Uniqueness of Mercedes : Distronic plus(speed limiter)

Distronic Plus and Brake Assist Plus, the Mercedes-Benz assistance systems based on sophisticated German engineered radar technology, are proving to be effective contributors to accident prevention. This is the conclusion reached after an analysis carried out by Mercedes-Benz on the basis of representative accident research data. With the help of this technology an average of one fifth of all rear-end collisions could be prevented in Germany alone. And on motorways, rear-end collisions could be reduced even further: by an average of 36%. The Mercedes-Benz systems warn drivers when they are maintaining too little distance from the vehicle traveling in front and provide support in the event of emergency braking.

Uniqueness of Mercedes : ABC(suspension)

Active Body Control, or ABC, is the Mercedes-Benz brand name used to describe fully-active suspension, that allows control of the vehicle body motions and therefore virtually eliminates body roll in many driving situations including cornering, accelerating, and braking.
In the ABC system, a computer detects body movement from sensors located throughout the vehicle, and controls the action of the active suspension with the use of hydraulic servomechanisms. The hydraulic pressure to the servos is supplied by a high pressure radial piston hydraulic pump. A total of thirteen sensors continually monitor body movement and vehicle level and supply the ABC controller with new data every ten milliseconds. Four level sensors, one at each wheel measure the ride level of the vehicle, 3 accelerometers measure the vertical body acceleration, one acceleration sensor measures the longitudinal and one sensor the transverse body acceleration. At each hydraulic cylinder a pressure sensor monitors the hydraulic pressure. As the ABC controller receives and processes data, it operates four hydraulic servos, each mounted in series on a spring strut, beside each wheel. Almost instantaneously, the servo regulated suspension generates counter forces to body lean, dive, and squat during various driving maneuvers. A suspension strut, consisting of a steel coil spring and a shock absorber are connected in parallel, as well as a hydraulically controlled adjusting cylinder, are located between the vehicle body and wheel. These components adjust the cylinder in the direction of the suspension strut, and change the suspension length. This creates a force which acts on the suspension and dampening of the vehicle in the frequency range up to five hertz.
The system also incorporates height adjustable suspension, which in this case lowers the vehicle up to eleven millimeters between the speeds of 60 km/h (37 mph) and 160 km/h (99 mph) for better aerodynamics, fuel consumption, and handling.
The ABC system also allows self-levelling suspension, which raises or lowers the vehicle in response to changing load (i.e. the loading or unloading of passengers or cargo). Each vehicle equipped with ABC has an “ABC Sport” button that allows the driver to adjust the suspension range for different driving style preferences. This feature allows the driver to adjust the suspension to maintain a more level ride in more demanding driving conditions. It was introduced in 1999 on the top-of-the-line Mercedes-Benz CL-Class. This system is standard on all Mercedes-Benz SL and CL Class models and on some S Class models sold in the U.S.

Uniqueness of Mercedes : BAS plus(braking)

Brake Assist (BA or BAS) is a generic term for an automobile braking technology that increases braking pressure in an emergency situation.
The first application was developed jointly by Daimler-Benz and TRW/LucasVarity. Research conducted in 1992 at the Mercedes-Benz driving simulator in Berlin revealed that more than 90% percent of drivers fail to brake with enough force in emergency situations. Brake Assist detects circumstances in which emergency braking is required by measuring the speed with which the brake pedal is depressed. Some systems additionally take into account the rapidity of which the gas pedal is released, pre-tensioning the brakes when a "panic release" of the gas is noted. When panic braking is detected, the Brake Assist system automatically develops maximum brake boost in order to mitigate a drivers tendency to brake without enough force. In doing so, Brake Assist has been shown to reduce stopping distance by a significant margin; up to 20% in some studies. In December 1996 BAS premiered to the world on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and SL-Class. In 1998 Mercedes-Benz became the first company to make Brake Assist standard equipment on all its models; other brands including Volvo and BMW soon followed suit.
The Volvo system Collision Warning with Auto Brake 'CWAB' uses a radar to detect when a collision is likely and will pre-charge the brakes so that when the driver uses the brakes, however lightly, full braking is applied. The system will also flash a light and make a warning sound, if the driver does not respond to the warning at the point where a collision cannot be avoided the system will apply the brakes automatically and dramatically reduce the speed of the collision. Other systems like the Volvo CWAB are also available such as the Mercedes-Benz Brake Assist Plus (BAS Plus) was first made standard equipment on the W221 (2006 onwards) S-Class Mercedes-Benz. This system works much like the Volvo system with a warning and precharging of the brakes but will not automatically brake for you. The BAS Plus system has been shown to significantly reduce the incidence of rear-end collisions, and so is very significant in the development of driver aids that improve road safety.
Volvo cars can also be equipped with the City Safety System which automatically brakes in stop start traffic. Mercedes-Benz also has a similar system called Distronic Plus.
Both the Volvo and the Mercedes-Benz radar systems are also used for the speed/distance regulated cruise control systems used by both manufacturers.
In October 2007 the European Commission announced that it wanted Brake Assist to be included on all new models sold in the EU as standard by 2009

Ford & Chevy : A long step ahead

Future car technology will most likely involve a whole host of choices in regard to the fuel of choice.
Right now many automakers are gearing up for offering vehicles that are able to run on ethanol or other biofuels (such as biodiesel), which is the path of least resistance for the near future.
But, what about longer term? In the longer term, future car technology will most likely involve cars that run on hydrogen, electricity, air, nitrogen or even nuclear power. Some may see the nuclear-powered car as the most far-fetched of all of the ideas, but this is a mistake.
In fact, in 1958 the first nuclear automobile was pioneered and called the Ford Nucleon. The Ford Nucleon was a concept vehicle that was supposed to be powered by a small nuclear reactor at the rear of the vehicle fueled by radioactive material. No working prototypes were ever built, however.
So, this is not the say that nuclear-powered cars will never be part of the future. Car technology will most likely advance to the state will this will one day be a likely fuel of choice.
But, what is here now? Hydrogen, electricity, air and nitrogen cars all have had working prototypes built. In fact, in regard to electric vehicles, production models have also been built. But, the range of electric cars and their recharging rate have always been their downfall.
So, this is where hydrogen cars step in. Hydrogen cars at this writing can run from either internal combustion engines or fuel cells. Some of the current models of hydrogen cars like the GM Sequel have a proven driving range of over 300 miles in real world conditions. The BMW Hydrogen 7 has rolled out as a lease vehicle and is a dual fuel vehicle that can run off either liquid hydrogen or gasoline.
The Honda FCX was the first hydrogen car to be offered as a lease in 2004 and now the second lessee, actress Q'orianka Kilcher who played Pocahontas in the movie "The New World".
Electric cars also offer an option in regard to future car technology if the aforementioned issues may be resolved. Companies like Tesla, Zap and Phoenix Motorcars are making headway in developing these vehicles for the marketplace.
And, then there is the MDI air cars which may be going over big in Europe and India once the compressed air infrastructure is in place. The MDI air cars also have an onboard compressor that plugs into any outlet so this will help with vehicle acceptance.
So, far their has only been one nitrogen car prototype of note and this is the CooLN2Car developed by the University of North Texas. The car has stalled in development, however, due to lack of research funds.
Two other parts of advanced car technology to note are the future flying cars that will be taking flight over the next two or three years and smart cars that will also be seeing the highways and byways sometime in the future as well.

Panasonic CN-HX900D : The in-car bluray entertainment starts with Panasonic

You're upgrading your collection of animated classics at home to Blu-ray, but the backseat video player in the minivan only plays DVDs. The solution: trade up to Panasonic's new Blu-ray-compatible entertainment system for the car.
The two-part system consists of the CN-HX900D, a Windows-powered dash-mountable device with a 7-inch, 1280x720 display. The CN-HX900D offers GPS, a CD/DVD player, Bluetooth, a 40GB hard drive, and iPod/iPhone compatibility.
You'll need to hook it up to the CY-BB1000D in-car Blu-ray player if you want the kids to get the full fancy-movie treatment in the backseat. (It's not BD-Live compatible.)
Pricing for CN-HX900D and CY-BB1000D is not yet available, but the pair of products is expected to hit stores (only in Japan, as far as we can tell) by fall.

Harley-Davidson : Landing of Beasts

Harley-Davidson India announced its first lineup in the Indian market will consist of 12 motorcycles, including a bike from each of its five model families. The unmistakable sound of the Twin Cam 96 will soon reverberate on Indian streets as the Motor Company prepares to introduce its Sportsters, Dynas, VRSC, Softail and popular Touring motorcycles to India’s growing marketplace. “For over a century, Harley-Davidson has inspired motorcyclists across the world to celebrate their passion for riding. Our experience in leading the leisure motorcycle market worldwide makes us naturally suited to help lead and define leisure riding in India. We entered India with a promise to bring riders the pure Harley-Davidson experience with bikes from every family. Over the past year we have listened to riders across India at our many events, and we have produced a line-up to stir their soul,” said Anoop Prakash, Managing Director, Harley-Davidson India. The Asian country is the second-largest motorcycle market in the world, behind only China. And while its two-wheeled identity was mainly dominated by small displacement motorcycles and step-thru scooters, India’s rapidly growing economy, rising middle class and new highway construction has opened the door to more recreational riding. The announcement was made at the Auto Expo in New Delhi where a custom-painted Harley-Davidson Fat Boy in Indian color accents was on display. It will be the first motorcycle sold by Harley-Davidson in India at dealerships in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chandigarh. Delivery of the 2010 lineup will begin in June. The Harleys being shipped to India will be completely assembled and will range in price from 695,000 to 3,495,000 Indian rupees. This translates to around $15,200 to $76,000 US, roughly double the price one would pay stateside due to high import tariffs. “We have worked hard to give every enthusiast an opportunity to realize their dream of joining the global Harley-Davidson family,” added Prakash. Recent Harley-Davidson Boot Camps and Founders Rides in Mumbai, New Delhi and Bangalore gave over 300 Indian motorcyclists an opportunity to learn about the bikes and to give Harley feedback on the lineup and plans on holding similar events in the future. The 2010 Harley-Davidson India models include: Sportster: XL 883L SPORTSTER XL ,1200N NIGHTSTER XL, 883R ROADSTER XR ,1200X Dyna: FXDB STREET BOB, FXDC SUPER GLIDE CUSTOM, VRSC: VRSCDX NIGHT ROD SPECIAL Softail: FLSTF FAT BOY ,FLSTC HERITAGE SOFTAIL CLASSIC Touring: FLHR ROAD KING, FLHX STREET GLIDE, FLHTCUSE ULTRA, CLASSIC ELECTRA GLIDE (CVO )

CHEVY VOLT : The car of the future

We have long heard that GM is targeting a 40 mile electric only range and a 300 mile gasoline
range for the Chevrolet Volt.
Engineers have repeatedly said the Volt is meeting range expectations and have explained that the 40 miles can be achieved both on the city and highway cycles, which is fairly non aggressive, and doesn’t take into account significant electric accessory draws.
According to GM vice chairman Bob Lutz, the Volt’s electric range will vary considerably in the real world. He noted that some customers could become unpleasantly surprised and even “perplexed” at how drastic the range will be reduced under some driving conditions.
Though GM has in place special provisions to allow the car to be maximally consistent in range delivery, physics are physics, and 8 kwh is 8 kwh.
Lutz told a reporter from the Dow Jones that he drove the Volt for a weekend recently during the cold Detroit winter, and found he got only 28 miles of electric range.
Of course, with the Volt this will be far less important then in pure EVs, as the range extender will always be there to kick in and keep drivers going.Pure Electric Volt
On the flipside, Lutz also told reporters at the Auto Show that GM is planning to build a pure electric version of the Volt too. This will be for that segment of people who want it and to compete against such vehicles as the Nissan Leaf.
For as long as the Volt concept has been in existence a certain contingency of people have expressed interest in such a vehicle as many comments on this site over the years can attest.
Lutz wouldn’t say when such a car would hit showrooms, but noted the process for building it would be “technologically trivial,” and just a matter of removing the range extender and expanding the battery pack.
“Once you’ve done the Volt, pure electric is trivial. You just leave some parts out,” Lutz said.

HYUNDAI i10: Going green

Hyundai motors have announced the unveiling of the i10 electric at the upcoming Auto Expo 2010. The electric i10 is based on its petrol sibling the i10, a car which enjoyed immense popularity since its launch in India in October 2007. The car’s introduction in India gives an insight to Hyundai’s commitment to develop environmental friendly cars. Hyundai has already launched cars with alternate fuel technology in the country like the Santro LPG and CNG, the Accent LPG and CNG and the i10CNG and with the launch of the i10 electric it furthermore strengthens this commitment. Hyundai which is the country’s largest car exporter and the country’s second largest car manufacturer has also announced plans to display concept vehicles at the Auto expo to highlight the advanced technology that the company uses in their cars.
New Delhi, December 28, 2009: In line with its focus on environmentally-clean technologies,Hyundai Motor India Ltd., the country’s largest car exporter and second largest car manufacturer, will unveil the electric version of the immensely popular compact car – the i10 which had made its world debut in New Delhi in October, 2007. Hyundai i10 Electric is an all-electric zero-emission vehicle that reconciles motoring with the environmental aspirations of customers looking for a vehicle with the best possible ecological footprint.

As part of its initiative to promote eco-friendly and non-polluting means of transport, Hyundai Motor India already has a strong line-up of best-selling models with alternate fuel technology like: Santro CNG & LPG, Accent CNG & LPG and i10 CNG in India. The unveiling of the i10 Electric further reconfirms Hyundai’s commitment to develop environmentally friendly cars for the global automobile market.

Expected to be unveiled by the brand ambassador of i10 at a press meet during the forthcoming New Delhi Auto Expo in January 2010, the new i10 Electric represents Hyundai’s growing expertise to conceive, design and develop vehicles in line with its vision of focusing on environmentally friendly vehicles.

Apart from the current product line-up, Hyundai Motor India pavilion will also display its futuristic technology in the form of concept vehicles to highlight the superior and advanced technology that the company has pioneered.”

VW POLO : Best in it's class

The most awaited car of the year, the Volkswagen Polo, was finally launched at the 2010 Auto Expo here in Delhi. Already an international Best Seller, the new Polo has been specially modified to suit Indian needs. The Polo also represents an important milestone in expanding the Volkswagen brand in India.

The Polo was launched with two engine options for India. The first is a Petrol powered version which comes equipped with a 1.2-litre petrol engine under the hood capable of producing 75hp and 110Nm of torque. The diesel variant is also 1.2-litres in capacity, and also makes a maximum power figure of 75hp, but an increased torque output of 180Nm. Both the petrol and diesel versions are offered in three trim levels - Trendline, Comfortline and Highline. Both cars will also be equipped with a 5-speed manual gearbox.

The Polo offers plenty of internal storage space as well as a folding rear seat to maximise rear storage. In terms of safety features, the car also comes equipped with ABS, dual airbags as well as an anti-theft immobilizer.

BMW X1: The cheapest BMW in India

BMW India has unveiled its smallest SUV yet, the BMW X1 at Auto Expo 2010. Powered by a 2.0-litre diesel engine and retailing at Rs 25 lakh (approx), the X1 will be the cheapest BMW in the country when it will go on sale in late 2010.
The SUV will be available with a 4x4 and a rear-wheel drive option and it’s the latter that will be the cheaper of the two. The compact SUV is based on the 3 series saloon and will be shipped to India as a CKD unit and will be assembled at the company’s plant in Chennai where the 3 series is built.
With a wheelbase of 2760mm and at 4454mm long the X1 opens up a new luxury segment in the compact Sports Utility Vehicle class. It will replace the BMW 320i as the cheapest luxury BMW in India and at this price tag, it will be around Rs 5lakh cheaper to the saloon.
The X1 will extend the current BMW Sports Activity Series model lineup, currently consisting of the BMW X3, BMW X5, and the BMW X6.

Tata Aria : A car for a proud indian

The new tata aria is all set to hit indian roads by the mid 2010. The Aria is a cross-over of suv and muv. I think the Aria will win the battle over Innova. But the price tag will be definitely more than innova as the Aria is equipped with features found in luxury vehicles.

Tata has projected its brand new Aria, which is the world’s first cross over with 4 wheel drive. The new aria is outfitted with 2.2 lit Dicor engine that adds a maximum power of 140 ps and a maximum torque of 320nm. Sumo Grande and Safari are also motorized by the same engine.
Tata Aria swanks with in dash built-in GPS system and whirls gently with multifunctioning steering wheel. Aria is equipped with dual air condition with automatic climate control mechanism. Aria assures safety by incorporating six airbags with ESP. Tata Aria will be launched in second quarter of 2010.
Press release
The Tata Aria, to be launched in the second quarter of 2010, blends the functionality and comfort of a mid-range MPV with the all terrain assurance and premiumness of an SUV. Its unique design and construction makes it robust, elegant and comfortable. The interiors, with three rows of theatre style seating, present a luxurious world of premium features comprising 3D surround sound, dimming roof lamps, in-dash built in GPS, a state-of-the-art infotainment system, multifunctional steering wheel, dual air conditioning with automatic climate control and cruise control. Top-of-the-line safety features include 6 airbags and ESP, offered by an Indian OEM for the first time. Besides, the chassis frame comprising advanced hydro formed members, a stiffened body cage, and dual zone collapsible steering make the Aria one of the safest vehicles.
Its 2.2 Litre Direct Injection Common Rail (DICOR) diesel engine, delivering 140 PS power and 320 Nm torque, is mated, in the 4×4 option, with an all-wheel drive with torque on demand, which senses and distributes torque to the wheels in accordance with the terrain.