Technology - Featured articles:
A heads up on 2008 cars and driving
On New year's day, 2008, Drivers.com took a quick scan of the landscape ahead for drivers, driving and automobiles More »
Ford may let drivers download a better car!
Ford's SYNC system is at the cutting edge of what is becoming an increasingly important and competitive area for the automotive industry. SYNC is built on the Windows Embedded Automotive platform and is described as '... a factory-installed, fully integrated in-car communications and entertainment system that allows drivers to combine their digital lifestyles with their life on the road.' More »
Teenage drivers restricted by GPS curfew
For more than 20 years now, drivers.com has published an online and hard copy booklet - 'Learning to Drive: A Guide for Parents'. Amongst other things, this guide addresses the issue of heightened risks that teenagers face when driving after daylight hours 'some of the worst accidents occur at night and with a group of young people in the car. If alcohol or any other kind of impairment is involved the risk in this situation is magnified several times' More »
When will cars drive themselves?
Attempts to educate and train drivers during the past century have been something of an embarrassment. But always, underlying the apathy towards raising driver knowledge and skills levels, there's been this notion that there's only so much you can do with us intransigent and intractable humans. Now, those who feel that way have another reason to be smug about their attitude. Cars that can drive themselves are becoming reality. More »
Europe overcoming border telematics hurdles
In Europe, traffic information and emergency services tend to go by country and that means problems, but it's changing More »
Bluetooth and the driver
It's becoming a 'wireless world' and Bluetooth is at the heart of it. For drivers it looks like being a key technology. More »
eCall - the S.O.S. for drivers
The eCall system works by using a black box device which, when sensors are triggered in a collision, initiates a 112 call to the nearest emergency centre. If the caller is unable to speak the data connection will ensure that the necessary information (in terms of GPS location and car description) is transmitted. More »
To BUMP or not to BUMP
BUMP.com is a new start-up internet company headquartered in San Diego, CA that aims to help connect drivers on the road through a new type of communication platform which BUMP calls "license plate messaging." More »
Windows phone 7 keeping track of drivers
October 11th 2010 will see Microsoft's official launch of Windows Phone 7. The launch of this phone will be accompanied by the release of an array of associated apps, a significant number of which will be aimed at the driver. More »
Car-jacking at your fingertips!
This week Computer Scientists at the University of Washington and the University of California, San Diego have presented a research paper which highlights the possible threats of hacking into in-car computer systems. The researchers claim they were able to remotely control braking and other functions in the cars they used in their tests, and argue that the car industry is at risk of making the same security mistakes as the PC industry. More »
Release of iPhone 4.0 to signal in-car integration?
Rumors have abounded over recent months regarding the possibilities of new developments with iphone in-car integration. It seems that this possibility may become a reality with the release of iPhone 4.0 this Summer. More »
Mobile phones - why green is the new black
LG Mobile Phones and Sprint Telecoms this week announced the launch of the LG Remarq cellphone, touted as being both eco-friendly and affordable so it won't cost you the earth - in any sense of the word. More »
Top 5 iPhone apps for the driver
There are now more than 150,000 apps available in the iTunes Store, so whether you want to download a virtual pet or turn your iphone into a zippo lighter for a rock concert - there will be an app out there for you! There are many apps aimed at drivers and car users generally, some of these are very practical and some, like the iphone shotgun for a virtual drive-by, are possibly less so! More »
Car infotainment systems - are we finally on the right road?
Today's vehicle is expected to go a lot further than transport it's owner from A to B. We expect our cars to provide the same connectivity as our home or work environment - internet browsing, multimedia playback and speech recognition capabilities to enable in-car calls to mention but a few! More »
Apple and BMW - Web radio dream team
If you like the idea of Satellite radio in your car you may love Web radio with its estimated 10,000 plus global stations. iPhone and BMW may be the style leader dream team to give it to you. More »
Can mobile phone apps fix potholes?
An organisation based in New Haven, Connecticut has designed a mobile app which enables users to connect to city officials by tagging locations of problems such as potholes using their mobile phones. "SeeClickFix encourages residents to become citizens by participating in taking care of and improving their neighborhoods". More »
Future of driving - heads up on headlights
Hard to follow the road while driving at night? Your future car will know what's ahead and adjust your headlights for you More »
Future heads-up for drivers
New technologies are coming at us at a frantic pace. Here's a few on your immediate horizon that will change your driving world. More »
Cars, trucks and roads will get a new language
A universally shared communications 'language' aims to allow vehicles and roads to share information More »
Black box in your Navigation device
A Korean blog suggests that next year a Korean maker of navigation devices may introduce a blackbox feature - with camera recordings and more More »
Replaceable batteries in electric cars
Recharging batteries that run electric vehicles takes time, so some firms are proposing quick switch batteries that you can swap in few minutes. More »
South Korean Cabbies win back their dash TVs
Taxi driver challenges rule prohibiting TV screens on the dash and wins. More »
GPS and road pricing, insurance
Advances in GPS accuracy have implications for pay-as-you-go insurance, road tolling, safety, More »
Bizarre advertising campaign startles drivers
British motorists in the London area were surprised when giant electronic billboards flashed their vehicle registration numbers in the big screen, and then followed up with a recommended oil for their particular engine! More »
Smarter driving - from IBM and TrafficMaster
IBM's computing power and analytic savvy can boost TrafficMaster's route planning and congestion prediction to new levels, and that's not all More »
Windows on the move
Mobile connectivity gets better with the launch of Garmin-Asus smartphone with windows Mobile operating system More »
Microsoft in the drivers seat
Auto manufacturers' financial woes offer opportunities for Microsoft to play a bigger role in driver assistance technologies More »
TomTom's revolution in personal navigation
Driver assistance technologies are touted as a potential savior of beleaguered car manufacturers. TomTom believes its GO 740 LIVE is in the front lines of that trend More »
Privacy, cameras and roadways
One side says "if you're innocent, no problem." The other screams about 'big brother', big government and the mark of the devil More »
Car control by cell phone
SK Telecom�s new "Mobile in Vehicle" service allows you to check oil, engine, brakes, unlock trunk, control headlights, and more - from your mobile phone More »
New GPS Studies your driving
Navigon's new 4300T and 3300 GPS navigation systems take note of your driving habits, and offer alternative routes based on them More »
Google wins Streetview privacy suit
A Pittsburgh couple have lost their law suit against Google over 'Street Viewing' their home on a private roadway More »
Ford's next Model T
With the Model T, Ford brought affordable cars to the masses. With its 2009 models it expects to bring affordable hi-tech in-car communications to the masses More »
Free mobile TV coming to your car
Plans for free mobile TV a hot topic at Las Vegas CES More »
Google asked to stop Street photo service
Group of Japanese lawyers and professors asks Google to stop it's service providing street-level images of Japanese cities More »
Mobile phone for isolated billions
Ericsson says Green Solutions technology will bring mobile phone to billions of isolated communities by 2013 More »
Privacy watchdogs battle Google's Street View
Despite Google's assurances that face-blurring and other measures are protecting privacy, the watchdogs of privacy are still skeptical More »
Lawsuit over cell phone tracking surveillance
Privacy rights watchers file lawsuit against U.S. DOJ over government use of phone tracking More »
Hi-tech fleet gadgetry coming to your car
Telematics provider WebTech Wireless announces a personal automobile version of its sophisticated commercial fleet hardware and software More »
Europe's GPS competitor gets new life
Europe's thrust for satellite navigation independence was looking shaky until the April 27 Launch of Giove-B from Kazakhstan More »
List of technologies in cars
Under development or already available More »
Telematics and the future of cars
Forget the Detroit Auto Show. You'll learn more about cars of the future at Detroit's annual telematics industry conference More »
Smart car keys and mobile phones
Add NFC - Near Field Communication - to your list of acronyms, and maybe soon a 'smart' car key that remembers where your car is More »
War driving defense
"Green windows" frustrating mobile computer users, but a defense against hackers More »
Garmin's ultimate mobility for drivers
Garmin is noted more for Navigation systems than phones, but their recently announced Nuviphone is both, and its features will make you drool More »
CES focus on hi-tech car
If you're interested in electronic wizardry in the automobile, the upcoming Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas is the place to be, and BMW have a treat for you More »
GPS use in cars not widespread
17% of adults in the U.S. use GPS services in cars, according to a recent Computerworld article More »
Future car - telematics gains traction
The marvels of wireless exchange of information in automobiles have been touted for more than a decade, but now it all seems to be coming together More »
Mercedes scores with Tele Aid
Telematics services have been available in cars for more than 10 years now, but finally they're taking off, says Mercedes Benz's Sascha Simon More »
Satnav is a word
According to Google Trends, satnav only began to be used as a word in late 2004 More »
Transport and terrorism - technology to the rescue
The crackdown on airline passenger carry-on items such as cosmetics, lip balm and water bottles is hogging the news, but the real work of transportation security is cranking away in the background. EyeForTransport's upcoming North American Cargo Security Forum in Washington is an example More »
Nanotechnology in your car
Car paint that heals scratches and side view mirrors that shake off water droplets - these are some of the benefits nanotechnology may bring to your car More »
Organic LEDs light up dashboards
Organic light-emitting diodes have arrived in a few top vehicles. These tiny lights for car displays improve in several ways over traditional LEDs. More »
Japanese lead techno safety?
Technological innovations in vehicles arrive monthly, but a recent study indicates that Japanese manufacturers are setting the tech pace. More »
Too much car gadgetry?
Not being able to adjust the radio on his test Mercedes was the last straw for test driver Jerry Flint. More »
Vehicle emissions tests should target worst polluters
Older, malfunctioning cars should be the target of emissions tests, and funds are needed to deal with them, says a research report. More »
Truck of the future
Kenworth demos the truck of the future. No more dials or gauges, GPS navigation, electronic driver monitoring, and all kinds of “smart” technologies. More »
Coming soon, to YOUR car: the digital revolution
Today's cars have plenty of digital technology, but the impact on the cabin has yet to be felt; dozens of innovations are coming soon. More »
Technology and the driver
Several technological advances that are making their way from theory to practice are outlined in this article. More »
Driving education and technology
Article discusses the strong need for educators to be informed about new technologies, and how to train drivers to use them. More »
Can technology improve driver competency?
Article discusses the range of technologies being used to train drivers; considers the potential problems, and criteria for judging effectiveness. More »