Auto Trends

Let me start this post off by saying that I completely agree with the fundamentals of technology to introduce greater safety into our lives. But at what point do we lose the even more fundamental action of owning up to our own responsibility to keep others safe.

Apple has reported that current navigational systems on the market are unsafe due to the fact that drivers can access the functions and features during the operation of their vehicle. To remedy this situation, they are designing a tattle-tell system that will disable the basic features of a GPS while the driver is in operation of the vehicle.

They are thinking that the system will work in a variety of ways. For one it will be equipped with a variety of sensors used to determine if the vehicle is currently being driven. These could include anything from transmission, engine, or wheels sensors, etc. There is also talk of interior sensors to determine the presence of a passenger.

Apple assumes that a passenger should be able to safely operate a GPS while the driver is driving, so another set of sensors would then be needed to determine from which seat directions were being given. To accomplish this, a vehicle would be equipped with seat belt sensors, seat sensors, and an overhead infrared detectors to determine if first of all, there was even a passenger present.

Once the passenger was identified, the systems next line of defense would be a sensor within the touch pad used to determine the exact angle of the finger pressing the keys to determine if it is in fact the passenger running the commands or the driver trying to trick the system. If the system sensed the drivers finger, it would immediately shut down.

Further down the line of technology Apple could implement fingerprint, voice recognition, and iris (eye) detection technology to give only the proper individuals permission to use the navigational device period.

Does anybody else see a few problems with this. Whatever happened to purchasing something, then using it by the rules of your own free will. That is why for the time being I think I’ll stick with my trusty Ghetto Navigational System (a map), which can be found in just about any gas station or grocery store (at least for the time being).

Ghetto GPS Navigation, originally uploaded by periodicdesign

Such a sophisticated device (as the one shown above) allows me full access whenever I need it, I never hear one peep out of it, and the only safety feature I need… is my own responsibility to keep others safe around me while operating my vehicle. What a revelation!

Source: AppleInsider

Not surprisingly, with The Big Three each having a retro classic muscle car for the first time in many a moon (four decades), the automotive reviewers are putting them to the test. Ford has its Mustang GT, Dodge has its Challenger SRT-8, and Chevrolet has brought back its much missed Camaro SS.

The question that consumers, enthusiasts, and journalists all want to know is, which one of these is going to be the ultimate buy. Let’s look at a few of the opinions of popular media sources to see exactly which one of the three is considered to be the top dog.

Popular Mechanics-

Popular Mechanics really liked the small changes made to the 2010 Ford Mustang. They thought that it was by far the most “organic” and lively, and could well have the best handling characteristics of the three despite its solid rear axle.

They thought that the Challenger SRT-8 by far had the best overall retro look of the three, but lacked real performance. This however made the Challenger the most most practical and smooth driving choice.

Popular Mechanics favorite of the three was… the Camaro. They liked its massive engine, stance, and overall refinement. While the Camaro was not necessarily the runaway winner in this competition, it clearly was received by Popular Mechanics as the most well rounded muscle car..

Edmunds-

Edmunds.com has never been afraid to say it how it is, and they were not too impressed with the Challenger SRT besides its good looks and powerful V-8 sound. They felt that much of the car was built for lackadaisical cruising stating, “The Camaro and Mustang flat-out leave the Dodge for dead on roads with turns—the Challenger wins hearts, not races.”

Edmunds thought that the Mustang GT was a top performer on the road. The fact that it weighs a good 600 lbs less than the Dodge and 300 lbs from the Chevy, helps it immensely with its handling and road prowess. They however felt that the Mustangs styling was drab in comparison to the other two.

Edmunds overall favorite was… you guessed it, the Camaro. They loved the big 6.2 liter powerhouse and Brembo brakes combination. This gives the Camaro not only plenty of go, but plenty of stopping power! For the money, the Edmunds team agreed this was the best for the money.

Car Gururs-

The Car Gururs claimed the Dodge challenger was not as practical as it should be. The V-6 loses too much power for the sake of fuel efficiency, and the SRT-8 has too much power with not enough efficiency.

With the Chevy Camaro, they were impressed by the efficiency of both the 29 mpg V6 and the 26 mpg 6.2 liter V-8. They however feel that its 400/422 horsepower was not enough to out power either of its competitors.

The Mustang GT comes out on top this time around in view of all its improvements, such as more horsepower, better handling, improved sound dampening, sharper looking design, and a better overall build quality. The CarGurus even claim that the newest offering by Mustang is better than the infamous 1965 mustang, which is quite a complement for Ford.

Motor Trend-

They liked the Dodge Challenger, but did not think that it was as sharp handling as the Mustang or as powerful as the Camaro. It came in last for their tests on handling and braking, but they though its power and retro look was enough to give it two thumbs up anyway.

Motor Trend loved the light and lively feel of the Mustang. While its power output is less than the other two, they felt that the weight difference more than made up for the difference. The Mustang also featured some of the best front end grip they have ever experienced in any other Mustang. What they did not like was the final fit and finish, which unfortunately was less than either of its competition.

The Camaro edged out on top with its refinement, massive power, and handling. While not as good at handling as the Mustang, its independent rear suspension made it a bit more settled on the road. They preferred the interior layout to the Camaro and Challenger and thought it most exemplified what a 21^st century muscle car should be!

So which one of these iconic vehicles in the unanimous winner? Obviously the 2010 Camaro with 4 out of 5 votes. The Mustang comes in second, with the Challenger at a distant third…

Photo via: www.greenbird.co.uk

Generally when you hear the words, wind powered vehicle, you will not hear the word fast anywhere within that same sentence. The technology just has not advanced enough yet to provide enough power under such means to produce enough inertia to create some serious speeds.

This is what has made Richard Jenkins feat all the more impressive. He has succeeded in breaking the old record of 116 mph, which was set by the Iron Duck in 1999. He beat the record by 10 mph, making an incredible 126 mph run down the plains of Nevada.

Jenkins vehicle has been through 10 years and five design changes before reaching this pivotal moment in transportation history. The final design, know as the Greenbird is made up very light and strong carbon fiber composite. The sail is not made of fabric (as you might have thought), but rather a solid material, which looks more like a wing than a sail.

The only problem with a wing, is it creates lift during high speeds, similar to any other high performance machine. To compensate for this, Jenkins used the old Formula One trick of incorporating small wings to push the vehicle back down towards the ground. The faster the vehicle picks up speed, the more force is exerted on the frame to hold it to the ground.

While the Greenbird weighs in at 1,300 pounds, the wings were needed to apply over a ton of pressure to the craft in order to keep it from going airborne. Taking flight at such speeds would be a very dangerous situation for any driver of one of these wind crafts.

Next on Jenkins agenda is to build a similar contraption, but instead of running it on a dessert plain, he is going to be cruising on a sheet of ice. There is some speculation that the ice craft should have the ability to travel at slightly higher speeds, but the verdict is still out…

Source: BBC- Wind-powered car breaks record