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tesla roadster

A Peek Under The Tesla Roadster’s Hood

Ever been curious what takes place under the Tesla Roadster’s hood in the absence of internal combustion? Well, here’s an explanation of what the parts are and and what they do, conveniently numbered so you can follow along at home. Make the jump to see why "Tesla mechanic" would be a totally cush job.

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3:30 PM on Fri Aug 29 2008
By Wes Siler
5,349 views, 53 comments

Latest by scrubnick: Jewce has a really good point. And that's assuming your charger is 100% efficient! Houses usually get a 100 Amp more »

novelties

Nissan Introduces Gas Pedal That Pushes Back When Accelerating "Too Fast"

Nissan's revealed plans to install what it's calling the "ECO Pedal" system in models next year. The technology makes the gas pedal press upward when it senses motorists are speeding up too quickly. Although Nissan says the system can help drivers improve fuel efficiency 5 to 10 percent, we say it's the ultimate nanny technology that should never see life. More »

10:40 AM on Mon Aug 4 2008
By Ray Wert
5,028 views, 70 comments

Latest by blogsdo: You know.... in some other activities, a little push back is kind of nice. more »

industry news

Ethanol-Boosted Gasoline Engines Could Get Higher Fuel Economy, Higher Torque Than Diesels...At Ford?

Our friends at PickupTrucks.com tell us a company called Ethanol Boosting Systems (EBS) is developing turbocharged gasoline engines that can rival diesel torque output for a third of the price. By combining high compression, huge boost numbers, port fuel injection and the key component — direct ethanol injection, EBS has designed an engine that can take advantage of gasoline's lower price and better emissions characteristics while producing a Peterbilt-like torque curve. Sounds like a brilliant idea — but PUTC doesn't claim EBS is working with a Detroit automaker yet. We, on the other hand, happen to have heard somewhere down the line that they're working with Ford. Now that we've got that settled — how does it work? More »

10:00 AM on Tue Jul 29 2008
By Andrew Stoy
2,423 views, 48 comments

Latest by PatriciaJaloo: We use about 160 billion gallons of gasoline a year. For the sake of argument, let's say we need 1 more »

gadgets

GM Developing View-Enhancing Laser Windshield, Intends To Outspend Reds In Automotive Cold War

General Motors is building a prototype windshield capable of enhancing a driver's vision with lasers. No, this isn't the automotive equivalent of LASIK, but rather a system for identifying road markings and making them more visible to drivers during difficult conditions. The system is being developed with older drivers in mind, and of course won't be able to completely compensate for bad vision. So how does it work? More »

10:20 AM on Fri Jul 18 2008
By Wes Siler
1,244 views, 40 comments

Latest by TRAMS_AM: @turbo zero: If only I could bulls-eye a Whopper, they're not much larger than two meters. more »

gadgets

AUO Oval LCD Screens For Vehicle Instrument Panels

A company by the name of AUO has managed to develop an oval-shaped LCD display, which could change the appearance of next-generation instrument panels. The ovoid LCDs don't just look good, but they could allow for customizing instrumented data. Of course, the technology is far from being integrated into your next vehicle purchase, but it's good to see the baby steps being taken. [Ubergizmo]

2:40 PM on Mon Jul 7 2008
By Travis Hudson
1,223 views, 25 comments

Latest by tenbeers: a day later, I remember the LCD gauge cluster in the lambo reventon: + Watch video more »

safety

Car Infotainment Turns Med Center With Diabetes Tracking

Using a Lincoln MKZ with an interior that looks an awful lot like the 2010 Ford Fusion (mostly due to the gigantic screen), a company by the name of Medtronic is developing an in-car system capable of monitoring blood-glucose levels specifically for diabetics. The diabetic-driver will wear a continuous glucose-monitoring system that will communicate wirelessly with the in-car infotainment system via Bluetooth. More »

1:00 PM on Fri Jun 13 2008
By Travis Hudson
901 views, 10 comments

Latest by NovaloadMissesPolar: How about your brain waves? It good do a stickshake like an airplane--"Your brainwaves are drifting into Delta patterns...WAKE UP." more »

novelties

Why Do Cars Have Crumple Zones?

A lot of times when people see a modern car accident or push on a plastic bumper, they wonder why cars aren't built the way they used to be. Well, a lot of it has to do with human survivability. If you've ever had high school level physics you'll understand the following formula:
F = ((m2 - m1) x (V1-V2)/(t2 - t1))
Where the masses of the first and second vehicles are m1 and m2 and the start of the collision and end of the collision are t1 and t2, respectively. V1 and V2 are the relative speeds of the vehicles — V1 being starting speed and V2 normally being zero. "F" is what's important here, as it's what either turns the occupants into a gooey bag of skin or lets them walk away.

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6:00 PM on Tue Jun 10 2008
By Ben Wojdyla
4,187 views, 77 comments

Latest by tenbeers: @tenbeers: forgot to mention the car could have been driven away from the test, had there been an engine installed. pretty more »

news

MIT-Developed "Aware Car" Rats Out Older Drivers

The problem topic of older drivers remains a hot-button issue, and with the Baby Boomers plowing toward retirement, the number of older drivers on the road is expected to double over the next few decades. To address the politically sensitive implications of this progression, the MIT AgeLab has converted a Volvo XC90 into an Aware Mobile. The crossover is outfitted with a collection of sensors and doodads, not help the elderly drive, but rather to properly determine when a senior should hand in his or her keys. More »

2:20 PM on Thu Jun 5 2008
By Travis Hudson
858 views, 26 comments

Latest by discontinuuity: I know bad drivers of all ages, so I think that a test should come with renewing your license, no more »

gadgets

Toshiba Smart Side Mirrors Claim To Gauge Distance; Accuracy Unknown

At the 2008 Automotive Engineering Exposition, Toshiba demonstrated a new technology with the potential to change how drivers view the lowly side mirror. By replacing a vehicle's standard side mirrors with cameras that feed live footage to monitors inside the vehicle, the Toshiba Smart Mirrors can display a yellow, green or red line when another vehicle is getting too close. More »

1:40 PM on Thu Jun 5 2008
By Travis Hudson
540 views, 11 comments

Latest by Piloter: @Ash78: @Ash78: "There isn't a system on a car that is triple redundant" This must not be counting the bolts on any more »

gadgets

3M, Visteon BMW X-Wave Concept Demonstrates Future Of In-Car Tech

Featuring a host of Human Machine Interface, lighting, surface and display innovations, 3M and Visteon have created the X-Wave to showcase technology they'd like to bring to the automotive market. The two companies have combined expertises—Visteon with in-car tech and 3M for transmissive optical film and other materials—to find new ways to display information, provide lighting and interact with drivers and passengers. The first thing you'll notice looking at the interior of this adapted X5 is the center console. The buttons are hidden behind its surface, illuminating when the car is on. In lieu of the tactile push a physical button delivers, the virtual buttons react by way of haptic feedback, vibrating or clicking when pressed depending on programming.

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1:00 PM on Wed Jun 4 2008
By Wes Siler
2,570 views, 44 comments

Latest by subsammy: @skierpage: I read the article. Haptic buttons that feel different only tell you after you have pressed the wrong button.(oh more »