Car technology

The dawn of a new era in efficient flight (audio slideshow)

SANTA ROSA, Calif.--On-demand aviation, the idea that mobility one day can be just as personal and convenient in the air as it is on the ground, is a lofty goal. And it's what competitors at NASA's Green Flight Challenge going on here this week are trying to attain.

Aerospace Engineer Mark Moore said the challenge, which is one of NASA's Centennial Challenges and sponsored by Google, is about finding ways to use the layers of uncluttered 3D space above us to get around--and how to do it in an energy-efficient manner.

Commercial planes currently average about … Read more

ReFuel races spur electric-car innovation (audio slideshow)

Engineers searching for ways to redefine the American car, moving away from gasoline engines and toward cleaner battery-powered electric transportation, had a chance to put their designs to the test this weekend on a big-time track, the MAZDA Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif. In the coming years, production standards for battery-management systems and charging systems will emerge, and today, these innovators are experimenting with what works and what doesn't, searching for the best new methods with which to manufacture the next generation of vehicles. The ReFuel Clean Power Motorsports Event, now in its third year, gives electric-car builders … Read more

San Francisco's taxis go green

A fleet of fuel-efficient taxis on the streets of San Francisco have reduced gas consumption in the city by 2.9 million gallons per year and lowered greenhouse gas emissions by 35,000 tons annually, the equivalent of taking 4,700 passenger cars off the road.

When Mayor Gavin Newsom sponsored a green taxi law in 2008 requiring San Francisco cab companies to lower their greenhouse gas emissions 20 percent below 1990 levels by 2012, many said the goal was impossible to achieve. But flanked by a collection of green cabs in front of City Hall on Monday, Newsom announced … Read more

NASA, Air Force, national lab partner to improve mpg (audio slideshow)

Just a 12 percent increase in fuel efficiency for America's trucking industry could translate into a savings of $10 billion, or 3.4 billion gallons of diesel fuel--as well as prevent 36 million tons of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere annually. The small things do add up, and that is the philosophy behind the multi-agency cooperation taking place at NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, Calif., where the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has teamed with Navistar and the U.S. Air Force to develop and test devices for reducing the aerodynamic drag of semis. Some … Read more

Classic cars cruise Pebble Beach

The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance event Sunday featured dozens of decades-old cars in pristine condition in a competition and show that's been held since 1950 at the prestigious golf course near Monterey, Calif.

The show draws thousands of attendees, who also get to see a number of cutting-edge concept cars. Here, though, is a look at some of the historic models.

High-end Navigon 8100T GPS features panorama 3D view

On Monday, Navigon introduced its most ambitious portable navigation device (PND) to date, the Navigon 8100T. The highlight of the device is something called Panorama View 3D, which brings a "true 3D" map experience.

Basically, the system uses NASA terrain data and provides digital elevations, so you'll see surrounding landscapes like rolling hills and so forth. While we've seen 3D building renderings in other GPS before (a la HP iPaq 310 Travel Companion) as well as 3D views of complicated intersections, the 8100T is the first to offer a full 3D view of your surrounding environment, … Read more

Navigon 7200T GPS going for style and substance

Having to compete with the likes of Garmin and TomTom is no easy task, but Navigon is hoping to woo some new customers with its latest portable navigation system. Today, the GPS manufacturer announced its new Navigon 7200T, a high-end in-car GPS that's out to win you with style and substance.

The Navigon 7200T is certainly a stunner as far as design. It largely keeps in line with the company's previous models, such as the Navigon 2100 Max, with its slim profile and black lacquered chassis. On the front, there's now a 4.3-inch, flat-panel touch screen … Read more

Why the iPhone 3G will change the GPS game

OK, maybe I was wrong. I'm a big enough person to admit it. You see, a couple of months ago, I wrote that there was no way that smartphones and cell phones with integrated GPS would take over the portable navigation device (PND) space, but now I'm having second thoughts. I'm not saying that PNDs will go the way of the dodo, but it could go the way of the PDA when smartphones really came on the scene. They'll still exist, but the demand will be less and their reach will be limited. They'll be … Read more

TomTom debuts ONE 130/130S and XL 330/330S entry-level GPS

Today, TomTom introduced the latest models to its ONE and XL line of entry-level portable navigation systems, complete with a fresh redesign and new mounting system. Succeeding the current TomTom ONE 3rd Edition and the TomTom XL, the TomTom ONE 130/ONE 130S and the TomTom XL 330/XL 330S boast a slimmer frame and come packaged with the new EasyPort mount, which apparently, you can keep attached to the GPS, fold it down, and still manage to fit into a pants pocket. (Anyone else wondering about how these mounts will hold up during road tests?)

All four models will … Read more

Mio Technology and ATX to develop connected GPS

While we weren't entirely in love with the Dash Express portable navigation device (PND), it certainly set off a trend of connected GPS devices. First, Magellan announced its Maestro Elite 5340+GPRS at CES 2008 and now Mio Technology announced its plans for a connected GPS at CTIA 2008.

Partnering up with the ATX Group, an automotive telematics service provider, the two companies are developing a PND that will provide real-time content and services. With the mobile Internet connection, the GPS device will be able to provide you with weather information based on your current location or planned destination, … Read more