Toyota Research Institute Joins Study On How Autonomous Cars Will Impact Workforce

Toyota Research Institute Joins Study On How Autonomous Cars Will Impact Workforce The Toyota Research Institute (TRI) is contributing $75,000 to the American Center for Mobility (ACM) for an analysis on how autonomous cars will impact driving-related jobs. ACM’s study, Preparing the Workforce for Automated Vehicles, is being conducted by Michigan State University in collaboration with the Texas A&M Transportation Institute.
“TRI is committed to advancing automated vehicle technology in ways that improve society and individual well-being, and we need to better understand the impact this may have on future jobs and employment,” said Dr. Gill Pratt, TRI CEO and Toyota Motor Corporation Fellow. “Our participation in this study can help address the societal effects in a meaningful way.”
Careful Examination
Officials say the research will provide key insight into the types of jobs that will be affected and to what degree. The study will also identify the skills and education needed for a more automated future. One of the study’s main objectives is to consider a “training template” for commercial drivers, especially in the areas of freight and package delivery, and taxi and ride-hailing.
“If autonomous vehicles become the norm, then truck drivers, taxi drivers, bus drivers, and Uber or Lyft drivers certainly will be impacted – and not in a good way,” Cliff Banks, President of The Banks Report, an automotive retail publication, told us in a special feature on autonomous cars in May. “I’ve watched Uber or Lyft drivers walk up to a house and help an elderly person down the stairs. Can an autonomous vehicle do that?”
Forward Looking
Toyota Motor North America was recently announced as a founding member of the Partnership for Transportation Innovation and Opportunity, a collaboration committed to exploring how autonomous vehicles will impact American workers as well as identifying opportunities to address future challenges. TRI is also in the process of constructing an autonomous vehicle test track in Michigan.
Preparing the Workforce for Automated Vehicles is expected to be published later this year.
“Industry involvement is paramount as we undergo this study, especially when we consider the implications on talent and how the potential needs of employers will shift,” said Soraya Kim, ACM’s Chief Innovation Officer and the study’s leader. “We thank TRI for their continued commitment and for being a partner to get this important work done.”
The Automoblog Staff contributed to this report and can be reached anytime.
Source: Toyota Research Institute, American Center for Mobility.



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2019 Honda Insight: The 55 MPG Beast

2019 Honda Insight: The 55 MPG Beast The 2019 Honda Insight hybrid is here, and it offers a whole lot of practicality and reliability with a familiar Honda face – none of that goofy, “look at me driving my car from Mars styling” (cough, Prius, cough) – and it gets you 55 MPG in the city.
Fifty-Five? Holy Sh-
Features & Trim Levels
It is, indeed, a relatively normal looking car. I’m not sure why the first gen hybrids, Priuseseseses and such, had to go with such goofy styling, but all I can assume is that now the car buying public is used to what a hybrid is, and Honda figures they’ll be more comfortable buying them regardless of the wrapper.
Honda says the 2019 Insight has an EPA rating of up to 55 mpg in the city, lots of premium features, and starts at $22,830. Which strikes me as very inexpensive for what you get in the three different trim levels: LX, EX, and Touring. All trim levels come standard with multi-element LED headlights, push-button start (racy!), and the Honda Sensing suite of advanced safety and driver-assist technologies.
Other Insight EX goodies include the eight-inch display/audio system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Insight Touring adds leather seating surfaces, an eight-way power driver’s seat, Honda’s Satellite-Linked Navigation System, and dual-zone automatic climate control.
But let’s face it, Honda figured out how to make near-perfect automotive interiors back in the 80s. All the cool, discussion worthy stuff here lies under the hood, or unseen altogether.
2019 Honda Insight: Photo: Honda North America.
Power & Performance
The 2019 Insight is motivated by a third-gen Honda two-motor hybrid drivetrain. A 1.5-liter DOHC i-VTEC Atkinson-cycle inline-4 engine does the heavy lifting, and features a 40.5-percent thermal efficiency rating. That ICE is mated to an electric propulsion motor, cranking out 197 lb-ft. of torque. The whole shootin’ match adds up to a total system output of 151 horsepower.
Honda points out how this two-motor design allows the Insight to run without the need for a conventional automatic transmission. Hmmm, I bet tearing the drivetrain apart on one of these guys would be interesting and fun.
Honda further tweaks the energy regeneration system through the use of steering wheel-mounted Deceleration Selectors. These work similar to transmission paddle shifters, and allow you to toggle between three different levels of regenerative braking performance. Grab the left selector to increase regenerative braking, and the right to reduce it. Honda says the system not only increases battery charging via regeneration, but also helps reduce strain on the brakes themselves, letting the driver tailor their regenerative braking level for different conditions.
And yeah, that’s cool and all that, but why don’t you people make an Si variant where the paddles allow you to tailor performance? Just a thought.
Photo: Honda North America.
Drive Modes & Battery Placement
The full hybrid powertrain on the Insight uses power from all systems – the gasoline engine and electric motors –  to accommodate the driving conditions you might find yourself in, moment to moment, and can seamlessly shift through three distinct drive schemes.
In EV Drive, the Insight is powered completely by its electric drive motor, drawing power from the battery. In Hybrid Drive, the gasoline engine drives a generator that supplies electrical power to the drive motor and, in certain circumstances, Engine Drive operation connects the gasoline engine directly to the drive wheels, the way Gottlieb Daimler intended.
The battery for the 2019 Insight lives under the rear seats, housed in something called a “compact intelligent power unit.” The clever packaging solution allows the Insight to offer an impressive 15.1 cubic feet of trunk space. You can fold the rear seatback for long loads (with a 60/40 split in EX and Touring trims), and there’s a grand total of up to 97.6 cubic feet of interior space.





Manufacturing & Pricing
The 2019 Insight will join Honda’s lineup of electrified vehicles, alongside the Clarity series – Clarity Fuel Cell, Clarity Electric, and Clarity Plug-In Hybrid – and the new Accord Hybrid. The 2019 Insight is manufactured at Honda’s Greensburg, Indiana plant, while the 1.5-liter Atkinson-cycle two-motor system, intelligent power unit, and hybrid battery pack is produced in Ohio.
Below is a handy chart that shows you the breakdown for the 2019 Honda Insight.
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He is the author of Bricks & Bones: The Endearing Legacy and Nitty-Gritty Phenomenon of The Indy 500, available in paperback or Kindle format. His forthcoming new book The Future In Front of Me, The Past Behind Me will be available soon. Follow his work on Twitter: @TonyBorroz
Trim
MSRP
MSRP Including $895 Destination
EPA Fuel Economy Ratings(city / highway / combined)
Insight LX
$22,830
$23,725
55/49/52
Insight EX
$24,060
$24,995
55/49/52
Insight Touring
$28,090
$28,985
51/45/48
Photos & Source: Honda North America.



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Letter From The UK: Brexit & Car Industry Repercussions

Letter From The UK: Brexit & Car Industry Repercussions The Saturday just past, June 23rd, was a significant milestone for the United Kingdom. It was on that very date two years ago that the British public – or at least those who could be bothered to get up off the couch and go vote – elected to leave the bloated political arena that is the European Union.
Since then we have endured 24 months of increasingly nasty and often false promises and threats and the automotive industry is at the heart of it. The appalling division this nightmare has engendered can be compared to that which has taken place in the USA since President Trump was sworn in.
The difference is that, in America’s case, the divisive issue is a person, in the case of the UK it is an ideal.
Brave New World
In the shining light of a new dawn in American politics, the election of Donald Trump could be seen as a stunning repudiation of the establishment. How successful he has been will depend upon who you ask; there is no middle ground it seems.
Similarly, over 40 years ago the British people were sold a new economic deal that made total sense, although there was no mention of political union. Depending upon who you ask, the EU is either a great success or it is an ideological empty bucket with a hole in it through which tax payer money pours. The envisioned brave new world of mutual respect has, since that fateful day two years ago, crumbled into the sort of bickering you expect in a school playground.
On the one side a weak and vacillating British government, on the other a bunch of un-elected arrogant stuffed shirts. It’s a disaster and one of the biggest headaches is what to do about the car industry.

Abandon Ship
In the halls of power it is all about who is in control and wearing the biggest hat, which is of no help whatsoever to importers and exporters. We are due to leave the Union in March 2019. With so much to decide you would think it would be in the interests of all involved nations to get it sorted out, but no. Is it any wonder that car makers and all the ancillary manufacturers and producers involved in the building of cars have not a clue about which way to jump.
It does not help when companies like BMW threaten to leave the UK entirely. Well, they are a German company so they would say that, wouldn’t they? The fact is that Great Britain is a strong market for BMW cars and their other badges, Mini and the prestigious Rolls Royce. Why is it reasonable they would do something like that?
It gets worse. Instead of looking ahead and arriving at positive decisions you get this: The very pro-Europe Dutch government have chosen to make threats. They have issued advice to all businesses in The Netherlands warning their exporters that they may lose free trade access under existing deals “if a large part of your product consists of parts from the UK.”

Rules of Engagement
You see, after Brexit, component parts made in the UK will no longer count towards the ‘rules of origin’ and ‘local content’ under international trade rules. To qualify for EU free trade deals, normally at least 55 percent of a product’s parts must come from an EU country. In the case of automobiles this could count against them. Ford, for example, makes a huge number of engines here, some of which are exported for the production of their products in Europe.
Not only does Britain make whole cars for export, we also provide car parts in huge quantities. If we are not in the EU our exported goods could attract trade tariffs of the type the American President is currently threatening.
Of course there are ways around these issues. Norway for example has a different deal with the EU that works for them; it wouldn’t work for the UK but it demonstrates that it is possible to get a deal.  Reasonable people can see this but, of course, politicians are rarely reasonable.
Geoff Maxted is a motoring writer, photographer, and author of our Letter From The UK series. Follow his work on Twitter: @DriveWrite




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Letter From The UK: The Glory of Speed

Letter From The UK: The Glory of Speed


As we huddle pitifully in the wind and rain of our tiny Islands, we gaze enviously across the pond at the wondrous and varied car shows available, so it seems, on a daily basis, across all regions of the USA. To us, the likes of Wayne Carini and Chip Foose are simply mythical figures to be glimpsed occasionally on a digital TV channel. From time to time though, the sun does put in an appearance on the British Isles and we are always slightly surprised when it especially does so at our greatest annual car show, the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Peaks of Performance
Every year around this time, many thousands of car enthusiasts descend upon legendary Goodwood in West Sussex for the Festival of Speed. This hardy annual never fails to disappoint the fans with an exciting concoction of exotic supercars, historic racing machines, the latest crop of regular road and concept cars, and much more besides. Even former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone showed up to surprisingly popular acclaim.
The theme for the 2017 Festival of Speed was “Peaks of Performance – Motorsport’s Game-Changers.” As the years pass, the organizers try to find a new way of exploring the thrilling past, present, and future of the automotive scene. In many ways this year was just the same as it always was, but they do try and put a fresh slant on the proceedings. It always seems to work. We auto fans just can’t get enough.
Audi R8 V10 plus Coupe.
Jaguar Project 8 Dream Car
Of particular interest this time, manufacturers showed racing and road-going machines that were faster than ever before, like the BAC Mono and the glorious Project 8 Jaguar. Making its global dynamic debut among the most powerful and extreme performance cars in the world at the Goodwood show, the new Jaguar XE SV Project 8 claimed the hotly-contested Michelin Supercar Paddock Showstopper Trophy – just four days after the jaw-dropping car was officially unveiled.
As the only four-door car in the Michelin Supercar Run, the Jaguar faced formidable competition in the power-packed paddock, but voters hosted by Michelin singled out the Project 8 as one of the six most popular cars of the weekend, qualifying it for the overall Showstopper Final on the last day of the show.
The Project 8 exclusively features the most highly tuned version of Jaguar Land Rover’s five-liter Supercharged V8 petrol powertrain. The 592 bhp (600PS) engine has a Titanium Variable Active Exhaust and is complemented by Jaguar’s all-wheel drive system. Additionally, this beast features motorsport-derived aerodynamics and carbon fiber panels to deliver a 200 mph top speed and a 0-60 time of a scant 3.3 seconds, making Project 8 the fastest accelerating Jaguar yet.
Jaguar XE SV Project 8.

Limited Edition
Crucially, and you’ll have to take this writer’s word for it at least until you can find a YouTube video, it sounds as aggressive as you would expect; the growling V8 accompanied by the glorious old-school whine of a huge supercharger. Outstanding aural delights!
To ensure exclusivity, no more than 300 examples of the Project 8 will be hand-built at SVO’s (Special Vehicle Operations) Technical Center in Coventry and priced from £149,995 in the UK. If you want one (and you really do), you’ll need to move fast because this magnificent motor won’t be available for long.
All You Desire
Red cars from Ferrari ran amok to celebrate the 70th birthday of the marque. All the famous sports cars and racers that Goodwood usually commands were there, but this time a display of V12-engined F1 cars created an operatic sound all their own. Their extraordinary exhaust notes are so different from today’s race cars that sound like digital lawn mowers in comparison.
The new and blisteringly quick track-only Aston Martin Vantage AMR Pro made history at the Festival of Speed when it became the first vehicle to tackle the legendary hill climb using re-refined engine oil. Recycled or re-refined motor oil is nothing new, of course, but this is different. This landmark was made possible by a new active oil management system from Nexcel, part of the Castrol Group. Oil and filter change in ninety seconds anyone?
BAC Mono.
Memorable Conclusions
As ever, the Goodwood Festival of Speed did not disappoint the throngs who braved the inevitable long and tiresome car park queues to get in. Sports cars like the BAC Mono (which won its class), Audi R8, and the exquisite French Alpine were all at full chat on the track. With the hill climb and rally exhibitions, the supercars, and the also-rans; all the sights and sounds of the vibrant world of cars coupled with the roar of the engines and the smell of the crowd, once again, by doing the same thing brilliantly well, the show did not disappoint. With tired legs and weary ears, the multitudes went home happy.
Geoff Maxted is a motoring writer, photographer, and author of our Letter From The UK series. Follow his work on Twitter: @DriveWrite



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2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS: The Ultimate 911?

2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS: The Ultimate 911?

There’s no way to sugarcoat this. There’s no “yeah, but” equivocations surrounding the new 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS. It’s the 911 of all 911s. It’s the top kick; the king of the mountain. All other 911s, from the various GTs to the RS and RSR; the 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS is now the 911.
The 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS is the fastest and most powerful street-legal 911 ever. It recently took its introductory bows at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK. Before this thing even hits the road or the race track, its numbers are just staggering.
More Power, Less Weight
The GT2 RS is powered by a twin-turbo flat-six engine that puts out 700 horsepower and 553 lb-ft. of torque. That’s 80 horsepower and 37 lb-ft. of torque more when compared to the previous 911 GT2 RS. As with all Porsches, the engine’s the thing, and the 2018 911 GT2 RS is certainly no exception. The 3.8-liter flat six is based on the plant from the current 911 Turbo S. The GT2 RS mill gets larger turbochargers with a new design that sprays water on the intercoolers when the intake air temperature reaches a certain threshold for optimum cooling at peak loads. The new GT2 RS can accelerate from zero to 60 in 2.7 seconds, topping out at 211 miles per hour; it tips the scales at the curb at 3,241 pounds.
The exhaust system is made of lightweight titanium and weighs 15 pounds less than the system used in the 911 Turbo. The front luggage compartment lid is made from carbon fiber and the roof panel is made from magnesium.
If you want to shave another 40 pounds from the vehicle, there’s the optional Weissach package that includes magnesium wheels and even more carbon fiber. The roof and anti-roll bars are made of carbon fiber, as are the end links on both axles. If you opt for the Weissach Package, you’ll see the carbon fiber weave of the luggage compartment lid and the roof are left largely exposed. The Weissach package will cost you an additional $31,000.
According to Porsche, the customized GT seven-speed double-clutch Doppelkupplung (PDK) transmission in the new GT2 RS enables maximum efficiency with uninterrupted torque transfer. Photo: Porsche Cars North America, Inc.
Handling & Aerodynamics
The new 911 GT2 RS has grip for days, thanks to its race-bred chassis and the fact Porsche developed a rear axle steering system, plus a stability management system tuned for “spirited” driving. There are air intakes and outlets all over the place and, of course, a big honking rear wing. The air intakes on the rear quarter panel, along with other parts of the rear, are made from carbon fiber reinforced plastic.
The wheels and tires are massive with 265/35/ZR20 tires up front and 325/30/ZR21 tires out back. Stopping is accomplished via the Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes, which are standard.
Interior Treatments
The interior of the 911 GT2 RS is a red Alcantara with black leather and carbon fiber. The Full Bucket Seats have carbon fiber reinforced backrests and offer a high level of comfort and lateral support. The GT2 RS has Porsche Communication Management, the central control unit for audio, navigation, and communication. Porsche’s Connect Plus and Track Precision app are standard. These techno goodies enable a detailed recording, display, and analysis of driving data on your smartphone.
Porsche’s Chrono Package is optional and expands the PCM functions to display, save, and evaluate lap times. The Chrono Package includes a stopwatch on the dashboard with an analog and digital display. Finally, the Porsche Track Precision app is used in conjunction with an infrared transmitter placed at the side of the track; the lap trigger receiver enables drivers to record lap times with a higher level of precision. Fancy, no?
The 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS will reach U.S. dealers in early 2018. It will cost you *gulp* $293,200. Yes, that is a lot of crust. But c’mon, the new Porsche 911 GT2 RS is worth every penny.
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He means well, even if he has a bias towards lighter, agile cars rather than big engine muscle cars or family sedans.
2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS Gallery








Photos & Source: Porsche Cars North America, Inc.



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Hagerty Providing Specialized Insurance For The 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon

Hagerty Providing Specialized Insurance For The 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon

The 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is the strongest, most powerful, most utterly insane street legal car yet. Naturally, Dodge made the car, the automaker who believes more horsepower is the answer to all of life’s foibles, big and small. Hagerty, an insurance company for enthusiast cars, trucks, and motorcycles, will offer specialized policies for the forthcoming Demon. Hagerty, who also supplies insurance for tractors, automotive tools, spare parts, and automobilia, says owners will have specialized coverage so they can enjoy their new performance machine.
Impressive Stats
The Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is the first-ever production car to do a front-wheel lift, as certified by Guinness World Records. It’s the world’s fastest quarter-mile production car with an elapsed time (ET) of 9.65 seconds at 140 mph, as certified by the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA). It also registers the highest g-force (1.8 g) ever recorded at launch in a production car. The 6.2-liter Hemi V8 features a deep-skirt cast iron block, aluminum alloy heads, and the now famous hemispherical combustion chambers. Running on 100 octane fuel, expect 840 horsepower (6,300 rpm) and 770 lb-ft. of torque (4,500 rpm).
In other words, it’s totally nuts, but maybe nuts isn’t so bad?
“We are living in the golden age of automotive performance, and the Demon is the latest example that speaks directly to the hearts of enthusiasts,” said McKeel Hagerty, CEO, Hagerty. “The insurance industry had a hand in ending the first great muscle car era, and we’re here to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself.”
2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon. Photo: FCA US LLC.
Bold Coverage
Hagerty’s coverage will be the same Guaranteed Value policy provided to all vehicles that qualify for the program. Unlike traditional policies for the less-inspired grocery-getters us lemmings drive, the vehicle’s value is established when the policy is issued. This eliminates any negotiation on value should the vehicle experience a total covered loss. Dodge named Hagerty as the official insurance provider of the Challenger SRT Demon in April; the car is expected in dealerships this fall.
“We didn’t build the Demon to be a halo car that never sees the light of day,” commented Tim Kuniskis, Head of Passenger Car Brands – Dodge, SRT, Chrysler and FIAT, FCA – North America.
Hagerty established a dedicated hotline for Demon owners: 844-840-8733. Those who wish to utilize the interwebs for further inquiry can visit Hagerty’s website and look for the “Quote Now” tab. Either way, a policy is waiting if you have raised your hand and said “yep, that’s the Challenger for me.”
“We want to make sure that Demon owners have access to the insurance they need to get these cars out on the street,” Kuniskis added.
Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan.
2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon. Photo: FCA US LLC.
Photos & Source: FCA US LLC, Hagerty.



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EcoBoost Ford Mustang Debuts Line-Lock Feature (Video)

EcoBoost Ford Mustang Debuts Line-Lock Feature (Video)

Previously, Ford only put a line-lock on the V8 Mustang GT, but now they’ve added it to the EcoBoost range of Mustangs for 2018. We’ll get to why that’s a stupidly-cool idea in a moment, but for right now, check out the headline Ford wrote: “Ford Unleashes Line-Lock on Mustang EcoBoost, Debuts Industry-First Cluster Animation of Wheel Burning Rubber.” Cluster-what? Thankfully, they are referring to the instrument cluster that has all this “golly-gee-whiz” stuff that, for some reason, comes with the line-lock feature.
Powerful Contraptions
Okay, I shouldn’t have to explain this, but just in case you don’t know: a line-lock is a gizmo from the drag strips of the world that allows you to apply and lock the front brakes of your car while allowing the rear wheels to turn. This – in case you’re asking the patently stupid question of “why ya’ wanna do that?” – is so you can spin the rear tires and get lots of heat in them. More heat means more grip at launch during a drag race, means a quicker ET (and don’t make me explain to you what an ET is). It also allows you to do way boss burn outs at the drive-in, the high school parking lot, in front your girlfriend (chicks dig it, honest), in front of unseen cops, and in front of your girlfriend’s house after she dumps you for being an unrepentant chuckle-head who cares more about your car than your relationship.
2018 Mustang design sketch. Photo: Ford Motor Company.
Electric Avenue
FoMoCo says their electronic line-lock, which you could only get on the V8-powered Mustang GT, is a “track-exclusive feature,” which I don’t understand at all. I’m betting the lawyers made them put that in there. As I’m reading all this, there’s no way you couldn’t use this feature anywhere your fool-heart desires. What Ford means to say is “please use it only at the track. Please?” But of course you won’t, will you? So anyway, it’s now percolated down-range into the 2.3-liter EcoBoost Mustangs, whether they’ve got the 10-speed SelectShift automatic or the six-speed manual transmission.
Thankfully, Ford’s new line-lock is an electronic affair, unlike the days of old where they were bias-adjust levers or knobs or, in some cases, just a pull cable heading up to the front wheels. Drag racers are, by and large, a bag of mixed nuts just smart enough not to kill themselves. Most of the time. To make that truly “most of the time,” Ford’s line-lock leverages state-of-the-art software that allows amateur racers to achieve more consistent run times, particularly those competing in bracket racing. Grudge draggers, this is aimed squarely at you.
This new electric line-lock is operated via steering wheel-mounted thumb switches. A driver, let’s say it’s you, toggles through a menu displayed on the instrument cluster to activate the electronic line-lock. Once you’ve turned it on, the system builds pressure on the front brake calipers. Another button press holds that pressure for up to 15 seconds. During that 15 seconds, you nail the throttle, spin the rear wheels, they build up heat, and abracadabra, the car stays in place.
Photo: Ford Motor Company.

Animated Behavior
Speaking of that menu/instrument cluster stuff, if your new Mustang is equipped with the available 12-inch, all-digital instrument display, you get lots of flashing lights and cheesy animation and stuff along those lines. Ford says drivers will see an “industry-first, video-game-like animation of a spinning alloy wheel kicking up a cloud of smoke to indicate when the electronic line-lock feature is activated.” What you will not see is “Big Daddy” Don Garlits kicking at you with his club foot (don’t ask how it got that way) for being such an infantile grommet. I realize Ford had to do something to let you know the line-lock was engaged, but I suppose a light that said “Line-Lock ENGAGED” was just expecting too much.
Obviously, what you do with your line-lock equipped Mustang is between you and your conscience, your insurance agent, your local police and/or sheriff’s office, and your girlfriend. We here at 1 Automoblog Towers can neither encourage, condone, or accept any sort of untoward behavior. We just know what we’ve done in the past, witnessed in the past, or seen other people get busted for in the past. You have been warned.
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He means well, even if he has a bias towards lighter, agile cars rather than big engine muscle cars or family sedans.

Photos, Video & Source: Ford Motor Company.



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Volvo Expands Autonomous Driving Team

Volvo Expands Autonomous Driving Team


With all deference to Elon Musk, DARPA, and the boffins at Google and Uber, if anyone is going to make this elf-driving car stuff work safely, it’ll probably be Volvo. Volvo, who is slowly shedding their boxy but practical image, still retains its foundational impression: Safety. And one of the public’s greatest concerns about self-driving cars is just that: safety.
“Flip a switch, and you can drive me to work, right?” It’s that appended “right” that everyone focuses on. The idea of a self-driving car sounds pretty cool, but the reality of making it work and making buyers believe in it, is something else entirely.
Serious Players
The concern, in short, breaks down like this: I want to get in my new car and get from here to there using the new self-driving feature, but what if . . . what if a kid runs out in front of my car? What if the car sees an idling truck as a threat and swerves into oncoming traffic? What if the computer software has to choose between saving my life in the driver’s seat over a crosswalk full of people or an oncoming, out of control school bus? These are the Gordian Knots of software that give people like Musk et al., numerous fits and nightmares trying to figure it all out.
Enter Volvo, Autoliv, and NVIDIA.
Volvo needs no real introduction to any of the gearheads out there. Autoliv is a automotive safety systems company that develops and manufactures safety bits and bobs for all major automotive manufacturers in the world. They raked in over $10 billion in sales in 2016 alone. Autoliv is also the exact opposite of a really good name for a Swedish death metal band, Autodeath (or, perhaps Autodeth). Any of you kids out there that are into black and white makeup, hoarse vocals, and crunchy guitars, you can have that one on me as a freebie.
Photo: Volvo Car Group.
Level 4 & Beyond?
NVIDIA is, of course, the people that invented the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) back in 1999, and really cranked the visuals on gaming up to eleven. As far as we – and Volvo and Autoliv – are concerned, NVIDIA did something interesting recently when it flipped the GPU around. They turned it from an high-res output device into something that, combined with deep learning and modern AI developments, can take visual information in, allowing digital systems to perceive and understand the world around them. This new trait could come in real handy for stuff like robots and self-driving cars.
So, Volvo, Autoliv, and NVIDIA will work together with Zenuity (a newly-formed joint venture for Volvo and Autoliv) to advance self-driving car tech. Volvo says they will have Level 4 autonomous cars for sale by 2021. Volvo & c. will use NVIDIA’s Artificial Intelligence platform as the underpinning for their software development. Volvo, Autoliv, Zenuity, and NVIDIA will be working to develop systems that utilize deep learning (a subset of artificial intelligence) to do things like recognize objects in the environment, anticipate potential threats, and navigate safely around obstacles, including pedestrians.
The system can compare real-time situational awareness with a high-definition map of known streets and the general environment. This would enable a car to plan a safe route and drive accurately along it and adjust to changing circumstances. The system would also perform other analytical functions such as stitching camera inputs together to create a complete surround-view of the car. Zenuity will be the outfit responsible for the self-driving software; Autoliv will then be able to sell this software to OEMs, since they have established sales, marketing, and distribution networks already in place. Smart, no?
Photo: Volvo Car Group.

Acceptance & Application
Honestly, self-driving cars don’t bother me, as a sports car owning gearhead, all that much. Would I seek out and buy a self-driving car because of that feature? Probably not. It might be handy, but overall it doesn’t interest me too much. Now, a self-driving RV, that would be cool. Sure, like any oil-soaked gearhead out there, I have a reflexive dislike of RVs, but imagine this scenario: I’ve got tickets to a race at Sears Point in Sonoma. All I got to do is hop in my (rented) self-driving RV, call up my destination on a map, and hit the “go” button. Whoosh! Off goes the RV with me in it. Lounging in the back. Making a sandwich. Working on that latest article I’m on deadline for and management is getting anxious about. See? A self-driving RV could come in real handy in a situation like that. Volvo should partner with Winnebago or Airstream and make that happen. That would be cool.
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He means well, even if he has a bias towards lighter, agile cars rather than big engine muscle cars or family sedans.
Photos & Source: Volvo Car Group.



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Report: The Ford F-150 diesel engine comes from Jaguar-Land Rover

Report: The Ford F-150 diesel engine comes from Jaguar-Land Rover For the Ford F-150, FoMoCo finds something familiar in the Jaguar-Land Rover parts bin
It’s no secret that the bestselling Ford F-150 is getting an oil-burner, so it should come as no surprise that the firm may be sourcing the unit from somewhere in Europe. An anonymous source within Jaguar-Land Rover (JLR) let on that the truck will receive a JLR-based diesel. It’s likely a descendant of the Lion V6 diesel that started as a joint venture between Ford and Peugeot in 1999. Though Ford sold to the Indian firm Tata in 2008, JLR has developed increasingly advanced variants of a Ford V6 diesel ever since. In addition to upgrades in efficiency and emissions, JLR has breathed on the engine to keep it lubricated properly at odd angles off road.
Currently built in Wolverhampton, UK, the common rail injected ‘six is likely to chuck out 254 bhp and 443 ft-lbs of torque at the crank. This assumes the engine is largely unchanged from the unit in the current Land Rover Discovery. Allegedly ramping up production for increased demand, the  Wolverhampton plant is looking to take on an additional 700 employees, so there’s a bit of corroborating evidence that this is where the engine will be coming from.
The 2018 Ford F-150 has more engine choices than Starbucks has drip coffee cup sizes
As a cornerstone of ‘Murica’s 1/2-ton truck market, the F-150 comes with a variety of direct-injected sixes and the venerable 5.0 liter V8. With the the diesel, the Ford F-150 engine list should like this:
3.3-liter naturally aspirated V6, 290 hp/265 ft-lbs gasoline engine (the upgraded base engine)
2.7-liter turbocharged V6 gasoline engine 325 hp/400 ft-lbs ($995 over the base engine)
5.0-liter naturally aspirated V8 gasoline engine 395 hp/400 ft-lbs ($1,795 over the base engine)
3.5-liter turbocharged V6 gasoline engine, 375 hp/470 ft-lbs (the Raptor powerplant–$2,900 over the base engine)
3.0-liter turbocharged V6 diesel 254 hp/443 ft-lbs (it may to command nearly $6,500 over the base engine.)
We will keep you posted on whether or not the oil-burner from old ‘Blighty comes to our shores in a coarser envelope than usual (it’s available in the US-market Range Rover Sport).












-by: Sawyer Sutton
Sources: TruckTrend, Carscoops
The post Report: The Ford F-150 diesel engine comes from Jaguar-Land Rover appeared first on egmCarTech.



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