Author: Tabitha
The automaker has committed to achieving Level 4 autonomy for the vehicles it builds by 2025. Level 4 autonomy would handle all driving tasks without requiring human intervention though it would always be an option, essential to achieving accident-free roads, the company said. Honda earlier announced a goal to attain Level 3 autonomy by 2020. That would mean ‘highly automated freeway driving,’ reports emerging technologies web magazine, New Atlas. The top level is Level 5, which is full autonomy without driver intervention. The new announcement indicates ‘how quickly these technologies and the industry as a whole is advancing.’ At the…
The Germany-based company has partnered with Johannes Kepler University of Linz (JKU) to conduct joint research into the intelligent car of the future. Through the Audi.JKU Deep Learning Centre, and working with one of Europe’s leading experts in artificial intelligence, Prof. Sepp Hochreiter, Audi plans to promote the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in automobiles. Hochreiter developed the ‘long short-term memory’ (LSTM) used for speech-recognition software in all smartphones. The application of AI has ‘enormous potential’ for self-driving cars, Hochreiter said, not just for speech recognition, ‘but even for predicting passengers’ intentions and needs, and reacting to them. Drivers in…
Although not unexpected, the Sleuth was nonetheless pleased to hear that Volkswagen’s compact minivan concept that was first shown in 2016 will enter production for the 2020 model year. The Microbus’s drive system will consist of two electric motors and a lithium-ion battery pack that will produce the equivalent of 369 horsepower. VW states that the Microbus will have a range of up to 270 miles, which should be acceptable for most folks for commuting and errand running. Perhaps the van’s biggest advantage is that it will be set up to operate autonomously. The Spy Guy hopes that the I.D.…
The Sleuth’s intel gatherers are revealing that Lexus’s popular five-passenger tall wagon is about to get an optional extra collapsible bench seat, possibly as soon as next year. However, instead of extending the distance between the front and rear wheels to make room, the designers who toil at Toyota’s upscale division will apparently extend the body of the RX by several inches behind the rear axle and square off the roofline to hold two extra bodies. The resulting RX L will be sold alongside the standard-length RX and will presumably use the same 295-horsepower 3.5-liter V-6 as well as the…
Lengthy car trips can be a pain in the back, regardless of how comfortable the seats appear to be. The range of Wagan Lumbar Massager Cushions is designed to give you a measure of relief whenever you need it. With the flip of a switch, this ergonomically designed product massages your lower back with its built-in motors. The cushion works with both DC and AC power adapters (included). An adjustable strap secures the cushions to the seatback. Prices range from $23 for the Go Relax Lumbar Cushion, to $60 for Infra-Heat Massage Cushion. Order from www.wagan.com.
If you thought there was button clutter on the average new-car steering wheel, then you should see what’s on the wheel of a Formula One racecar. The Amalgam Collection sells full-scale replicas of the wheels used by Ferrari F1 drivers during the 2013-’15 seasons. They’re hand-made and come mounted to their own display bases (covers are also included). Each wheel is priced in the $2,500 range (a fraction of what the real one is worth) but exact prices are available upon request. See the entire line of Amalgam’s wheels and other highly detailed scale models at www.amalgamcollection.com.
Most people, it seems, never have quite enough room inside their vehicles for properly stowing the small stuff. One solution is to purchase the iPocket 2.0 Premium Car Organizer. Each left- or right-side unit fits in the space between the floor console and the seat and holds a surprising amount of items, such as coins (there’s a special built-in slot for those), books, newspapers and various electronic devices. The iPocket also has a pop-up beverage holder. Order yours in black or beige for $40 at www.buylor.com/products/ipocket2-premium-car-organizer.
Lanmodo has created something special (and versatile) for those who want to protect their vehicles from the elements, and for those who need a place to sleep when visiting the great outdoors. Once positioned on the roof, The Automatic Car Tent opens by remote control in just eight seconds to act as a sunscreen and as an effective way to keep your ride free from tree sap, bird droppings and so on. However it can also serve as a beach umbrella or a seven-person tent for camping. The Car Tent fits just about any car, truck or minivan. Prices start…
Honda’s red-hot hatchback is only just now coming to market and The Sleuth’s sources are reporting that the car’s turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine could be punched up beyond the current 306-horsepower rating. This would likely happen in the form of a special-edition model to give buyers a performance option. In addition, adding an all-wheel-drive option is also being given serious consideration. Both moves would most certainly bolster the Type R’s position as a competitor to the all-wheel-drive Subaru WRX STI, Volkswagen Golf R and Ford Focus RS (with 350 horsepower underfoot, the RS currently reigns supreme in this group). There’s…
Hyundai will launch the Kona, a small utility vehicle that slots in below the Tucson, and now The Sleuth has received word that the Korea-based automaker’s junior subsidiary, Kia, will also make available its own version for 2018. The Stonic, which is smaller than the Kia Sportage, will be built on the same platform as the Kona and come with a turbocharged 1.4-liter engine. The Stonic will look somewhat like the Kona, other than Kia’s signature ‘tiger nose’ grille. The Stonic will also provide two-tone paint finishes (possibly as many as 20 different color combinations) that provide contrast between the…