Mobile Magazine » smart car

Car-to-X (C2X) is the “Social Network” for cars

Michael Kwan — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 12:34:05 +0000

While there are certainly GPS systems out there that can give you some real time traffic information, the cars themselves aren’t really communicating with one another. Daimler has been working on a system called Car-to-X, or C2X for short, that effectively lets vehicles exchange information not only with eachother, but also with infrastructure like traffic lights.

Daimler’s been conducting field tests for the C2X system since at least 2006, but they’re about ot embark in the largest ever field trial in the Rhine-Main region of Germany. They’re outfitting at least 120 network-linked vehicles with the technology. With this system, the cars (and thus the drivers) can be alerted of upcoming traffic hazards way ahead of time, allowing them to divert their routes accordingly. Similarly, the system can find the best route to your destination based on real-time traffic data, as well as find the parking lot that appears to have the most available spots.

The communication works in the other direction too. With enough of these cars on the road, the traffic lights can adjust their patterns to improve overall traffic flow. If you have more cars heading in one direction than the other, perhaps they should get more green lights and for longer durations. Of course, it wouldn’t be fair for these specific 120 cars to control traffic patterns, but it does show what could happen if something like this becomes a standard feature.

In fact, the C2X trial is part of the larger Safe Intelligent Mobility – Test Field Germany (simTD) research project. Daimler is a part of it, along with other German automakers, automotive suppliers, communication firms, research institutions and public sector. This most recent trial puts C2X into the real world and out of the safe confines of a closed course. If all goes well, we may soon have more and more cars as part of this automotive “social network.” Of course, we’ll all have to get over our Big Brother concerns first.

[Source]

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Green Lite Motors working on a 100MPG hybrid commuter trike with Autodesk

Michael Kwan — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 03:39:05 +0000

Until we figure out how to effectively and safely use hydrogen to power all our vehicles, hybrids are going to be the popular option for those who want to be a little more environmentally friendly with their daily commutes. Green Lite Motors agrees and the clean tech company is using Autodesk Product Design Suite to envision what a proper commuter vehicle should be. It’s not every day we here about what software the EV guys are using to come up with their creations, so its nice to see Autodesk teaming up with smaller guys out there to show what can be done.

The concept calls for a three-wheeled hybrid vehicle. It’ll be officially classified as a motorcycle, but it’s probably closer to a Smart Car in scope. There’s seating for two, including a full roll cage, four-point harnesses, seat backs, and front airbags. The goal is to have this trike, which is powered by a hybrid gas engine and electric motor, achieve 100 miles on the gallon while still giving up to 250 miles (400 km) of range and a top speed of 85 mph (137 km/h).

That should be enough range and speed for the vast majority of commuters, including those who take the highway to get to work. The digital prototypes of the unnamed vehicle were made using Autodesk Inventor software, which is included as part of the Product Design Suite. But alas, it’s a digital prototype for now, so who knows when this green trike will see the light of day for cost- and environmentally-conscious commuters.

Autodesk Software Helps Develop 100 MPG Commuter Vehicle

Green Lite Motors Produces Hybrid Vehicle Combining Car Comfort with a Breakthrough in Fuel Efficiency

SAN RAFAEL, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Green Lite Motors, a clean technology company developing new transportation alternatives for commuters, is using Autodesk Product Design Suite from Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADSK), to more efficiently design a three-wheeled hybrid vehicle capable of traveling 100 miles on a single gallon of gas, as well as achieving highway-ready speeds of 85 miles per hour and a cruising range of 250 miles.

“From concept to manufacture, and marketing to maintenance, Autodesk software helps bring clean technology products to market sooner.”
Although classified as a motorcycle, the vehicle is fully enclosed like a car, giving commuters a safer, more comfortable and environmentally friendly way to get to work. The vehicle can carry two passengers using a hybrid gas engine and electric motor, which supports long-range freeway cruising, as well as enhanced fuel efficiency in stop-and-go traffic. For safety, driver and passenger are protected by a steel roll cage, four-point safety harnesses, seat backs and front airbags. The vehicle’s comfort features also include heat, air conditioning and a sound system.

The Autodesk Clean Tech Partner Program — which provides software for emerging clean tech companies in North America, Europe and Japan — enabled Green Lite Motors to use Digital Prototyping with Autodesk Product Design Suite. Autodesk Inventor software, included in Product Design Suite, was used to create digital prototypes of the third and fourth generations of the vehicle.

Digital Prototyping Accelerates Vehicle Development

“The Autodesk Product Design Suite has helped Green Lite Motors build the machine virtually to present an exceptionally strong vision of both the mechanical and aesthetic designs of our vehicle,” says Tim Miller, president and CEO at Green Lite Motors. “In leveraging the capabilities of Digital Prototyping, within a few weeks we were able to collaborate with a shared Inventor model to create a design capable of being manufactured.”

Green Lite Motors also leverages its digital prototype from Inventor with Autodesk Showcase software, another product included in Product Design Suite, to create compelling animations and renderings to visually communicate the mechanical and aesthetic designs of its vehicle — helping the company more effectively share its vision of greener transportation with potential investors and partners.

“Green Lite Motors is developing a unique hybrid vehicle to minimize driving’s environmental impact, and Digital Prototyping is helping them do it more quickly and with less waste,” said Robert “Buzz” Kross, senior vice president, Manufacturing Industry Group at Autodesk. “From concept to manufacture, and marketing to maintenance, Autodesk software helps bring clean technology products to market sooner.”

About the Clean Tech Partner Program

The Autodesk Clean Tech Partner Program supports the efforts, innovations and environmental advancements of clean technology pioneers, providing world-class software to design, visualize and simulate their ideas through Digital Prototyping. Clean tech companies in North America, Europe and Japan are invited to apply to receive up to $150,000* worth of software for only $50. Access to a collection of Autodesk industry-leading software includes up to five licenses of Autodesk Product Design Suite Ultimate, AutoCAD Revit Architecture Suite, Autodesk Simulation Mechanical, Autodesk Inventor Publisher and Autodesk Vault Professional software. For additional information, visit www.autodesk.com/cleantech.

About Green Lite Motors

Headquartered in Portland, Oregon, Green Lite Motors Corporation is developing a breakthrough vehicle that addresses the fuel efficiency, traffic congestions and parking challenges faced by drivers in large metropolitan areas. For additional information, visit www.greenlitemotors.com.

About Autodesk

Autodesk, Inc., is a leader in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software. Customers across the manufacturing, architecture, building, construction, and media and entertainment industries — including the last 16 Academy Award winners for Best Visual Effects — use Autodesk software to design, visualize and simulate their ideas. Since its introduction of AutoCAD software in 1982, Autodesk continues to develop the broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art software for global markets. For additional information about Autodesk, visit www.autodesk.com.

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Tata Pixel Uses Smartphones and Tablets as Dashboard Displays

Michael Kwan — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 03:03:23 +0000

You don’t normally think of India as much of a powerhouse in the automotive world, but Tata Motors is slowly starting to change that. The ridiculously cheap Tata Nano has somehow paved the way to the much higher-tech Tata Pixel concept shown here.

Instead of booting around its native India, where some of the safety laws are much more lax, the Tata Pixel is designed to be a European city car. Yes, it’s going to be really small and it has an impressive 2.6-meter turning radius (thanks to rear wheels that can shift forward and back), but that belies some of the tech you find inside.

I’m not a fan of the giant “scissor” doors on a compact car like this — it’d prove to be a pain in most residential garages, I’d imagine — but if you get past them, you find quite the futuristic four-seater interior. What’s interesting is that there is no main dashboard for your media and climate controls: you need to dock your smartphone or tablet and it needs to be running Tata’s app.

It’s kind of a weird take on technological integration, but there you have it. Not surprisingly, they went smaller with the 1.2L turbo diesel engine, but that gives you an effective fuel economy of 3.4L/100km (about 70mpg) to go along with the “infinitely variable transmission.”

Now the question is, how cheap can Tata get for a car destined to the European and US markets while retaining the creature comforts and safety features we’ve come to expect?

[via Gizmag]

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Ford’s Intelligent Cars use Wi-Fi to communicate

Jeremy Pedro — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 17:53:34 +0000

Daimler AG’s Smart Car has been driving around bearing the name as a self-proclaimed genius of automobiles for some time now. Ford on the other hand, has come up with a concept that will attempt to usurp this title and truly certify itself as a genuine “smart” car. Imagine if your car could drive itself, how much safer and more convenient the roads would become with all cars being precisely operated by a machine. Though this is still far from what we can expect to have in the near future, Ford has found a way to once again, take us a step forward by integrating man and machine.

The new intelligent vehicle, and intelligent intersection technology will be able to keep drivers informed and totally aware of their surrounding environment. Through the use of GPS and Wi-Fi connections, vehicles will be able to communicate with each other telling other cars about their speed, where they are going or even if there is a hazard ahead. This means your if there has been a change in the speed or flow of traffic, if there is another vehicle coming into your blind spot or if there is a stalled vehicle around a blind turn, you’ll know well ahead of time. Interestingly they decided to go with using Wi-Fi instead of a cellular network, which may limit the range of the system but cut costs. Though Wi-Fi will still provide enough distance to alert the driver or enable an automatic braking system to avoid any trouble. Using just the same technology that you would find in our laptops and other devices, Ford will finally put some meaning behind the concept of a “smart” or “intelligent” car. Below is a conceptual demonstration of how the system will work.

Ford Accelerates Intelligent Vehicle Research, Creating ‘Talking’ Vehicles to Make Roads Safer

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Ford is aggressively accelerating its commitment to wirelessly connected intelligent vehicles – known as vehicle-to-vehicle communications – becoming the first automaker to build prototype vehicles for demonstrations across the U.S., doubling its intelligent vehicle investment in 2011 and dedicating even more scientists to developing this technology.

“Ford believes intelligent vehicles that talk to each other through advanced Wi-Fi are the next frontier of collision avoidance innovations that could revolutionize the driving experience and hold the potential of helping reduce many crashes,” said Sue Cischke, group vice president, Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering.

An October National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) report on the potential safety benefits of vehicle-to-vehicle communications estimates that intelligent vehicles could help in as many as 4,336,000 police-reported, light-vehicle crashes annually, or approximately 81 percent of all light-vehicle crashes involving unimpaired drivers. Experts say intelligent vehicles could be on the road in five to 10 years.

Ford’s demonstration vehicles will hit the road this spring, starting at major technology hubs across the country.

How it works
Ford’s vehicle communications research technology allows vehicles to talk wirelessly with one another using advanced Wi-Fi signals, or dedicated short-range communications, on a secured channel allocated by the Federal Communications Commission. Unlike radar-based safety features, which identify hazards within a direct line of sight, the Wi-Fi-based radio system allows full-range, 360-degree detection of potentially dangerous situations, such as when a driver’s vision is obstructed.

For example, drivers could be alerted if their vehicle is on path to collide with another vehicle at an intersection, when a vehicle ahead stops or slows suddenly or when a traffic pattern changes on a busy highway. The systems also could warn drivers if there is a risk of collision when changing lanes, approaching a stationary or parked vehicle, or if another driver loses control.

Ford hits the gas on vehicle communications
After a decade of research, Ford plans a new 20-member task force – consisting of company planners, engineers and scientists from around the world with expertise in safety, eco-mobility, infotainment and driver convenience – to accelerate development of intelligent vehicles with features that provide a range of benefits to consumers.

Ford also is doubling its intelligent vehicle research investment, building on the company’s SYNC® and MyFord Touch™ innovations. The goal is to define the next 10 years of safety, convenience and driver assistance, and strengthen the company’s position as the global industry leader in connected vehicle technology.

“While there are challenges ahead, the foundation of these smarter vehicles is advanced versions of technologies that are pervasive – Wi-Fi and crash avoidance systems that Ford has pioneered in mainstream vehicles today,” said Paul Mascarenas, vice president, Research and Advanced Engineering and chief technical officer. “Intelligent vehicles could help warn drivers of numerous potential dangers such as a car running a red light but blocked from the view of a driver properly entering the intersection.”

Speaking the same language
Ford is partnering with other automakers, the federal government, as well as local and county road commissions to create a common language that ensures all vehicles can talk to each other based on a common communication standard.

This public-private partnership will include the world’s first government-sponsored driving clinics beginning in summer 2011, for which the company will contribute two prototype Ford Taurus sedans. The DOT’s Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) will head the research, continuing to coordinate with a coalition of automakers organized by the Crash Avoidance Metrics Partnership (CAMP), which is a joint research group headed by Ford and General Motors. The partnership is working to develop inter-operability standards in advance of completing the research phase in 2013.

“Ford has laid the groundwork to give vehicles a voice with SYNC and Wi-Fi technology,” said Jim Vondale, director, Ford Automotive Safety Office. “Now we’re working with other automakers and government leaders worldwide to develop common standards globally to bring intelligent vehicles to market quicker and more affordably.”

Vondale has been appointed by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to represent automakers on the ITS Advisory Committee. Mike Shulman, technical leader, Ford Research and Advanced Engineering, leads the government-industry technical partnership as program manager for CAMP.

Beyond safety, endless possibilities
By reducing crashes, intelligent vehicles could ease traffic delays, which would save drivers both time and fuel costs. Congestion also could be avoided through a network of intelligent vehicles and infrastructure that would process real-time traffic and road information and allow drivers to choose less congested routes.

According to Texas Transportation Institute’s (TTI) 2010 Urban Mobility Report, traffic congestion continues to worsen in American cities of all sizes, annually wasting nearly 3.9 billion gallons of fuel in 2009 and costing the average commuter $808 in additional fuel. Leading factors in traffic delays are caused by accidents, breakdowns and road debris, TTI maintains.

“The day is not far off when our vehicles will operate like mobile devices with four wheels, constantly exchanging information and communicating with our environment to do things like shorten commute times, improve fuel economy and generally help us more easily navigate life on the road,” said Mascarenas.

Laying the connectivity groundwork
Many of Ford’s current technologies show how intelligent vehicles will be able to help drivers. For example, features that alert drivers to approaching hazards, such as Ford’s collision warning with brake support and Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) with cross-traffic alert rely on radar sensors to detect vehicles or objects close to the vehicle.

“Ford has pioneered connectivity in modern vehicles with SYNC,” said Shulman. “We believe advanced Wi-Fi for intelligent vehicles could be added to smartphones or GPS systems and simply connect to SYNC like today’s phones.”

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