Toyota’s autonomous research vehicles can now “see” farther in every direction, thanks to four long-range LIDAR sensors manufactured by a Portola Valley, California-based startup called Luminar.
The Lexus LS 600hl test car now has a 200-meter range around a 360-degree perimeter, which Toyota argues makes it “one of the most perceptive automated driving test cars on the road.”
Engineers at Toyota Motor North America Research and Development improved the car’s appearance with a new rooftop weather and temperature proof panel, cleverly using available space in the sunroof compartment to minimize the overall height eliminating the “spinning bucket” LIDAR sensor that has historically characterized autonomous test vehicles.
Read the article at The Verge.
In this cold, snowy and icy winter, you might be tempted to put hot water on your car's ice-coated windshield - don't do it!
When hot water hits cold glass, the glass expands rapidly, but not evenly, causing cracks in windshields and windows. If you do not have an ice scrapper, a good way to de-ice your windshield starts with warming up the car with the vents blasting on defrost.
If your car is frozen shut and none of the doors will open, you can slowly pour warm (not boiling) water to loosen them up. You can even use a hairdryer, if you don’t have any legit de-icing agents laying around. You can prevent your car from freezing shut by rubbing simple cooking spray along the edge of your doors.
Read the article at Jalopnik.
China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), wants to implement artificial intelligence technology in at least half of all its new cars by 2020 and becoming the world leader in AI by 2025.
The government also plans to cover 90% of its large cities and highways with a wireless network so the cars can talk to each other and the roads, with the goal of China’s automakers being seen as producing quality smart cars by 2035.
The government sees New Energy Vehicles, as a key component to improving the air quality in its largest cities and has floated the idea of banning all internal combustion engine-powered cars by 2040, which would follow the lead of Norway, which is banning them by 2030.
Read the article at The Detroit Bureau.
By: Walter Bond
As we launch into the new year, Bowl games, NFL playoffs, the NBA, NCAA, and NHL seasons are all in full swing. As a former basketball player in the NBA, watching football is still my favorite. Regardless of the sport, though, these events all have something in common: impact players. We can’t talk about teamwork without understanding the role of impact players on the team.
Impact players bring us to the sport in the first place and are what keep us coming back. We are watching to see which NBA player is going to dive across the floor for a loose ball, make the key score, or block a shot at the perfect time. We don't want to miss the moment when a college player leaps over ten people to force himself into the end zone.
At work, we can make an impact too. As a fleet professional, you must be or become an impact player for your team. Our companies need us to be a little more creative, a little more take-charge, to negotiate better, to be more resourceful. Your motto needs to be, "I will do it!"
READ MORE to learn 5 ways you can have more impact for your team!
A new tool has been developed by University of Michigan researcher and the Mcity robotic-car testing facility to determine how vulnerable self-driving cars are to hackers who might want to take control of a self-driving car or lock its systems for ransom.
The tool known as the Mcity Threat Identification Model, could also be used to examine the exposure extending to networks that will connect with autonomous vehicles, such as financial networks that process payments for tolls and parking, or road sensors for cameras and traffic signals.
“Today’s cars have already become computers on wheels and woefully little attention has been paid to ensuring their cybersercurity,” John Simpson, Consumer Watchdog’s privacy project director, said Thursday. “Too many manufacturers of robot cars hype the supposed benefits the vehicles might someday offer, without adequately addressing the security, public policy and ethical questions the vehicles raise.”
Read the article at The Detroit News.