While the above invention looks cool, I don’t know how much I’d like being locked in a glass tube. But anyways, let me tell you about it.

What you see aboe is the Schweeb monorail that will seat one rider and be powered by nothing other than your feet. The monorail has yet to see a commercial use but instead currently stands as an attraction in New Zealand where you can race your frineds at speeds up to 56MPH.

Shweeb talks of the pods, calling them:

the most efficient vehicle on earth, the most inexpensive infrastructure of any proposed urban transit and one of the highest capacity systems available – potentially delivering thousand’s of people per hour in a very small airspace. All this with zero carbon emissions and no parking worries or cost!

via AutoBlogGreen

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Nissan GT-R

The Nissan GT-R is now the most expensive new car in the U.S. to insure. Applying insurance quotes for a 40-year-old male driver, insurance website Insure.com has compiled a list of the twenty most expensive vehicles to insure. According to Insure.com, the reason the GT-R is so pricey is because customers buy the car for its speed and power, and they will be more likely to be involved in serious accidents.

Other vehicles that are part of this group include the Dodge Viper, which ranked as the second most expensive vehicle to insure as well as the third-ranked BMW M6. Other high-performance vehicles such as the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, the BMW M5, the Lexus IS F, the Jaguar XK and the BMW M3 also made the top 20 list for the most expensive vehicles to insure.

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CyCab

There have been a number of driverless urban vehicle concepts that aspire to make transport in the future easier, but the CyCab is the one nearest to production. Formulated by French company INRIA, the system uses real-time kinematic GPS to determine its exact location and move to the desired destination. The real-time kinematic GPS used by the cab allows for accuracy to within a centimeter and also happens to be used by cruise missiles.

This concept vehicle will be able to keep track of obstacles in its path and road markings, and each vehicle stays plugged to the internet to keep in contact with like vehicles, and use this information to avoid snarl-ups. CyCab is not quite ready for mass production, but it should see some uses in the near future. In November 2009, ULTras, the British version of the CyCab will appear to be used to transport passengers from Heathrow’s Terminal 5.

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Consumers may be shying away or are trying to avoid purchasing a new car and most likely, they are exhausting all means to try and improve their current vehicle in tow. April is National Car Care Month, the time of year to focus on taking better care of your second largest investment. Most motorists would like to add years of reliable life to their vehicle and, during these uncertain economic times, they are looking for the best value when it comes to auto repair, according to the Car Care Council.

“The economy is on everyone’s mind these days and National Car Care month is the perfect time to remind car owners that putting off vehicle maintenance now can lead to more extensive repairs down the road,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council.

R.L. Polk & Co. recently reported that the median age of passenger cars in operation has increased to a record high of 9.4 years in 2008. “This trend, coupled with the current economic environment, has led motorists to seek affordable vehicle maintenance to keep their vehicles in safe working order,” said White. “Because value is on the minds of most Americans, many are turning to their local repair shop for maintenance and service.”

According to a study by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association, vehicle repairs cost an average 34 percent more at new car dealerships than at independent repair shops, resulting in $11.7 billion in excess costs annually to consumers.

(Source) Press

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