Where is the brand new automobile era? Where is it? We have it now; should not we use it to lessen the 42,000 deaths in vehicles in keeping with yr? We seem to be getting the shaft on all this new technology which can shop lives in motors and seem to be a bit in the back of Germany even though an awful lot of the generation has come from our very own MIT genius children here.
This is because the Big Three are looking to shave costs to compete. With the dollar down and the Euro up, we see that now the overseas carmakers are also reducing their protection functions on many fashions, such as Volkswagen, to reduce charges and reduce funding. Volkswagen said it would cut charges and reduce investment after income extra than halved final year, and its present-day Golf V hatchback sales got off to a susceptible begin.
Meanwhile, its figure company Audi is busy trying out some new radar-assisted riding and anti-collision merchandise in proving grounds in AZ.
I recently had the possibility to have coffee with the head engineer from Audi, and he explained the trouble of getting the technology into American motors is that they have been concerned approximately class action proceedings and price, so they have been now not going to place in the latest ECS devices:
What is maximum unlucky about that is that 42,000 humans die a year in car accidents on this u? S. A. Now. We can repair that of the route this new era turns into a victim of class action lawsuits. We want to kill all the legal professionals straightaway, Shakespeare changed into proper, Caesar said it excellent, then we can circulate to shop lives.
In Germany, on the various Audi fashions, they’ve radar assisted following devices. For each 1 kilometer step with hour, the auto is again half of that distance, so at 60 KPH, the auto is at the back of the car in front of it using 30 meters. Works the first-rate and several new cars have assisted white proper line following additionally. Also, they have a gadget that if a vehicle is parked in front of you within the lane, your vehicle could off the accelerator and barely tighten the seatbelts like the Honda SmartCar. Then the steerage wheel places stress to move across the obstacle, as your reflexes then take over.
The new ESC also interfaces with this device; however, it needs to be an all-wheel-drive automobile to work. This might help in Winter Weather safety too. We have also seen that the weather is changing customer shopping for all-wheel drive motors on passenger motors and SUVs, so humans will now not be bothered with placing chains on their vehicles. Due to the choice by using car customers to have a “cross-everywhere, do-something” successful vehicle after the latest SUV trend.
Automakers also are seeing this, it seems, and are ready to satisfy the shift in desire with the aid of promoting extra vehicles that switch engine energy to all four corners – generally referred to as all-wheel pressure, no longer 4 wheel pressure even though that too is way up in the call for, all-wheel force additionally shifts manipulate around the auto as you drive and is a SmartCar Technology. By 2006, automobile customers who want- wheel pressure could have their desire of a few forty-two fashions, in keeping with Industry Analysts and the internet site Gurus? This is a 2/3 growth from the 2003-2004 model year. We have even heard estimates that via 2008, the wide variety of all- wheel-force vehicles on the road will double through cutting-edge remember, well, as a minimum, this is what Ford’s Visteon Corp. unit is announcing. Of direction, they hope so in view that they are a provider of all- wheel-force generation and other SmartCar digital systems. For automakers, the growing demand for all-wheel-force cars means more profits and higher automobile fees for such alternatives. All-wheel-pressure systems now price as much as $1,500 as the non-obligatory device.
The growing hobby in the all-wheel drive is plain after sorting out the Detroit Auto Show prototype vehicles. All those automobiles could have superior managing, and higher cornering for those 10 PM to nighttime canyon burner runs at Mach 2, which you absolutely recognize if you are a real vehicle lover. Automakers with the handiest rear-pressure fashions automobiles may locate this a venture because consumers now have a choice of All-wheel power and manufacturers who have been spending years convincing consumers that the front-wheel-drive is better on horrific roads. Now consumers will have all of it; those harassed customers will maximumly probable choose the each or All situation. All-wheel pressure essentially gives the first-rate of both worlds.
SmartCars and Intelligent transportation. Just over 50 percent of American girls and 55 percent of their male opposite numbers surveyed stated they choose All wheel for safety and/or performance, together with the obvious advantage of better traction. Smart Cars are making buddies and influencing human beings, and the protection benefit to all could be very great.
If we look at the history of smart vehicle-type technologies, we can see that this is always the way it starts. It wasn’t extra than a decade ago that we sought anti-locking braking structures or ABS. At first, this changed into the safest and simplest alternative and only to be had on the excessive-stop cars. We’ve recently seen GPS navigation systems as an option; now, many luxury automobiles come preferred. We see this trend additionally on midrange motors and SUVs. It wasn’t too long that airbags came onto the visible in the beginning a safety object and a choice later became preferred on most of the midrange and excessive-end motors. Now airbags are on almost every car, at the least for the driving force. About 50% of the fashions in Europe have the ESC alternatives with all-wheel force. In the US, approximately 6% is due to the want to cut the charges and promote automobiles.
In 30 years, fatalities in Germany are down about 70% within the US according to mile pushed about 20%, which is good, but we can nevertheless do better. Remember whilst the huge news came out about Firestone? Well, actually most effective three% of fatal rollovers have been from tire put on, the relaxation from driving situations, and pilot error. Loss of management of about 20% of these injuries could have been avoided through ESC, and it will likely be mandatory on eight-15 passenger vehicles with the aid of 2006.
These figures are from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in Arlington, VA. In a German study, Mercedes decreased the loss of manipulating accidents by 21% using adding ESC to all their fashions. Interestingly sufficient, you can’t get ESC on a Ford Explorer because that choice no longer exists until you get to the Expedition or Excursion SUVs. Four-Runner by using Toyota has it available right here inside the US. There is an exciting article on this in Business Week, April 28, 2003, through Christine Tierney that is authentic even extra nowadays than the day she positioned pen to paper.
When we mentioned these troubles with our Audi Engineer friend, he stated that on the A3 through A8 Audi, there has been an option for $3000-4000 for the radar following gadgets, and in Europe, you can order your vehicle your way. As a rely of reality on an A3, the most simple model, there are 350 possible combinations for bumper configurations, among styles of fog lighting fixtures, color, design, and many others. Also, and alas, the German authorities have located a manner to place infrared picture cameras to ship you a price ticket within the mail for dashing. Yet, again we did ideal the German radar in WWII and that they have used their military technology for civil use to acquire fines from speeders with these new infrared gadgets. We now see more digicam pink mild unmanned gadgets on our road approaches and automated ticket cameras in the United States.
Luckily, the radar-assisted following auto-pilot does not work below 20 mph, so within the town or forestall, pass on the Belt-Way, Boston Tunnel, 405 FWY, I-5 in Seattle, or I-10 in Houston, it will no longer work. Also, the hands unfastened cell phone hooked to the radio isn’t always an option but a must as the price tag is 80.00 Euros if you have your mobile smartphone on while using unless hooked-up. And for GM and all the splendid hotshots that suppose they’re going to own the China car market, you may want to think once more the Audi A6 for the China marketplace is already made there. Surely eventually, after they ramp up its miles, fairly possibly, they will emerge marketplace winners, but at this early degree, they’re in the back of the gun. Also, realize that inside the large cities, they can not take any more automobiles, the traffic is insane, higher off to stroll or bicycle around.
In Beijing, there’s a hundred% in a single-year boom charge for added automobiles. Talk about the traffic. You’ll be better off catching a cart, moped, or stroll. Although the A6 in China is bare-bones and nearly without suspension to keep the money, it’s miles their foothold into the Chinese marketplace. Currently being tested is a Diesel automobile that isn’t linked to any pressure education. It runs a steady 1800-2000 RPM and the maximum efficiency for the least amount of pollution, which charges batteries even as driving or parked and runs 42 volts electric device hooked to every wheel with a motor to show the wheels. Likewise, all of the energy guidance and other additives run on the strength. They also have an Audi A8, which places out 330 HP, and an R56 which places out 450 HP. The exciting issue getting returned to the electric-diesel hybrid is the performance and cleanliness. It is a truly proper device. So Ford is likewise at the pass these days: FORD LAUNCHES INTELLIGENT HIGHWAY REVOLUTION:
Eventually, almost all municipal automobiles might be equipped with the new wireless sensor technology. All in all, you need to be a touch more inspired with what Audi is really doing than what Ford is planning on; I am now not positive if this is of price to you. However, I met the pinnacle engineer from Audi running at the A’ collection A4 A6 A8, and many others. From Germany, I think he becomes on his manner to the Proving Ground in AZ, and he spoke to me approximately the radar-assisted following gadgets they use in Germany. I had some exciting things and performing some mystery checks. How these devices could be installed for $3,000 US as an option as soon as the tort legal guidelines were reduced, and they might be hitting the dealerships as quickly as that came about. The automobile follows half the gap of the velocity. 50 miles in line with hour 25 feet. Their all-wheel force system would hook up to it, and if the car was stopped inside the lane and no vehicles in beside it, it might go to the subsequent lane providing there was no stable line. Also included became the car-pilot technology of following the road on the right. Too many court cases for end product liability have slowed development, but with partial magnificence action lawsuit reform, we may see more danger with these new technologies.
Audi did a few paintings inside the United States within the ITS area all through no longer too long in the past at DENSO – i.E. Vehicle navigation structures/GPS. Some of the programmers of these systems were that human beings fail to recognize that if you maintain a car in motion, it emits much fewer tailpipe emissions. Constant idling and stop and pass are the worst conditions for emissions, so the financial savings are also to the public’s health and can even lessen healthcare insurance. Now then, there are different businesses operating on these things in the US too. This is surely an excellent generation you’re running on—an interactive SmartCar. The problems are with economies of scale and charge. With the Big Three reducing prices, we aren’t getting the era we need to inside the states. The trouble I see is with ABS and All-wheel power or ESC. It’s miles difficult to get the full price out of all of the different technology.
I spoke with Honda approximately about the seat belt-tightening and letting off the accelerator, and trust this is a fee; I am satisfied you are operating on this. As the Audi guy turned into telling me, they are trying out a vehicle, which runs a positive pace all the time, so it does not pollute at most desirable. And then it prices batteries, which run an all-wheel-drive on a device, which has all of the nice technologies. They are running this component for 7000 hours.
The guy I met from Germany had been cruising u. S. A. Talking to human beings. If the little and the smaller engine runs at 1800 RPMs to 2000 and is quite like an Onan Generator, it could run quietly on diesel, charge the batteries, and run at the forty-two-volt devices? Power steering, ABS, every wheel has a motor. If a motor goes out, you feather the props at the motor across from it, and it turns into two-wheel power until constant through using a small centrical take hold of. All runs net-centric. It works for me and is a great deal better for all the HUD shows, portable enterprise office WiFi, electronic mail, GPS, Internet Faxing, CD, DVD, movie, and video systems. It is creating a higher and smarter vehicle on a similar platform, it seems, but the guts are completely re-performed. Just constructing smarter, greener, and higher automobiles makes feel for the 42,000 who die each year from auto injuries.
With stop and cross visitors, Diamond vehicle pool lanes, toll cubicles all messing up traffic flows, the troubles of the environment are nearly as good as the 15% fewer fatal accidents in step with 12 months. Mercedes confirmed 15% with ESC alone; imagine all this technology we are speaking with now. But the price is the promoting point to US Manufacturers and, of course, if humans keep their motors three.2 years on average, however, finance them for eight years different troubles turn up. Also, long-term leases will want GPS and Satellite RFID ping locating gadgets; Enterprise Rent a Car rolls out long-term leases, and we accept as true that this may, in fact, be properly.
Let’s face it, vehicles are getting smarter, and those are becoming dumber. So the Smart US Big Three need to stay heads up. I wager Audi goes to do that on their Passat, A4, A6, and later the A8. And you bet they will as the new technologies are sure to warmness up the automobile sales competition among clients. Forty% of purchasers rank car safety as their primary or precedence in deciding on their next vehicle.
