MirrorPilot the GPS navigator that can be seen in the rear-view mirror

Posted on February 19, 2008 by Nuria

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The other day we talked about a GPS that is installed in the windshield. Today we bring you a system that is monitorized by the rear-view mirror. It is called MirrorPilot, a navigator that displays the GPS sytem in the rearview mirror of the car. It´s a brilliant system, because it does not deviate your eyes from the road when looking at it.

The project will be presented to the public at the next Cebit fair in Germany. So far, we can only say that the MirrorPilot will cost about 700 euros and that the space that the screen occupies in the rear-view mirror is about 2.2 inches.

This gadget will be available only Europe since, since it will have a map of the entire continent, views of 2 and 3 dimensions, and voice controls and traffic reports.
source Xataka

Posted in Gadgets, curiosities, road safety | Leave a comment

The smallest of the Fords will still be the Ford Fiesta

Posted on February 18, 2008 by Nuria

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Ford has announced that its new small model will keep the name “Fiesta“, throughout the world and has confirmed its manufacturing factory to be in Almussafes (Valencia) in 2009 and in addition in Cologne (Germany).

The Fiesta was first manufactured in Almussafes in 1976. Since its first production over thirty years ago until now sales have surpassed 12 million units.

The new model keeps intact the innovative design of the Concept Verve which was presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show  in the autumn of 2007, thus demonstrating that conceptual designs can be transferred to the production by providing the vehicle with style, sophistication and excitement.
The new Fiesta will be officially presented in the next Geneva Motor Show.

The model will have the same dynamic character according to its elegant ‘kinetic design‘ style, that points to the energy of movement.

Dynamic driving engineers also worked hard to improve the driving comfort of the Fiesta and tried to isolate the sound of the road, the wind and the mechanics of the vehicle, and give the new model an impressively quiet driving quality for a small car.

A new novelty to the Fiesta line for the European market is the popular Ford Duratec 1.6 Ti-VCT engine. This 115hp engine with variable distribution, provides a well balanced mix of performance and economy. It presents an increase in benefits  of 15hp over the previous Fiesta without this representing any consumption penalties.

The Fiesta line also offers Duratec 1.25 (60 y 80 CV) y 1.4 (91 CV) gasoline engines.

The two diesel common rail Duratorq TDCi, el 1.4 (68 CV) and the  1.6 (90 CV) engines, have been improved with a revised injection technology and more advanced electronics.

The Fiesta also offers a Durashift 5-speed manual transmission or 4 speed automatic transmission, and has a 1.4 Duratec engine of 91 hp with excellent efficacy and quality changes.

source Cinco Días

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Continental creates a tire that repairs itself

Posted on February 15, 2008 by Nuria

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Tires are, without a doubt, one of the most important elements of our vehicle, mainly because they are the only ones who are in direct contact with the road. That is why we welcome all new initiatives to improve road safety.

In this sense, Continental assures that this summer it will present for sale its ContiSeal model, a tire which has a viscous and sticky substance that slows down air escape in the event of a puncture, which allows us to continue to run at the same speed.

Of course, we will have to remove the object that caused the puncture as soon as we can. Either way the tire will re fill itself as long as the puncture is less than 5 mm in diameter. 
source motorpasion

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The new Ford sounds like the angels

Posted on February 14, 2008 by Nuria
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Car brands tend to be very creative with their commercial spots. One of the cutest one I found is the commernical for the  new Ford Focus.

Curious and very elaberated, each of the 31 instruments used in the spot were made based on different parts of the car.

The responsibles of this awesome new video for the new Ford Focus are composer Craig Richey and designer Bill Milbrodt.  The latter is the director of  The Car Music Project, a band founded in 1994 that uses car parts as instruments.

source alt1040

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The DGT website offers updates on roads, cameras and incidences

Posted on February 13, 2008 by Nuria

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Before departing on a trip it is essential to consult the DGT website. Years back it was very common to call the road information line to be informed, but nowadays with all the new technologies, everything is much more simpler for the traveler.

In the first place, we have a series of traffic cameras , in which we can obserb in real time the state of the roads, however, most of the cameras are in and around Madrid. Hopefully the DGT will resolve this issue.

Secondly, but not least, we can use the interactive map of road incidents. With this tool we are able to find weather, construction or obstruction on all roads in the country.

The interactive map also allows you to calculate the time that will take you to arrive between two points, or register in the web to obtain customized reports, such as recurrent itineraries such as from our home to our place of work.

Recommendations for the next few days, the  listing of fixed radars, specific information such as routes of hazardous materials or a list of black spots are some of the many utilities the the DGT web offers. Very recommended for travelers.
source Circula Seguro

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Hybrid cars are not that green

Posted on February 12, 2008 by Nuria

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It seems that gold is not all that glitters as far as hybrid cars are concerned. A study by French researcher Jean-Jacques Chanaron, published in the magazine ‘International Journal of Automotive Technology and Management’ (IJATM), ensures that these vehicles do not represent a long-term sustainable solution.

The hybrid cars are those that carry both a conventional combustion engine and one electric, which had so far been postulated as an ecological alternative.

However, this specialist in the automotive ‘Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique’ (CNRS) stands firm and ensures that “the environmental advantages of CO2 on the balance sheet are not evident, but the price is much higher.”

Chanaron’s position is a bit disappointing. The French scientist has spent more than 35 years studying alternatives to combustion engines and is really not too confident that the technology is capable of creating a car that could replace  gasoline and diesel in the short or medium term. “

“It is illogical to propel a vehicle with two engines, because it is very expensive. It will always will be more expensive than one that has only one and this does not make for a sustainable solution because it is only accessible to people with a certain level of purchasing.”

Chanaron maintains that the Toyota Prius II (hybrid car), emitts in the end about 90 grams of CO2 per kilometre, an amount even higher than that of a Smart CDI (90 g) or slightly better than a Citroen C2 1.4 HDI (107 g .) or a Renault Clio 1.5 DCI (110 g).

The scientist believes in other green technologies in the long term, such as the fuel and hydrogen battery. However, he warns that this is also far beyond what is being said.

source soitu.es

Posted in Honda, curiosities, eco cars | Leave a comment