Under a project called RoadReader, a Huawei smartphone was turned into the AI-powered brain of a Porsche Panamera in Barcelona, Spain. The Chinese smartphone maker showcased the superpowers the Mate 10 Pro smartphone at this year’s edition of Mobile World Congress (MWC).

The phone was successful in identifying the obstacles in the Porsche’s way, according to Android Authority. But the car had to be first equipped with a camera on its top and a $10,490 wireless video transceiver for the feat.

The camera and the video receiver supplied the Mate 10 Pro’s Kirin 970 processor with the footage necessary to identify the obstacles. Also, the limousine’s trunk hosted a computer that translated the phone’s instructions in the car’s language.

During the test, a backup driver was behind the wheel and the center console of the car had a big emergency button that was supposed to be pressed to stop the car if things went wrong.

A ‘Cool’ Experience

Huawei unveiled that it had previously tested the car with hundreds of objects that may pop up on the road. During the demo, a cardboard dog, soccer ball, and bicycle played the role of obstacles.

Testers were able to instruct the phone via voice commands what to do with every obstacle – swerve or brake. The phone worked incredibly smoothly, and all commands were carried out without hesitation.

Android Authority bloggers who have recently went for a ride described the experience as “underwhelming,” but still “cool”. Plus, it’s quite impressive what a Huawei smartphone can do, when the device is usually used mainly to watch YouTube videos or check Facebook.

Mate 10 Pro’s processor is so powerful that it can process machine learning actions that are so complex that they can control a car driving at 50 kmph. Huawei explained that the software breaks down the video feed into images before its AI algorithms analyze the frames in search for potential obstacles.
Image Source: Printscreen

The Wall Street Journal found that the electric car maker Tesla Motors plans to build a manufacturing plant in Shanghai, China. According to the report, the company was recently able to strike a deal with local authorities.

The plant will be located in a free trade zone but there will be a 25% import tariff from Beijing. Regardless of the tariff, the U.S company will still be able to trim production costs. The WSJ couldn’t tell when the new deal will be made public, while Tesla declined a request for comment.

This summer, the Palo Alto, Calif.-based car maker confirmed that it was negotiating with Shanghai authorities on building an assembly plant in the region. In June, Tesla said it remains “committed to the Chinese market,” and suggested that it was looking for other good manufacturing sites to produce for local markets.

China Has a Growing Interest in Electric Vehicles

Chinese authorities have rolled out a series of regulations that now force car makers to go electric. According to a new plan, auto makers in China will have to ensure that 10% the production is electric by 2019, In 2020, that number will climb to 12%.

Meanwhile, the U.S. government is heavily subsidizing electric vehicles. A government program has enabled more Tesla buyers to buy the Model 3. This year, the tax credit offered to EV buyers is $7.500 per car. Once Tesla has sold 200,000 cars, the federal money will be phased out.

So far, the electric vehicle maker has sold just 121,000 units, while production has jumped from 2,000 units five years ago to 80,000 last year. However, the tax credits don’t benefit buyers of luxury cars which can cost more than $140,000 at Tesla. Yet, $7,500 represents 20 percent of Model 3’ price tag, i.e. $35,000.
Image Source: Wikimedia

Toyota is reportedly working on new facial recognition technology that can read drivers’ emotions to embed it into its futuristic electric vehicles (EVs). The new tech will know when you’re hungry or sleepy, and will be able to anticipate your desires.

The experimental technologies will be unveiled at the incoming Tokyo Motor Show.

Toyota Motor Corp boss Makoto Okabe said Monday that the new cars will be equipped with artificial intelligence technologies that can analyze passengers’ faces, social media postings, and driving attitudes. Next, the technology will profile the drivers and use the data to adjust seats when they’re nervous or anxious to calm them down or make them more alert when they’re drowsy. The cars may even suggest stopping at a fast-food restaurant when the driver is hungry.

Other Car Makers Following Suit

However, the news was met with criticism as some people are concerned about privacy intrusions. Despite the concerns, though, other car makers unveiled plans to develop similar technologies, in recent months. Some of those plans may be revealed at this year’s edition of the Tokyo Motor Show, which is slated for October 28.

Toyota plans to equip its Concept-i cars with the new technology. The ‘I’ in ‘Concept-i’ stems from the Japanese word “ai” which translates as “love”. “Ai” is pronounced as the letter “I” in English. The use of the word suggests that futuristic cars will “love” you and become your best friends, or “more than a machine,” according to a Toyota official.

The new EVs will be equipped with cameras and sensors that will scan drivers’ faces. AI-based algorithms can next tell from facial expression if the person is happy or upset. The system could also tell when a driver is drowsy if he or she yawns or scratches their cheeks.
Image Source: Flickr

According to a report from Bloomberg, Honda will invest $267 million in a couple of Ohio plants that will manufacture its new Accord sedan set to be released next year. What’s more, 300 new jobs will be created in the process.

Honda officials said that the bulk of the investment ($220 million) would go on the purchase of upgrades like welding robots to the factory in Marysville while $47 million would be used to upgrade its plant near Anna that will be building Honda’s first turbocharged engine.

Before the announcement, Honda had said they would be making an extra $149 million investment in the plants in Georgia, Russells Point, and Tallapoosa, in Ohio. The three units will assembly the Accord’s 10-speed automatic transmission.

The money invested will help the Accord achieve a sportier feel with larger interior room and a lower stance. Honda did a similar thing to its Civic compact last year, which enabled the firm to remain competitive in a declining segment.

2018 Accord Expected to Be a Huge Success

Ray Mikiciuk who is in charge of the company’s U.S. sales said the redesigned Civic was “head and shoulders” above its competitors.

We fully expect the 2018 Accord to have the same impact on the mid-sized sedan segment,”

Mikiciuk said in an interview.

The assembly plant in Marysville will be equipped with a laser-based brazing robot so precise that it can glue together the top and sides of the vehicle without the need of the black plastic strip that hid the imperfections in previous models.

The Japanese car maker expects to sell around 330,000 Accord models by the end of the year even though sales dropped 4.5% last month from the same period last year.
Image Source: Wikimedia

In Australia, kangaroos are a total nuisance to Volvo’s driverless cars as they can confuse the vehicle’s movement detection sensors pretty badly. Australian authorities estimate that the animals are involved in 15,000 collisions every year, but that number could jump even more if automated cars hit the roads.

One may assume that with the latest assisted driving systems, the number of animal collisions should decline. Yet, Volvo said that a kangaroo hop can baffle systems because when the animals are mid-air the system thinks that they are moving farther away.

“This totally confuses the systems,”

said one spokesperson for the Sweden-based car maker.

The cars’ systems can easily detect animals that run or walk such as pets, cows, and deer. The semi-automated break system also can intervene when a large animals jump in front of the car.

However, kangaroos are one special problem for the systems of driverless cars. It is unclear either if the driver could take over the car in a timely matter when the system fails.

Fully Automated Cars Not Here Yet

The automated cars that need no human assistance at all are not here yet. Industry analysts estimated that they could be rolled out within five to 10 years. Fully autonomous cars are expected to hit the showrooms after 2035.

In the meantime, driverless car makers need to ensure that the systems work in every environment. Volvo tested its cars in Sweden where much of its wild areas are populated with moose. But when it tested the system in Australia, the company learned that the cars can’t detect kangaroos. In addition, German car parts supplier Robert Bosch had to tweak its braking systems due to black swan collisions.
Image Source: Flickr

Testing self-driving cars is not a new thing anymore. There are hundreds of start-ups, tech companies, and automakers that are trying to design the best autonomous car. Apparently, Apple is joining them. The tech giant already received approved from the California Department of Motor Vehicle to test its self-driving car.

Apple outlined a special plan for their autonomous cars. The company thinks more about safety. This is why they want to train autonomous safety drivers. When the company made the application for approval of the DMV, it included a special part that contained the training plan for the drivers. These drivers will learn special instructions.

Some of the instructions include how to take back the control of the car while it is in automated mode. Apple calls this process a development platform. The tech giant is looking to develop a new tech product that can change the experience of self-driving cars. Training autonomous safety drivers is an interesting approach. Maybe, with the help of these drivers, Apple’s cars won’t crash like most of the autonomous cars that were tested until now.

All of the plans that Apple has for its autonomous cars are written in the “Apple Automated System“ document that was given to California Department of Motor Vehicle. Despite the fact that the company received approval for testing its cars and training its autonomous safety drivers, Apple didn’t want to make an official statement.

Apparently, the tech giant wants to surprise everybody when its cars are up and running. Apple did not make an official statement, but the documents that were filed contain a lot of information about the technology that was used for their cars. It seems that the autonomous cars produced by Apple are not going to be so different after all.

[The tech is]”capable of sending electronic commands for steering, accelerating, and decelerating and may carry out portions of the dynamic driving task,” stated the official document

Like any other tech company or automaker, Apple is entering the self-driving car market. It is unclear whether or not they are going to make something different. We’ll just have to wait and see what Apple develops.

Do you think that Apple is going to make a revolutionary autonomous car?

Image source: Wikipedia

 

Honda has been leasing their Clarity Hybrid hydrogen-powered car in California for several years now. However, the automaker has been thinking about designing a family version of this vehicle. The new family car will be released on the market together with other two Clarity vehicles which will not be equipped with the hydrogen fueling technology.

Honda is bound to launch their Clarity Hybrid technology in all 50 states

One of the two new cars, namely the Honda Clarity Hybrid which was designed to recharge via plug-in technology, will be launched in all 50 states. Thus, the new vehicle will more accessible than the one fueled by hydrogen available in California. The hydrogen-fueled version of Honda Clarity is a silent car, but it does not appear to be different from driving a conventional car.

Hydrogen fuel cell cars are autonomous vehicles. This type of car is powered by electric engines without storing energy in a massive battery pack. Instead, the car is powered by using hydrogen gas, which runs through a fuel cell pack where hydrogen mixes with oxygen from the air. This whole process is meant to generate electricity. Moreover, this vehicle only emission is water.

The automaker is bound to release the family version of the green car

A hydrogen fuel cell vehicle provides two significant benefits compared with electric cars. The first one is that they have a more extended driving range before a refuel. The Clarity Hybrid hydrogen-fueled car can drive approximately 366 miles on a fill-up. The second advantage consists in the fact that they only need a few minutes to fuel. On the other hand, an electric car takes a few hours to fill up.

However, analysts indicate that there are also downsides. The most important aspect is that it is hard to find a hydrogen fueling station. What is more, these stations are difficult to be found even in California which has plenty of them, being the only state in which these vehicles are available at the moment. Another downside is that the battery packs of electric cars usually take up a significant space inside the car, being squeezed into floor cars.

When trying to store compressed gas, it means that we deal with barrel-shaped thanks which feature thick walls, making it pretty hard to be crammed anywhere. When it comes to the new Clarity model, it seems to be quite spacious for people, but the gas tank takes a lot of the luggage space, occupying a big place behind the back seats. For now, Honda announced that the Clarity Electric vehicle would be available for purchase only in Oregon and California and the hydrogen-fueled one will be available for lease.

Image source: flickr

Ford Motor Co. has introduced the first “pursuit-rated” hybrid patrol car. The Los Angeles Police Department may be one of the first police agencies to use one. LAPD officers together with their chief Charlie Beck are bound to be present at the launch of the new car on Monday, April 10. The new Ford Police Responder Hybrid Sedan was first meant to be developed as a Ford Fusion until engineers upgraded all the necessary features, offering it the law enforcement treatment.

The new hybrid patrol car will be first used by the Los Angeles Police Department

They strengthen the brakes, upgraded the suspension, outfitted it with different tires and wheels, included an anti-stab plate to protect police officers, adjusted the seats to have room for police equipment and added a skid plate. Ford stated that the new vehicle was tested by Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department and Michigan State Police and it became the first “pursuit-rated” car in the world.

The new hybrid police car is equipped with a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine which is fueled by gasoline, which is paired with an electric engine powered by an ion battery of 1.4 kilowatts. Ford noted that this powertrain is bound to consume one gallon at every 38 miles, this being twice the fuel economy in Ford’s current police vehicles.

The new Ford Police Responder Hybrid Sedan surpasses teh performance of Crown Victoria Interceptor vehicle

Nevertheless, Ford did not release any specifications regarding the new car’s characteristics. Arie Groeneveld from Ford’s police programs department argued that the new car will reach 60 mph at approximately the same rate as the Crown Victoria-based Interceptor vehicle does. In 2016, that police vehicle received an excellent score in law enforcement testing. During a test, the Interceptor reached 60 mph in only 5.8 seconds, surpassing the performance of Dodge’s Charger police vehicle which registered 6.6 seconds.

Up to this moment, Ford did not announce any pricing. However, specialists argue that hybrid cars tend to be very expensive, more pricey than their internal combustion engine counterparts. Ford executives argued that fuel savings are bound to pay for the higher cost of the car within a year. Kevin Koswick, the director of lease and remarking operation at Ford in North America, argued that many people asked for a solution to diminish the emissions of carbon and costs.

Many police agencies asked for greener pursuit vehicles and environment-friendly police cars. Now they have the opportunity to use the new model.

Image source: wikipedia

The most powerful SUV is believed to be the new Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk which was launched in 2018. This is the third Fiat Chrysler car to feature an unhinged V-8, having a quiet engine. The Trackhawk has all-wheel drive alleviating the tire-spinning proclivities of the engine. The new Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk has more traction compared to a Hellcat model.

Engineers name the new Jeep Grand Cherokee to be one of the most powerful SUVs

Its engine weight 259 pounds, adding over the heavy Grand Cherokee SRT of 475-hp. However, developers argue that this car can reach 60 mph in only 3.5 seconds. A Jeep is expected to reach 116 mph in 11.6 seconds, but Trackhawk is bound to defy all previous beliefs, flying with 180 mph and no electric controller. To make the car quickly move out depends on the feature which controls launching called Torque Reserve.

This helps the supercharged bypass valve to remain open for a while some particular cylinders are fuelled to limit torque before the release of the brake. The Dodge Challenger RT Demon shares the same feature. They both have an A/C evaporator used to cool the intake charge. Otherwise, the supercharged Hemi V-8 engines of 6.2 liters is left alone, down to its forged pistons, its blower pushing with 11.6 psi and sodium-filled exhaust valves.

It has a lot of competitors and it shares many features with cars like Dodge Challenger RT Demon

Peak torque is reduced through exhaust routing issues, by a five lb-ft to 645. Jeep decided to strengthen the eight-speed automatic transmission, outfitting it with sprockets and forged chain, but also with a wider chain for the transfer case, adjusting the rear distinction between it and the Hellcat. In the normal process, the front-to-rear torque split of the transfer case of 40/60 appears to be the same with the one in the Grand Cherokee SRT.

This car can work in tow mode. Car owners may use it to carry up to 7200 pounds, being equal to another Hellcat-powered creation. Based on the information provided by the Mopar performance catalog, the supercharger and the V-8 engine of the Hellcat together weigh eight hundred pounds. This is heavier that the Grand Cherokee SRT’s Hemi engine of 6.4 liters.

To make up for the additional mass of the Trackhawk, engineers altered the front springs, diminishing them by 9 % and the rears were stiffed by 15%. All in all, this car is listed as the most powerful SUV, among Porsche Cayenne, Bentley Bentayga, and Mercedes-Benz’s G-class.

Image source: wikipedia

The new Chevrolet Suburban RST and the Chevrolet Tahoe RST was  launched in 2018. Every automaker knows that performance is now something to brag about when it comes to SUVs. General Motors will soon launch some special edition full-size SUVs. The new RSTs (Rally Street Truck) will not implement interior updates. The new vehicle will receive mechanical and exterior upgrades to provide a sportier version which was inspired by the automotive.

Next year, General Motors will launch two special edition SUVs

General Motors executives argued that this new sportier design is something that customers asked for. The new Chevrolet special editions will be granted at the Premier and LT trim levels. General Motors used a white Chevrolet Tahoe RST to wander the streets of Detroit. The new model will also be provided in tungsten, black, and silver. They have created a sportier design by eliminating chrome and painting grille, and door handles in the color of the whole car.

The vehicle’s window trim, pillars, roof rails, exhaust tips, mirror caps, running boards and grille are all black, and the car is equipped with wheels of 22 inches with Bridgestone P285/45R22 tires. The special edition vehicle will also feature a Borla performance exhaust system which provides a 28% improvement when it comes to exhaust flow. This offers a rear wheels gain of seven to ten horsepower.

The new Chevrolet Suburban RST and Tahoe RST will thrill all drivers

Drivers are advised to choose the brake package to implement larger Duralife rotors, red Brembo six-piston and fixed-aluminum calipers. These features are also available for the standard version of Suburbans and Tahoes, too. The engine is bound to remain at 5.3 liters V-8, producing 355 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque. The engine outfitted with double injection is equipped with variable valve timing and active fuel management.

Nevertheless, Chevrolet Tahoe buyers can choose for a performance package which is bound to offer the Tahoe RST a 6.2-liter V-8 engine with a 420-horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque. The new performance package also involves Magnetic Ride Control suspension adjusted for a performance car to maintain control and respond to the road even if it may be tossed around more.

The new Chevrolet Tahoe RST will be the second vehicle to receive the 10-speed automatic transmission from General Motors. This system was first implemented for the ZL1 Camaro.

Image source: wikipedia