The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) isn’t exactly known for delivering a plethora of automotive goodies for our undivided attention. In fact, this major technology-related trade show has presented some of the greatest tech products such as this year’s immense number of tablets and 4G smartphones. Not exactly our cup of tea, right?
Wrong. This year’s CES was chock full of auto gizmos and gadgets. So much so, that we had to go back and try to cover them all. In researching the products presented at CES, we came across many automakers who chose this tech show, as opposed to actual auto shows, to showcase their technological advancements in car-to-driver communication. Yes, we said communication. Turns out, a computer or a smartphone can provide access to an array of features and notifications for your vehicle, making it that much easier for drivers to check on the charge levels of their electric ride. Other automakers are finding better ways to charge up their electric cars; without a plug.
Sound cool? We thought so too, so hit the jump to check out some of these ahead-of-the-game technological advancements.
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Few technological advancements have been as important in the auto industry as the development of carbon fiber. Lighter yet stronger than most materials that were once used in building vehicles, carbon fiber has become an integral element in the development of some of the world’s fastest and most powerful cars on the planet, including Formula One race cars.
On their end, Lexus knows a thing or two about supercars with the development of the LF-A. The company has even taken to new lengths to provide the LF-A with the best possible materials by building their very own carbon fiber loom to create the carbon fiber materials that will be used in the LF-A.
The revolutionary loom is able to weave three-dimensional carbon fiber shapes that will be put in the company’s supercar, including the steering wheel and the A-pillar. Knowing the great lengths company’s go through to outfit as much carbon fiber as possible on their supercars, Lexus saw fit to take the game to a whole new level with the invention of the carbon fiber loom, a technology that’s the first of its kind in the world.
Eventually, the machine will also be used to create materials for other Lexus models, signaling a concrete step in helping bring the weight down and improve performance of the company’s future vehicles.
Check out the video featuring Lexus’ new carbon fiber loom. If there ever was any indication just how fast technology is shaping the auto industry today, this is it.
Watch what you’re thinking because Ferrari may soon be able to read your mind and interpret what you’re thinking! Sound scary? Well it kind of is. The Italian company is working on a new revolutionary technology that will be able to read a driver’s mental and physical state and adjust the car’s stability and traction control to coincide with them.
Here’s how it works: "The biometric sensors may comprise a piezoelectric measuring device for measuring the driver’s respiration, a device for measuring the driver’s blood pressure and heart rate, a television camera for monitoring the driver’s eyes (blink rate) to determine the driver’s alertness, a device for monitoring the electric activity of the driver’s brain, a device for recording the driver’s surface temperature and a device for recording the conductivity of the driver’s skin (to determine the degree of perspiration)."
Ferrari believes this technology is necessary because "Drivers tend to miscalculate — in particular, overestimate — their driving skill and, more importantly, their psychophysical condition, with the result that driver-selected dynamic vehicle performance simply reflects the driver’s wish, as opposed to the driver’s actual psychophysical condition and proficiency."
Basically, they are telling us that we are all too stupid to realize that just because we want the car to do something, doesn’t mean it will actually do it. The bad part is that, with some people, they are probably right. What would be cool is if this technology could kick out the drivers that text while driving, or better yet, the ones that drive under the influence. That would be a lifesaver.
Audi has unveiled today a new version of the Autonomous Audi TTS Pikes Peak, the car that can drive itself. The new TTS Pikes Peak will make its first high-speed test runs up Pikes Peak in Colorado this fall.
The Autonomous Audi TTS Pikes Peak is based on a street-ready Audi TTS sports car. An Audi TTS was chosen due to its native systems. The drive-by-wire throttle and a semiautomatic DSG gearbox were a good fit with the electronics that allow the car to drive without human input.
The design of the TTS Pikes Peak was inspired by the rally car themes from the 1980s.
“We were very much inspired by the Pikes Peak race cars,” noted Raul Cenan, Lead Designer on the TTS project. “But there was very different technology used in those cars overall. So we decided to go with more modern elements that were heritage-inspired.“
The hardware added to the TTS is really no different than any laptop computer. The car currently uses two computers in its trunk – one running safety critical algorithms using Oracle’s Real Time Java (Java RTS) and the other running vehicle dynamics algorithms. The two sets of algorithms are what enable the TTS to drive at the limits of handling on a variety of surfaces, speeds and conditions.
The differential GPS system keeps the TTS within two centimeters of its mark on a normal course. Since Pikes Peak is anything, but normal, the research team would like to get that number down to one meter.
The Audi TTS Pikes Peak will also be attempting a Guiness Book of World Record as it makes a land speed attempt at the El Mirage Lake dry-lake bed in southern California or another nearby location in the Fall as well as attempting fastest speed in an autonomous vehicle.
UPDATE 11/19/2010: The Autonomous Audi TTS Pikes Peak has climbed Pikes Peak. Hit the jump for the details!
Video and press release after the jump.
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All you speed demons with no regard for road rules better be careful. A new speed camera with state-of-the-art technology is going to be watching your every move, and there’s a pretty good chance that its cameras will capture all your road indiscretions, right down to the smallest of seconds.
The system, which is being called ‘Asset’ – short for Advanced Safety and Driver Support for Essential Road Transport – performs a variety of functions designed to detect traffic infractions. Not only can it detect the car’s certain speed at any given point in time, but it can also run your plate number to ensure that the vehicle’s insurance and tax are on the up and up. It can also measure the distance between two cars to determine if tailgating is being done, as well as take photos of the car’s interior to ensure that the occupants, especially the driver are all wearing seatbelts. And the most amazing part? This camera can run through all of those actions in a matter of seconds.
The system’s testing and development is being done at the VTT Technical Research Centre in Finland with funding estimated at somewhere around £7million. If everything goes according to the timeline, the system should be up and running in Europe in 2013 with each system costing around £50,000 each.
