Tec[H]andle » car

Self-Driving pod cars are coming to the U.K.

Ali “Ningauble” Aksöz — Sun, 10 Nov 2013 17:13:23 +0000

The U.K. town of Milton Keynes is enlisting a fleet of 100 self-driving pods to run between the city’s central train station, shopping center, and office parks beginning in 2015. Those 100 pods will be a part of a £65 million infrastructure investment by Milton Keynes. The autonomous pods will carry two passengers, plus shopping bags, luggage, or a baby stroller £2 per trip, and will travel up to 12 mph in dedicated lanes inside the city and will be summoned through a smartphone app.

Image: Lee Durant/Ultra Global PRT

The pods — similar to those used at Heathrow airport since 2011 — will be fully electric, with motors mounted at each wheel and charging handled by an inductive system set up along the route, and like Google, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz’ autonomous vehicles, the pods will use a combination of GPS, sensors, and high-definition stereo cameras to navigate the city and avoid pedestrians, but according to the Daily Mail, the initial plan is to have specific lanes for the vehicles and a joystick to control the pod if something goes awry.

Cool, aye?

Lamborghini “Aventador”

Miryam Muller — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 20:29:25 +0000

Lamborghini’s new super sports car Aventador with its 700 HP bull power – powerful and classy just like his namesake, Spanish bull legend Aventador – relentlessly fighting the forces of nature in a 3-minute special effect thunderstorm, shot in the Californian desert Coyote Dry Lakebed and directed by Ole Peters.

Fuji Electric releasing first coin-operated EV fast charger

Ali “Ningauble” Aksöz — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 10:49:59 +0000

Fuji Electric Retail Systems Co. branched out from dispensing hot and cold drinks for change by supplementing its offerings with a different kind of juice. Meet the FRCM00CK — the industry’s first coin-operated fast charger for electric vehicles, according to Fuji Electric. The charger measures 300mm wide, 400mm deep, 1,210mm tall and tips the scale at 41 kilograms. It also doesn’t take paper currency, limiting its appetite to coins in ¥10, ¥50, ¥100 and ¥500 denominations. The machine’s product page says it can provide a maximum charging time of 60 minutes. Incidentally, Fuji Electric’s US site states that its FRC series of EV chargers can completely power up a 25 kWh electric vehicle battery in about 60 minutes. The coin-operated charger will cost ¥600,000 or about $7,600 and is slated for a 2012 release.

It’s a slow but sure pace away from fossil fuel and our dependence on oil.

via: Engadget

Ultra-sleek McLaren JetSet concept car

Ali “Ningauble” Aksöz — Sun, 29 Jul 2012 10:12:02 +0000

Here is a carbon fiber beauty from the future.

I’m positive that German designer Marianna Merenmies is an avid fan of science fiction. Look at how she teases us a little bit with her McLaren JetSet concept. This aircraft-like car tells us that apparently Merenmies is after a super light, super sleek one-seater city car for the world of tomorrow.

Merenmies’ JetSet won her second prize in last year’s International Design Awards for concept vehicles that use alternate fuel sources. The JetSet is all electric, and Merenmies’ decision to forgo a rear seat allows her to pare the car’s aft down to the basics. You won’t get a lot of trunk space (or even a second seat for another passenger), but the JetSet is all about being a light and zippy ride for one.

I want one, although I’m not sure if this beauty is compatible with most of the roads we have.