A Van to Scoop You Up After The Dallas Cowboy Game when you had Too Much Beer!

Drive.ai’s new service is scheduled to run for one year and begin with three vehicles. Riders can hail the vehicles one of two ways: by downloading an app that allows a user to request a vehicle or by going to a designated pickup point and request a vehicle using a kiosk, according to the company. The service is funded by the city of Arlington and with federal grants, according to city officials.

Riders will connect to a handful of well-traveled local landmarks, such as the city’s convention center, retail areas, restaurants and office buildings, as well as AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Park, the respective homes of the Dallas Cowboys and the Texas Rangers.

Halder said that about 100,000 people flood into the city’s entertainment district on game days, creating a distinct need for transportation, but also new challenges for the company as it continues to refine its technology. This time, the routes will be longer and potentially more complicated, especially when pedestrians descend on the area during games.

(Courtesy of Drive.ai) ((Photo courtesy of Drive.ai))

(Courtesy of Drive.ai) ((Photo courtesy of Drive.ai))

Drive.ai has attempted to distinguish itself by prioritizing “recognizability over beauty,” giving its Nissan vehicles bright orange paint jobs that are designed to grab the attention of pedestrians and drivers, according to company officials.

The vehicles operate along fixed routes, include human backup drivers and travel up to 35 mph. They also include exterior panels with messages — such as “waiting for you to cross” — to take the place of a human driver making eye contact or gesturing with a pedestrian at a crosswalk, for example. In the near future backup drivers will be removed and the vehicles will operate autonomously.

 

New York Plans To Cap Uber & Lyfte

 

New York City Council moved to impose a slate of new regulations on ride-hailing services. If Mayor Bill de Blasio signs off on the new legislation, New York would be the first city in the U.S. to cap the number of Uber and Lyft vehicles, as well as establish a minimum wage for drivers. It would also impose a new license requirement with more robust data-sharing requirements for the fiercely proprietary companies.

During the year-long cap on vehicle growth, the city would also conduct an impact study of the services. However, foes say it could lead to higher fares and more limited services. Ride-hailing has devastated the yellow cab industry, which is highly regulated in New York City compared to Uber and Lyft. Taxi medallions, once highly sought, have plummeted in value since TNCs came onto the scene, casting many drivers into financial ruin & death. A 2017 survey by the Independent Drivers Guild, which represents ride-hailing drivers, found that 57 percent of app based drivers bring in less than $50,000 annually, and 22 percent less than $30,000.

Companies Like Mercedes Benz Are Investing More Systematically In People Over 50

Mercedes-Benz is trying to dispel attitudes about older people as Germany grapples with the challenges of an aging society.

People visit an exhibition about demografic change called ‘Ey Alter’ by carmaker Mercedes Benz in Berlin, Germany June 5, 2018. REUTERS/Axel Schmidt

The luxury brand owned by Germany’s Daimler AG (DAIGn.DE) is waging a company-wide campaign to combat those mistaken impression about aging. Daimler has developed is an exhibition challenging stereotypes about aging. It has already been visited by 80,000 people, including 2,500 of its factory managers and has now been brought to Berlin and opened to the public.

Visitors are asked to choose between the “young” or “old” door to enter the exhibition. Many retired visitors, who obviously feel young at heart, come in through the “young” door.

Rival carmaker BMW (BMWG.DE) expects workers aged over 50 to make up more than 35 percent of its workforce by 2020, from 25 percent in 2014.

Germany faces a serious skills shortage as the post-war “baby boomer” generation retires. The working-age population is expected to shrink by some 2 million by 2030.

The shortage of workers is costing the economy up to 0.9 percentage points of output a year, the IW German Economic Institute said recently.

The German government has moved to discourage people from retiring early and the pension age is scheduled to rise gradually from 65 to 67 by 2030.

“Companies know it is not so easy attract young workers. They are realizing they can’t do without some of the baby boomers and will try and hang onto them,” said Andre Schleiter, a demographics expert at the Bertelsmann Foundation think tank.

Mercedes Benz has also launched formal joint tool making training for teenage apprentices and employees aged over 50 and is testing ergonomic tools, such as an exoskeleton which reduces muscle strain for workers installing parts overhead.

Other ideas include a system to help workers swap shifts more easily; allowing older staff to work part-time as they approach retirement and hiring retirees for short-term projects.

 

Self Driving Bikes Coming Soon

 

• With “Amazon Key In-Car,” Prime members with “compatible vehicles” can opt to have packages delivered inside their cars when parked in a publicly accessible area. Amazon expects those locations to typically be at a customer’s home or workplace, according to a company press release. Compatible vehicles include 2015 or newer Chevrolets, Buicks, GMC, Cadillacs or Volvos with active roadside assistance accounts.
• The service carries no charge for Prime members and is available starting now in 37 U.S. metropolitan areas, the same areas where Amazon Key is already available. More cities and more vehicle makes and models will be added over time, Amazon said.
• The app also provides notifications with an initial four-hour delivery window, when the delivery is on its way and again when it’s been delivered. Customers can track when their car was unlocked and relocked in the App’s activity feed and rate their in-car delivery
• More than three quarters (75.9%) of women said they’re unwilling to use it, as did 60.9% of men — a 68.8% average for all, according to a study by InsuranceQuotes.
• People are leery of giving Amazon a key to their homes. Almost 80% said they are afraid that Amazon Key couriers will steal something (80.4% of women and 78.4% of men); 76.9% of women and 69.9% of men worry about a breach of privacy; and 61.8% of women and 56.2% of men are concerned about “malicious exploitation” of the service.

 

Self Driving Uber Kills Woman

A 49-year old pedestrian, who was struck while pushing her bike and later died from her injuries, was walking outside of the crosswalk, according to a Tempe police department statement.  The car was operating in self-driving mode, the police said, but a vehicle operator was behind the wheel at the time. The National Transportation Safety Board said on Twitter that it planned to open an investigation of the incident.

The Volvo XC90-based prototype was traveling at 38 mph in a 35 mph zone when it hit the pedestrian. The car made no attempt to brake or swerve. But while Uber’s prototype most likely isn’t to blame, the operator behind the wheel could ultimately face charges.

A report from the Governors Highway Safety Association released March 1 said Arizona had the highest rate of pedestrian fatalities in the nation, based on available data from 2017.

Autonomous vehicles from Uber have been operating in Arizona since February 2017 as part of a national series of tests of self-driving vehicles.

The complete Tempe Police Department statement:

The vehicle was traveling northbound just south of Curry Rd. when a female walking outside of the crosswalk crossed the road from west to east when she was struck by the Uber vehicle. She was transported to a local area hospital where she passed away from her injuries. Her next of kin has not been notified yet so her name is not being released at this time. Uber is assisting and this is still an active investigation.

After costs Uber & Lyfte Drivers Average 4$ An Hour

A research paper from MIT’s Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research compared a survey of over 1,100 drivers for Uber and Lyft with “detailed vehicle cost information” and found that 30 percent of the workforce is actually paying to work after vehicle expenses are taken into account. Overall, their findings reveal a bleak picture: The median profit for drivers came out to just $3.37 per hour before taxes.

 The researchers used data from Edmunds, Kelly Blue Book, and the Environmental Protection Agency to determine the cost of insurance, maintenance, gas, and depreciation for various vehicle models. Cross-referenced with drivers’ self-reported revenue, mileage, and vehicle models, that information revealed discouraging results. Stephen Zoepf, a co-author of the paper, said “it’s quite possible that drivers don’t realize quite how much they are spending.” He said that many drivers are effectively borrowing money against the value of their cars and subsidizing the ridesharing companies by working for low wages. When you combine that subsidy with the billions of dollars in venture capital that these companies are losing each year, Zoepf concludes that “this business model is not currently sustainable.”

According to the working paper, 74 percent of drivers are earning less than the minimum wage in their states once these costs are included, with the average driver only pulling in $661 of profit per month. For those who are considering working for ride-hailing service, this data should make them cautious.

Those who already doing it should pay close attention to the paper’s finding that the median profit is 29 cents per mile. The researchers say that drivers could possibly take advantage of the standard mileage deduction that tops out at 54 cents per mile and declare a loss on their taxes. So while ride share services are losing billions of dollars, billions more dollars of driver income may be mistakenly getting taxed. Meanwhile, other recent studies have found these companies are just making traffic worse.

Uber responded to the Guardian with the following statement:

While the paper is certainly attention grabbing, its methodology and findings are deeply flawed. We’ve reached out to the paper’s authors to share our concerns and suggest ways we might work together to refine their approach.

 

It’s worth noting that other studies have reported higher hourly income using different methodologies.

A spokesperson for Lyft responded and said: “Drivers are an integral part of Lyft’s success. An ever-growing number of individuals around the country are using Lyft as a flexible way to earn income, and we will continue to engage with our driver community to help them succeed. We have not yet reviewed this study in detail, but an initial review shows some questionable assumptions.”

Last year, Uber settled claims by the Federal Trade Commission that it misled drivers about the potential income they would make. Gizmodo obtained a letter sent by Uber’s lawyers to the FTC where they argued that drivers were only earning less than the advertised rates because they chose not to drive enough.

 

New Technology To detect Illegally Parked Cars

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another job may be lost to technology. The new system for catching cars parking illegally is a specially equipped car that can automatically identify 500 to 1,000 illegally parked cars an hour, compared to 10 by an agent, according to RTS.

The cars are equipped with cameras connected to a database. The system checks to see if there is a valid parking record in the database matching each car’s license plate.

Scan Cars have four cameras mounted on the roof and can operate at up to 80km/h, capturing license plates with bumpers as close as 20 centimetres apart, says the parking company.

Currently, only 35% of drivers are paying for parking in the city.

Some changes are required to make the system work for all types of parking situations. Resident parking permits will be registered in a central database. Machines will stop issuing paper tickets by the end of February.

Ticket agents will still be required. Scan Cars won’t issue tickets, agents will still do that after being directed to the offending vehicle by the Scan Car.

It is hoped the extra data collected could be used to inform drivers where they can park. According to RTS, 30% of traffic in the city is drivers looking for parks. It is hoped this new technology might help people find empty parks faster. One thing is certain however, it won’t increase the number of parks.

Geneva’s parking company says there are no issues with privacy and data protection – they say the data is deleted. However, given that data is collected and hacks are possible, there can be no guarantee.

 

Waymo v. Uber Reached A settlement

Both sides in the Waymo v. Uber lawsuit have reached a settlement, and the case is being dismissed with prejudice. Judge Alsup granted the motion to dismiss, and with that, the case is, in his words, “ancient history.” 

 Waymo gets 0.34 percent of Uber’s equity at the company’s $72 billion valuation, which works out to a value of around $245 million. Waymo had originally sought a $1 billion settlement last year before the trial got underway, but Uber rejected that deal. Both sides are responsible for paying their own legal fees. “This is all equity; zero cash,” said a source familiar with the settlement. Meaning, Waymo is invested in Uber’s future.

According to a source, Uber cannot use any of Waymo’s hardware or software trade secrets as one of the conditions of the settlement. That’s interesting, especially since the trade secrets at the heart of the case were all related to hardware. Judge Alsup had instructed Waymo to bring a separate lawsuit against Uber if it wished to block the company from using its software.

Uber sees this as a big win, especially since it clears the deck for the company ahead of its expected public offering and avoids years of costly appeals and lastly, the settlement reflects the difference between Uber’s old and new leadership.

Automaker Nissan’s Self Parking Slippers

Automaker Nissan will allow guests at a Japanese inn to try out self-parking slippers in March. 

A high-tech homage to Japanese tradition, the slippers wheel themselves to the inn’s entrance upon the press of a button. The ryokan also featured similarly equipped tatami mats and tables. Nissan’s initiative was designed to showcase the self-parking technology which it added to the LEAF electric vehicle in October 2017.  

 Video

375 Million May Be Hunting For Employment When Automation Kicks In

By 2030 up to 30% of the hours worked globally could be automated. According to a new report by the McKinsey Global Institute  researchers estimate that between 400 million and 800 million people could find themselves displaced by automation and in need of new jobs, depending on how quickly new technologies are adopted. Of this group, as many as 375 million people—about 14% of the global workforce—may need to completely switch occupational categories and learn a new set of skills to find work.

Number of workers needing to find new jobs due to automation

Click Here

 

Question-Should Drunk Drivers Be Charged In Autonomous Vehicles?

 

An independent panel pulled together by the Australian government released a report this week trying to hash out the difficulties that governing bodies will face in rewriting laws for humans engaging self-driving systems. That panel, called the National Transport Commission (NTC), wants to develop a clear set of laws by 2020, and its paper (PDF) solicited feedback from key industry players as the panel moves forward.

Though it may seem obvious that a drunk person should be allowed to be taxied home by a fully autonomous car, the question is less clear if you have to determine just how autonomous an autonomous vehicle needs to be for a drunk person to operate it. The government should want drunk people to engage a high-level autonomous driving system if the alternative is driving themselves home, but if they’ll be penalized for being drunk while they’re “in control” of an autonomous vehicle, uptake of self-driving systems may be slow.

Instead, the NTC argues, drunk driving offenses should only apply to drunk people who are manually operating their vehicles but not to people who have merely started an autonomous car. The present rules “exist because a person who starts or sets in motion a conventional vehicle while under the influence clearly has an intention to drive,” the NTC writes.

The questions are being raised in the US, too. At the Governors’ Highway Safety Association meeting this week, US authorities discussed open container laws in autonomous vehicles. Currently, it’s illegal to have an open alcohol container in a car while you’re driving US roads. But should that apply in fully autonomous systems where no one is driving?

Who makes these rules and enforces them is its own debate in the US, too, with the Trump administration largely calling for a continuation of the Obama administration’s “light regulatory touch” philosophy when it comes to automakers building self-driving cars. In Congress, the House passed a bill last month directing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to adopt some guidelines for self-driving cars analogous to its regulation of manually driven cars.

Emerging Trends In Technology

 

Next-Generation Batteries

The newest developments show that using sodium, zinc, and aluminum constructed batteries make the mini-grid a solid possibility for providing 24-7, reliable and clean energy to entire small rural towns.

2-D Materials

New materials such as Graphene are emerging and are going to change the world forever. Think about the Bronze Age…the Iron Age—these newest materials each contain a single layer of atoms and are two-dimensional. The potential positive impacts of evolving materials are limitless and bound only to the reach of scientists and how far they choose to push.

Autonomous Transportation

Self-driving cars are already in the here-and-now, but just how soon will  be helping to improve the lives of handicapped and elderly will change the quality of life for millions.

Personal AI

From your own personal robot assistant that can anticipate your every need and perform tasks at your whim, to entire AI environments—this could be affordable to everyone with the emerging availability of Open AI ecosystems.

A pickup point for Uber at LaGuardia airport in New York. Uber has faced criticism before over its treatment of drivers. Photograph: Seth Wenig/AP

Uber to pay New York City drivers tens of millions of dollars after admitting to underpaying them for two-and-a-half years by taking a larger cut of drivers’ fares than it was entitled.

Under the terms of service the ride-hailing company put in place in November 2014, Uber was supposed to take its percentage of the commission – ranging between 20% and 25% – after deducting sales tax and a local fee to fund benefits for injured drivers. Instead, the company calculated its commission on the gross fare, resulting in more money for Uber and less for drivers.The average payout-per-driver will be about $900. With tens of thousands of drivers eligible for a refund, the company will be on the hook for tens of millions of dollars. An Uber spokesperson said that the company discovered the mistake in recent weeks, as it was preparing to roll out a new pricing scheme.

However, questions about Uber’s calculation of New York City commissions were raised nearly a year ago in a class-action lawsuit filed by the New York Taxi Workers Alliance (NYTWA). The suit, which was filed in federal court in New York in June 2016, alleged that Uber’s deduction of sales tax and the injured driver fee after the commission was calculated violated the terms of service and amounted to wage “theft”.

Uber also has admitted to underpaying US drivers. In March, the company paid refunds to UberBlack drivers in Philadelphia after charging them an extra 5% in commission for about 18 months. In January, Uber agreed to pay $20m to settle allegations by the Federal Trade Commission that it had tricked drivers with false promises of higher earnings.

 

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Governor Cuomo Taking Applications To Test Self Driving Cars

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says the state is now taking applications to test self-driving cars on public roadways. The program requires licensees to have a $5 million insurance policy. Cars must also pass federal and New York automotive safety standards and all test reports must be submitted to the state by March of next year.

New York City Collected Nearly A Billion In Fines 2016

Data revealed that New York City received a record 993 Billion in fines last year. Noise pollution and littering  up 51 %. Parking tickets accounted for 55% of fines. The Mayor promised to ease financial burdens on city businesses.

Uber Announces Plan To Curb Bad Behavior By Passengers

Uber has announced updates to its app intended to curb bad behavior by passengers.Key among the changes is allowing passengers to see the ratings they receive from drivers — knowledge the company hopes will make customers more cognizant of the fact their behavior is being graded during every trip.

Research economists Fear Automated, Self-Driving Vehicles Will Have A Negative Impact

Research economists fear that automated, self-driving vehicles will have a negative impact on those that are deeply tied to traditional transportation business models and practices.

There are 1.7 million professional truck drivers in the United States and an additional 1.7 million operators of other commercial land vehicles. Policymakers must prepare for the possible elimination of many of these jobs.

The Center For The Future of Work intends to address the challenge by bringing economic expertise together with some of the world’s leaders in autonomous vehicle technology to forecast where and when these individuals might be displaced from their current jobs. With necessary data, they can begin to design policies that could better improve the dislocation of these workers, and have these policies in place before the disruptions emerge. A Heinz College student team is currently collaborating with the New America Foundation to create the first draft of a map in space and time that forecasts the potentially significant job losses associated with the commercial deployment of these technologies.

 

Hybrid truck and blue electric car on wireless charging lane

 

Boy * Learns To Drive With YouTube

After Watching you tube boy drives his 4 year old sister to Mcdonalds while parents were sleeping.

More Here

 

Ford Designs A Baby Crib That Feels Like A Car Ride

 

It’s dubbed the Max Motor Dreams, and it’s actually a “smart bed” for babies that can simulate the feel of riding in a car — a well-known trick for parents with babies that have difficulty falling asleep. It uses sound, lighting, and motion to mimic the feel of a gentle car ride from the backseat. Ford is running a contest in Spain where one lucky person to test drive the Ford Max vehicle can walk away with the baby bed. Now we just need to hope they smarten up and make an adult-sized version.

 

Ford Motors Looking @ 3D For Its Motor Parts

3D printing giant Stratasys’ Infinite Build 3D printer,  is housed at Ford Research and Innovation Center in Dearborn, Michigan. This humongus machine is expected to provide Ford with a more efficient, as well as affordable way to create tooling, prototype parts and components for their products. These will initially be produced for low volume vehicles.

Ford is the first automaker to make use of this technology in their manufacturing process,  producing lighter and cheaper components for its vehicles. The automaker believes that reduction in weight of the vehicle will help it achieve greater fuel efficiency.

The Stratasys Infinite Build, the automaker adds, is seen as a breakthrough for vehicle manufacturing, capable of printing parts of practically any shape, size as well as length. This 3D printing machine is a beast and provides for rapid prototyping of components and parts for building its upcoming vehicles. This also gives the automaker control over their designs, which can be modified and instantly printed to meet their needs.

The process is similar to the usual 3D printing procedure, but everything here is automated. Once the supply or raw material for the printer runs out, the robotic arm itself replaces it with a new full one. This makes the printer capable of operating unattended for days, but do see that you have provided enough supplies.

Google’s Waze

 

After a successful run in San Francisco, Google Waze is heading to other cities.The rollout will  have Waze  competing against the likes of ride-sharing giants Uber and Lyft, both of whom already offer carpooling options — UberPool and Lyft Line.

Waze’s system allows drivers to make up to two rides a day — for example, to and from work — and riders pay to cover the cost of gas, plus a little extra.

The downside? A Carpool user has to request a shared ride several hours ahead of time, and then hope someone responds. If no one does, you can always jump in an Uber or Lyft.

With both Uber and Google continuing to make progress with their respective autonomous cars, it may not be too long before empty cars are driving up to collect passengers, giving both companies additional options over the kind of transportation services they offer.

Here’s What Elon Musk Says About Artificial Intelligence

 

TECH billionaire Elon Musk believes artificial intelligence could be catastrophic for humanity that’s set to become a cyborg race with human without a job .

Getty Images

Musk warned that robots would take people’s jobs leaving many with no reason to live and now way or earning an income

He also warned world governments: “Pay close attention to the development of artificial intelligence.“Make sure researchers don’t get carried away — scientists get so engrossed in their work they don’t realise what they are doing.” Musk went on to say autonomous cars would be a great convenience, but also a game changer for society, adding he saw the advances in technology causing mass unemployment. “There will be fewer and fewer jobs that a robot cannot do better.”

He said humans are already “cyborgs” as we’re so dependent on technology. Picture: Kevork DjansezianSource:Getty Images

Dutch company PAL-V is now taking orders for the world’s first commercial flying car, the Liberty. The company says that the Liberty models are fully compliant with safety regulations set by global governing bodies, and that deliveries will begin by the end of 2018.

The first 90 copies are designated as Pioneer Editions, boasting special exterior and interior details. For the personalized touch and additional standard features such as power heating, buyers will have to pay $599,000. After the Pioneer Edition sells out, PAL-V will start selling the standard model, known as the Liberty Sport, for $399,000.

Buyers should have a license for both driving and flying. On the road, the Liberty can lower its suspension and make use of its tilting cockpit for better maneuverability. PAL-V lists top speed on the road as 100 mph, while 0-62 mph is estimated to take less than 9 seconds. In the air, it can travel at up to 112 mph.

 

Flying Car On Sale

Dutch company PAL-V is now taking orders for the world’s first commercial flying car,called the Liberty. The company says that the Liberty models are fully compliant with safety regulations set by global governing bodies, and that deliveries will begin by the end of 2018.

The first 90 copies are designated as Pioneer Editions, boasting special exterior and interior details. For the personalized touch and additional standard features such as power heating, buyers will have to pay $599,000. After the Pioneer Edition sells out, PAL-V will start selling the standard model, known as the Liberty Sport, for $399,000.

Buyers should have a license for both driving and flying. On the road, the Liberty can lower its suspension and make use of its tilting cockpit for better maneuverability. PAL-V lists top speed on the road as 100 mph, while 0-62 mph is estimated to take less than 9 seconds. In the air, it can travel at up to 112 mph.

 

The AAA Tipsy Tow Program

The AAA Tipsy Tow program will offer free tows to drinking drivers on Super Bowl Sunday. The service will provide a one-way ride for drivers and their vehicle to the home from 6 p.m. Sunday to 6 a.m. Monday. Drivers can call 800-222-4357 (AAA-HELP) for a free tow home of up to 10 miles. Tipsy Tow doesn’t take reservations.

Japan Plans To Train 40,000 In India

Japan’s providing skills to  40,000 technical people in 10 years by collaborating with engineering colleges and other institutions.

While speaking at the prestigious International Engineering and Technology Fair (IETF), the ambassador stated that  Japanese Ambassador to India, Kenji Hiramatsu in Delhi is keenly interested in transferring technology to India. Anant Geete, Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, assured Indian manufacturers that the Government would take concrete steps for re-energizing the capital goods, automotive and heavy industries. Over 500 companies from 25 countries are expected to participate at this event held by the Confederation of Indian Industry every two years. IETF 2017 is supported by 10 Ministries of Government of India and Government of NCT of Delhi, besides several relevant industry associations.

The minister added that technology should play a major role in revamping the manufacturing sector. The industry should adapt state-of-the-art technology developed elsewhere and, at the same time, should encourage more indigenous innovation and research and development.Countries like Japan could provide the relevant technologies and investments in the core sectors of Indian industry. Japan is the partner country for the IETF for the fifth time.

Driverless Cars Not Ready to Become Driverless

A report released by the DMV Wednesday reveals that driverless cars have a long way to go before they can actually become driverless.

The data from the Department of Motor Vehicles includes autonomous vehicle test results from 11 companies. The information includes details of when drivers had to take control of the cars, either because the test driver felt uncomfortable or due to a glitch in the technology. The data only includes miles traveled on public roads in California, and doesn’t include testing at private facilities or outside the state.

Bryant Walker Smith, scholar for Stanford Law School’s Center for Internet and Society says”there are more questions that need answers; such as what would happen if the driver didn’t intervene. Would the car know to pull to the side of the road to avoid a collision? how ‘bad’ the hypothetical outcome avoided by a driver-initiated disengagement needs to be for Waymo (for example) to include such a disengagement in its count,” he said. “In other words, if the driver hadn’t intervened in any given instance, would a crash have necessarily resulted?”

Delphi Automotive Systems, for example, reported several instances where the cars could not read traffic signals due to “poor sun conditions,” or when the cars had trouble changing lanes during heavy traffic. Google’s Waymo, on the other hand, said the human drivers had to take over most often due to software discrepancies, followed by an unwanted maneuver of the car or the reckless behavior of another driver. Other times, humans took over because there was heavy pedestrian traffic or out of extra caution for a cyclist sharing the road.

Honda and Volkswagon — said they never tested the vehicles on public roads. The others ranged from 530 miles logged by Tesla during only one month in 2016 to the 635,868 miles traveled by Google’s Waymo vehicles.

Tostitos Creates A Chip Bag That detects Alcohol On Your Breath

In an effort to raise awareness for responsible driving, the chip maker has partnered with Mothers Against Drunk Driving and Uber to create “alcohol sensor bags,” special Tostitos bags that can tell if you’ve been drinking.

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U.S. Department of Transportation Designates 10 Automated Vehicle Testing Sites

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has designated 10 proving ground pilot sites to encourage testing and information sharing around automated vehicle technologies.  These proving ground designations will foster innovations that can safely transform personal and commercial mobility, expand capacity, and open new doors to disadvantaged people and communities.  These designations are a logical next step in the Department’s effort to advance the safe deployment of automated technology.

Automakers and tech companies will share data with each other and the government as they test their autonomous vehicles at these sites, the agency says. The proving grounds are intended to test autonomous vehicle safety and handling in a variety of road conditions. This group will openly share best practices for the safe conduct of testing and operations as they are developed,

The Proving Ground designees are:

1. City of Pittsburgh and the Thomas D. Larson Pennsylvania Transportation Institute
2. Texas AV Proving Grounds Partnership
3. U.S. Army Aberdeen Test Center
4. American Center for Mobility (ACM) at Willow Run
5. Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) & GoMentum Station
6. San Diego Association of Governments
7. Iowa City Area Development Group
8. University of Wisconsin-Madison
9. Central Florida Automated Vehicle Partners
10. North Carolina Turnpike Authority

 

 

 

 

Cadillac Subscription Service: Book By Cadillac

“Book by Cadillac” is a subscription service that gives users access to short-term rentals of different vehicles for a flat monthly fee via app. Similar to the Audi On Demand and Audi At Home services that is already available in certain markets, Book by Cadillac aims to give subscribers the flexibility to choose whatever vehicle they want at the moment, without the so-called hassles like lease or finance payments, insurance, fuel, and maintenance.

Sears /Kmart Closing?

 

Sears Holdings (SHLD) is turning to its billionaire CEO Edward Lampert for a financial lifeline for as much as $500 million. This cash-strapped retailer is preparing to close 30 more stores and unloads assets to conserve cash amid growing doubts about its viability.

Sears has lost more than $9 billion over the past eight years, and critics say few signs show the company is making up lost ground.  Sears has argued that its critics underestimate its resiliency and that it has sufficient financial resources to meet its obligations.

Most of the stores will start liquidation sales on Jan. 5 and will go out of business in March and April. Once the current closures are done, Sears will have less than 1,500 physical stores, down from more than 3,500 in 2010. The chain has scaled back unprofitable product lines such as consumer electronics and the pharmacy business that operates in most of its Kmart stores.

Sears stores closing:

• Kentucky Oaks Mall, Paducah, Kentucky
• 1901 S. Yale Ave., Tulsa, Oklahoma
• Town Center Mall, Charleston, West Virginia
• Meadowbrook Mall, Bridgeport, West Virginia
• Walden Galleria, Cheektowaga, New York
• Boulevard Mall, Amherst, New York
• 1 Galleria Dr., Middletown, New York

Kmart

• Jasper Mall, Jasper, Alabama
• 2003 US-280, Phenix City, Alabama
• 3001 Iowa Ave., Riverside, California
• 1801 NW US Hwy 19, Crystal River, Florida
• 501 N. Beneva Road, Sarasota, Florida
• 19400 Cochran Blvd., Port Charlotte, Florida
• 2111 S. Federal Highway, Ft. Pierce, Florida
• 1501 Normandy Village Parkway, Jacksonville, Florida
• 2211 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway, Kissimmee, Florida
• 4955 Golden Gate Parkway, Naples, Florida
• 111 Town and Country Dr., Palatka, Florida
• 2815 West Parrish Ave., Owensboro, Kentucky
• 1501 Paris Pike, Georgetown, Kentucky
• 14662 N. US Highway 25 E, Corbin, Kentucky
• 1710 W. Highway 192, London, Kentucky
• 3010 Fort Campbell Blvd., Hopkinsville, Kentucky
• 2945 Scottsville Road, Bowling Green, Kentucky
• 222 North Point Blvd, Baltimore, Maryland
• 9 Plaza Way, Fairhaven, Massachusetts
• 4645 Commercial Dr., New Hartford, New York
• 250 Three Springs Dr., Weirton, West Virginia
• 731 Beverly Pike, Elkins, West Virginia
• 5132 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, Washington
• 1050 Division St., Parkersburg, West Virginia

 

The fastest Cars In History 1946-Present

Here’s a detailed look at the last seven decades of the world’s fastest production cars – from 1946 until now.

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The Robotic Lawyer

 

The UK-based DoNotPay chatbot has extended its services into New York in March 2016, and successfully challenged 160,000 of 250,000 parking fines over a 21-month period. The free online program asks people a series of questions to work out whether an appeal is viable, and then guides the user through the appeals process. The DoNotPay program is also able to navigate compensation for delayed flights.

Packages Delivered Directly​ To Smart Cars

Specially equipped Smart cars can now receive parcels for customers. The purpose of the Ready to Drop program is to help online shoppers save time. Four components involved in the program include properly equipped Smart cars, online retailers enrolled in the program, people who own the configured Smart cars and shop online, and a delivery service. Read More

 

Keeping Car Keys & I.D. Chip Cards From Being Hacked

But for less than $100, criminals can get an amplifier that detects key fob signals from up to 300 feet away and then transmits them to your car. In other words, your keys could be in your house, and criminals could walk up to your car and open it. There are some simple steps you can take to keep hackers from stealing your signal. You can buy a signal-blocking pouch that can hold your keys, like the Hack-Blocking Card Pouch.

Or, you can stick your key fob into the refrigerator or freezer. The multiple layers of metal will block your key fob’s signal. Just check with the fob’s manufacturer to make sure that freezing your key fob won’t damage it.

If you’re not hot on freezing your key fob, you can do the same thing with your microwave oven. (Hint: Don’t turn it on.) Stick your key fob in there, and criminals won’t be able to pick up its signal.

Since your key fob’s signal is blocked by metal, you can also wrap it up in aluminum foil. While that’s the easiest solution, it can also leak the signal if you don’t do it right. Plus, you might need to stock up on foil. You can also make a foil-lined box to put your keys in if you’re in a crafting mood.

Its a good idea to explore the line of stylish RFID-blocking wallets, purses and passport cases.

 

Lookout Google-Uber Wants it’s Own Maps

Uber is planning to invest half a billion dollars into creating its own worldwide maps.  This new investment will allow the company to build up tailor-made maps that would provide this level of detail. Uber needs maps with traffic patterns, locations of doors or other potential pickup locations. This new investment will allow the company to build up tailor-made maps that would provide this level of detail. The company has hired former Google employees such as McClendon, acquired mapping companies, and has forged partnerships with companies such as TomTom and DigitalGlobe.

Mario Kart Can Make You A Better Driver

 

Photo: theguitarjammer via YouTube

Researchers at  New York University Shanghai and the University of Hong Kong has tested two groups in a driving simulator that challenged them with windy conditions. To test the connection between racing games and improved driving, they tried another test, this one using non-gamers. One group completed 10 one-hour Mario Kart sessions, while the other played Rollercoaster Tycoon III for the same time. Mario Kart players already showed improved visuomotor control skills, halfway through the training.

In another study, researchers tried the first-person shooter game Unreal Tournament. Gamers in that study improved different aspects of their visuomotor control skills, leading researchers to conclude that the two styles of gaming could be beneficial for different types of drivers.

Li Li researcher from New York University Shanghai,and lead author on the study explained in a report for the Association of Psychological Science “Our research shows that playing easily accessible action video games for as little as 5 hours can be a cost-effective tool to help people improve essential visuomotor-control skills used for driving.”

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Car Dealer Selling Used Car & Giving Rifle?

With all the killing going on how is this possible?

A U.S. used car dealership in New Hampshire is offering an unconventional bundle with the purchase of a vehicle: a free assault rifle.

Hagan’s Motor Pool in Rochester, New Hampshire is running a “Buy a Car, Get an AR” promotion for select vehicles, offering AR-15 semi-automatic rifles as a bonus.

“Need a car? Want a free AR-15 also? Get both at Hagan’s,” the used car dealer advertises an ad posted on its Facebook page. Hagan’s even makes an appeal to people to promote this campaign and “Make America Armed Again,” noting that Facebook would not permit such advertising.

Hagan’s, meanwhile, says it saw “very little negativity” and “so much positive feedback.” The seller further declares that the promotion does not stem from bigotry or hate toward any race, sexual orientation, political affiliation or anything of the sort – it simply caters to one’s right to defend themselves.

The promotional bundle will continue while supplies last, and Hagan’s notes that it doesn’t keep the guns on site.

Several Countries Will Soon Ban The Selling Of Gasoline Powered Cars

Norway one of the largest producers of fossil fuels in the entire world,has decided to prohibit the selling of all gasoline-powered cars by 2025.India and Denmark have discussed the possibility of banning gas-powered cars as well, but India’s policy would begin five years after Norway’s, in 2030, and the Dutch parliament is heavily divided on their version of the ban, which would also start in 2025.

Banning combustion cars would require a gargantuan effort for most developing countries, but for Norway the effort would be minimal, as nearly a quarter of the Scandinavian country’s cars already have electric drivetrains.

CEO of electric vehicle maker Tesla, Elon Musk is elated about it

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U.S.States With The Most Road Rage

Instagram posts suggest people in Hawai’i are among some of the most heated in the country.

A recent study analyzing Instagram posts with the hashtag #RoadRage led researchers to name Hawai’i as the state with the worst road rage in the nation.

Auto Insurance Center conducted the research to unveil which states had the highest rates of road rage and when.

August was listed as the worst month for angry drivers, with a spike in #RoadRage posts during the month. July was the month with the second highest levels, based on the hashtag, while October and March followed.

#RoadRage appeared on Instagram more often as the week went on, according to the study, with Sunday having the lowest number of posts. The peak appears to be on Friday, with an average of about 10,500 #RoadRage posts nationally.

The analysis shows #RoadRage posts increase throughout the morning and into the lunch hour before peaking in the early evening, or rush hour.

Researchers note that one reason for the high #RoadRage tags on Instagram by Hawai’i users could be the recent ranking of Honolulu as the third-worst traffic in the country and one of 10 states popular for tourists.

Honolulu ranked as the 22nd city in the country when it came to road rage in the same analysis.

California ranked second for #RoadRage posts. The top state for tourism sees more than its share of out-of-state drivers, along with some of the worst traffic congestion in the country. New York, New Jersey, and Nevada followed.

New York Bill would Require Driver To Submit Phone In Accident

 A device called “textalyzer” designed to help the authorities determine whether someone involved in a motor vehicle accident was unlawfully driving while distracted.

The roadside technology is being developed by Cellebrite, the Israeli firm that many believe assisted the Federal Bureau of Investigation in cracking the iPhone at the center of a heated decryption battle with Apple.

 The first-of-its-kind legislation proposes in New York, that drivers involved in accidents would have to submit their phone to roadside testing from a textalyzer to determine whether the driver was using a mobile phone ahead of a crash. To bypass the Fourth Amendment right to privacy, the textalyzer allegedly would keep conversations, contacts, numbers, photos, and application data private. It will solely say whether the phone was in use prior to a motor-vehicle mishap. Further analysis, which might require a warrant, could be necessary to determine whether such usage was via hands-free dashboard technology and to confirm the original finding.

The legislation was prompted by intense lobbying from the group Distracted Operators Risk Casualties (DORCs). The son of its co-founder, Ben Lieberman, was killed in 2011 by a distracted driver in New York. The proposed law has been dubbed “Evan’s Law” in memory of 19-year-old Evan Lieberman.”Cellebrite has been leading the adoption of field mobile forensics solutions by law enforcement for years.

The law, which is before the New York Senate Transportation Committee, would recast the motor-vehicle driving law to make it so that motorists give “implied consent” for “determining whether the operator of a motor vehicle was using a mobile telephone or portable electronic device at or near the time of the accident or collision, which provides the grounds for such testing. Police will inform motorists involved in an accident that “the person’s license or permit to drive and any non-resident operating privilege shall be immediately suspended and subsequently revoked should the driver refuse to acquiesce to such field test.”

U.S. Agency Told To Slow Down On Self Driving Cars

Engineers, safety advocates, and automakers say federal regulators eager to get self-driving cars on the road must slow down.

Fully self-driving cars may be the future of the automotive industry, but they aren’t yet up to the demands of real-world driving, several people told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration during a public meeting Friday. Issuing new regulations take an average of eight years. The agency can’t wait because early self-driving technologies are already in cars on the road. For instance,Tesla’s “autopilot” function, enables its cars to automatically steer down the highway, change lanes and adjust speed in response to traffic.

A General Motors official recently told a Senate committee that the automaker expects to deploy self-driving cars within a few years through a partnership with the ride-sharing service Lyft. Google, a pioneer in the development of self-driving cars, is pushing Congress to give the NHTSA new powers to grant it special, expedited permission to sell cars without steering wheels or pedals.

Concerns addressed at the meeting:

• Poorly marked pavement, including parking lots and driveways, could foil the technology, which relies on clear lane markings.

• Bad weather can interfere with vehicle sensors.

• Self-driving cars can’t take directions from a policeman.

• Inconsistent traffic-control devices such as horizontal versus lateral traffic lights.

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The Car Hacker’s Handbook

The Car Hacker’s Handbook, is currently available now in both paperback and e-book editions from No Starch Press. This book is for traditional mechanics who want to get into the electronic aspects of cars but have been stymied by the lack of information about this aspect and the taboo around it.”

The Car Hacker’s Handbook is a comprehensive guide to reverse-engineering and understanding the digital control systems in a modern vehicle. The book includes information on building your own test beds for analyzing the software in a vehicle’s control computers as well as background information on the vulnerabilities inherent in infotainment and two-way connectivity systems. A practical how-to guide for understanding and manipulating the software that controls virtually every function of a modern car.

When you read The Car Hacker’s Handbook, the first thing that comes to mind is trouble. Malicious individuals could use the information and techniques described in this book to take control of people’s automobiles and use that control to demand ransoms, cause accidents, or even commit terrorism. Yet as previous researchers and hackers have shown, the potential for trouble is very real.

The average new car now carries about 100 million lines of software code. All that code is required to operate various systems throughout the vehicle, including engine and transmission management, traction and stability controls, and more. About 20 million lines of code are required just to run a standard navigation, infotainment, and connectivity system, and that’s one of the biggest areas of vulnerability.

Researchers Chris Valasek and Charlie Miller successfully hacked several cars through their data communications modules and in some cases managed to take substantial control of moving vehicles. Valasek and Miller’s exploits raised concerns about inadequate security provisions throughout the automotive industry, and prompted automakers to tighten up their safeguards.

Smith’s book  exposes the tools and techniques that researchers use to identify and then exploit weaknesses in production cars. Starting with the CAN bus that most modern cars use as an on board network, Smith takes the reader through the steps necessary to access the engine management system as well as the infotainment and communications systems. The book also covers how to write exploits and transfer them into a vehicle via the vehicle’s wireless connectivity systems.

The information in this book is controversial, but not truly threatening. Malefactors who want to steal your car aren’t likely to spend months decoding assembly language programming to take control of your anti-lock braking system – they’d rather jump you at a stoplight.

This book is a wake-up call to automakers, legislators, and regulators, announcing the fact that technology enthusiasts/hackers can and will continue to fiddle with their cars.

 

 

Audi, Porche & Volkswagon Recall

Automobile majors Porsche, Audi and Volkswagen have been facing fuel leak problems in some variants of their vehicles. The companies have recalled more than 93,000 cars and SUVs across the world to fix the problem. As per the reports, the vehicles have been recalled because a fuel leak may increase the risk of a fire.

Kia Recalls 87,000 Of It’s 2014 Vehicles

 

Kia has announced the recall of around 87,000 of its 2014 Forte cars, after discovering a defective part that could lead to vehicle fires. Confirmation from the automakers suggests that in those Forte models affected, a resistor within the cooling fan can dangerously overheat and in the worst instances melt, or perhaps even trigger a fire. 87,000 vehicles currently on US roads will have to be brought in for repairs. Depending on the exact manufacture date of each Kia Forte, the auto may have to be fitted with a new multi-fuse unit alone or undergo an engine software upgrade at the same time. All repairs and upgrades will be free of charge at licensed Kia service centers. Affected owners will be contacted by Kia ahead of the scheduled February 24 recall commencement.

National Sheriffs Association Concerned About Google’s Traffic App “WAZE”

It appears that the WAZE app can warn drivers when the police is nearby. A meeting at a National Sheriffs Association conference earlier this month, a group of sheriffs raised concerns that the app can be used for “stalking” police officers. Waze, a social traffic app available for iOS, Android and Windows devices, allows users to report on traffic jams, accidents and other commute problems. Users can also report the location of police officers and radar-based speed traps, which are highlighted with a police-officer icon on a map. A National Sheriffs Association spokesman said this was just a concern that some members of the organization raised at its winter conference, which was held in Washington, D.C., between Jan. 20 and 24.

Waze’s greatest appeal is its social and gamification features. Users earn points whenever they contribute road information, and as points rack up, their ranking in the Waze community rises. (User designations begin at “Waze Baby” and go up to “Waze Royalty.”)

Users can also contribute by editing Waze’s maps to fix problems they may see. The more a user drives and edits, the higher their clout as a Waze editor, and the more their editing permissions expand.

The app also eliminates the need for “I’m-five-minutes-away” texts to friends. That’s because users can see live updates of their buddies who use Waze, as they travel towards an event or meeting spot. Waze also has Facebook integration, so directions for Facebook events to which users have RSVP’d automatically show up in the app.

Mercedes Unveils It’s Self Driving Car @ CES 2015