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Showing posts with label hybrid. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hybrid. Show all posts

Sep 26, 2012

Peugeot Onyx Megatrike and Onyx Concept bicycle: A trike and a bike inspired by a supercar

Peugeot Onyx Megatrike concept

Peugeot took design elements from its Onyx hybrid supercar concept and applied them to these two- and three-wheeled creations.

As concept cars go, the Peugeot Onyx is especially good at getting attention. Its carbon fiber and copper body, draped over a racecar’s diesel hybrid powertrain, is hard to top. Peugeot has no plans to put the Onyx into production, but it felt the design worked so well that it decided to build an Onyx-inspired scooter and bicycle.

The scooter, called the Onyx Megatrike, looks like it came from the future. It has the same angular lines and copper panels as the Onyx supercar, as well as miniature versions of the car’s headlights and grille.

The Megatrike may sound like the prized possession of a post-apocalyptic warlord, but, like the Onyx supercar, it’s a fuel-efficient hybrid. The powertrain consists of a 400-cc gasoline engine and an electric motor. The Megatrike can travel 18 miles at 30 mph on electric power only.

The Megatrike might actually be more practical than the car it emulates. Supercars are notorious for having small trunks, but the Megatrike has a storage compartment in front of the rider, where a motorcycle’s gas tank would be. A rider can remove it to sit forward like on a conventional scooter, or straddle it like on a motorcycle.

If designing a scooter to complement a supercar seems like a difficult task, then designing a bicycle for the same purpose seems nearly impossible. Nonetheless, Peugeot tried to make the connection between these two disparate modes of transportation with a smattering of tech.

Like the four-wheeled Onyx, the Onyx Concept bike is made of carbon fiber. Peugeot already makes a racing bike with a carbon fiber frame, so that wasn’t much of a stretch. The Onyx Concept also has carbon fiber forks, wheels, and handlebars.Peugeot Onyx Concept bicycle

Peugeot’s designer’s also focused on aerodynamics. The handlebars were flattened to reduce frontal area, and the wheels were covered with fairings. The Onyx Concept bike also has an electronic shifter; exposed shift cables would have created too much drag.

Peugeot isn’t putting the Onyx supercar into production, so don’t expect either of these equally outrageous concepts to be in showrooms anytime soon. Instead, they’ll fulfill the same purpose as the Onyx at the Paris Motor Show: attract visitors to Peugeot’s stand and create interest in its products, whether they have two, three, or four wheels.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Sep 10, 2012

2013 Honda Accord Sedan,Coupe, and 2014 Accord Plug-in Hybrid drive impressions

Honda Accord 2013 lineup car review

Honda will introduce two of its three new Accord models this month, beginning with the 2013 Accord sedan and coupe, with the 2014 Accord Plug-in Hybrid due early next year.

Numbers get tossed around the auto industry like fish at Pike Place, but after a while you begin to understand which ones are important and worth your attention, and which ones are not. For the 2013 Accord, Honda has a couple of numbers you should be paying attention to: nine and 36. The first refers to the generation of Accord that’s about to roll off the production line. This will be the ninth generation of Honda’s successful sedan. The second, well, that’s how many years the Accord has been around, which is a rather large accomplishment given the amount of models that come and go year in and year out.

But while Honda certainly deserves plaudits for its automotive milestones, the Japanese automaker faces stiffer competition than ever before. Quite frankly, it has seen its position challenged by relative newcomers Kia and Hyundai, as well as American competitors Ford and Chevy, with longtime rival Toyota still leading the group with its top-selling Camry. And with the mid-size segment such a crowded and competitive one these days, Honda is hoping the reinvigorated 2013 Accord will inject just the right mix of style, technology, and comfort in order to propel it to the forefront of the pack.

So how does the 2013 Honda Accord fair? We recently had a chance to test drive all three of the new Accord models coming out, which includes the 2013 Accord Sedan, 2013 Accord Coupe, and even the upcoming 2014 Accord Plug-in Hybrid. While our time with each model was too brief to provide a full review, first impressions of the latest Accord left a very favorable impression.

Older, but bolder

Easily the most important and significant changes for the 2013 model year Accord center on its new design. Honda has gone to great lengths to bring the styling cues of the ninth generation Accord in line with modern tastes and sensibilities. Here we have an Accord that looks more aggressive and athletic than ever before thanks to the its raked hood, available LED lighting, and sharply shaped front headlights. For added punch, Honda has incorporated some brightwork across the face of all models, with the Sedan featuring a dipping and thicker “U” shaped chrome bar; the Coupe sporting a thinner variety; and the 2014 Accord Plug-in Hybrid featuring a distinct front fascia all its own. While it still might not be the most visually impressive sedan on the market, the 2013 Honda Accord manages to blend just the right amount of style refinements that will begin to turn heads once again.

Honda Accord 2013 review exterior left side angle coupe

Honda Accord 2013 review exterior front grill v6 coupe   Honda Accord 2013 review exterior front coupe   Honda Accord 2013 review exterior right side coupe   Honda Accord 2013 review exterior back coupe   Honda Accord 2013 review exterior trunk coupe

Smaller in stature, bigger on comfort

You can’t really tell from the naked eye, but the latest Accord has had its dimensions reduced for the 2013 model year. Both the Sedan and Coupe are shorter in length from last year’s version, but thankfully that doesn’t translate into a cramped cabin. On the contrary, there is a real sense of space both up front and in the rear passenger seats, with the level of comfort remaining superb throughout.

Despite its smaller stature, the 2013 Accord sees certain interior dimensions grow. Rear legroom has increased over an inch, both front and rear shoulder room has also improved, while cargo space has swelled to 15.8 cubic feet, up from last year’s 14.7.

Recently, Honda took heavy criticism for the materials it used in the 2012 Civic, but that blemish on Honda’s otherwise stellar record for build quality has been erased for 2013. The plastics used for the dash and center console never appear cheap, and Honda’s redesigned interior shines with quality. Think of it as a simplified and subdued style, but one that never approaches dull.

That said, a few questionable aesthetic choices do stand out. Most notably, a shiny, speckled finish surrounding the new touchscreen system (standard on all models) reminded us of the psychedelic-looking material used on stools in a 1970s bowling alley, and brings down an otherwise solid cabin. And while both the sedan and coupe versions we drove sported rich leather seats, we’re not sure customers will exactly dig the smart “biofabric” in the PHEV version simply because it isn’t as luxurious, and while we don’t know the price for the 2014 Accord Plug-in hybrid, we imagine it will be in the somewhere in the region where leather is a standard feature. That’s not to say the biofabric feels or looks cheap, just that we see most longing for cowhide instead.

A “smarter” Accord

If you want more than just a sprinkle of technology in your car, the 2013 Accord will bring a smile to your face, both virtual and otherwise, with a wide array of tech features that help to keep you connected and comfortable. Virtually everything you need is here and, more importantly, easy to use. There is a USB audio port for easy iPod connectivity, Bluetooth HandsFreeLink for wireless music streaming services and hands-free calling, a nifty backup camera, and, as we mentioned before, Honda’s new touchscreen interface with built-in Pandora radio interface. Pairing your phone through Bluetooth is easy too and allows for a simple, yet handy, SMS text feature that will read an incoming text out loud and allow you to respond with preset messages.

Sitting atop the new audio touchscreen is a Honda’s new “intelligent” eight-inch Multi-Information Display (i-Mid), which provides a wide array of technical information and comes in two varieties: a standard WQVGA (480 x 320 pixel) screen for trims without navigation, and an upgraded high-resolution WVGA (800 x 480 pixel) display for those that do. Here you can view fuel economy, Bluetooth audio functions, and even upload pictures using a USB thumb drive and change the i-MID’s background display.

Honda Accord 2013 review exterior back wheel hybrid

Honda has crammed a lot of cool tech features into its new Accord, but it’s not all about keeping you connected. The new 2013 Accord also debuts two safety features new to the storied nameplate. The first is a blindspot monitoring system Honda calls LaneWatch. This new feature comes standard on the EX, EX-L, and new Touring trim Sedan models, and on the EX-L Coupe. It utilizes a small camera placed beneath the passenger side’s exterior mirror and relays that image to the i-MID display whenever you activate the right turn signal. The second is an active Lane Departure Warning system (LDW) that sets off both visual and audible cues if you start drifting out of your lane. Of the two, the LaneWatch system was our favorite and proved the most useful. The LDW system, while helpful, can become somewhat annoying when you even remotely begin to leave your lane, but thankfully you can turn it off.

By far the biggest, and most hyped, addition to the 2013 Accord is the new HondaLink system. Accessed through your smartphone, HondaLink allows drivers free access to cloud-based services such as various apps, music, and information services. Initially, Honda will be partnering with Harman and its Aha service. Users will be able to curate and organize their favorite Web content including Internet radio services like Slacker. Honda has stressed personalization as a key factor in its new HondaLink system, so while Aha by Harman is the first HondaLink resource to be offered, more services are set to expand the functionality down the road. Sadly, we were only given an out-of-car tech demo, but from what we saw the HondaLink service looks like it will offer an extensive display of features drivers wishing to stay connected will surely appreciate. For social-media types, Aha will even read allow your Twitter and Facebook news feeds, although there are some limitations like not reading aloud sport scores. HondaLink will be available in EX-L and above Accord Sedan and EX and above Coupe models.

Powering the newest generation

For the 2013 Accord Sedan, customers can choose between a new direct-injected 2.4-liter four-cylinder motor, and an Earth Dreams 3.5-liter V6. Transmission choices for the base 2.4-liter engine will consist of a newly developed automatic CVT or six-speed manual, while the 3.5-liter V6 will only be available with a six-speed automatic. For the 2013 Accord Coupe, powertrain options remain the same, but gear-shifters will be happy learn that a six-speed manual makes it way into the lineup.

We’ll start with the new direct-injected 2.4-liter i-VTEC inline four-cylinder found in the base Accord and fitted with Honda’s new CVT. Easily the best thing about the CVT was just how quickly we forgot it was a CVT. Generating 185 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque, the new Accord provided a great deal of power without sacrificing efficiency. In fact, not only were gear changes smooth and consistent, but fuel has economy increased to 27 mpg in the city, 36 highway, and 30 mpg combined with the CVT, which is up from last year’s 23/34/27.

Honda Accord 2013 review exterior engine coupe

Of course for those that require a greater degree of sportiness in their life there is the 2013 Accord Coupe. Our test drive with the two-door featured Honda’s 3.5-liter V-6 producing 278 horsepower and 252 lb-ft of torque mated to a six-speed automatic. Naturally, fuel economy suffers due to the pulse-pounding V6, but numbers remain respectable depending on what transmission you’re rocking. Honda has implemented a new Variable Cylinder Management system (VCM) on V6 models with automatic transmission with fuel economy for these models sitting at 21/32/25, while a six-speed manual without VCM will see those numbers drop to 18/28/22. Without a doubt, at this point it becomes a question of driving pleasure over practicality, which is a shame because our time in the V6 Coupe was all about the former.

Our final test drive saw us clamber into the upcoming 2014 Accord Plug-in Hybrid, which houses a new 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and Honda’s two-motor hybrid system. Drivers can choose between three modes of driving: all-electric, gasoline-electric, and direct to drive. All-electric mode yields a range of 10 to 15 miles from the 6.7 kWh lithium-ion battery, which is coupled to a using a 124 kW electric motor. Charge times for the PHEV will be similar to the Prius Plug-in, with Honda saying it will take three hours for a full charge using a standard 120-volt outlet, and less than one hour using a 240-volt charger.

The veteran takes to the road

On the road there is a lot to like about the 2013 Honda Accord. A great deal of effort on Honda’s part has been taken to improve handling dynamics and road manners, and it starts with a retooled and redesigned chassis. Replacing the old double-wishbone system is a lighter, more advanced MacPherson strut up front and multi-link rear suspension, which affords the 2013 Accord with a greater sense of competence on the road. The 2013 Accord also utilizes a new aluminum and steel front subframe that translates to less road noise and vibration harshness. Alloy wheels are now standard on both the Coupe and Sedan, and range in size from 16 inches to 18 inches.

 Honda Accord 2013 review exterior front angle hybrid

Altogether the 2013 Accord handles smoothly and provides a quiet and competent cabin, which drivers have come to expect and appreciate from Honda. Our only complaint, however, is the move to the new electric power steering system (EPS) from the old hydraulic assists of the previous Accord. While not everyone will agree, the new EPS feels stinted and numb; depriving us of that tactile feedback and precision we have come to appreciate. Still, those that desire less steering effort will likely appreciate the feel and stability the EPS provides.

Finish Line

Without a doubt the 2013 Honda Accord is the best Accord model the Japanese automaker has delivered. The visual overhaul, improved ride dynamics, and new tech features alone make it a strong choice in an increasingly competitive segment. Add to that improved fuel economy and an aggressive base price ($21,680 for the six-speed manual and $22,480 for the CVT) and consumers looking for a new mid-size car will simply have to consider the new Accord.

Honda’s work isn’t done, though. While the good far outweighs the bad in the 2013 Accord, Honda really needs to push the envelope further. There is no arguing that the 2013 Accord looks sharp, but we really want to see more from the Big H. It has added plenty advanced tech features, but that willingness to innovate needs to start translating into its design language, especially if it wants to retain its relevancy in a market that has continued to criticize its stylistic efforts.

Of course, the hard truth remains: The auto industry is changing, and the traditional base of power brands like Toyota and Honda have enjoyed are constantly being challenged. The 2013 Accord is a great start for Honda, but it can’t stop here.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Sep 7, 2012

Land Rover adds fuel economy to the Range Rover’s resume with 2013 hybrid

2013 Land Rover Range Rover front three-quarter view

The Range Rover hybrid is projected to get 45 mpg on the European cycle, and it won't be making the trip across the pond.

The Land Rover Range Rover has never been a car for hippies, thanks to its big, thirsty V8 and considerable girth. Admittedly, there was never a reason to build a fuel-efficient luxury SUV. Land Rover is giving it a shot though, with a hybrid Range Rover based on the updated 2013 model.

The hybrid will combine Land Rover’s 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 with an electric motor and 1.7 kWh lithium ion battery pack, which will be housed under the SUV’s floor. Despite the Range Rover’s heavy footprint and blunt aerodynamics, Land Rover says the Range Rover hybrid will do 0 to 60 mph in under seven seconds.

The all-important fuel economy number is 45 mpg, on the European cycle, with emissions of 169 g/km of carbon dioxide. While a big SUV with the fuel economy of a small hatchback sounds incredible, keep in mind that cars tend to do better in European testing than EPA testing; Europe also uses Imperial gallons.

The Range Rover’s only conceivable competition are luxury SUVs like the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid and Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid, both of which are rated at 21 combined mpg on the EPA cycle.

The Range Rover hybrid will have one advantage over all other hybrids, though: it’s a Range Rover. That means unparalleled off-road capability, which should make an interesting test of hybrid technology. A hybrid is very fuel efficient while crawling through city traffic, but what about while crawling through the Amazon rainforest?

Unfortunately, this will be a moot point for American buyers. Land Rover will not sell the Range Rover hybrid in North America, because getting its turbodiesel V6 to comply with American regulations would require too many expensive modifications.

Americans will have to stick with the gas guzzling 5.0-liter V8, attached to the same eight-speed automatic transmission as the hybrid. However, Land Rover expects significant fuel economy gains for the conventional Range Rover, owing to its new aluminum body and the eight-speed transmission. The current Range Rover is rated at 12 mpg city and 18 mpg highway.

The Range Rover may not be the most politically correct car but, with or without a hybrid version, it’s still an impressive piece of kit. People buy these beasts for their luxury, off-road ability, and swagger, not fuel economy. Still, it would be nice to have it all.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Aug 30, 2012

HP reveals its Windows 8 laptop/tablet hybrid, the Envy x2

HP Envy x2

Hewlett-Packard has revealed the Envy x2, a taptop/tablet hybrid with a detachable 116-inch screen section, running Windows 8.

Hewlett-Packard has shown it’s a keen follower of fashion, and doesn’t intend to get left behind in the rush to introduce multi-purpose Windows 8 machines, as it has introduced a tablet/laptop hybrid named the Envy x2.

The HP Envy x2 joins several other laptops with detachable tablet screens from different manufacturers, all running Microsoft’s newest operating system. Samsung’s Ativ Smart PC was revealed yesterday during its hardware-filled press conference at IFA 2012, and Microsoft themselves will offer keyboard accessories with its own range of Surface tablets.

Like the others, with the Envy x2’s two sections docked together, you’ll be free to type away on the standard laptop-sized keyboard which is encased in aluminum, and view everything on the 11.6-inch screen. But at a flick of a latch below, the screen is set free to act as a Windows 8 tablet.

The IPS panel has a resolution of 1368 x 768, and inside the tablet is an Intel X86 processor, although HP hasn’t confirmed exactly which one. This does let us know that the Envy x2 will run the full version of Windows 8 though.

Top-center on the rear is an 8-megapixel camera, there is an HD video-call lens around the front, plus the tablet also has NFC and Beats Audio technology. As with other laptop/tablet hybrids both sections have their own batteries, and to make sure the tablet is always ready, when the pair are docked together it’s the keyboard section’s battery that is used first.

Additionally, the keyboard dock also has an HDMI port, an SD and microSD card slots and a pair of USB ports too. The Envy x2 comes with 64GB of internal memory as standard.

HP expects the Envy x2 to go on sale this year, telling Bloomberg that it would be “late in the Holiday season.” The report estimates a price of $800 to $900.

It joins the Spectre XT and the Envy TouchSmart Ultrabooks in HP’s touchscreen Windows 8 range, both of which will also be released around the same time.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Aug 20, 2012

Persona 4 Arena review

Persona 4 Arena review

Can a hybrid of a fighter and an RPG succeed? Atlus and Arc System Works hope to find the answer in Persona 4 Arena.

As a big fan of Atlus’ Persona series of roleplaying games, I had my doubts about Persona 4 Arena. Developer Arc System Works has proven time and time again that it’s got the chops to create some of the finest 2D fighters in the world, yet with P4A the company was attempting to build a fighter in its own trademarked, hyper-kinectic style that also somehow retains the crucial elements fans loved about the Persona titles, that initially built the canon for the game. It’s hard to imagine two gaming genres as disparate as fighting games and epic Japanese-style roleplaying games, and yet I’m relieved to report that P4A is not just a great mashup of Persona and Arc System Works’ fighting game mechanics, it’s one of my favorite fighters of recent years.

Keep in mind that I did not say “one of the best new fighters of recent years.” We’ll get to why that’s important in just a moment.

If you’re unfamilar with Atlus’ Persona games, a quick primer: In short, the Persona franchise is a modern Japanese-style roleplaying series that tasks players both with battling demons and with surviving the rigors of a Japanese high school. The vast majority of the game’s key characters are high school-aged teens (with all the drama, sarcasm and hormones that implies) with the ability to summon and control the titular Personas. Think of Personas as aspects of one’s personality that manifest as giant, supernatural creatures and grant their users all kinds of useful magical abilities. In Atlus’ Persona RPGs the characters used these Personas to battle shadows throughout the many floors of a giant otherworldly tower that replaced their high school every night.

Persona 4 Arena

Notice how complicated that backstory gets? Yeah, and that’s massively condensed. That must have presented a pretty massive hurdle for Arc System Works to overcome in creating a fighter based around this mythology. Traditionally, fighting games have had little to no story — they only needed enough to justify the virtual fisticuffs  — so how would they have to change to incorporate a massive, pre-existing storyline?

The answer, at least according to Persona 4 Arena, is that every aspect of the fighting game has to be infused with backstory. Take the game’s Story Mode for instance: It differs for each fighter, and offers two to three hours of playtime for each, but the majority of one’s time in this mode will be spent reading screens of scrolling text. Occasionally you’ll find yourself drawn into a fight, but with these battles ending in a matter of minutes, the Mode is pretty much entirely dedicated to telling a story. While that may offend those who bought Persona 4 Arena as a fighting game, it’s great news for fans of Atlus’ Persona RPGs. The story written for Persona 4 Arena is on par with its roleplaying forebears, and the characters are somehow fleshed out to an even greater extent than they were in their original games. There’s a good reason why Atlus has officially stated that the events of Persona 4 Arena are canonical in the Persona universe, and that that they fit in so very well. 

Of course, those who were hoping for a simple fighting game could just play through the Arcade Mode, which is a Street Fighter-esque string of battles leading up to a fight with the game’s boss. While this is more traditional, it is also infused with story. Characters chat about the plot between rounds, the announcer offers canon-appropriate commentary and the ending is surprisingly lengthy and involved. The online multiplayer and versus modes are more or less standard fighting game fare, but in the end Persona 4 Arena is the most story-rich fighting game ever created. Whether that pleases you or completely turns you off to the project is a personal choice, but given that Atlus and Arc System Works wanted to a create a fighter that would have crossover appeal to RPG gamers, it makes a lot of sense — and it’s impressive that Atlus and Arc System Works were so successful.

Persona 4 Arena

I realize that until now I’ve focused pretty heavily on how much storytelling this game does, but underneath all of that is a very functional, interesting fighting game engine. Though characters feel a bit slower than those found in Arc System Works’ Guilty Gear series, they’re still very agile, and “hyper-kinetic” is a good description for the combat. Remember the Personas I mentioned earlier? They accompany characters into battle and functionally serve to power the more spectacular attacks the game has to offer. Unfortunately, while your Persona is throwing a hurricane at your opponent, it is standing out on the battlefield, vulnerable to attack. If your foe is able to hit your Persona enough it will cause a Persona Break which disables all of your Persona-powered attacks for a short period of time. Since Persona-based attacks are your character’s most powerful attacks, you can see how this might limit a person’s options during battle.

Though the Persona Break system is a very interesting quirk, it represents the combat’s only real break from traditional 2D fighting genre tropes. The controls in Persona 4 Arena are a relatively simple riff on the classic Capcom formula, special moves, super moves and all the other flashy attacks we’ve come to know and love are represented here, and you get about eight fights before squaring off against an over-powered boss. Hopefully I haven’t made this sound like it’s a bad thing, because I think that this level of familiarity makes sure that fans of other fighters can quickly acclimate to the Persona 4 Arena system. Likewise, it allows those gamers who bought this thing purely on the strength of the Persona brand name a chance to pick up the basics of how to punch and kick in relatively quick fashion. While it’s not yet known how well the fighting game community will adopt Persona 4 Arena, they seem pretty keen on it so until further notice you can view the fighting game system in this game as pretty solid and robust.

Conclusion

As I said above though, I wouldn’t quite place Persona 4 Arena as the best fighter of recent years. Instead, it’s the fighter that I’ve enjoyed the most over the past decade. Why? To put it simply, I’m a huge Persona fan. I love these characters and any chance to experience stories of their further adventures, even if they aren’t in RPG format, is something I just can’t argue with. While I would recommend the game to fighting game fans, I would first and foremost recommend it to those who enjoy fighters but also love the Persona RPG games. This is as close to a Persona 5 as we’re going to be getting any time soon, and I’m happy to report that it’s a very viable substitute while we wait.

Score: 9 out of 10


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Aug 13, 2012

Google adds Lexus RX450h to ongoing self-driving car project

Lexus RX450h self-driving car

Google is adding another hybrid, in the form of the Lexus RX450h, to its self-driving car project.

“Roads…? Where we’re going we don’t need roads!” Okay, so we still need roads, perhaps what Doc Brown should have said was “where we’re going we don’t need drivers,” because that is rapidly becoming the case thanks to modern technology. You see, in the future cars will drive themselves. And one of the companies paving the way for that very future is Google and its self-driving car project; a project which we might add has proven without a doubt that autonomous vehicles are no longer an object of science fiction.

How so? Well, the Internet search giant has clocked in over 300,000 miles testing its self-driving Toyota Prius, sweeping across city-scapes and suburbs alike. Now, it looks to add another hybrid to the mix, the Lexus RX450h, as it turns its attention to more treacherous and tricky road conditions.

“To provide the best experience we can, we’ll need to master snow-covered roadways, interpret temporary construction signals and handle other tricky situations that many drivers encounter,” Chris Urmson, Engineering Lead of the Self-driving program wrote on Google’s official blog.

With the RX450h’s electric all-wheel-drive system Google should have little difficulty traversing the tricky terrain it has planned.

In addition to incorporating the RX450h into its fleet of autonomous test vehicles, Google will soon begin to alter the way its self-driving teams go about their research. Right now, two person teams are employed for test drives at all times, but that number will drop down to one as team members begin to utilize the vehicles for their daily commutes and other conventional tasks.

With the reduction of one driver, we have to ask: When will we see a Google car without any human overseers? The answer: Probably not anytime soon. Despite the fact that Google’s self-driving car has gone more than 300,000 without incident, Google says it will keep a watchful pair of eyes in the car in case something does go awry. Furthermore, in order for Google to operate its self-driving cars in California, a licensed driver must be behind the wheel at all times.

Of course, questions arise as to why Google has chosen to delve into the autonomous driving technology market in the first place. For a company that so handily dominates the search engine business, and has other lucrative arms, it doesn’t add up entirely. But perhaps this question is answered in Urmon’s blog entry when he writes, “Technology is at its best when it makes people’s lives better, and that’s precisely what we’re going for with our self-driving car project. We’re using advanced computer science to try and make driving safer and more enjoyable.”

That may be, but should Google’s motives prove less altruistic the reality is it doesn’t really matter, short of some maniacal plot to overthrow the world powers and install its own Google government. Although, with the way the company is run we can’t say we’d mind all that much.

Nevertheless, the realization of our nerd-fueled childhood fantasies is slowly taking shape, and we couldn’t be happier.


Source : digitaltrends[dot]com