Microsoft teams with Toyota to power smart cars

http://money.cnn.com/2011/04/06/technology/microsoft_toyota/index.htm

研製電動車電池管理晶片

http://news.chinatimes.com/tech/171705/122011040100509.html

Mercedes' A-Class E-Cell gets taken for a test drive

http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/31/mercedes-a-class-e-cell-gets-taken-for-a-test-drive/

SIM-Drive's SIM-LEI electric car achieves 207-mile driving range in Japan

http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/31/sim-drives-sim-lei-electric-car-achieves-207-mile-driving-range/

Will iPads drive the cars of the future?

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/TECH/innovation/03/08/auto.industry.gadgets/index.html

現實版腦波駕駛汽車

借助於腦電波的不同頻率，讓電腦識別出人類意識，以做出相應操作的設備已有不少，市面上什至還有腦波遊戲設備出售，頗受消費者歡迎，但其設計未免過於簡單，電腦依舊難以識別複雜的指令。而這款特別的汽車卻可以準確識別人腦指令，讓駕駛者無需手動操作控制設備，即可駕駛汽車前行，著實神奇。目前，該項技術還在繼續研發當中，若能將其商用，那麼不少手腳不靈便的殘疾人士也能借助科技的力量，輕鬆出行了。

設計：柏林自由大學

在軌道上行駛的未來概念汽車

如今大城市中的交通擁堵是一個讓人非常頭疼的問題，當你趕著上班的時候卻發現放眼望去都是無盡的汽車長龍，這恐怕會讓你有一點點想崩潰的感覺。現在的私家車數量越來越多，導致不管是開私家車還是乘坐公共交通工具出行，道路狀況都只有一個字 - 堵。想要解決這個問題除了大力進行道路交通建設以外，改善交通工具本身的通行效率也是一個不錯的方向，下面這個設計就充分體現了這一點。 

 這是由國外設計師設計的一款未來交通工具。它的外形十分科幻前衛。當道路狀況良好時它的行駛模式就和普通汽車一樣，而當道路擁堵時就可以對汽車的輪胎進行調整，將前後輪合併在一起，這樣就可以在預先鋪設好的軌道上行駛。由於車身比較小巧，所以軌道上能承載數量更多的這種汽車。它本身也採用天然氣作為能源，沒有尾氣排放的問題，更加綠色環保。當然了，這個設計目前還僅僅是一個概念，真的實施起來恐怕也是一個浩大的工程，希望日後人們能夠想出更加可行性更高的方案來解決這個棘手的問題。

(Weiphone)

 

Washington State to put quick chargers on scenic byway, allow tourists to top-up their EVs

A few weeks back we learned that the US would be getting 310 quick-charging CHAdeMO stations, 480V AC/DC converters that can get a Nissan Leaf to 80 percent charge in under 30 minutes. Most are destined for major metropolitan areas, but we were intrigued to find out that Washington State is going to put two or three of them out in the country, on a 120 mile scenic portion of Route 2 that runs over the Cascade Mountains. It's a popular tourist destination and, with EVs becoming more popular in the area, soon even tourists with cutting-edge transportation to enjoy the ride. After all, everybody likes a good view.

13 Japanese companies join to further fuel cell adoption, also plan to ride bikes together

What's going to spin the tires in your car of the future? Will it even have tires? Right now it looks like either hydrogen fuel cells or pure EVs will be dominating the streets in a few decades, and thankfully they share enough technology for us to think they can peacefully co-exist -- just like Apple and Microsoft fanboys and girls have been known to host really great parties together where they engage in long, respectful discussions regarding their differing opinions. However, while EVs are already well on their way, for fuel cells to take off we're going to need more hydrogen filling stations and more cooperation between auto manufacturers. That's happening now in Japan, with 13 companies -- Toyota, Nissan, and Honda along with a number of gas and utilities companies -- joining forces to enable a "smooth domestic launch" of fuel cell vehicles as soon as 2015. They hope to create about 100 hydrogen stations across the country, work to form a broader hydrogen supply network, and also educate people about FCVs in general. We'll give them a head start by letting you know that stands for "Fuel Cell Vehicle," though they're also often called FCEVs, or "Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles." Bam! Two items off the to-do list.

Show full PR text

January 13, 2011

Toyota Motor Corporation
Nissan Motor Company, Ltd.
Honda Motor Company, Ltd.
JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation
Idemitsu Kosan Company, Ltd.
Iwatani Corporation
Osaka Gas Company, Ltd.
Cosmo Oil Company, Ltd.
Saibu Gas Company, Ltd.
Showa Shell Sekiyu K.K.
Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation
Tokyo Gas Company, Ltd.
Toho Gas Company, Ltd.

13 Japanese Companies Eye Smooth Domestic Launch of FCVs
-Development of Hydrogen Supply Infrastructure Key-

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC), Nissan Motor Company, Ltd., Honda Motor Company, Ltd., JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, Idemitsu Kosan Company, Ltd., Iwatani Corporation, Osaka Gas Company, Ltd., Cosmo Oil Company, Ltd., Saibu Gas Company, Ltd., Showa Shell Sekiyu K.K., Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation, Tokyo Gas Company, Ltd. and Toho Gas, Company, Ltd. jointly announce the following details regarding the launch of fuel-cell vehicles1 (FCVs) - one of a number of potential next-generation vehicles - in the Japanese market in 2015 and the development of the hydrogen supply infrastructure necessary for the successful adoption of the vehicles.

As development of fuel-cell systems progresses, Japanese automakers are continuing to drastically reduce the cost of manufacturing such systems and are aiming to launch FCVs in the Japanese market-mainly in the country's four largest cities-in 2015. The automobile industry hopes to popularize the use of FCVs after their initial introduction as a way of tackling energy and environmental issues.
Hydrogen fuel suppliers are aiming to construct approximately 100 hydrogen fueling stations by 2015, based on the number of FCVs expected to initially enter the market, to ensure a smooth launch and to create initial market.
With an aim to significantly reduce the amount of CO2 emitted by the transportation sector, automakers and hydrogen fuel suppliers will work together to expand the introduction of FCVs and develop the hydrogen supply network throughout Japan. The two groups are looking to the government to join them in forming various strategies* to support their joint efforts and to gain greater public acceptance of the technology.
*As a specific initiative in the immediate future, the companies plan to approach local governments and other concerned parties to discuss strategies for creating initial consumer demand for FCVs and for the optimal placement of hydrogen fueling stations, targeting Japan's four major metropolitan areas (Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka).

(engadget)

Volvo to enter the EV market with all-electric C30

While it looks like a regular Volvo C30 with the same safety, comfort and space as featured in standard model the big difference is that the C30 Electric is powered solely by electricity

Volvo is set to enter the electric vehicle (EV) market with the production of an all-electric version of their C30 three-door compact. An electric concept based on the C30 was first seen in 2007 and last year the C30 Electric was taken to the Paris and Los Angeles Motor Shows. Now Volvo has announced its plans to begin production of the EV with the first ten cars off the production line heading to Swedish energy provider Göteborg Energi in the coming months.

While it looks like a regular Volvo C30 with similar safety, comfort and space as featured in the standard model, the big difference is of course that the C30 Electric is powered solely by electricity and produces zero local emissions.

The electric motor is housed under the bonnet and is powered by an Enerdel lithium-ion 24 kWh battery. It is charged using regular mains power with a completely depleted battery taking eight to ten hours to recharge. The EV has a range of 150 kilometers (94 miles) on a full charge, boasts a top speed of 130 km/h (approximately 80 mph) and accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 10.5 seconds via its 82 kW electric motor.

These figures are comparable to the Nissan LEAF which has a 100 mile (160 km) range, 80kW motor, top speed of around 90 mph (140 km/h) and an estimated 8 hour recharge time.

The Volvo C30 Electric project has slated an initial production run of only 250 vehicles.

"We have had a very positive response from the market so far. If the demand continues to be high, we will of course expand our production series," Lennart Stegland, director of Volvo Car Corporation's Special Vehicles division said.

The new EV was at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show where at the company's stand featured a Volvo C30 Electric that had undergone a frontal collision test at 40 mph (64 km/h).

"Our tests show it is vital to separate the batteries from the electric car's crumple zones to make it as safe as a conventional car," Volvo Cars' President and CEO Stefan Jacoby said. "In Detroit we are the first car maker to show the world what a truly safe electric car looks like after a collision with high-speed impact."

Key specs – Volvo C30 Electric

• Electric motor: 110 hp (82 kW)
• Top speed: 81 mph (130 km/h)
• Acceleration: 0-100 km/h in 10.5 sec
• Batteries: Lithium-ion 24 kWh
• Charge: 230V, 16A, 10A, 6A
• Recharging duration: 8-10 hours
• Range: 75-95 miles (120-150 km)
• Battery weight: 2 x 310 lb (2 x 140 kg)
• Weight increase compared with a standard car: + 600 lb (+ 300 kg)

(Gizmag)

Mercedes all electric SLS AMG E-Cell Gullwing to enter production

The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG E-Cell

At the 2011 Detroit Auto Show Mercedes-Benz has announced that its SLS AMG E-Cell, which was first unveiled as a prototype last year, will go into production. Part of Mercedes-AMG’s “AMG Performance 2015” strategy that aims to continually reduce fuel consumption and emissions, the battery-electric drive gullwing super sports car, which generates 392 kW (525 hp) and 880 Nm (649 lb-ft) of torque via four compact electric motors positioned near the wheels, will be available to order from 2013.

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The all-electric SLS AMG E-Cell can go from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 4 seconds, which isn’t far off the pace of the 6.3-liter SLS AMG that does it in 3.8 seconds thanks to its 420 kW (571 hp) V8. The planned production model looks to be largely unchanged from the prototype with the same liquid-cooled, 48 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, redesigned instrument cluster and center console and multilink suspension with pushrod damper struts. The production version will also offer AMG ceramic composite brakes, which are 40 percent lighter than the conventional, grey cast iron brake discs, as an optional extra.

Mercedes-Benz hasn’t released all the details about the car just yet though – most notably, the range of the vehicle, how long it takes to charge and the price.

(GIZMAG)

Mercedes SLS AMG E-Cell hitting dealerships in 2013

You may disagree with the car's color and its powertrain choice, but you can't argue with 528 horsepower, 649lb/ft of torque, and AWD acceleration so good it should come with a neck brace. It's a legitimately hot car, and it's legitimately coming to dealerships. Mercedes today confirmed that the SLS AMG E-Cell will be available for order at dealerships in 2013, and while no price was given, expect it to be a lot. The gasoline-powered model cost around $200,000, after all. Oh, and that citrus color? It's pretty stunning in the flesh, a matte hue that makes you go "Mmm."

Mercedes SLS AMG E-Cell

How Porsche Created A Real-Life Electric Turbo Boost

http://jalopnik.com/5728504/how-the-porsche-918-rsrs-amazing-hybrid-works/gallery/

Toyota Entune infotainment system hands-on

http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/09/toyota-entune-infotainment-system-hands-on-video/

內置Tegra晶片，奧迪 MMI 於 CES 2011上展示全新觸控車載系統

http://tech.weiphone.com/2011-01-07/Built_Tegra_chip_228996.shtml

The future of cars: Drivers not needed

Las Vegas (CNN) -- It's conventional wisdom in the auto industry, but the rest of us may be a bit shocked to find out that cars of the future likely will drive themselves.

In some ways, they already are.

A $100,000 car from Mercedes aims to give the human foot a rest in traffic jams. It senses how far away other cars are -- and then speeds up and slows down accordingly. No need to turn off cruise control and hit the brake. You just steer. (Wired Magazine, which tested the car, called this a "magically scary experience.")

And tech companies are pushing car automation even further.

In October, Google announced it had developed a fleet of cars that use various sensors and maps to feel out the roadway. "They've driven down Lombard Street, crossed the Golden Gate bridge, navigated the Pacific Coast Highway, and even made it all the way around Lake Tahoe. All in all, our self-driving cars have logged over 140,000 miles. We think this is a first in robotics research," the company said on its blog.

The latest edition in this trend comes from General Motors, which showed off a self-driving car last week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The EN-V (pronounced "envy" and short for "Electric Networked Vehicle") combines two ideas about how to teach cars to drive -- using sensors like cameras and sonar to keep the car from hitting pedestrians; and network technology that lets cars talk to each other.

This "car internet" lets the cars link up wirelessly and follow one another in a sort of wirelessly linked train. If one EN-V needed to pull out of the line, it could.

The pod-like cars, which are just prototypes for now (GM says they could be on the market by 2030 at a cost of $10,000), look somewhat like large scuba-diver helmets, or smushed dust busters. They roll on two wheels, which are aligned like the front two wheels of a car, not like a bicycle. GM partnered with Segway, maker of those futuristic-looking transporters, to create technology that allows the car to balance.

"It's basically a dynamically balanced skateboard," said Chris Borroni-Bird, GM's director of advanced technology vehicle concepts.

The EN-V runs on battery power and plugs into a wall -- giving it a max speed of about 30 miles per hour and a range of about 30 miles. That's not far or fast, but it's enough to make the EN-V useful for cutting down congestion in urban settings, particularly high-density cities in China and India, Borroni-Bird said.

The car also aims to improve safety, since human drivers don't have a sterling record on that front. An estimated 1.3 million people die in traffic-related accidents each year, according to the World Health Organization.

The EN-Vs are just as wide as they are tall, measuring 5 feet cubed. Two people fit inside comfortably, but there's not much room for anything else. A bubble of glass sits close in front of the driver's face. "You can probably pack 5 or 6 times as many of these EN-Vs in a parking lot as you could conventional cars," Borroni-Bird said.

Even though the cars can communicate with each other and drive themselves, drivers can take control if they choose. That's important, Borroni-Bird said, both for safety reasons and so drivers can get some sense of enjoyment from the vehicle.

Drivers use a joystick of sorts to steer and throttle the vehicle, which can spin in place and accelerates rather quickly.

Still, Borroni-Bird says, there are a number of obstacles that need to be hurdled before something like the EN-V hits the market.

The wireless signals that let the vehicles communicate are problematic because hackers, in theory, could access them and send cars off track; and because a lost wireless connection could cause the automated system to lose control of the car.

"It's one thing if a computer goes down, but it's another thing if it happens here," he said.

But he sees a bright future for the concept.

"For the last 100 years the car really hasn't changed in a fundamental sense," he said.

Self-driving cars may buck that trend.

(CNN)

GM EN-V Goes for a Spin at CES

The guys in the video describe the two-wheeled concept car as both “an enclosed Segway” and “the coolest vacuum cleaner I’ve ever seen.” I’d have to say both are completely accurate characterizations. Here’s the zero-emission eggcar in all it’s glory…

I honestly can’t believe they can fit two occupants inside this tiny little thing. Still, you’ve got to hand it to them for the unique touchscreen steering wheel. I thought that was pretty cool. For some reason, I doubt the EggCar will ever be street-legal in the States, but you never know. After all, they let the Renault Le Car and the Yugo out on the roads.

(technabob)

Fulton Innovation blows our minds with eCoupled wireless Tesla, inductive cereal boxes

Wondering what your future kitchen looks like? Take a gander at what Fulton Innovation is showing at CES this year. They're also giving a peek at the future of retail shopping, and even parking lots. It's all the magic of inductive charging, and now that the Qi standard has been finalized it seems like things are coming together. Really together, in everything from cereal boxes with blinkenlights to Tesla Roadsters that charge almost as quickly as with a wire but, quite obviously, without the wire. Would you like to know more? Click on through.

Fulton Innovation at CES

The thing that brought us to Fulton Innovation in the first place was the wireless Tesla charging. The model on display here is an obvious retrofit, a coil stuck between the front wheels that runs to an AC/DC converter and then, quite inelegantly, to a cable running out a vent and into the input on the car itself. This is an obvious retrofit but it was done with purpose: to show that without modifying the internal systems of the car wireless charging can be done -- and reasonably efficiently, too.

This form of charging is 80 percent efficient, but the company estimates that with a more integrated system (mainly deleting the converter) they could get to 89 percent efficiency. The wired charger? It clocks in at 96 percent efficiency, meaning for any given voltage the charging time would only be about 7 seven percent slower going wireless -- a potentially small price to pay for the ability to turn an entire parking lot into a charging station without having to worry about wires or vandalism or semi-inadvertent electrocution of curious people who decide to see what happens when terminals get licked.

Most impressive? Inductive charging like this gets more efficient as you raise the voltage, meaning that as you go from 120 to 240 and even 480 (ala CHAdeMO) that efficiency could get even higher. A 30 minute quick-charge without wires? Call us interested.

But that's just one application. There were a suite of retail packaging demos on display that blink or flash, grabbing your attention and, in theory, connecting to a grocery list on a smart phone to help you identify the product on the shelf -- imagine the cardamom amping up the blinkenlights to help you find it. Naturally, though, we think the primary application will be in sugary cereals catching the gaze of wide-eyed kids. Soon we'll all be wearing sunglasses in the cereal aisle.

There's also a can of Chunky Soup that cooks itself -- in the can -- and of course inductive pots and pans and, yes, inductive charging smartphones too. The best part is there's no need for a special charging pad: there are retrofit kits coming to install under nearly any counter top surface (up to about four inches thick) that could, in theory, turn every horizontal plane in your kitchen into a cooking surface, device recharger, and, apparently, cereal blinkelighter.

Yes, it's all conceptual, but the company has enough partners lined up now to give us hope that we'll start seeing this stuff become a reality outside of the show floor. Maybe in time for next year's show.

Mitsubishi i MiEV electric car launches in Costa Rica next month for a mere $61,500

http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/03/mitsubishi-i-miev-electric-car-launches-in-costa-rica-next-month/

概念變現實，廉價家庭電動汽車Solo車 2012年將量產

http://tech.weiphone.com/2011-01-01/Change_the_concept_of_reality_228706.shtml

Via Motors E-REV 混合動力貨卡，讓我們一卡車凸全台灣

http://chinese.engadget.com/2011/01/02/via-motors-e-rev-hybrid-trucks-power-your-commute-and-the-job-si/

Ford to debut SYNC AppLink in the 2011 Fiesta

http://www.gizmag.com/ford-sync-applink-2011-fiesta/17356/

Electric refuse trucks to roll out in Paris next year

The 26-ton electric refuse truck is powered by five strings of seven interchangeable battery packs (equivalent to 250 kilowatt hours)

All of the different places I've lived in have had one thing in common – an early morning wake up call when the refuse truck appears in the street. Any move to make such things a little quieter is very welcome indeed, and if it benefits the environment too, then that's another tick in the plus column. Dow Kokam and PVI have announced that a fleet of much less noisy electric refuse trucks is to be rolled out in 2011 by SITA Ile de France, offering similar power and performance levels as their fossil-fueled counterparts.

Mercedes Terminal Mode partnership comes to fruition with internet-connected 2012 C-Class

Telematics News

Fisker raises Karma plug-in hybrid base price to $95,900, brings that 750i back into consideration

Autoblog Green

台灣首部電動車 登上國際頻道

http://udn.com/NEWS/LIFE/BREAKINGNEWS9/6045531.shtml

European Nissan Leaf gets always-on connection, lets you turn up the AC wirelessly

http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/20/european-nissan-leaf-gets-always-on-connection-lets-you-turn-up/

帶氣囊的安全帶



這是一款帶有安全氣囊裝置的新型安全帶，您將在明年豐田的高端品牌雷克薩斯的運動型車上見到它。在遇到撞擊和危險時，安全帶上的氣囊可以彈開給乘坐者的頭部和肩部提供保護。當車輛側翻時，安全帶上氣囊提供的保護作用尤為明顯。在車輛越來越注重安全性的今天，相信這款安全帶將會迅速普及。


設計：高田公司Takata Corp

(Patent.Cn)

Mercedes-Benz Thinks Cars Like This Could Be Grown In Labs

The Los Angeles Design Challenge always brings some crazy idea, but this year one in particular caught our attention: The Mercedes-Benz BIOME concept car. It's an eco-friendly, biodegradable, ultra-light hybrid vehicle—which would be custom grown in a lab.

The folks behind the concept explain that the various parts of the vehicle would be grown separately:

The interior of the BIOME grows from the DNA in the Mercedes star on the front of the vehicle, while the exterior grows from the star on the rear. To accommodate specific customer requirements, the Mercedes star is genetically engineered in each case, and the vehicle grows when the genetic code is combined with the seed capsule. The wheels are grown from four separate seeds.

And apparently instead of running on regular fuel, the BIOME would run on a mysterious substance called "BioNectar4534" which leaves no by-product other than oxygen.

Yes, it's an insane idea and sounds damn near impossible. But that won't stop any of us from daydreaming about zipping around in a sleek, lab-grown car, now will it? [Gizmag]

(gizmodo)

未來零排放巴士 TAKHT LAHORI

http://tech.weiphone.com/2010-11-12/Future_zero-emission_bus_TAKHT_LAHORI_226412.shtml

車子也搞無線充電，最新IPT技術誕生

http://tech.weiphone.com/2010-11-14/Wireless_charging_out_cars_226487.shtml

I bet that there are lots of you out there who would forget to plug in too. A company called HaloIPT has announced an induction-based system it is developing that will be able to charge an EV without needing wires.

The thing has a pad on the floor of your garage and a pad under the car. All you have to do is park and the power will stream wirelessly over a gap of up to 400mm. I wonder how accurate your parking has to be, my wife can’t get any closer than a foot to the same spot in the garage each day. It could be a problem for her and others with similar parking skills, if you need to be dead on for it to work.

The HaloIPT system should will be ready for demos in the real world by 2012.

(technabob)

Panasonic invests $30M in electric car maker Tesla

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101104/ap_on_hi_te/as_japan_panasonic_tesla;_ylt=Algk0Q6OC2UlQt1YXCm7MOIjtBAF;_ylu=X3oDMTJwYjBsZnIxBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAxMTA0L2FzX2phcGFuX3BhbmFzb25pY190ZXNsYQRjcG9zAzEEcG9zAzIEc2VjA3luX3RvcF9zdG9yeQRzbGsDcGFuYXNvbmljaW52

純電動車離實用也許越來越近了，日產Leaf創下約185公里的單次續航力

From : Chevelle Fu

Will your next car be a smartphone?

Car 'infotainment' systems, like this one in a Volkswagen EOS, are putting smartphone-like abilities into the dashboard.

(CNN) -- Forget about using your smartphone in the car. Your next car might be one.

A growing number of auto and electronic companies are creating systems that put touchscreens, and the ability to talk and text, right into the dashboard.

In the near future, a significant percentage of new cars on the road are expected to come equipped with the ability to update Facebook statuses by voice and even surf the Web from the driver's seat.

Ford, General Motors and several other automakers are pitching the systems as a safer and easier way to let drivers do what many of them are already doing -- using their smartphones while driving.

"We saw this trend of mobile devices increasing, and we said this is an area where we can offer the customers a safer way to use those in the car," said Ford spokesman Alan Hall.

Safety experts aren't completely convinced, though. Some say that while hands-free devices remove part of the danger from using phones while driving, it remains to be seen how such devices are going to be used.

Our Mobile Lives
This is part of our weeklong series about how smartphones are changing our culture.

Monday: Americans are increasingly obsessed with their smartphones, which are rarely out of arm's reach at almost all times.

Tuesday: Phones with GPS maps and other apps have created a new form of distracted driving for motorists.

Wednesday: Ten things smartphones can do for us because they know where we are.

Thursday: How smartphones can make it harder, or easier, to drop off the grid.

Friday: Our Top 10 pet peeves about annoying smartphone users.
"There's still a lot we don't know about how these 'infotainment' systems are going to affect how people drive," said Russ Rader, spokesman for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. "We still don't know how drivers are going to integrate these systems into their driving environment."

Ford has been a leader in the field with its Sync and MyFord Touch systems, in which phones, MP3 players, radio and navigation tools all can be controlled by voice or by using an in-dash LCD screen.

MyFord Touch has a Wi-Fi receiver built in, effectively creating a Wi-Fi hotspot in the vehicle.

At the end of this year, Ford plans to roll out "App Link," a voice-control system that links apps from the user's smartphone to the car in some models. It will launch with Android and BlackBerry systems; the iPhone operating system and Windows Phone 7 will be available by the end of 2011, Hall said.

The technology will be available in 80 percent of Ford vehicles within five years, according to Hall.

But Ford is hardly alone. And it's not just car companies that are getting involved.

General Motors is promoting its own smartphone-like capabilities as part of an upgrade to its OnStar system. The improvements are designed to go after Sync, which has been a hit for Ford, especially among younger customers.

Pandora, podcasts and Wi-Fi are included. And GM officials say future versions may include the ability to update Facebook statuses and send text messages by voice control.

"Our system is first and foremost about safety and security, but we are evolving that now to include connectivity," OnStar spokesman Sam Mancusotold Wired magazine last month. "Some people might say that we are behind in that space, but we are not. We were doing connected services as far back as nine, 10 years ago, but the marketplace really wasn't ready for it yet."

Microsoft and Kia Motors have teamed up to create UVO, a touchscreen and voice-enabled system that lets drivers make calls, send text messages, change radio stations and scroll their music playlists.

It features a 4.3-inch dashboard screen, about the same size as the screen on the Droid X and some other smartphones on the market.

"[The system] is a breakthrough for in-vehicle infotainment that helps allow drivers and passengers to safely and easily use all of their personal technologies to create personalized in-vehicle communications and entertainment experiences," said Michael Sprague, vice president of marketing for Kia.

Early this year, Pioneer unveiled an enhanced stereo system that integrates maps, the Pandora music site and other apps -- plus another that allows devices such as iPods and home computers communicate.

Rader, from the highway safety group, said that with more options come more opportunities for drivers to get distracted.

"It's true that with a truly hands-free system, you're not fumbling with a device. You're not trying to dial a number," he said. "But the conversation itself appears to be a major part of the distraction. There's no indication from the research that we're making things more safe by going hands-free."

It's difficult to track the exact role smartphones play in traffic accidents, since many wrecks are caused by more than one factor. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, though, says that cell phone use "whether it is a hands-free or hand-held device, degrades a driver's performance."

And a growing number of people worldwide own smartphones, which add Web surfing, apps, games and GPS-mapping to the list of diversions available to phone users in the driver's seat.

According to a Pew report, 38 percent of Americans accessed the internet on their phone last year -- up from 25 percent the previous year.

Hall said the new in-car systems address a simple truth. People already are driving while talking, texting and tweeting. Anything that can make that safer, he said, is a good thing.

"It really doesn't add any level of distraction to a driver that a driver can't already do," he said. "If they want to surf with a laptop in their passenger seat, they can do that in a car from 1970."

Future plans for the Sync system include the ability to surf the Web on the in-dash touchscreen, but only when the vehicle is in park.

Rader, whose group is funded by the insurance industry to help cut down on the number of car accidents, acknowledged that phone technology, even physically holding a phone in one hand and the steering wheel in the other, isn't the only reason drivers take their eyes off the road

"Distracted driving isn't new," he said. "It hasn't suddenly appeared because of all this new electronic technology. Drivers who use their phones a lot might be the kind of drivers who would be distracted by other things.

"We just keep inventing new ways to distract ourselves."

(CNN)

通過觸感(控)指示方向的新型全球定位系統GPS

http://tech.weiphone.com/2010-10-14/Through_the_direction_of_the_new_GPS_touch_224816.shtml

福特發布新型電動汽車充電器

新型電動車：整車充當充電電池
來自：新浪科技 

 
 據國外媒體報導，混合動力和電動汽車製造商面臨的其中一個最大問題就是笨重的電池增加了汽車的設計重量和體積。目前，沃爾沃正在研發一款電動汽車解決這個問題，他們採取的方式是讓整個車身充當一塊充電電池。 

 
沃爾沃公佈的圖解，演示新款電動汽車如何工作

與其他電動汽車一樣，駕駛者可以在頭天晚上將沃爾沃的這款電動汽車插上電源充電，除此之外，這款具有未來派色彩的汽車還可以在行駛過程中儲存制動能量。沃爾沃電動汽車研發項目將歷時3年，2010年初在沃爾沃、倫敦帝國理工學院以及其他7家歐洲研究機構啟動。目前，帝國理工學院正在研發一種碳纖維與聚合樹脂的複合材料，能夠以超過常規電池的速度儲存更多能量。

這種材料異常堅固並且易於彎曲，可用於製造汽車的車身面板。沃爾沃表示，如果使用這種新材料取代鋼材料車身面板，電動汽車的重量最多可減少15%。當前，科學家正在研發能夠儲存更多能量的複合材料，同時尋找實現工業規模生產的途徑。只有在這一項目的最後階段，研發人員才會為汽車安裝電池。

沃爾沃汽車材料中心研發工程師派爾-伊瓦爾·塞勒格倫表示：“我們扮演的角色是貢獻與如何在未來整合這項技術有關的專業知識，同時就這項技術在成本和用戶友好性方面的優缺點提出一系列想法。”

最初，用於放汽車備用輪胎的凹槽將被改裝成一塊複合電池。塞勒格倫說：“這是一個相對較大的結構，易於替換。雖然還未大到足以為整輛汽車提供電量的程度，但也足以用來關閉和啟動發動機，例如在趕上紅綠燈的時候。幾乎每一天，我都能聽到有關如何使用或進一步開發這項技術的新想法。它擁有巨大的發展潛力，一定會有很多人對此產生濃厚興趣。”

如果這一項目取得成功，所研發的電池技術能夠在很多領域得到應用。借助於這項技術，手機的厚度可以減少到一張信用卡的程度，筆記本電腦也可大大延長續航時間，免除頻繁充電的煩惱。

(WeiPhone)

豐田環保型手機概念跑車

        來自瓦倫西亞大學 Politecnica汽車設計博士班的博士生豪爾赫馬蒂維達爾，設計了這款造型相當寫意的豐田手機概念跑車，其概念的靈感來源於相當著名的“莫比烏斯帶莫比烏斯帶”理論，左右兩側各有一個莫比烏斯帶狀結構，前後來回盤繞構成底盤和車身，就像漂亮的五輻狀盛開的鮮花。

       手機車身規格為3643毫米× ×一〇六三毫米1787毫米，主要材料是一種被稱為“液體木材（液體木材）”的有機物質構成，這種物質既有天然木材的特性，又具有塑料的化學穩定性，使用壽命是木材的四倍，可當做木材或塑料那樣進行成型加工，還可循環使用。另外，手機採用四台車輪內置電機提供動力，不僅節能環保，操控性也相當好。

來自：威鋒網（weiphone.com）

BMW Mini E Scooter Is an iPhone Dock On Two Wheels

 No need to worry about your smartphone falling out of your pocket as you're scooting around town—in BMW's electric Mini E scooter, it snaps right into the cockpit, acting as an ignition key and easy-to-see GPS unit.

With a Bluetooth enabled helmet, you could easily make hands-free calls on the way to your destination. Or blast your iTunes playlist instead of radio. BMW also has an app planned that will pinpoint the location of other nearby Mini Scooter E's, so you can form a scooter gang, or something. [Fast Company]

(gizmodo)

熱點充電 磁共振免拉線

 

天使汽車：世界第一款行動充電站

一家走在環保領域前列的瑞士公司推出了世界首款電動車行動充電站——天使汽車，為以電能為主要驅動能源的汽車提供行駛保障，讓使用者可以放心地駕駛自家的環保汽車行路，無需擔心半途遭遇斷電問題。當然，該款充電站除了可以安置在配套的汽車內部以外，還可以便捷地安置在汽車服務站內，降低了服務站添置充電設備所需的成本。它的電壓為230v，為汽車充電15分鐘之後，即可支持汽車按照20－30公里每小時的速度自由行駛，至於行駛時長則尚未可知。除了便捷的充電方式，該款設備還配有觸控屏操控板，能夠分析電動汽車蓄電池的性能和參數，做出智能充電處理。

Icona is the result of innovative ideas of creating a futuristic vehicle with provocative lines and dynamic looks to fulfill the expectations of vehicles not only manufactured today but to go beyond the future. The main aim of this vehicle is to provide a transportation that can be used to adapt to any circumstances, as well as offering comfort and efficiency. Considering by the year of 2050, we might have other places and other ways to live, this futuristic car has been designed to able to move across both water and land.

Designer : Juan Pablo Bernal P

In looking at the social challenges of the future, and how the vehicle can be used not only as a mode of transportation but as an element of entertainment, sharing, and bonding as a family, helping in the interfamily relations that are key to the development of children. Secondly the fast growth of the population and the deteriorating state of the environment are pushing societies to consider other places and other ways to live. The car takes this into consideration, as it is an electric mode of transport that uses natural sources of energy to perform on both land and water.

The vehicle developed in the project is intended to take a more important role in family’s lives by the year 2050. This V shaped car is able to commute in both water and land opening the possibilities to look for alternative locations to reside and experiences to explore. Moreover, the vehicle has features that make it environmentally friendly and energy efficient, that, as a whole provide a dynamic and practical way to teach children about relevant issues by living memorable experiences that reinforce the family bond.

(tuvie)

The Electric Car That Doesn't Need to Be Charged

This car—built by students at the Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences—doesn't need charging. It is powered by energy sucked straight from the road, using electric induction. Like the Powermat gadget chargers, but in motion.

The E-Quickie is like a full-scale slot racer but without rails. It doesn't need to be in contact with any metallic surface because it gets the energy through induction, sucking it from electrical conductors embedded on the road itself.

While the car is too small and slow—only 31MPH—it shows promise. Their tests have been a success and now they are working to make it lighter and reduce the energy consumption. [Automotto via Gizmag]

(gizmodo)

輕質塑料電動車

速度最快的電動汽車

豐田普銳斯汽車的行人警示設備

豐田汽車的普銳斯混合動力汽車以其環保的設計贏得了不少消費者的青睞，但正是因為普銳斯以電力為主能源的環保動力設計，所以汽車行駛時所發出的聲音也很小，容易被行人，尤其是盲人忽略，從而帶來不少危險。正是因此，豐田公司計劃於 8月30日開始，在日本市場推出一款與普銳斯環保汽車配套安裝的行人警示設備，讓普銳斯汽車在行駛時能發出與普通汽車相當，同時不會過於惱人的音效，以提醒路旁的行人注意來往車輛。

(patent-cn)

Nissan's Forest AC air conditioner will megadose on Vitamin C, moisturize your skin

Believe it or not, grapeseed polyphenol filters and plasmacluster ions aren't just off-the-shelf snake oil plug-ins for your auto's 12V socket -- they're par for the course in Nissan's Fuga hybrid. So when the Japanese automaker says its future cars will pump Vitamin C into the air to help hydrate human flesh, well -- we take the company at its word. Also on the docket: chairs with seat warmers and folding leg rests, and speedometers that will happily remind you of your impending wedding anniversary as you barrel down the highway. "We want drivers to feel that they are healthier staying in the car instead of on the outside," a Nissan engineer told AFP. We think that says it all, folks.

CNET AFP

Think City electric car gets bigger American batteries for bigger American roads

The electric Think City has been targeting an American release for well over two years now but, like many EVs, those dates just kept on 'a slipping. Now the cars are finally starting to hit the colonies and, as a reward for the wait, we're receiving models with more powerful batteries. The cells are supplied by Indiana-based Ener1, a new lithium-manganese pack that offers 25kWh. Those cells are said to double the car's previous expected range, up to 100 miles from 50, yet still recharge in a scant four hours -- if you're using a 240v plug. The folks at Green Car Advisor managed a maximum of 68mph in the two-seater and, driving in a decidedly non-eco-minded way, managed 43.5 miles with 38 percent left, giving an estimated 75 miles for those with leaden right foots. That, at least, is promising, and while a $28,000 MSRP is rather a bitter pill, it's a good bit cheaper (though smaller) than the Nissan Leaf. And don't forget that Uncle Sam would be happy to knock at least a few grand off of that price, too.

Autoblog Green Green Car Advisor

The state of the electric automobile, in pictures

You've heard the announcements. You know the specs. You may even be able to guess how the showdown will play out. But unless you were in San Jose, California, this week for Plug-In 2010, you've probably never seen six contenders for our future electric vehicle dollars all in one room. We hopped in our late-80s gas guzzler and hit the show floor in your stead, snapping enough pictures of the Leaf, Volt, Focus, Prius PHEV, fortwo Electric Drive, and the i MiEV to give you a virtual tour. See what we saw after the break.

Chevy Volt

Pricing for the Chevy Volt was certainly big news at the show, but the rest is old hat at this point; click through to the gallery for some additional pics of the design and the portable 120V charger, but for the rest you'd best refer to our test drive. $41,000 (or $350 a month to lease) buys you a PHEV that can travel 40 miles on battery alone.

Chevy Volt at Plug-In 2010

Smart fortwo electric drive (cabriolet)

We'd long heard that Smart would bring its Tesla-powered fortwo to the States, but we've never been quite sure when it would arrive, so it's most pleasing to hear October will see the launch of Daimler's miniature electric drive. 250 vehicles will be available for four-year lease at the surprisingly steep price of $599 a month, allowing consumers the chance to enjoy the electric vehicle's 83-mile range (and curse the 60 MPH top speed) well before a planned 2012 general release.

Smart fortwo electric drive at Plug-In 2010

Toyota's plug-in Prius Hybrid

Toyota's plug-in Prius was on display at Plug-In 2010, but we also came across a special treat -- a presentation by the company's Monique Richard that explains just how the extra-electrified version works. Sadly, the car won't arrive till 2011, we still have no word on price, and the 150 units destined for the US have been completely spoken for. However, we were told the vehicle now has an estimated 13 mile all-electric range, plus a slightly different GPS, and -- because batteries take up the spare tire spot -- the car will ship with run-flats.

Prius PHEV System presentation from Plug-In 2010

Toyota Prius PHEV at Plug-In 2010

Nissan Leaf

The Nissan Leaf was front and center at Plug-In 2010, and it wasn't hard to see why -- the automaker obviously invested quite a bit in the booth, and far more in the vehicle's lovely modern design. See it inside and out, then read what a Leaf is like to drive.

Nissan Leaf at Plug-In 2010

Ford Focus Electric

This Ford Focus Electric was just passing the time at Coulomb's booth, with nary a Ford representative in sight; when we tried to peek inside, we were shushed away before we could tell if the floor model held a MyFord touchscreen.

Ford Electric Focus at Plug-In 2010

Mitsubishi i MiEV

Mitsubishi's poor i-MiEV, meanwhile, never seems to get a break -- once destined to cruise the sunkissed California coast, these days the poor creature gets relegated to vehicular charging tests (like those conducted by Eaton, who showcased a 30-minute rapid EV charger at the event) or Tokyo taxi service. Though we've heard a US production version may still appear this year or next, the two at Eaton's booth were most definitely still right-hand drive.

Mitsubishi and Eaton at Plug-In 2010

台灣之光:必翔電動車銷全球 供太空梭電池

 

別人已開始使用無線充電站來為電動車充電,我們仍停在石化業的爭論階段?期待太陽能(再生能源)無線充電站早日來到.

Evatran's Plugless Power Station Will Wirelessly Charge Electric Cars

Evatran's Plugless Power Station hopes to juice electric cars by sending charges wirelessly. Pull up, park and its power station will handle the rest. No plugging in necessary.

The whole system works by attaching an adapter (about the size of a shoebox) to the car and having it come really close—two inches close—to the power station's parking block (presumably, in your garage). Basically, you'll have to become a master of inching your car up to the exact spot to get the invisible juices flowing.

Sadly, the Plugless Power Station isn't exactly 100% effective (it's currently at only 80% efficiency and hopes to be 90% effective on launch). So in a way, it's a little counterproductive to an electric car's purpose. But hey, it's no wires! Evatran hopes to release the Plugless Power Station by April 2011. [AutoBlog via Fast Company]

Nissan Leaf gets early review: you might just forget its an eccentric electric car

Autoblog