Tag: road

Networked self-driving cars are smarter and safer

You know what’s better than one self-driving car on the road? Two, because then they can pool resources. Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication isn’t anything new, of course, but researchers at Switzerland’s federal institute of technology, EPFL , are taking things one step further. By wirelessly connecting the LIDAR, sensors and navigation systems of two cars in convoy, both can get a fuller picture of the world around them. Put simply, if two autonomous vehicles are driving down a road, then all they can “see” is the data from their own systems. But if you can connect your car, say, to the one immediately behind you, then both systems get a wider field of view and better situational awareness. In an overtaking situation, the car behind can use its counterparts systems to scan for hazards out in front, including cars in the opposite lane. The team at EPFL have worked to iron out the kinks in such a system using a pair of Citroen electric cars equipped with Mobileye sensors. Both vehicles had WiFi gear and computers in their trunks, which helped the pair co-ordinate with each other on the road. One big issue, early on, was that both systems would count the same obstacle twice, once from each data source. Now that those problems have been resolved, bigger issues, like the fact that all of this computation has to be done on the fly, can be tackled. The hope is that, eventually, every autonomous car on the road will be talking to one another to ensure that crashes and angry fights at merge points are kept to a minimum.

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Networked self-driving cars are smarter and safer

Tesla’s super fast P100D offers tech-heavy luxury for the rich

When you drive the $134, 000 Tesla Model S P100D you want to tell the world that it goes from zero to 60 in 2.5 seconds. You’re like a child excited about a new toy, stopping strangers on the streets to regale them with your tales of wonder. But to many that staggeringly quick acceleration has little to no meaning. They have no personal barometer to judge it against. They really have to experience it. They have to sit in the car and feel their internal organs and eyes warp as the car leaps forward. And when they do, there’s nervous laughter, swearing and sometimes pleas to never do it again. Seriously, if you’re rich and own one of these, give all your friends a ride. The fact is, you don’t have to push your passengers into their seats time and time again to realize how wonderful the P100D actually is. That thrill of going extremely fast in a very short period of time (while exciting) is only a small portion of the P100D’s charm. In a dense urban environment like San Francisco there aren’t a lot of opportunities to live out your Top Gear dreams. Instead I spent most of the week with the car commuting, meeting with family (holidays!) and heading to Costco. The Model S is a glorious luxury car with the amenities you’d expect to find in fine German sedans, and it has enough room to cram your brood and their presents into the cabin and trunk. It’s also on the cutting edge of semi-autonomous and EV tech that’s working its way into less-expensive vehicles. Whether on surface streets, hitting the freeway or navigating the hellscape that is a box-store parking lot, the car performed admirably. On the highway is where you’ll find the true Tesla experience thanks to Autopilot. We’ve talked before about how it lowers the stress of commuting and can help reduce the chances of a collision. It still does all that, but an update that reins in one of the core features is a welcome addition. Now Autopilot limits drivers to the posted speed limit on undivided roadways. So, if you’re on a small four lane highway without a median, you can’t make Autopilot grow a lead foot. It’s a small thing that’ll probably produce some grumblings on Tesla message boards, but it’s good to see the automaker thinking more and more about safety while pushing the boundaries of auto tech. Other than the updated Autopilot, the rest of the technology in the Model S is pretty much what we found in the Model X . The enormous 17-inch touchscreen that controls everything from the car’s ride height (from very low for that sport look to high enough to get over the tallest speed bumps) to music is still, for the most part, easy to use. Although, I would prefer that climate controls be physical buttons. A few times I reached over to peck at something on the display and missed. Fortunately, some of the features like music and voice commands can be controlled from the buttons and turn knobs on the steering wheel. Tesla is known for innovation and speed, but people overlook the Model S’ luxury. The vehicle sits five, no problem, as long as the rear passengers are shorter than six feet tall. The leather seats were cozy and the wood and suede trim in the cabin add a dash of class without being ostentatious. If you need to do more than drive folks around, the trunk is huge. During a Costco run, I was able to fit a microwave, space heater, random food and enough toilet paper to survive the zombie apocalypse in it with no problem. That’s without using the hidden space below the trunk floor. With seating and cargo space a plenty, the interior feels almost cavernous. That probably has something to do with the lack of an internal combustion engine, but really, it’s the size of the car itself. It’s a huge sedan. Pulling into compact parking spaces meant riding the edge of the painted lines and hoping no one parked next to me. Fortunately, thanks to its low center of gravity and stiff chassis, it doesn’t feel like you’re driving a boat. The steering and handling are crisp and trick you into thinking you’re driving a smaller car. In fact, the Model S P100D is three cars. It’s a technological marvel capable of driving 315 miles between a charge (I got about 305 miles) and will take care of the heavy driving in stop and go traffic. It’s a supercar that will silently launch you down the road so quickly you’ll find yourself doing 90 in the blink of an eye. And it’s a luxury sedan that smoothes out the road, makes you feel comfortable and cements the idea that you’ve made all the right decisions in life. Oh, and it’s good for a Costco run. Cramming three spectacular cars into one isn’t cheap. Starting at $134, 000, the P100D is out of reach for most of us. It’s definitely out of my reach. But Tesla says this car will help fund the building of the Model 3. Of course the 373, 000 presales, at $1, 000 a pop, for the low-cost Tesla are also probably helping get the $35, 000 automobile on the road. So the P100D is for the rich; the folks that can afford to enjoy mind-blowing speeds one minute and a trip to a five star restaurant with their friends the next. Supercars and luxury sedans are for people that vacation on yachts and have very strong opinions about estate taxes and Bordeaux. Fortunately that third car, filled with technology, is coming for the rest of us. It will be either the Model 3 , Chevy Bolt or some other vehicle that changes the way we get from point a to point b. The P100D is an outstanding car. But more importantly, it’s part of a process to get us all into long-range EVs with autonomous features. It’s like Usain Bolt reminding us to go out and run. Sure we’ll never be as fast as the olympian, but he’s getting us to treat our bodies better. So let the wealthy enjoy their speed and luxury so we can eventually treat the roads and earth just a little bit better. Source: Tesla

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Tesla’s super fast P100D offers tech-heavy luxury for the rich

What Do Luxury Sleeper Cabs for Long-Haul Truck Drivers Look Like?

The life of a long-haul trucker can be tough, even when they’re not behind the wheel. When it’s time to get some shuteye in the truck’s cab, some of them have a scant 36″ behind the seats in which to stuff a twin mattress, and there’s barely enough room to turn around back there, let alone get dressed and undressed. And for the trucker who brings their spouse on the road—yes, husband-and-wife trucker teams exist—it’s simply not enough space for two people to live out of. For those that can pony up for a larger cab, an Indiana-based company called ARI Legacy Sleepers specializes in tricking them out with custom packages suited to the customer’s tastes. Let’s take a look at some of their work. First off, if you see a cab that’s this size, you can bet there’s more behind the rear seats than just a twin mattress. And you’d be right. When you look back between the seats, here’s what you see: And here’s the view looking fore: Overhead is a small, subtle lighting trick that provides the illusion of more space: Using a mirror and one-way mirror to provide “infinity lighting, ” making the LEDS look like they stretch off forever overhead. Close the curtains to the “cockpit” and enjoy your flatscreen in peace. There’s plenty of storage both above and below the kitchen counter, which features an electric stovetop and a sink. When not in use, both have covers that conceal them, providing uninterrupted counter space. This photo below is not the exact same interior, but you get the idea. Also note the mirror above the sink, so the driver can shave. Opposite the counter is a sofa and a little nook to the right of it. You’ll notice a cable management port at back right; one can place a computer, laptop or gaming system here. To the right of that is a door, and the toilet paper holder on the inside of it has probably clued you in… …yep, they’ve got a bathroom in here. A wall-mounted dispenser obviates the need for shelving. Moving back inside the cabin, we see the sofa, which of course has storage beneath it. You might think, “Is that where the driver sleeps?” Not exactly; note the dual tracks in the wall. An elevator bed motors down at the touch of a button. For cabs where there is no rear door, the sofa and bed arrangement can be placed across the rear wall. And as you can see here, the choice of lighting strongly impacts your perception of the space. The lighting scheme in this one here reminds me of The Peach Pit from the original Beverly Hills 90210. And this one below is like The Peach Pit but with hardwood floors. With spaces this small, the materials choice also makes a profound visual impact. This one here is owned by a married couple who both go on the road together, and I imagine it must recall what their actual home looks like, aesthetically: Another customer has opted to have his look like more of a bachelor pad: And for drivers who plan to do some open-air sightseeing during downtime, there’s an option to haul your Harley. Yep, if you’ve got the space you can have a motorcycle “garage” with side-loading ramp installed: You can check out more of ARI’s custom designs here , and they also have a good amount of photos on their Facebook page .

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What Do Luxury Sleeper Cabs for Long-Haul Truck Drivers Look Like?

Uber will offer free rides in its self-driving cars this month

After months of testing , Uber’s self-driving cars are ready to pick up their first passengers. Bloomberg reports that the ride-hailing company will allow customers in Pittsburgh to request one of its autonomous Volvo XC90 sport-utility vehicles via their smartphone in the coming weeks, pushing it into territory that other major developers of self-driving cars have yet to fully explore. According to the report, Uber won’t be sending its cars out alone. A human supervisor will sit in the driving seat, as required by law, “with their fingertips on the wheel.” A second person will be sat in the front passenger seat, taking notes on a laptop while cameras inside and outside the vehicle record everything that happens during the ride. Customers won’t be expected to pay for their journey in Uber’s XC90s, at least to begin with, which may help put nervous riders at ease. Pittsburgh serves as the ideal environment for Uber’s autonomous trials. The city is home to its Advanced Technologies Center (ATC) and local authorities have already approved the testing of its self-driving fleet. When the do hit the road, only a handful of cars will be available right away, but Uber has struck a deal with Volvo to take delivery of 100 vehicles by the end of the year. With Ford announcing yesterday that it intends to have fully autonomous cars on the road within five years , Uber is moving swiftly. It wants to be out ahead of its rivals with its own tried-and-tested solution, not a ready-made one from a car manufacturer that could one day eat its lunch. Source: Bloomberg

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Uber will offer free rides in its self-driving cars this month

A 2,900-Mile, Car-Free Bicycle Path Running from Maine to Florida is Underway

Remember Germany’s Radschnellweg ? That’s a 100-kilometer cycleway that, once completed, will link nearly a dozen cities. Well, we were very surprised to learn that America will be getting something similar. Similar and, in accordance with our increased landmass, a lot longer. The East Coast Greenway Alliance is currently masterminding a 3, 000-mile cycleway running from Calais, Maine (right on the Canadian border) all the way to Key West, Florida! While a determined cyclist can currently make that journey, the route would currently involve a lot of time sharing the road with cars, and the danger that brings. The ECGA has a different vision: “Our goal is for the entire Greenway to be on paths, completely separated from the road, ” they write. “By connecting existing and planned shared-use trails, a continuous, traffic-free route is being formed, serving self-powered users of all abilities and ages.” That last part is key. The Greenway is really intended more for people with Dad Body than those that look like a ‘roided-up Lance Armstrong. The idea is that the Greenway will be “a new tourism venue, enticing domestic and foreign tourists to explore the Eastern Seaboard in a leisurely and intimate manner” rather than a place where you get buzzed by bros wearing Lycra. [The Greenway] is not designed for those seeking a high-speed cycling route. A multitude of on-road routes better serve their needs. But, as a traffic-free, relatively flat route, the Greenway is a safe facility for people of all ages and physical abilities, including children, families, and the elderly. Also, the Greenway will not be of entirely new construction. What the ECGA is attempting to do is link existing trails, then “fill in the gaps” where there are none. This is a massive effort that involves coordinating with a variety of municipal bodies over the entire stretch, including within major cities. Here’s a snippet of the Philadelphia route, for instance: The sheer number of ground to cover explains why just 850 miles–about 30%–currently exists and is usable, with another 2, 050 miles yet to be nailed down. So, while the ECG will be longer than Germany’s Radschnellweg , the efficient Germans will undoubtedly have theirs completed first. The ECGA is currently gunning to have the Greenway 95% complete by 2030. Want to help them get it done faster? They need local volunteers to help them get various stretchs up to code. Learn how you can get involved by donating your time (or just some plain ol’ greenbacks) here . Sources: CityLab Country Living Curbed East Coast Greenway Alliance

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A 2,900-Mile, Car-Free Bicycle Path Running from Maine to Florida is Underway

These Incredible New Buses Are Charged Wirelessly by the Road Itself

Imagine an electric vehicle that can travel endless distances without ever needing to stop at a recharging station. That sounds impossible, right? Because electric vehicles run on batteries, and at some point, you need stop and charge those batteries. Not this one. Read more…        

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These Incredible New Buses Are Charged Wirelessly by the Road Itself