Currently roads do nothing more than provide a space to drive your car. However, that all may change soon enough thanks to Solar Roadways and the Department of Energy. What you see above is one of their concepts, a series of extremely durable solar panels being utilizes as a road.

Solar Roadways, the guys behind this concept, have recently been granted $100,000 from the Department of Energy to develop a 12×12 foot solar panel that would be used as a road surface. Even better, these solar panels will include a series of LED lights for use with updating signals and signs.

Just imagine a future where the United State’s entire infrastructure of roads were covered with these solar panels. Couple that with consumer friendly all electric vehicles and you have yourself a sure win.

via gizmodo

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Mazda has recently announced their intentions to up the fuel efficiency on their entire lineup of cars by 30%. The new engines will reportedly make their debut sometime in 2011 with the automaker first focusing on their 2.0-liter 4 cyclinder engine.

Mazda says that new technology coupled with a 6-speed automatic transmission will give the engine a city fuel efficiency boost from 22mpg to 32mpg and a highway boost from 32mpg to 42mpg. There’s no official word on which Mazda model will be getting the boost first but Automotive News believes the MX5 or Mazda5 are likely candidates.

We’ll keep you posted as more news is made available.

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It seems that recent reports suggest that the 2010 Audi R8 will feature built-in handwriting recognition technology making it easier to do things like punching in locations in the GPS. The purpose of this is supposedly to do away with unneeded keypads and, like I said above, make input easier.

But with added ease comes decreased safety; using a keypad while driving is a safety hazard itself, but actually having to take out a stylus and write on a screen? Possibly an even bigger safety hazard. I think some company needs to come forth and develop a system that will have accurate voice recognition so you can just say the location without ever having to take your eyes off the road.

We’ll wait until Audi officially confirms this and then let you know.

via AutoExpress

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Acura has recently announced that they will be including three sets of technology in their entire line of 2010 models, namely Bluetooth, XM and USB.

Buyers of a 2010 Acura vehicle will be given a 3-month free trial to XM, Bluetooth connectivity for hands-free calling (or anything else that uses Bluetooth) and a USB port that will support full integration with Apple’s iPod. However, the 2010 Acura MDX will not feature a USB port, instead only Bluetooth and XM.

KickingTires makes note that these features usually cost a premium of $200-$500 before they deemed as standard making this a very welcome addition.

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Nissan has recently announced that their new line of navigation systems will feature technology greatly increasing the systems’ use.

The new technology works to further protect the driver’s safety as it will warn the user of potential road hazards such as low visibility intersections, speed traps and school zones. Not only this, but if you don’t listen to the navigation system it will take control of the engine/transmission to curb your speed if you go too fast towards things such as toll booths or sharp curves.

This updated navigation system will reportedly make its debut on the Nissan Fuga which is set to his the Japanese market towards the end of the year.

via WorldCarFans

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Barb Samardzich, VP of global powertrain development over at Ford, recently took center stage at this year’s 2010 model preview to announce that they will be adding an all new 2.0l EcoBoost 4cylinder engine to their 2010 vehicle lineup.

Furthermore, Ford has also said they will be launching a 6-speed dual clutch gear box with Powershift technology that uses a dry clutch system as compared to wet systems found on current vehicles. This new technology will apparantly make for a 7-9% increase in efficiency over automatic transmissions currently on the market.

We’re not sure exactly when these two technologies will be available or which model will see them first but we’ll be sure to let you know.

via AutoBlogGreen

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Ford, together with Microsoft, first announced their Sync system a few years ago and the system made its debut on the 2008 Ford Focus. Ever since its debut Sync has been offered in just about every Ford, Mercury and Lincoln model.

Well, Ford and Sync have come a long way as the automaker has recently stated that they have shipped their 1 millionth vehicle that was equipped with Sync. In fact, the millionth vehicle was given to Microsoft’s CEO, Steve Ballmer, as a gift.

Futhermore, Ford also says that they have updated Sync’s software so that it can now check the weather, breaking news events, traffic reports and turn-by-turn navigation. Ford currently only offers the Sync system in English, Spanish and French but hope to expand it to German, Mandarin, Arabic, Italian, Dutch and Russian in an attempt to expand their market share.

It’s nice to see at least one US automaker is doing good in these tough economic times.

Read (KickingTires)

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“Don’t Shrink it, Rethink it” is KVA’s motto. They feel consumers don’t want smaller cars but they do want to be comfortable and safe while driving their automobiles. KVA’s ms² advanced high strength steel is able to provide automakers with a direct solution to improve the safety of their vehicles, while reducing overall curb weight without sending sticker prices spiraling out of control. Using KVA’s processed martensitic stainless steel (ms²) can reduce a vehicle’s structured weight by nearly 40% percent. “With KVA’s ms² ™automakers can develop vehicles that are safe and meet all environmental requirements with cost-effective, lightweight advanced high strength steel technology,” says KVA’s Business Development Officer.

President Obama’s administration recently issued new fuel economy standards for passenger cars and light trucks, raising the requisite industry average to 35.5 miles-per-gallon (mpg) by 2016. Under these new rules, passenger vehicles will have to meet an average 39 mpg, while light trucks, 30 mpg. This will require makers to reduce an average weight of 350 pounds, approximated to save 1.8 billion barrels of oil and raise the average fuel efficiency of a new car by 30 percent.

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Wimmer Porsche 911 GT2

The engineers at German tuning firm, Wimmer Racing Technology, have taken Porsche’s top-of-the-line 911 GT2 and taken it to an even further extreme. They puttered around with the electronics and replaced the twin turbochargers, camshafts, exhaust system and cylinder heads. Wimmer has brought the overall output up to an amazing 680 horsepower and 642 lb-ft of torque.

With all that power in the back, the Wimmer RS GT2 can accelerate to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds and reach a top speed of 221 miles per hour. Along with the carbon-fiber body kit, re-tuned suspension and 21″ wheels, the modifications tack on an extra $40,000 to the “stock” GT2’s $191,700 list price, for an on-the-street price tag of over $230k.

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There are numerous studies that show talking on your cellphone while driving dramatically increases your chance of an accident. Laws have been passed in an attempt to combat this but try driving around while counting how many people you see talking on their cellphones, chances are it will be a lot more than 0.

Well, it seems a UPS deliveryman by the name of Fred Wenz has developed a device, with the help of John Fischer, that will effectively prevent drivers from using their cellphones while driving. The device is called the Owner Compliance Key and when activated will block all cell phone signals within a 5-foot radius. It even has the ability to only be activated when a specific key is used to start a car.

The duo is feeling pretty good about their invention saying that they will be able to mass produce Owner Complince Keys for around 10 bucks. Perhaps this is what we need to finally squash this problem.

Read (USA Today)

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2010 Range Rover

The dash of the upcoming 2010 Range Rover will come with some interesting technical gadgets such as finger-control satellite navigation, DVD playback, an audio system and the best of all, dual view. Capitalizing on the “Parallax Barrier Technology” the system allows the driver and passenger to view the screen from different angles and can get different views of the screen.

In other words, while the driver may see navigation information on the screen, the passenger could be watching a movie on the same screen. The instrument panel in this SUV gets a 12-inch TFT display and even the dials get realistic and graphic.

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Color Changing Mini

MINI will debute its first ever color morphing car in Singapore this June. Called the Mini Chameleon, the car changes color in accordance to weather conditions. For example, on rainy days, the car’s paint brightens to improve visibility while on sunny days, it lightens to reflect heat and cool the vehicle down.

The car gets its color changing capability thanks to a special paint treatment technology called FeintPaint which was developed by a Spanish company. The paint contains tiny magnetic iron oxide particles which react to changes in the magnetic field and change color in seconds.

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We all know that using our mobile phones while driving is strictly prohibited by law these days and apparently the need for cell phone accessories like a hands-free kit can be a big help. Just in case you don’t have one yet, check out this new one from Jabra, the SP200 Speakerphone.

Requiring no installation, the Jabra SP200 easily attaches to a car visor and connects to mobile phones via Bluetooth wireless technology. The speakerphone features one large and easily accessible control button, a volume wheel, and a dedicated on/off switch, allowing users to control calls effortlessly. Sound quality is delivered through a powerful speaker, combining microphone performance and DSP technology to reduce background noise.

The Jabra SP200 is a versatile device that can also be used at home for conference calls and hands-free talking while preparing dinner or making calls with the whole family. The Jabra SP200 is available today and has a suggested retail price of $59.99.

(Source) Press

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Car owners who require high standards as far as in-car audio entertainment is concerned are bound to like this new offering from Infinity Systems. Infinity Systems today announced its innovative new line of Kappa One, Kappa Four and Kappa Five amplifiers.

Those itching to customize their car audio systems can now do so with assurance, thanks to these compact and easy-to-install amplifiers. Whether for the car aficionado who’s looking to bring quality to his or her custom ride or for the first-time buyer of car audio amplifiers, this line of Kappa amplifiers easily fits the bill.

The new Kappa amplifiers utilize Infinity expertise in full-range Class D amplifier technology, which was first developed by the company for both home and car audio use in the mid 1980’s. The Kappa One and Kappa Five apply Dynamic Bass Optimization (DBO) – a proprietary variable subsonic filter with variable bass boost. Unlike conventional fixed-frequency filters, DBO conserves power at frequencies below 100Hz, protecting woofers in vented-box applications from over excursion, and flattening response through the lowest octaves in sealed-box and infinite-baffle applications.

The new advanced Kappa car audio amplifiers will be available at http://www.infinitysystems.com and quality retail outlets, as well as online, starting in April 2009. Products range in price from $549.95 to $599.95.

(Source) Press

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The technology is far from being here but vehicle manufacturers are aggressively pursuing autonomous radar-based obstacle detection systems increasing the safety of both drivers and pedestrians.

“Vehicle manufacturers are mainly interested in active safety as a new differentiator,” says ABI Research Practice Director Dominique Bonte. “However, avoiding accidents has a huge impact on traffic congestion levels, the reduction of which remains the primary goal of ITS.”

Toyota is planning to add a millimeter-wave radar system to some of its car models in Japan in 2009. The driver is warned about potential side and front collisions and when a crash is imminent automatic braking, seat belt retraction and air bag deployments are initiated. In the US a similar pre-collision system will be available on the 2010 Toyota Prius as an option. A similar feature was announced by Hyundai at CES. However, the current automotive slump will delay the adoption of active safety as a standard option across all brands.

To realize the benefits of integrated traffic management ITS requires vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication. While many successful tests based on the Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) protocol are ongoing in Japan (ITS-Safety 2010 project), Europe (ERTICO, CAR 2 CAR Communication Consortium) and the US (DoT’s IntelliDriveSM project), full rollout is not expected before 2015.

(Source) Press

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