Insurance companies have long based their pricing models and strategies on assumptions about the demographics of their customers. Auto insurers, for example, have traditionally charged higher premiums for parents of teenage drivers based on the assumption that members of this demographic are more likely to get into an accident. But those assumptions are inherently flawed, since they often aren’t based on the actual behaviors and characteristics of individual customers. As new IoT technologies increasingly move into the mainstream, insurers are able to collect and analyze data to more accurately price premiums, helping them to…
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Intel looks at new $7 trillion ‘passenger economy’ through autonomous driving
One of the key questions surrounding connected cars and autonomous driving is around efficiency: will users be able to do more with their free time normally spent behind the wheel? Intel has had a look into the crystal ball, and argues the ‘passenger economy’ opportunity could hit $7 trillion (£5.4tn) as the technology becomes mainstream. “Companies should start thinking about their autonomous strategy now – less than a decade ago, no one was talking about the potential of a soon-to-emerge app or sharing economy because no one saw it coming,”…
Read MoreSmart parking system for Sturtup capitol
Haphazard and illegal parking, which significantly contributes to congestion, may end if the BBMP launches its plan for a proper parking system. The civic body is ready with a technology-led parking management system, which will cover 87 roads in and around the central business district. ET accessed the draft of the tender document to learn how on-street parking will work: Where is it Coming Up? Authorities have divided roads in the central business district into A, B and C zones. Some of the roads identified for the parking system are…
Read MoreSmart cities need smart cars: In the future, your car will be able to “see” through buildings
Thanks to V2X technology, connected cars will soon be able to tell you what lies way ahead or around the corner. Automotive technology is evolving so fast these days that it’s difficult to predict the features vehicles will have by the end of the next decade. But we do know that wireless connectivity will play a much more important role than it does now, primarily offering passengers an internet connection and GPS navigation. Whether it’s the cars we drive or cars that drive us, these vehicles will be much more…
Read MoreToyota wants to use bitcoin tech to share self-driving car data
Self-driving cars can only get better if information is safely shared. That’s where blockchain technology comes in. Sharing data will be important to the future of autonomous-car development, but it needs to be done in a safe, secure manner. Toyota thinks a blockchain can provide those benefits. The Toyota Research Institute, a wholly owned subsidiary of the automaker, is working with MIT Media Lab and “other industry partners” to explore the idea of utilizing a blockchain to create a method for secure storage of data from self-driving cars. Blockchains first…
Read MoreSamsung self-driving cars take fight to Apple, Uber and Google’s Waymo
Korean electronics firm granted permission to test autonomous cars on public roads using Hyundai vehicles, following rival Apple’s California testing. Samsung is stepping up its plans for self-driving cars to rival former Google project Waymo, Uber and Apple, bringing the key players from the battle for smartphone dominance to the brave new world of autonomous vehicles. The South Korean electronics manufacturer, which is the world’s largest smartphone maker and a chip giant in its own right, has been given permission to test its self-driving cars on public roads by the…
Read MoreIsrael Tests Wireless Charging Roads for Electric Vehicles
New technology could power buses and cars on the go, but will it be cost-effective? Electric vehicles have long been a promising option for sustainable transportation. They come with practical headaches like expensive, bulky batteries that often need recharging, however. Israel is tackling those hurdles by investing in roads that power electric buses—as they ride down the street. The government is collaborating with Israeli start-up ElectRoad to install a public bus route in Tel Aviv, using an under-the-pavement wireless technology that eliminates the need for plug-in recharging stations. Although still…
Read MoreA Single Autonomous Car Has a Huge Impact on Alleviating Traffic
Even intelligent cruise control systems could be used to clear up congestion. It’s sometimes argued that the long-term benefits of self-driving cars, such as safer roads, may not be felt with much impact until robotic vehicles account for the majority of traffic on the road. Until that happens, those unpredictable lumps of meat we call humans will continue to exert their own effects on traffic—continuing to cause accidents, for instance. But a new study out of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign suggests that the addition of just a small…
Read MorePneumatics specialist showcases intelligent pneumatics
At the 2017 Hannover Messe, in Germany, which took place last month, pneumatics manufacturer Aventics will show how the company’s intelligent pneumatics can anticipate system maintenance, using already available sensors and a new smart pneumatics monitor which is the company’s first Internet of Things (IoT) device. The company’s pneumatics specialists showcased a pneumatics application by monitoring the shock absorber functions and cylinder speeds based on an electro- pneumatic valve system at the show. The existing sensors in the system were monitored, along with the controls. The company also presented information…
Read MoreRethinkX: Self-Driving Electric Cars Will Dominate Roads by 2030
Within 13 years self-driving cars will dominate the roads, representing some 95% of all car miles driven, according to a new study released this week. And while 40% of the cars in 2030 will still be of the old, internal combustion variety, they’ll represent just 5% of the consumer miles driven. The report “Rethinking Transportation 2020-2030: The Disruption of Transportation and the Collapse of the Internal-Combustion Vehicle and Oil Industries,” released today by San Francisco think tank RethinkX departs from a number of forecasts in the past few years, including…
Read MoreSmart Cars Going 100% Electric In USA!
Daimler’s popular Smart brand will be moving away from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles in the US and Canada in the coming years — completely — and fully embracing all-electric vehicles instead. To be more specific, the company is now planning to cease the sale of Smart-branded cars with gasoline engines in the US and Canada by the time that the 2017 model reaches the end of its sales life (this autumn). All sales in those two countries thereafter will all-electric Smart cars only. As we reported in an exclusive…
Read MoreHow Self-Driving Cars Will Fundamentally Transform Architecture
The impact of self-driving cars is a rabbit hole that keeps getting deeper. Almost all thinking on the subject has under-predicted the severity and breadth of what these robots will transform. If you give it sufficient thought, it’s clear that the secondary and tertiary effects touch on the unrelated and the absurd. While self-driving cars will directly put many drivers out of work, they will open up and enormous amount of construction work. This is because the replacement cycle for high-use vehicles is fast compared to construction. Almost immediately after…
Read MorePlug-in Electric Vehicles
BMW North America, Smart Charging PJM and BMW North America are exploring electric vehicle interaction with wholesale electricity pricing signals, and vehicle owner battery charging habits. Managing electric vehicle charging based on pricing signals – either wholesale or dynamic retail rates – not only ensures vehicles are charged when the grid is less stressed but also reduces the already low fuel costs of plug-in vehicles. Also, General Motors and OnStar have demonstrated the potential for electric vehicles to choose their charging times based on the PJM “percentage of renewables” signal.…
Read MoreElectric Vehicles Are on the Rise: Here’s How to Sustain Their Growth
The struggle for electric vehicles to gain legitimacy in a world dominated by supersized SUVs and overbearing big rigs is something of a David and Goliath story. The underdog just landed a blow right between the eyes of America’s major car manufacturers. In April, Tesla became the most valuable automaker in the US, passing General Motors in total market value. GM has since regained the lead by a slim margin, edging Tesla in market cap by a little more than a billion dollars. Still, the ability of a 15-year-old company…
Read MoreElon Musk: Self-driving Teslas will go between LA and NYC by the end of the year
Self-driving Teslas will be able to go between Los Angeles and New York City by the end of this year, Tesla Inc. TSLA, +1.76% Chief Executive Elon Musk said Friday. Musk spoke at a TEDTalk in Vancouver on a number of topics, including the status of driverless cars and his new project, The Boring Co., which aims to create a network of tunnels that would lay the foundation for a series of underground roadways for cars. Presumably, drivers will still be required for that cross-country drive, but the ability to…
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