CarSeekBlog » Re-imaginings & Retro-fittings

Second-Gen Blind Car Destined for Daytona

Mel — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 05:47:00 +0000

Minnesota Public Radio and the National Federation of the Blind are reporting that Daytona International Speedway will play host to the trials for the second-generation prototype of a car designed for blind drivers, early next year.

Roughly a year ago, technology allowing blind people to drive independently was first implemented on a dune buggy. This year, Virginia Tech and the NFB, partners in the project, will present the technology on a Ford Escape, with testing planned within the next six months.

Unlike some prototypes, which are driverless, this vehicle would be completely controlled by its visually impaired driver, using technology that relies on non-visual interfaces which relay information about the car’s surroundings. Such cues may include vibrating chest plates, tactile gloves, and audible commands, or even something called the “AirPix” which uses bursts of air through a sheet of paper to create a sort of 3-D rendering of what’s going on.

The planned test, using a blind driver, is scheduled for January 29, 2011, just before the 2011 Rolex 24 race.

The End of AWD for Subaru?

Mel — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 03:48:48 +0000

Popular automotive blog LeftLane News is reporting a rumor that Subaru may be using rear wheel drive on their version of the FT-86, instead of the traditional Subaru all-wheel drive. The FT-86 is the automaker’s upcoming sports coupe, and the word on the street is that the driving factor in going to RWD instead of AWD is money. All-wheel drive costs too much.

Can there be a Subaru without AWD? The folks at LeftLane News are as shocked as we are, writing,

There is no doubting that all-wheel drive is one of, if not the biggest selling point that has long been a trademark quality of Subaru. For years the automaker has stood by the drivetrain setup because it preached about the added safety and performance of all-wheel drive. Although the company’s latest slogan may be, “Love. It’s what makes a Subaru, a Subaru,” many enthusiasts believe that it is all-wheel drive that makes a Subaru, a Subaru.

If Subaru does switch to RWD on the 216A sports coupe (that’s the codename for the Subaru version of the car that Toyota calls the FT-86) there will be precious little to distinguish it from Toyota’s model. Already, rumors are saying that both cars will share the same 200 HP, 2.0-liter Subaru boxer engine.

As this design year progresses, it will be interesting to watch what happens. Will Subaru end its use of AWD across the board, or simply redesign this coupe so that it’s intentionally similar to the Toyota variant? Will Subaru find the money to keep AWD.

We can only watch, and wait.

Not My Your Daddy’s Pick-up Truck

Shorty — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 01:32:48 +0000

When I was a kid my Dad drove an old 1950s vintage Ford pick-up we called the Old Green Goose. I absolutely loved that thing and remain a truck adherent in my heart although right now I drive a mini-van to meet the needs of my handicapped housemate. That vehicle, sporting less than 20,000 miles after 4.5 years, will be paid off in February and I’m not looking to take on new debt. If I were, however, the idea of a “lifestyle” pickup would have a strong pull for me.

Carmakers are working on a new generation of trucks that are more like cars, built on unibody platforms and utilize front-wheel-drive. Right now leaders in this genre include:

- a concept from Toyota called the A-BAT,
- Ford’s Explorer Sport Trac, which seems poised to go fwd unibody,
- two planned pickups from General Motors,
- and potentially an offering from Chrysler as well.

As we’ve seen with the recent proliferation of clean-diesel vehicles, these ideas tend to snowball through the world of automakers. You can almost hear it, “They’re building a WHAT? Okay, we gotta build a WHAT too.”

So, what are the hallmarks of lifestyle pickups as we see them now?

- less hauling capacity
- drive quality similar to a car
- smaller engines
- better miles per gallon

Beyond that, the genre is wide-open. It’s going to be an interesting segment to watch, much like crossovers have evolved over the past year to 18 months. In my opinion, something has to come along to take the place of the SUV, a behemoth whose demise I won’t mourn. Smaller, more flexible, more efficient pick-up “crossovers?” Now that intrigues me.