Why Electric Vehicles Are Gathering Speed in Latin America
In November, 100 brand-new electric buses rolled off a cargo ship from China at the port of San Antonio on the Chilean coast. They will be incorporated into the city’s public fleet as Chile heads towards 100 percent electrification by 2050.
The new fleet followed a 2016 deal between Italian energy company Enel and Chinese manufacturer BYD to test two pilot buses which proved to considerably cut costs in comparison with diesel vehicles. They have also been a hit with passengers, with low noise levels and cleaner air inside the vehicles.
Read the article at The New York Times.
Canada’s New Impaired Driving Laws go into Effect
The new laws went into effect on December 18th and make Canada’s laws some of the strictest in the world in regards to impaired driving.
The new laws not only include harsher monetary penalties, but they also provide law enforcement with new powers when it comes to interacting with drivers. Officers no longer need reasonable suspicion to demand a breathalyzer, they can demand a test from any driver they pull over. Refusing to complete the test can result in a charge.
These 30 Vehicles are the Safest 2019 Models, Car-Safety Group IIHS Says
Strong crash-test performance, collision avoidance systems and high-quality headlights enabled 30 vehicles to qualify for the top honors in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's initial 2019 model-year rankings.
Those vehicles received IIHS Top Safety Pick+ honors, which reflect the best of the best. Last year, only 12 vehicles initially qualified for the top category. Another 27 vehicles qualified as IIHS Top Safety Pick winners, which reflect the best of the rest. (See the full lists below.)
Read the article at USA Today.
Ford, Michigan State University Expand Autonomous Driving Research Program
Ford and Michigan State University (MSU) are expanding a research partnership into new areas. Going forward, the automaker and the university will work together on sensors, lightweight materials, and autonomous driving technology, according to a Ford press release.
"No company—no matter how large or vertically integrated—has the internal resources to lead in all important technical areas," Ed Krause, Ford global manager of external alliances said in a statement. "Partnering with leading research universities like Michigan State is an important part of Ford's strategy to access world-class external talent."
Read the article at The Drive.
The Technology That Could End Traffic Jams
We’ve all been there. Stuck at traffic lights that never seem to change to green.
Sitting in queues of cars that stretch on for miles or delayed by a glut of slow traffic that suddenly disappears. Traffic jams are a blight on our modern, fast moving lives. And we have been dealing with them in a very unmodern way.
We don’t move about and travel in the same way that we used to, yet our traffic management systems have struggled to keep pace with the relentless onslaught of vehicles they have to deal with now.
Read the article at BBC.
