Jalopnik
gadgets
-
gadgets
Deer Detecting Road Technology Being Tested In Colorado
An electromagnetic sensor system capable of automatically detecting the presence of large animals on or near roadways and alerting drivers to their presence is being tested in Colorado. So far, the system appears to be working; the only problem might be the drivers themselves. Colorado is trialing the system on a road where up to 70% of all accidents involve vehicles colliding with animals. But how does it work? More » -
-
accessories
BrakeNutz. Yeah, You Read That Right, Brake... Nutz.
Let's say you're looking for a way to spice up the tail-end of pickup truck and regular truck nutz just don't do it for you. Perhaps something more tasteful and yet more flashy — literally. Enter BrakeNutz, a clear set of polycarbonate Nutz with dual-element LEDs inside. Those strategically placed lights are wired to mimic brake lights when properly installed into your cars or trucks wire harness. Guess that's one way to legally flash your nutz at someone. [BrakeNutz] -
gadgets
New Sharp Mobile Phone Will Unlock Car Doors, Start Engine For Owner
Eliminating the need to stuff both car keys and a mobile phone in your pockets, Nissan has partnered with electronics maker Sharp and mobile phone company NTT Docomo to create a phone that can do everything your car keys do, plus make phone calls. The gadget may not be able to help you open packages or stab muggers in the face like a traditional key can, but it can still operate your door locks and start up your engine. It does this by tapping into Nissan's Intelligent Key system which is already in place on premium models like the GT-R. We just hope they don't start charging roaming fees for driving your car outside of your normal coverage network. Press release after the jump. More » -
Audi Travolution
Audi Backs Traffic Project To Get Cars Talking To Traffic Lights, Minimize Time Spent At Stops
Audi has thrown its weight behind "Travolution," a German traffic light communication management system trying to smooth traffic flow and reduce congestion. The system works by way of 46 smart traffic lights installed in Audi's home town of Ingolstadt which communicate with specially equipped Audi A5s and A6s. The cars interpret the information from the lights and display an ideal speed to the driver which leads to smooth sailing through green lights as opposed to hitting the reds. The lights also interpret traffic density and adjust timing to reduce times at the line - and therefore minimization of fuel-sapping "stop-start" traffic. Sounds like a plan to us
More » -
-
navigation systems
Google Search Coming To 2009 BMW 1- and 3-Series
Stateside buyers of BMW’s 1- and 3-Series vehicles will now have the option to add “BMW Search Powered By Google Maps” to their BMW Assist and Navigation system-equipped vehicles. Basically, this means they’ll be able to search for addresses and phone numbers directly from their navigation system using Google Maps. The advantages of such a system are obvious, allowing drivers a quick and easy method to find contact details and directions on the fly. But, as with all BMW options, BMW Search is actually way more complicated than that. The press release follows the jump; see if you can understand it. More » -
novelties
Trucker Rigs Disappearing License Plate To Cheat Tolls
Ever since James Bond showed off the rotating plates on his Aston Martin, people have been inspired to rig up their own devices to conceal their vehicle's identity. Recently, a trucker was nearly caught using such a device to avoid paying tolls. The trick plate was mounted on a hinge and connected to a cable which ran into the cabin, the end of which went through the old cigarette lighter socket, and was activated just by pulling out the lighter. It's brilliantly simple, and evidently rather popular among truckers looking to beat the system. Stick it to the man! [via Yahoo, Gizmodo] -
auto branding adventures
Porsche Design Launches P’9120 Desk Radio
Not to be confused with the last Porsche Design radio, the P’9120 is an attractive desktop radio capable of linking to an iPod or similar radio, and is encapsulated in an attractive aluminum body. The radio is said to be a joint product of Porsche Design and Etón Corporation, known for their hand-crank emergency radios — always a benchmark of fidelity. And, like all Porsche Design products, we’re betting the P'9120 will be ridiculously overpriced and pretty low-quality, which doesn’t sound to us like a good analogy for Porsche cars, but hey, we’re not the ones doing the marketing. The press release follows the jump.
More » -
gadgets
TomTom Go x40 LIVE Lets Users Inform Each Other Of Speed Traps, Uses Cell Phone Position Data to Map Traffic
The new TomTom Go x40 LIVE series of GPS navigation units allows users to update maps on the fly with the positions of police speed traps and traffic cameras, thus alerting other TomTom users in the area of their presence. Also stored within the system is historical travel time data for every road by day of the week, in five-minute intervals. To calculate a traffic-free route, the TomTom compares these figures to real-time anonymous cell phone movements. More » -
gadgets
Chrysler Prices Mobile Internet Service At $499 One-Time, $29 Per Month
Chrysler's mobile internet system, UConnect, has finally gotten official pricing, and unless you're the crackberry type with a serious addiction, the $499 initial fee and $29 monthly fee probably sounds pretty steep. The system was developed by Autonet, a company which installs something similar — and portable — in Avis rent-a-wrecks. The initial professional installation costs between $35 and $50, and, combined with the one-time and ongoing fees, this is looking like a worse deal than going Comcastic. [MotorAuthority]
