a high-speed cellular connection. They set him up with his own Twitter account (AJtheFiesta), and connected his internal sensors, as well as data streamed from the Web, to his automotive brain. And so AJ tweets, "It might as well snow... ugh. Current conditions: partly cloudy (day)." Ignoring the fact that AJ was attending the Bay Area Maker Faire at the time of that tweet, and that San Francisco was in no danger of snowfall, you must admit that AJ's ability to report on his own condition and that of the world around him is remarkable.

That is, until you ask the inevitable question: "Why?"

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SwitchedMeet AJ, the Ford Fiesta That Tweets originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aiajArtificialIntelligencecarfordFordFiestaFordSyncfoursquareMakerFaireprototypeSocialNetworkingsynctopTrafficConditionstransportationtwitterweatherWed, 21 Jul 2010 14:46:00 EST<![CDATA[Lightweight, Slightly Embarrassing T.25 Offers 74 MPG at $9,000]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/07/15/lightweight-slightly-embarrassing-t-25-offers-74-mpg-at-9-000/http://www.switched.com/2010/07/15/lightweight-slightly-embarrassing-t-25-offers-74-mpg-at-9-000/http://www.switched.com/2010/07/15/lightweight-slightly-embarrassing-t-25-offers-74-mpg-at-9-000/#commentsFiled under: ,

T.25 mini-car
Our most common objection to green cars, whether electric, hybrid or alternative-fuel, is that they are -- always it seems -- plagued by goofy looks, poor performance and featherweight construction. Though not an exception to any of those rules, the T.25 is still impressive in that it gets a whopping 74 miles to the gallon, and that it costs -- right off the showroom floor -- no more than $9,000.

Designed by English Formula One engineer Gordon Murray and founded on the iStream construction technology, the T.25 is pitiful looking (somewhere between a meter maid and a Smart Car), slow (with a top speed of 80 mph) and tiny (8-feet long by 4-feet wide, and 1,200 pounds). But having one would be so dang cheap. So, we'll tell you what: If every single one of you buys one of these things when they come out in 2012, we will, too. We're cool with the idea. We're just not cool with soliciting jeers, driving in the slow lane and being sent into the stratosphere when we get hit by a truck. So, go ahead, dear readers. We'll be right behind you, as long as you go first. [From: DailyTech, via: Dvice]

SwitchedLightweight, Slightly Embarrassing T.25 Offers 74 MPG at $9,000 originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 15 Jul 2010 07:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carcartechdesignfueleconomygordon murrayGordonMurraygreengreentechistreamt.25toptransportationThu, 15 Jul 2010 07:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Yves Béhar and GE Unveil WattStation, a Speedy Electric Car Charger]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/07/14/yves-behar-and-ge-unveil-wattstation-a-speedy-electric-car-char/http://www.switched.com/2010/07/14/yves-behar-and-ge-unveil-wattstation-a-speedy-electric-car-char/http://www.switched.com/2010/07/14/yves-behar-and-ge-unveil-wattstation-a-speedy-electric-car-char/#commentsFiled under: ,

Wattstation by yves behar and GE
Designer du jour Yves Béhar loves electric cars, as we saw when he unveiled a concept for a hackable vehicle at the Greener Gadgets conference back in February. In addition, his company fuseproject helped develop the drool-inducing Mission Motors electric motorcycle, the fastest vehicle of its kind on the market. Now Béhar has teamed with GE to unveil a new design for an electric car charging station yesterday in San Francisco.

The WattStation, developed as part of GE's ecomagination project, can allegedly power up your vehicle in only 4 to 8 hours, nearly half the time that other ports require to juice up your electro-ride. Sporting a sleekly forward-thinking but inconspicuous silhouette, the WattStation is designed to fit right in to the urban landscape, while the color-coded LED rings around the top let users know if the station is available, in use, or out of service. GE and fuseproject hope to begin installing the stations on city streets by next year. [From: Inhabitat]

SwitchedYves Béhar and GE Unveil WattStation, a Speedy Electric Car Charger originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>charging stationChargingStationdesignelectric carelectric car chargerelectric car charging stationelectric vehicleElectricCarElectricCarChargerElectricCarChargingStationElectricVehiclefuseprojectgegreentopWattStationyves beharYvesBeharWed, 14 Jul 2010 17:00:00 EST