If you’re like me, in addition to the edge-of-your seat stunts and witty dialogue, the best part of a James Bond movie is the scenes where Q, the head of the R&D branch of the British Secret Service, is explaining all the new gadgets to Bond before he heads out on his next mission. Each […]
Lasers make everything better, including (but not limited to): microphones, kidneys and Audi’s electric A2 concept. This newest flight of fancy uses a laser diode as the rear fog lamp, which projects a red triangle onto the road to let other drivers know you’re there. The German car-maker has tricked out the rest of the EV’s lighting system as well by implementing matrix beam technology using LEDs and microreflectors — giving it high resolution, non-glaring beams and intelligent tail lights that change in intensity based on weather conditions. Claiming other state-of-the-art features like gesture controls instead of keys, and brake lights that glow brighter the harder you press, it sounds like this would be a pretty sweet ride — if it ever makes it to market. No word on the other, insignificant details (ya know, like what actually powers the thing) but there’s plenty more about the car’s lighting system in the PR after the break.
Audi announces A2 electric concept car, uses lasers to ensure safety of future humans originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 22:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Electric cars are finally starting to make a dent in the market, but they’ve got a long way to go before you’ll find one in every driveway. Thankfully companies like Volvo and Siemens are working hard to improve EV technology and grant Mother Earth a bit of a reprieve from our pollutant-spewing rides. The two manufacturers are collaborating on vehicles equipped with electric drive motors, in particular Siemens’s C30 DRIVe. Tests will begin later this year, with 200 vehicles set to be delivered in late 2012 for evaluation under “real-life conditions.” Check out the PR after the break.
Continue reading Volvo and Siemens team up to build better electric engines
Volvo and Siemens team up to build better electric engines originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Sep 2011 23:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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With gratuitous access to data you’ve slung into the cloud, the Evos is deeply intertwined with your daily routine. It’ll change your alarm clock if your morning meeting is canceled, continue music playback from other devices where you’ve left off and even suggest alternative routes based on your schedule and past driving history. Oh and it’ll monitor your heart rate too. Don’t believe us? Proof of that and more reside in the video after the break, which’ll hopefully tide you over til September — when we get to see if it lives up to the hype in person.
Continue reading Ford’s Evos concept is the cloud-connected hybrid EV of our future (video)
Ford’s Evos concept is the cloud-connected hybrid EV of our future (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Aug 2011 18:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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If you’re a fan of TomTom’s Go Live series of nav units, you’ll get a kick out of what the company announced today. Hitting retail and online stores in October is “the world’s first portable navigation device with a suite of popular travel apps,” the Go Live 1535M. That’s right folks, this piece of dashboard flair will allow you to use Yelp, TripAdvisor, Expedia and Twitter all from the comfort of its 5-inch touchscreen. In addition to the new application integration, the GPS juggernaut’s classic features will be available as well: hands-free calling, real-time traffic info, local search, fuel prices and weather forecasts. Sounds great, right? But what’s that… you already sprung for the 2535M model? No worries, mates — you’ll be able to download the new features this fall via software update. Pricing for these app-enabled navigators will start at $250 which includes a free 12-month subscription to TomTom Live services. Pretty soon, you’ll be able to make that dinner reservation while TomTom tells you how to get there, seconds before you tweet about it.
TomTom announces Go Live 1535M in all its app-wielding glory, offers dashboard tweeting originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Aug 2011 16:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
The MIT Media Lab has been working on a folding, stackable electric vehicle for quite a few years now, but it seems those have at least been fairly productive years, as the so-called CityCar has now finally progressed to something resembling a finished prototype. The only problem for those eager to hop into one is that it’s a half-sized prototype, which makes accommodating a driver just a tad difficult. It does do a fairly good job of folding itself up though, and MIT expects a full-size version to go into production in 2013. Interestingly, MIT doesn’t necessarily see people actually owning the vehicles themselves, but it would like to see them be made available throughout cities — letting you rent one for a short trip across town, for instance, and not have to worry about returning it. Head on past the break to see it on video courtesy of The Next Web.
Continue reading MIT’s folding CityCar takes a spin on video, still no room for humans
MIT’s folding CityCar takes a spin on video, still no room for humans originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Aug 2011 23:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
LG and GM team up to build next generation of electric cars originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Aug 2011 07:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Sony’s Digital Link Sound System brings all-in-one iOS integration to your dashboard originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Aug 2011 11:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week’s most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us — it’s the Week in Green.
Incredible green architecture projects lifted off to the stars and charted the seas this week as Inhabitat showcased a solar-powered space pod hotel that could launch in 2016 and PayPal founder Peter Thiel invested $1.25 million to create a chain of floating micro-countries. Meanwhile, Apple unveiled new images of its spaceship-shaped headquarters and its Grand Central Terminal store, and OPEN Architecture floated plans to transform a Zeppelin hangar into a green-roofed extreme sports center. Living green building projects also got a boost as Mexico unveiled plans to develop the world’s largest urban park and an incredible crop of grass-covered cubicles sprung up in downtown Denver.
It was also an epic week for electric vehicles as Germany’s “Schluckspecht” car set a world record for driving over 1,000 miles on a single charge, Lightning Motorcycles broke the 200 MPH electric bike speed record, and Stanford unveiled what could very well be the fastest solar car ever built. We also watched the world’s largest solar-powered boat arrive in Hong Kong as it continues its trip around the world, while Google Street View began mapping the Amazon using cameras set on canoes and trikes. Solar Roadways also received a $750,000 grant to develop a large-scale installation and Zero2Infinity proposed a cheaper way to travel to space via an immense helium-filled balloon.
In other news, the past week was charged with renewable energy developments as a 13-year-old kid harnessed the Fibonacci sequence to make a solar power breakthrough and researchers developed an energy-harvesting LCD screen that could one day power our gadgets. We also learned that deep-sea mussels can convert hydrogen into energy, we were shocked to see another shiny slick of oil turn up near a BP well in the Gulf of Mexico, and we saw Australia outfit its soldiers with photovoltaic systems. Finally, on the home front we brought you a set of fun LEGO LED lamps perfect for illuminating any room, and we shared five tips for greening your finances.
Inhabitat’s Week in Green: space pod hotel, Lego LED lamps and the world’s largest solar-powered boat originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 21 Aug 2011 20:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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NYC to trial mobile payment parking system, Lovely Rita looks for a new gig originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Aug 2011 07:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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