All posts tagged technology in autos

How Automotive Technology is Being Influenced by the Green Initiative

by Carsurfer Admin on 2016/05/30 in Auto Design with Comments Off on How Automotive Technology is Being Influenced by the Green Initiative

Automotive technology has been constantly evolving since the first car was invented by Henry Ford. Many believe that the automobile has been actively contributing to pollution and other harmful environmental effects that we have been experiencing over the last century. Therefore, in order to help keep up with the times, the automobile has been influenced by environmentalists and environmental changes.

Environmental sustainability is more important than ever, and now even the automotive industry is getting on board with the green initiative! Here are just a few ways that automotive manufacturers have started to go green.

Design

Everyone knows that car producers have been releasing electric vehicles and hybrids to help cut back on the amount of fuel that a car uses and subsequently releases into the atmosphere. The green initiative in the automotive industry goes deeper than that, however. After all, not everyone wants to drive a small electric car. There is also a trend of car manufacturers going green in their methods of producing cars. After all, everyone needs a planet, even someone driving a gas guzzler!

Toyota claims that it is an environmental leader, and their manufacturing process does give some credence to that claim. They have been limiting the amount of resources used during production and claim to have saved 93 million gallons of water from this new practice. Of course, this is only compared to how much water they were using before, but it is still an undeniable progress.

Like anything else, manufacturing a car leaves waste. This can come in a lot of forms, but metal is one of the most common. Car manufacturers have begun to recycle unused steel from their cars, as well as recycling or composting their other wastes. This does a lot of good for the environment before the car is even finished!

Parts

Of course, a car does not have to be designed to run on electricity to be more eco-friendly. Companies like Power Test Inc. have been doing interesting work in the creation of an AC dynamometer which eliminates the need for water to be getting rid of extra power from the engine.

Instead, the excess power is dissipated in an air-cooled resistant load bank, where it can be released harmlessly into the atmosphere or put back into the electrical grid. This saves resources and could be a considerable help to those that don’t want to drive electric cars or hybrids, but still want to help the planet.

There are dozens upon dozens of ways that automotive manufacturers are trying to help the planet. Most if not all car manufacturers now have some kind of hybrid and more energy efficient vehicle that emits less toxins into the air. As an understanding of the importance of green living continues to grow, the demand for more eco-friendly alternatives will continue to grow. Perhaps even to the point where the automobile will no longer be a so called environmental hazard and making the Earth a greener place to live. While the automotive industry does not change for much, it will certainly change for the desires of its consumers.

Car Tech in 2015: Exciting Advancements to Look for This Year

by Carsurfer Admin on 2015/02/16 in Auto Design with Comments Off on Car Tech in 2015: Exciting Advancements to Look for This Year

Not only has technology improved how we communicate and interact with each other but it has also improved the actual driving experience. There was once a time where the only features in a car were air-conditioning and a radio, but now there are an abundance of technological advancements that make a car more enjoyable to drive. While it may take time for the world to warm up to, car technology is taking over the automobile world. Here is a look at some of 2015’s best car technologies to get excited for this year:

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

Smartphones have become important in how we choose to live our everyday lives and now it will become an integrated element in how we drive our cars. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will lead the way. By connecting a USB cord from your phone to your car, and the click of one button, Apple or Android interface will appear on the car’s touch screen. This innovative technology allows drivers to talk on their phone, text, get directions and play music from their phone without it being in their hand.

Further Development of Self Driving Cars

While the concept of a self-driving car is relatively new, it has gained a lot of traction in the last year, and will gain even more in 2015. At the 2015 Consumer Electronic Show, an Audi A7 Piloted Concept was driven 560 miles from San Francisco to Las Vegas as a test drive. Seeing that it held up, more cars will begin to reveal their renditions of self-driving cars and jump on this exciting bandwagon..

Gesture Control

The ability to control something without touching it could come in handy, especially while driving. It actually eliminates the act of taking your eyes off the road and relying on your ability to remember where things are. Gesture control technology will enable you to turn up the volume, or turn down the heat by simply raising your hand, and control basic features without taking your eyes off the road.

Lane Change Assistance

This technology isn’t brand new, however, developments continue to improve lane keeping features to help drivers stay safe. While most users probably won’t find this as “sexy” as self-driving cars, it is definitely cutting edge and useful. Each year, there are plenty of lane changing accidents and this technology is here to eliminate some of it by examining the traffic and giving proper signals when it is ok to change lanes.

Wi-Fi Capabilities

2014 already marked the start for cars equipped with Wi-Fi, but that mostly only featured high class cars like Audi, Mercedes and BMW. In 2015, GM will take a crack at installing Wi-Fi in their latest modeled cars. OnStar will provide the Wi-Fi services through a subscription plan that will require users to pay for it after so long.

These technologies will change the way cars are driven in the new year. The technology we use in our everyday lives are intertwined with how we use transportation, and this integration will only continue as technology advances.

The information for this article was provided by the professionals at the Speedy Apollo Auto Service Centres who provide oil change services in Calgary.