Automotive Gadgets
Scrubbing Windshield Wiper Blade
Most of us would think that the ordinary wiper blade is good enough to get the job done - that is, ensuring the windshield is clean of debris whenever it rains, or if a pigeon or two decide to poop on your car. Well, the $16.95 Scrubbing Windshield Wiper Blade goes the extra mile in a sense that this patented wiper blade is capable of scrubbing through windshield debris when the situation calls for it, leaving a clear, streak-free view of the road so that your vision will not be betrayed by something as simple as some bird poop that strategically landed right in front of your eyes.
Common windshield wipers tend to smear and obstruct your field of vision, but this patented wiper will use dual blades, where the outer edges will boast of hundreds of tiny triangular scrubbers which are more than capable of completely removing bugs, bird droppings, frost, and dirt within a couple of passes. As for the inner edges of the blades, these will function by channelling water and debris off the windshield, so that you are always greeted by a clean, unhindered view.
Mobileye driver safety solution
The recently concluded CES saw thousands of gadgets, gizmos and even services offered to the masses, and it is virtually impossible to cover all grounds, even if you have a staff count like Engadget. The Mobileye driver safety solution is one nifty gadget that was paraded on the CES showfloor, where this unique solution intends to help drivers avoid and mitigate collisions, while enhancing the overall driver experience.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) claims that majority of accidents occur because of driver inattention in a matter of three seconds right before a collision. While the airbag (which was invented nearly 45 years ago) offers protection for the driver from collisions, the new Mobileye 5-Series intends to take a more active approach with the mantra that “prevention is better than cure”, and in mitigating collisions, our highways should be safer for everyone.
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Cadillac CUE on deck at CES
It’s not unusual for a car company to have a thing or two on display at CES, and Cadillac showed off its new technical system for its automobiles, the CUE.
The CUE (Cadillac User Experience) uses two screens to convey information to the driver. The first that you see in the photo is located between the passenger and driver’s seats, and it is a full touchscreen made to resemble the homescreen of an iPad. I got a chance to try it out for myself, and I found that the audio allows for over 64 station presets, and you can even have a music artist or album as one of these presets.
Another feature is the driver display, which is where the normal static indicators of a regular car are seen. The CUE makes the driver’s display fully customizable, so if the driver wants to see nothing but the Speedometer and the fuel indicator, that can happen. The driver can even put the navigation right in front of them, all with a touch of a button of the steering wheel’s controls. In case you are wondering, there are some things the driver cannot do while the car is in motion, and I would imagine that is to prevent distracted driving.
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Anti-Theft Car Seat uses your backside for ID
I have to admit that it was difficult to come up with a headline for this posting. How else can you describe that your butt (or some even more vulgar word) can be used as an identifier.
After all, every car thief has to sit in the driver’s seat and drive away. However, what if there was some theft-deterrent in place so the car will only drive when only certain butts are programmed in.
Yeah, this is one of those things that is really fun to write about because it’s really easy to make a joke about. However, this is a device under development. In fact, the lower section is lined with 360 pressure sensors that measures the force of the backside across the seat. Then, after all that pressure is analyzed in central laptop, the system will determine whether this butt belongs to you.
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Honda’s Micro Commuter concept car can be controlled with a smartphone
I’ve been seeing some nifty concept cars lately, like Toyota’s Fun-Vii. I’m not certain whether or not Honda can beat a car with touchscreen displays on the inside and outside, but the Honda Micro Commuter concept car could be it.
The Honda Micro Commuter does have interchangeable panels that insert in the front and sides that allow users to customize how their cars look with a 2D graphic pattern. Another killer feature is that it allows users to control the car’s various functions remotely via smartphone.
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All I want for Christmas is the Toyota Fun-Vii
Toyota has created one of the ultimate concept cars, and like most concept cars, I doubt there will be many copies of this on the road.
This is the Fun-Vii, and it is the best combination of a smartphone and a car that doesn’t end with a flattened mobile device. In case you can’t tell by this picture, the Fun-Vii has touch-sensitive displays that can show all sorts of colors, patterns, or photos.
I suppose that a good use for the Fun-Vii now would be as a roving billboard. Sort of like the ones that peruse the Las Vegas strip, but the Fun-Vii would have moving images on it.
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Porsche’s Design Tower project solves parking problem with robotic elevator for cars
I think we all know that parking in big cities is a problem that will get progressively worse. If we keep packing people into cities that are less than a square mile, there is only so much space where someone can park their car. As someone who has had problems parking in the big city, there has to be a solution.
In the movie I, Robot, a future is presented where cars park in front of a massive building, and a gigantic robotic arm picks up the car to store them away like bees in a hive. This particular Design Tower by Porsche takes that idea, but stores the cars horizontally.
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Marchi Mobile eleMMent RV - not for your regular millionaire
You know you’ve arrived on the world stage when everywhere you fly would be First Class, while you stay in hotels that have at least a 5-star rating, and do not do your own laundry or pick up after your socks. Not only that, driving a Ferrari is passe for you, been there, done that, and you constantly monitor your cash flow as well as investments to make sure that the volatile market does not eat into your retirement fund.
Well, since traveling around the world is your passion, surely you would need a more comfortable ride to bring you and the family along - so why not spoil yourself silly? I’m talking about the £1,900,000 Marchi Mobile eleMMent RV - yes sir, being a millionaire does not qualify you, but a multi-millionaire would definitely will.
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