Chevy to Follow the Researchers Way for the Betther Handshake

When ever you go the Chevrolet Showroom, you might get a handshake by staff member as suggested by the Researchers. Chevrolet Europe wants the staff to train with the hand shake which might be telling you lot of things. This handshake study, headed by a professor of psychological sciences at the University of Manchester, that seeks the formula for the perfect handshake. All this ruckus is for creation of a "handshake training guide for [Chevy] staff to prepare them ahead of the launch of the new 5 Year Promise offer, which aims to offer peace of mind and reassurance to its customers."

Might be curious to know what the formula is .

This is the formula:

PH = (e^2 + ve^2)(d^2) + (cg + dr)^2 + π{(4[s]^2)(4[p]2)}^2 + (vi + t + te)^2 + {(4[c]2 )(4[du]2)}^2

If you need more help figuring out how to apply it – hint: pay close attention to the 'dr' part – follow the jump for the press release, which explains the formula's gobbledygook in detail, lists useless related facts like the Top 10 Handshake Turn-Offs, and somehow manages to work in a Frankie Valli reference.

Note that the Top 10 Handshake Turn-Offs rundown doesn't include, "Absurd and contrived scientific formulas on how to correctly shake hands." Maybe it ought to be a Top 11.

Source: Chevrolet UK

Press Release

SCIENTISTS CREATE FORMULA FOR PERFECT HANDSHAKE

2010-07-15 -- It has heralded peace between nations, begun relationships and sealed deals for thousands of years, but new research out today reveals that as many as two in three people (70 per cent) have a crisis of confidence when it comes to performing the act of a human handshake.

Despite the average person shaking hands nearly 15,000 times in a lifetime, one in five (19 per cent) admit they hate the act of the handshake and are unsure how to do it properly, regularly making a handshake faux pas such as having sweaty palms, squeezing too hard or holding on too long. Over half of people (56 per cent) say they have been on the receiving end of an unpleasant handshake experience in the past month alone.

However, from today, help is literally at hand as scientists have created a mathematical formula for the perfect handshake taking into account the twelve primary measures needed to convey respect and trust to the recipient.

PH = (e^2 + ve^2)(d^2) + (cg + dr)^2 + π{(4[s]^2)(4[p]2)}^2 + (vi + t + te)^2 + {(4[c]2 )(4[du]2)}^2

(e) is eye contact (1=none; 5=direct) 5; (ve) is verbal greeting (1=totally inappropriate; 5=totally appropriate) 5; (d) is Duchenne smile - smiling in eyes and mouth, plus symmetry on both sides of face, and slower offset (1=totally non-Duchenne smile (false smile); 5=totally Duchenne) 5; (cg) completeness of grip (1=very incomplete; 5=full) 5; (dr) is dryness of hand (1=damp; 5=dry) 4; (s) is strength (1= weak; 5=strong) 3; (p) is position of hand (1=back towards own body; 5=other person's bodily zone) 3; (vi) is vigour (1=too low/too high; 5=mid) 3; (t) is temperature of hands (1=too cold/too hot; 5=mid) 3; (te) is texture of hands (5=mid; 1=too rough/too smooth) 3; (c) is control (1=low; 5=high) 3; (du) is duration (1= brief; 5=long) 3.

The mathematical formula has been developed for car brand Chevrolet as part of a handshake training guide for its staff to prepare them ahead of the launch of the new 5 Year Promise offer, which aims to offer peace of mind and reassurance to its customers.

Professor Geoffrey Beattie, Head of Psychological Sciences at the University of Manchester, who devised the formula comments:

"The human handshake is one of the most crucial elements of impression formation and is used as a source of information for making a judgement about another person. A handshake reveals aspects of the personality of the person giving it – for example, a soft handshake can indicate insecurity, whilst a quick-to-let-go handshake can suggest arrogance – so it is surprising that up until now there has not been a guide showing people how they should shake hands.

"The rules for men and women are the same: right hand, a complete grip and a firm squeeze (but not too strong) in a mid-point position between yourself and the other person, a cool and dry palm, approximately three shakes, with a medium level of vigour, held for no longer than two to three seconds, with eye contact kept throughout and a good natural smile with a slow offset with, of course, an appropriate accompanying verbal statement, make up the basic constituent parts for the perfect handshake."

Les Turton from Chevrolet comments:
"It is easy to overlook everyday rituals, but as the handshake is used to complete agreements it is important our staff are well trained so they and can pass on trust and reassurance to our customers. The simple five-step guide for the perfect handshake should mean they are well prepared ahead of the introduction of our new 5 Year Promise ensuring all our deals are concluded in the proper way."

The Chevrolet 5 Year Promise is the best ever combined warranty and aftersales package in the UK. It extends to every model in the value-for-money car manufacturer's line-up and includes 5 year warranty, breakdown cover, servicing, MoT test warranty and annual vehicle health checks.

TOP TEN HANDSHAKE TURN OFFS
1. Sweaty palms (38 per cent say it is their top turn off)
2. Loose grip / limp wrist (35 per cent)
6. Gripping too hard (7 per cent)
3. Not making eye contact (5 per cent)
5. Shaking too vigorously (4 per cent)
8. Shaking for too long (4 per cent)
4. Standing too close (2 per cent)
9. Shaking with the left hand (2 per cent)
7. Not shaking for long enough (1 per cent)
10. Hot hands (1 per cent)

*Other (1 per cent)

REGIONAL AND GENDER DIFFERENCES
Although three quarters of Brits (73 per cent) say the handshake is an important social gesture in the modern world, 22 per cent of those polled in East Anglia want to get rid of the custom.

People polled in London and the South West said they shake 5.4 hands a week on average, while East Anglia came out the lowest with the average person only shaking 3.6 hands a week. South Westerners also said they were the most confident when it came to delivering handshakes (34 per cent are completely confident). In contrast, 5 per cent of people in the North East have no confidence at all in their handshakes.

Men shake on average 6.2 hands a week, compared to only 2.6 for women. A third of women (32 per cent) said that the number of hands they shook per week was zero, compared to just one in 20 (6 per cent) of men. One in five men (17 per cent) shake hands more than ten times a week, compared to less than one in 40 (2 per cent) women.

This could be because over half of men (57 per cent) said they enjoyed the act of shaking hands, while less than one in three women (29 per cent) said the same. When faced with an outstretched hand, half of women (50 per cent) said sweaty palms were the biggest turn-off while only a third of men (32 per cent) agreed. Men identified having a limp wrist or loose grip was the worst handshake faux pas (42 per cent).

FIVE FAMOUS HANDSHAKES IN HISTORY
Archaeological ruins show that handshaking was practiced in ancient Greece as far back as the 5th Century BC as a gesture of peace by demonstrating the hand held no weapon. Researchers credit Sir Walter Raleigh with introducing the act to the Western World during the late 16th Century. John F. Kennedy thought it so important he commissioned an entire study to determine the most effective handshake he should use when meeting other world leaders.

THE WORLD'S LONGEST HANDSHAKE
On 21 November 2009, Americans Matthew Rosen and Joe Ackerman broke the Guinness World Record for the world's longest handshake, shaking hands for 15 hours, 30 minutes and 45 seconds.

JOHN HOWARD AND MARK LATHAM
In 2004 Australian Prime Minster John Howard had lost public trust going into a general election. His main political opponent was a newcomer called Mark Latham. A few days before the election John Howard and Mark Latham met at a radio interview and Latham shook the Prime Minister's hand in a very aggressive manner – pulling him close and staring him down. Footage of the handshake spread across the internet. Although public opinion of John Howard was at an all time low, people thought Mark Latham was a bully for the way he "roughed up" the PM. Latham lost the election. After the election the polls showed that the major reason people voted against Latham was because of his overly aggressive handshake.

FRANKIE VALLI AND BOB GAUDIO
Singer Valli and songwriter Gaudio were the driving force behind The Four Seasons, one of the world's most successful pop groups, with hits including Walk Like A Man, December 1963 (Oh What A Night) and Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You had a deal based on a handshake – the "Jersey way" as Valli put it.

BRITISH AND FRENCH CHANNEL TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION WORKERS
In December 1990, British and French workers finally met each other underneath the Channel for the first time. The footage of firm handshakes taking place through a narrow gap in the seabed was broadcast around the world and heralded the final phase of construction on the ambitious project.

WAYNE BRIDGE AND JOHN TERRY
The most famous handshake of recent times is one that didn't happen. Convention dictated that Manchester City defender Wayne Bridge and Chelsea captain John Terry shook hands ahead of their match earlier this year, but following the love scandal that rocked their private lives, Bridge chose to very publically snub the outstretched hand of Terry. Chelsea went on to take a 4-2 hammering from Manchester.

Lincoln Concept Models Navicross Aviator,MKS,Mark X, Mk 9 are under Hammer.

Ford Motor Company will be auctioning the five lincoln concept model at RM's Sports & Classics of Monterey auction on August 12th. The raised money through the sale will benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and The Children's Center, an organization that is based in Michigan, USA.

The five Lincoln concept models up for sale are the 2001 MK9 coupe; 2004 Aviator SUV; 2005 MKS sedan; 2003 Navicross coupe crossover and last but not least, the Mark X which was a hardtop-convertible proposal for Lincoln's version of the Ford Thunderbird.

2004 Lincoln Mark X Concept

280 bhp, 3.9-liter DOHC V8 engine, five-speed automatic transmission, four-wheel independent coil spring suspension, and four-wheel power anti-lock disc brakes. Wheelbase: 108.8"

- Thunderbird spirit with Lincoln luxury
- Sumptuous cockpit
- Innovative easy-entry doors

2001 Lincoln MK9 Concept

DOHC V8 engine, automatic transmission, four-wheel independent coil spring suspension, and four-wheel power anti-lock disc brakes. Wheelbase: 121.9"

- Timeless elegance born of inherent simplicity
- Striking ergonomic interior
- Heritage styling cues with future concepts

2004 Lincoln Aviator Concept

302 bhp, 4.6 liter DOHC V8 engine, six-speed automatic overdrive transmission, coil spring independent front suspension, multi-link independent rear suspension and four-wheel hydraulic power anti-lock disc brakes. Wheelbase: 113.7"

- First Lincoln crossover sport utility vehicle - Twin-cam V8 engine - Urban sophistication at its best

2005 Lincoln MKS Concept

315 bhp 4.4-liter DOHC V8 engine, six-speed sequential automatic transmission and all-wheel drive, four-wheel independent air-ride suspension, and four-wheel power anti-lock disc brakes. Wheelbase: 114.4"

- Precursor to 2009 MKS flagship sedan - 315 bhp DOHC V8 power - Heated and cooled seats - Advanced navigation system

Flying SUV. Coming Soon.

(Credit: AVX Aircraft)

AVX Aircraft Company of Texas, in response to the same DARPA research project that has spawned the Marines' flying machine, has developed a design for a flying SUV. Called the Transformer, it is said to have the capability to drive on roads at a mere 80 mph, on rough terrain at 30 mph, and fly at around 140 mph.

It is also designed to go 250 miles on just one tank of fuel. And it takes just 60 seconds to convert it from SUV to flying SUV.

First public EV charging station opens in NYC

Coulomb Technologies installed its first public electric charging station in New York on Wednesday. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg attended the unveiling of the ChargePoint charging station, which is located in a public parking lot near Port Authority.

It's the first installation of Coulomb Technologies' $37 million project, funded in part by a $15 million grant administered by the Department of Energy, the Associated Press reported. The company will install thousands of public charging stations in nine U.S. regions: Austin, Texas; Detroit; Los Angeles; New York; Orlando, Fla.; Sacramento, Calif.; the San Jose/San Francisco Bay Area; Redmond, Wash. and Washington, D.C.

The Campbell, Calif.-based company began testing its pay-per-use charging stations in San Jose two years ago. By September 2011, Coulomb Technologies plans to install 4,600 chargers to recharge the new mass-production EVs that will join the Tesla Roadster on the streets later this year. The Chevrolet Volt, Ford Transit Connect Electric, and Smart ForTwo Electric Drive will be available at the end of 2010. The Nissan Leaf and Ford Focus Electric should debut in 2011.

Charging times will vary for each vehicle depending on the size of the battery, the amount of recharge needed, and the charging level of the station. But completely drained batteries should take approximately 4 hours to reach a full charge using ChargePoint's Level 2 chargers. Instructions for how to use these new charging stations can be found on the company's Web site.

Another perk of this new technology is that this ChargePoint station may also serve as some of the cheapest parking near Midtown: the first month will be free to customers. After that, the owner of the station will determine the rates. Users can sign up to use the station through the ChargePoint Web site.

Src: [Car Tech]

For the First Time US Carmaker Overtakes Asian and European counterpart for the Most Appealing Models: Study

Three Detroit brands are more appealing than European and Asian rivals for the first time in 13 years, according to a study measuring owner enthusiasm and satisfaction.

The biggest improvement in owner appeal was made by high-performance models from Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co., J.D. Power and Associates said in the 2010 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout study, released today.

For the sixth year in a row, Porsche was the No.1 brand in Power's APEAL study. The Mercedes-Benz S-class sedan received the highest score of any model. The top 12 brands were all premium nameplates.

Lincoln was the highest-ranked domestic brand and was followed closely by Cadillac.


New or redesigned models from Ford and GM were among the highest ranked, the study said.

Detroit's three automakers had an average score of 787 out of 1,000 points in the 2010 study, a 13-point lead over the average score for European or Asian brands.

It is the first time since 1997 that Ford, GM and Chrysler outpaced the competition in the study. The appeal of Detroit 3 models has risen annually since 2008.

David Sargent, vice president of global vehicle research at J.D. Power and Associates, said Detroit automakers outpaced the imports because they:

• Retired many models with low appeal.

• Introduced new and highly coveted vehicles.

• Freshened and redesigned existing models.

New models introduced by Asian and European automakers since 2008 did not improve their brands' scores as much as models of U.S. brands, the study said.

“Historically, vehicle models achieving high APEAL scores have been shown to generate faster sales, higher profit margins and less need for cash incentives,” the study said. “High levels of vehicle appeal also have a strong influence on customer recommendation rates.”


The study examines 80 vehicle attributes to measure owner gratification with a new vehicle. J.D. Power says the APEAL study complements its Initial Quality Study, released last month.

That study looks at actual problems and customer complaints during the first 90 days of ownership. For the first time, Detroit brands beat foreign brands in the survey of initial quality of 2010 models.

Brands that rate high in initial quality aren't always ranked highest in owner appeal. Porsche was No. 1 in both studies, but Land Rover placed last in initial quality and fifth in owner gratification. Jaguar was second in appeal but fifth from the bottom in initial quality.

Toyota placed second from the bottom in the satisfaction study, falling four spots from 2009.

“Toyota has not performed well in the APEAL study. It's traditionally performed well in IQS -- this year not as well,” said Sargent. “They are emotionally pretty reliable, but owners do not find them particularly exciting.”

Toyota realizes “that this is a challenge, and they are trying to face up to it,” he said.

To a lesser degree, Sargent said, the same is true for Honda and Hyundai, whose appeal is below the industry average.


The new Ram brand was added as a separate brand to the 2010 APEAL and initial quality studies. Ram did the best in APEAL out of the Chrysler Group's four brands. Jeep fell one spot from a year earlier to last.

“The large pickup is a pretty new design for them, and both the light-duty and the heavy-duty [Ram] performed pretty well,” said Sargent. “In some ways, it is an indication of what is performing well at Chrysler.”

The Dodge and Chrysler brands suffered from aging models.

“What will be interesting is they have a massive number of vehicles coming out in the next few months, and they are confident that their appeal and quality will be good,” Sargent said. “Typically, all-new vehicles or heavily redesigned models tend to perform well.”

The Dodge Durango SUV and the Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 sedans will be replaced or all-new for the 2011 model year.

Ford received top ratings in five segments for individual nameplates -- more than any other brand in 2010 -- for the Expedition SUV, Explorer Sport Trac pickup, Flex crossover and Fusion and Taurus sedans.

“With Ford, the Taurus stands out. It's effectively an all-new vehicle that launched extremely well,” said Sargent.

In general, a lot of Ford's newer vehicles are “performing pretty well,” he said.


For GM, the all-new Chevrolet Camaro performed well, as did the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain crossovers and the Buick LaCrosse sedan.

Cadillac dropped significantly from its No. 3 spot last year.

“The SRX did not launch as well in terms of appeal; it is hard to say why,” said Sargent. “The CTS, which is relatively new, performed well at launch, and then it declined a little bit in its second and third year. The other big product is the Escalade, which is starting to age a little bit.”

J.D. Power said only two models, the Chevrolet Avalanche pickup and Ford Taurus, were ranked highest in their segments in both the 2010 APEAL and initial-quality studies.

Japanese automaker Suzuki showed the biggest improvement in owner appeal, moving from last place out of 37 brands in 2009 to 30th out of 33 in 2010. Suzuki's score jumped primarily because of the new Kizashi sport sedan.

While Ram was added to the 2010 study, five brands were dropped: Saturn, Pontiac and Hummer, which were shuttered by GM; the slow-selling Smart brand; and Saab because it ran out of vehicles to sell.

The 2010 APEAL Study is based on responses from 76,000 new-car owners and lessees of 2010 models. They were surveyed between February and May 2010 after the first 90 days of ownership.

J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study
The APEAL Study examines how gratifying a new vehicle is to own and drive, based on owner evaluations of more than 80 vehicle attributes. The 2010 APEAL Study is based on responses gathered between February and May 2010 from more than 76,000 purchasers and lessees of new 2010 model-year cars and trucks who were surveyed after the first 90 days of ownership.
Porsche	877
Jaguar	854
BMW	846
Mercedes-Benz	842
Land Rover	836
Audi	832
Lexus	827
Acura	822
Lincoln	820
Cadillac	818
MINI	816
Infiniti	805
Buick	802
Volkswagen	797
Volvo	795
Ford	794
GMC	792
Chevrolet	789
Ram	780
Industry Average	778
Mazda	774
Mercury	769
Mitsubishi	767
Honda	766
Scion	764
Nissan	763
Dodge	761
Kia	761
Hyundai	760
Subaru	755
Suzuki	750
Chrysler	748
Toyota	745
Jeep	727

Src: autonews

Lottery Winner's Brand New Audi R8 Goes up in Flames

Its hard to see a super car going down in flames, if it yours in much more harder and what if that you got that car in lottery that costed you some bucks, aahhhhaa, no words only tears from my side. In this case, Connecticut Powerball winner Rahul Patel, saw his one-week old Audi R8 destroyed by fire. According to a report from the Connecticut Post, Patel was driving the German sports car in Fairfield when he suddenly noticed smoke coming out of the engine compartment.

After he pulled over on the side of the road and stepped out to see what was wrong with the two-seater sports car, it went up in flames. And while no one was injured during the incident, the $140,000 R8 was almost burnt to the ground. Fire officials said they are still investigating the cause of the fire.

Luckily for Patel, the winning part was substantially higher than the losing part [Audi R8] as the 33-year-old Newington resident claimed a $25 million Powerball Jackpot prize last summer from a $1 ticket. He opted to take the prize as a one-time cash lump sum, receiving some $12.5 million, which ended up being around $8.7 million after federal and state taxes.

Source / Photo: Connecticut Post

Made in India BMW start at Rs.38.9 Lakhs.

Chennai: German luxury car maker BMW has started rolling out new 5-Series sedans from its Chennai facility at a price between Rs 38.9 lakh and Rs 58 lakh (ex-showroom).

The company had unveiled the new 5-Series sedans with petrol and diesel options in April.

"The BMW 5 Series is the core product in our model range and has significantly contributed to the image and success of BMW in India. We are confident that the new BMW 5 Series produced in Chennai will further increase our momentum in the Indian luxury car segment," BMW Plant Managing Director Juergen Eder said in a statement.

The company will start the deliveries of the cars by end of this month, the statement added.

While the 523i, 530d and 525d will be produced as completely-knocked-down units at the Chennai facility, the 535i will be imported as a completely-built-unit.

The company has sold over 3,700 units of the 5-Series sedans in India since 2007. The luxury model accounts for over 50 per cent BMW's total sales globally.

Better Antitheft Technology, but Smarter Car Thieves

BASED on the advertisements, it would seem that technology has made it impossible — or at least stunningly foolhardy — to steal a car. Tracking systems with GPS can pinpoint any vehicle and direct the authorities straight to the crooks. But while the technology may be getting better, professional car thieves have stepped up their game, too, meaning that some tracking systems may be better than others.

The car theft rate has steadily declined for five years. The F.B.I. recorded a drop of nearly 17 percent in 2009 compared with 2008. But auto theft remains a costly crime: the F.B.I. estimates that more than $6.4 billion was lost in motor vehicle thefts in 2008, the most recent numbers available. More important, knowing that fewer cars are stolen today than a decade ago is not much consolation if yours is one of those taken — one every 33 seconds, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

While law enforcement officials and car security experts couldn’t directly attribute the drop in thefts to the use of tracking technology, most agreed that it has had an effect. And all concurred that if you want to improve the chances of recovering your wheels once they’ve gone missing, these systems are a necessity.

General Motors’ OnStar has made headlines with some well publicized recoveries, including the return in May of a 2009 Chevrolet Impala that had been stolen from State Senator Terry Burton of Mississippi. Equipped with GPS and a cellular connection, the OnStar stolen vehicle slowdown service (which costs $199 a year after the first year and is available in 30 G.M. models) was used to locate and then stop the Impala. But despite the system’s depictions on TV, the process is not quick and seamless.

“Three parties need to be involved,” explained Matt Przybylski, OnStar’s director of global engineering. First, the owner needs to file a police report that the car has been stolen. This can translate into considerable lag time, depending on when the victim discovers the car is missing and how easy it is to file a police report. Once the authorities have contacted OnStar, the service will then work with them to find the car.

“When police have a moving vehicle in their sights, we can send down a signal to put on the four-way flashers and then disable the accelerator pedal,” Mr. Przybylski said. Alternatively, if the vehicle is parked, OnStar can block the ignition to prevent anyone from starting the car. But for all this to work requires coordination with law enforcement — and a less sophisticated thief who doesn’t know how to disable such systems, which security and law enforcement officials say professional car thieves are increasingly circumventing.

Gerry Brave, a Queens assistant district attorney who works with New York City’s auto crime unit, said that “because it can take a day or two for all that coordination,” professional thieves have time to dismantle any tracking equipment. And just a glance at the OnStar logo on the rearview mirror can alert thieves that they need to defeat the system.

Several experts discussed how systems like OnStar could be disabled, and there are detailed instructions (some erroneous, some ingenious) online about how to defeat such technology. Mr. Brave confirmed with detectives in his auto crime unit that “the bad guys can unplug it.”

Consequently, competitors like LoJack, Escort and Blackline GPS try to take a different approach and conceal their tracking devices.

“If the thief doesn’t know which car has LoJack,” Paul McMahon, a company spokesman, said, “he doesn’t know to disable it.” LoJack has several tracking and recovery products, including an Early Warning Package for $995. While that price may seem steep, there is no installation charge or monthly fee.

LoJack is also distinctly different from the growing array of GPS and cellular-based tracking systems. LoJack uses radio transceivers installed in customer’s cars. The Early Warning model includes an accelerometer and other motion detectors, according to Mr. McMahon, so that if a car is moved, the LoJack network can send a phone, e-mail or text message to alert the owner. While the owner must still file a stolen vehicle report to the police, the head start can shave precious hours off the time it takes to recover a car.

The LoJack device in the car is activated by a signal from a radio tower to start transmitting a signal, which can be detected only by police officials who have LoJack tracking computers. Unfortunately, that coverage is limited. LoJack is used by law enforcement in 27 states (including New York and New Jersey) and the District of Columbia, but not every county in those states is covered.

For better coverage, Escort, the radar detector maker, offers a system based on technology from Blackline GPS. The Escort EntourageCIS is $400 (and $60 for installation and a $180-a-year subscription). Like LoJack, the EntourageCIS can be concealed in a car, uses similar sensors and can warn a driver via e-mail, text or phone messages if a car is moved. Unlike LoJack, Escort uses GPS and cellular signals to cover all of the United States and Canada. Better yet, if your car is stolen and you don’t respond to alerts, a 24-hour monitoring station will contact local law enforcement and send them after the thieves— no police report required.

The system can also be used surreptitiously (or not) to monitor teenage drivers. You can check on the location of your car online at any time. Purchasing additional key fobs ($60 each) that identify each driver, you can get separate “driver report cards” for each member of the family. (“Honey, you were speeding on the parkway again last week.”)

“We want to be preventative,” said Clark Swanson, the chief executive of Blackline.

But while stealthy systems like Entourage and LoJack may be less likely to be detected and disabled by thieves, they cannot slow down or stop a stolen vehicle as OnStar can. To do that, the systems need to be integrated with the car’s computers, an advantage that only OnStar can currently claim.

Still, security and theft experts concede that even with the latest satellite tracking gear, and warnings beamed to owners’ cellphones, determined criminals will find a way to thwart the technology. Mr. Brave said professionals often try to hide a car in a place, like an underground garage, that is out of range of GPS and cellular signals. “And if they’re not sure, they’ll lay it up on the street for a couple of days” to see if the police show up, he says.

While some companies quote impressive statistics — the 500 tracking requests a month from OnStar owners or LoJack’s 90 percent recovery rate last year — in 2008, about 43 percent of stolen vehicles were never found, according to F.B.I. data. That’s the worst national recovery rate for stolen cars in 20 years.

Nevertheless, authorities remain philosophical about the escalating war of technology vs. thieves. Mr. Brave, who has been involved with auto theft for a quarter-century, says, “Remember, it used to be that you never recovered your car.”

Src & Text: [NYTimes Service]

Tesla,Toyota to prepare RAV4, RX prototypes as result of Joint Venture

As we recently discussed the alliance between Toyota world largest car maker and Tesla Co. leading Electrical car manufacturer will be using  Toyota's RAV4 and Lexus RX crossovers as their first jointly developed battery-powered test models, a person familiar with the matter said.

Toyota will receive two prototypes this month, Tesla said July 10 without elaborating. While Toyota also aims to test an electric Corolla, the RAV4 and RX are better suited to the weight of Tesla's battery pack, said the person, who asked not to be identified because the models haven't been announced yet.

Toyota's President Akio Toyoda said last week the partnership with Tesla, maker of the $109,000 electric Roadster, is the first of several the Toyota City, Japan-based company wants to pursue in advanced auto technologies.

Toyota, the world's largest seller of hybrid autos, bought a $50 million stake in Palo Alto, California-based Tesla this month.

“We anticipate range and acceleration exceeding that of other announced electric vehicles of this class,” Elon Musk, chief executive officer of Tesla, said today in an e-mailed message. He declined to discuss project details.

Keisuke Kirimoto, a Tokyo-based spokesman for Toyota, said he couldn't confirm the models. Toyota bought its stake in Tesla July 2, he said.

The target for a model developed with Tesla would be for a car that costs about $40,000 with 150 miles (240 kilometers) of driving range per charge, the person familiar with the plans said.

“Toyota and Tesla engineering teams have made a lot of progress in a short amount of time,” JB Straubel, Tesla's chief technology officer, said in a July 10 e-mail message to Autonews.

Unlike Toyota, Nissan Motor Co., and other companies readying battery models, Tesla vehicles use thousands of the same type of small lithium-ion battery cells that power laptop computers.

- With Auto news Inputs

Mercedes dealers ranked most customer-friendly: PIPED PIPER

Study by Piped Piper Management Co. says that the most custom friendly dealership are Mercedes-Benz and said Detroit's brands have showed the most improvement.

Ford, Lincoln and Chevrolet scored above the average for the first time in the four years that Piped Piper Management Co. has conducted its study. Lexus was No. 2 and Mitsubishi placed last in the survey.

Pied Piper, of Monterey, Calif., sent 3,658 mystery shoppers into dealerships to develop its Prospect Satisfaction Index. The shoppers ranged from 21 to 65.

In the latest report, 25 of the 34 brands surveyed had better scores than a year earlier. Luxury brands continued to outperform mass-market brands, but BMW scored below Cadillac and Lincoln and tied with a host of other brands, including Chevrolet, Ford, Toyota and Volkswagen.

“Today's car shoppers are armed with far more vehicle and pricing information than ever before,” said Pied Piper CEO Fran O'Hagan. “Successful brands and dealerships have responded by acting as helpful enablers for today's shoppers. At the most successful dealerships, the stereotype of the old-fashioned car salesperson no longer exists.”

Relatively soft consumer demand for new cars, along with tougher standards from many lenders, has put more pressure on dealer personnel to sell and provide new-car financing options for many consumers.

“Customers have come to expect the type of treatment that they get at Mercedes, BMW and Lexus in all their shopping experience," said Mark Cannon, vice president of communications at AutoNation Inc., the nation's largest holding company for new car dealers. "They want someone who is knowledgeable and can help them with the process.”

The study found that showroom visitors are likely to encounter an overbearing salesperson just 6 percent of the time. In contrast, 18 percent of the time, shoppers encountered a salesperson who was not helpful enough and did not devote enough time and attention.

In an example, Pied Piper said Ford dealership sales personnel scored better than the competition in three areas:

• More likely to discuss Ford's unique features.

• More likely to introduce themselves.

• More likely to discuss available financing options.

“Despite the widespread and continual improvement in how cars are sold, there is still plenty of room for improvement, although not necessarily in the expected areas,” the study said.

About 18 percent of the time, salespeople did not pay enough attention to the shopper. Only 57 percent offered a brochure, underlining the decision “by some brands and dealerships to limit or discontinue offering brochures,” the study said.

The study also found:

• 95 percent of Lexus and Porsche sales personnel reviewed a vehicle's features and controls before a test drive, compared with 74 percent at BMW.

• Land Rover, Smart and Mini salespeople rarely introduced shoppers to dealership personnel.

• Suzuki, Volkswagen, Nissan, Toyota and Infiniti dealership employees used introductions to dealership management 40 percent of the time to help clinch a deal.

• Nissan, Mazda, Infiniti, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and Volkswagen dealerships are most likely to initiate follow-up contact within 48 hours after an initial visit.

• Buick, Mitsubishi, Chevrolet and Acura dealerships were the least likely to follow up within 48 hours after a shopper's first visit.

• At BMW and Volvo stores, 80 percent of the time, personnel told shoppers about their free scheduled maintenance programs.

For example, the study found that showroom visitors are likely to encounter an overbearing salesperson just 6 percent of the time. In contrast, 18 percent of the time, shoppers encountered a salesperson who was not helpful enough and did not devote enough time and attention.

In an example, Pied Piper said Ford dealership sales personnel scored better than the competition in three areas:

• More likely to discuss Ford's unique features.

• More likely to introduce themselves.

• More likely to discuss available financing options.

“Despite the widespread and continual improvement in how cars are sold, there is still plenty of room for improvement, although not necessarily in the expected areas,” the study said.

About 18 percent of the time, salespeople did not pay enough attention to the shopper. Only 57 percent offered a brochure, underlining the decision “by some brands and dealerships to limit or discontinue offering brochures,” the study said.

The study also found:

• 95 percent of Lexus and Porsche sales personnel reviewed a vehicle's features and controls before a test drive, compared with 74 percent at BMW.

• Land Rover, Smart and Mini salespeople rarely introduced shoppers to dealership personnel.

• Suzuki, Volkswagen, Nissan, Toyota and Infiniti dealership employees used introductions to dealership management 40 percent of the time to help clinch a deal.

• Nissan, Mazda, Infiniti, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and Volkswagen dealerships are most likely to initiate follow-up contact within 48 hours after an initial visit.

• Buick, Mitsubishi, Chevrolet and Acura dealerships were the least likely to follow up within 48 hours after a shopper's first visit.

• At BMW and Volvo stores, 80 percent of the time, personnel told shoppers about their free scheduled maintenance programs.

Src: autonews

Bill Gates and Vindo Khosla Invest $23.5 Million in EcoMotors

The Billionaire seem to love to Invest on Green Projects. EcoMotors International has received $23.5 million from Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates and investor Vinod Khosla for engineering and testing of its trademarked Opoc engine technology.

EcoMotors said in a statement today that the investment marks a key advance in commercializing its opposed piston-opposed cylinder engine. The engine maker plans to use the funds for completing testing and building demonstration units.

Further details about the funding have not been disclosed.

EcoMotors CEO Don Runkle said it is terrific to have the support of prominent investors. He also said EcoMotors' engines will be built in Michigan because of the state's resources and talent. Runkle is a former executive of General Motors and Delphi Corp.

EcoMotors, based in suburban Detroit, says the Opoc architecture allows its opposed piston-opposed cylinder engines to use 50 percent fewer parts than standard engines, while providing 50 percent more fuel efficiency. Runkle says the company is working on its sixth-generation engine and the new funds may be used for the next engine configuration.

Gates, also co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said in a statement that the technology may be a stepping stone in advancing affordable, low-emission transportation.

Khosla co-founded Sun Microsystems in 1982 and was a general partner of the venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins, Caufield & Byers in California. In 2004, he founded venture capital firm Khosla Ventures of Menlo Park, Calif., to invest in various green technologies. The firm owns 47 percent of EcoMotors.

Opoc was conceived by Peter Hofbauer, former head of powertrain development at Volkswagen AG and now EcoMotors' chairman and chief technology officer, the company said.

Hofbauer designed the VW high-speed diesel engine that became the foundation for the clean diesel engine used in the Jetta and other VW vehicles, EcoMotors said.

- Autonews Inputs

PRESS RELEASE: Khosla Ventures and Bill Gates Invest in EcoMotors' Revolutionary opoc® Engine

Securing “Series B” funding from two prominent investors represents a major advance in the global commercialization of the opoc® technology.

TROY, Michigan, July 12, 2010 -- EcoMotors International CEO Don Runkle announced today that the Company has secured substantial Series B funding – sufficient to complete engineering and testing of the opoc® engine.

The two exclusive investors in EcoMotors' Series B are Khosla Ventures of Menlo Park, California and Bill Gates. The two principals, Vinod Khosla and Bill Gates, indicate their stakes in EcoMotors reflect a shared belief in the global potential of the opoc® technology and the impact it can have on transportation emissions because of its cost effectiveness.

“opoc® is precisely the kind of game-changing innovation that we at Khosla Ventures are passionate about,” said Khosla. “The only truly disruptive technologies are those that can provide not only payback in months but also economic and carbon benefits to large segments of the world's population without the need for subsidies or massive infrastructure investments. Among next-generation propulsion systems, the opoc® engine is broadly applicable and can provide lower carbon emissions than almost any other technology.”

“The opoc® engine can be an important step in providing affordable, low-emission transportation for the developing world,” said Gates. “EcoMotors has developed a promising technology that could help reduce levels of greenhouse gas emissions in a low-cost, globally relevant way.”

The revolutionary opoc® architecture of opposed pistons and opposed cylinders provides unparalleled benefits:

High Efficiency: The unique enginearchitecture – which offers true modular displacement capability — delivers up to 50% greater fuel efficiency compared with conventional engines of similar output, along with a corresponding reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

Half the weight and half the size of conventional engines: Theopoc® engine provides unparalleled power density and flexibility in automobile and truck design as well as other engine applications.

Low Cost: With50% fewer parts than a conventional engine, the opoc® is less expensive to manufacture, to purchase, to operate and to tool up.

Established in early 2008, EcoMotors is quickly achieving critical mass in terms of changing the landscape of internal combustion power. Based in Troy, Mich., EcoMotors is commercializing the unique opoc® engine for use in cars, light trucks, commercial vehicles, aerospace, marine, agriculture, auxiliary power units, generators, etc. Anywhere conventional gas or diesel power is currently utilized, opoc® represents a better propulsion solution.

EcoMotors is led by Don Runkle (Chief Executive Officer) and Prof. Peter Hofbauer (Chairman and Chief Technical Officer).

opoc® was conceived by Prof. Peter Hofbauer – who formerly as Head of Powertrain Development at VW designed the original VW high speed diesel engine that became the foundation for the Jetta Clean Diesel that won 2009 Green Car of the Year honors. Don Runkle, as former VP of N.A. Engineering at GM, spearheaded the GM EV1 electric car along with countless other innovations.

EcoMotors is a Khosla Ventures portfolio company. Khosla Ventures offers venture assistance, strategic advice and capital to entrepreneurs. The firm helps entrepreneurs extend the potential of their ideas in breakthrough scientific work in clean technology areas such as solar, battery, high efficiency engines, lighting, greener materials like cement, glass and bio-refineries for energy and bioplastics, and other environmentally friendly technologies as well as traditional venture areas like the Internet, computing, mobile and silicon technology arenas. Vinod Khosla founded the firm in 2004 and was formerly a General Partner at Kleiner Perkins and founder of Sun Microsystems. Khosla Ventures is based in Menlo Park, California.

'Electrical Alliance', Tesla and Toyota join to produce Electrical Vehicles.

Toyota, the world's largest seller of hybrid autos, in May said it would invest $50 million in Tesla and jointly develop electric models with the U.S. startup. Both prototypes are modified Toyota vehicles, said JB Straubel, Tesla's chief technology officer.

Tesla Motors Inc. said it will deliver two rechargeable prototype electric cars to Toyota Motor Corp. this month as a first step in their alliance.

“Since our announcement in May, Toyota and Tesla engineering teams have made a lot of progress in a short amount of time, and it is exciting to start seeing some initial results,” Straubel said in an e-mail message. Tesla has signed an agreement to deliver two prototypes to Toyota by the end of July, he said.

Toyota's partnership with Tesla, maker of the $109,000 electric Roadster sports car, is the first of more such alliances the Japanese company wants to pursue in advanced auto technologies, President Akio Toyoda told reporters Friday in Nagoya, Japan. Carmakers including Toyota are under pressure in the United States and other markets to develop models that consume little or no petroleum and emit fewer gasses linked to global warming.


The project with Tesla, of Palo Alto, Calif., is separate from a previously announced electric car Toyota plans to sell by 2012, Toyoda said. Toyota has said it's working on a two-passenger “urban commuter” electric car that will likely have range of 50 miles or less per charge.

The prototypes Tesla is preparing are based on two current Toyota vehicles that are being fitted with Tesla battery packs and motors, Straubel said, without elaborating.

Ricardo Reyes, a Tesla spokesman, declined to provide details of the two models.

Toyota is pursuing a multidirectional strategy for future vehicles that includes autos powered by hydrogen, batteries and other alternative fuels, Toyoda told reporters yesterday.

“We're building a prototype which is equipped with an electric vehicle unit,” Toyoda said. Toyota will provide updates “at each stage of development,” he said, without elaborating.

Tesla raised $260 million in an initial public offering last month. Unlike Toyota, Nissan Motor Co. and other companies planning battery models, Tesla vehicles use thousands of the same type of small lithium-ion battery cells that power laptop computers.

Toyota wants to study that approach to see if it offers advantages over using larger types of battery cells, Toyota Executive Vice President Shinichi Sasaki said.

The development program with Tesla will be led by Toyota's U.S. engineering group, said Masami Doi.

Tesla is also working with Germany's Daimler AG on electric vehicles and has supplied battery packs for use in Daimler's Smart minicars. Daimler has also invested at least $50 million in Tesla.

Src: Bloomberg News

Volkswagen Race Touareg 3 suprise is Out

VW has sent out a teaser image of the Volkswagen Race Touareg 3, being prepared for January's 2011 Dakar Rally.

It's mini baby of Batman's Vehicle Look alike.With its identical look and placement of the blue valves, black hoses, steel tubing, and radiator elements. The exterior color of the vehicle in the teaser is also the same as that of the prototype.

With this, Volkswagen will be looking to win their third Dakar in a row, following Carlos Sainz & Lucas Cruz' 2010 victory, and Giniel de Villiers & Dirk von Zitzewitz' 2009 win. The company plans to radically improve the aerodyamics of the current race-ready Touareg, while keeping the inspiration of the current mass production vehicle.

The 300-horsepower (224-kW) TDI engine already in use will remain unchanged. Also not receiving an update are the suspension and the chassis.

Testing of the new Volkswagen Race Touareg 3 will continue later this month in the Moroccan desert. Once the hot weather testing is complete, the car will be formally unveiled in August before taking on the St. Petersburg to Sochi Silk Way Rally in Russia one month later.



Src: WCF

Fiat 500 is first to get two-cylinder, 85 hp TwinAir engine.

Fiat Powertrain Technologies, newly introduced two-cylinder TwinAir 85-horsepower engine. The engine has found its first home in the cuddly Cinquicento, but we see in other  Fiat models soon.

The gasoline (petroled)-fueled, 0.9-liter two-cylinder motor features a pint-sized turbo, Fiat's revolutionary MultiAir technology and so much more. Fiat 500, the new engine performs better than the company's existing 1.2-liter mill and on par with its 1.4-liter while offering a 30-percent reduction in fuel consumption. When equipped with the new TwinAir, the Fiat 500 can reach a top speed of 108 miles per hour and can hit 60 mph in under 11 seconds. Fuel consumption works out to a handy 57 miles per gallon (U.S.) and emissions drops down to just 95 grams per kilometer of CO2. With max torque sitting at approximately 107 ft.-lbs. at a low 1900 rpm, this little mill figures to offer enough low-end grunt too.

Source: Fiat

Press Release:

TwinAir 85 HP, world preview

The new two-cylinder engine family made by FPT - Fiat Powertrain Technologies, called TwinAir, is debuting in the Fiat 500 today. This is a brand-new concept on the worldwide auto scene and confirms the leadership of the Fiat Group in this field.

Using next-generation technology, the new engine implements the revolutionary MultiAir system combined with special fluid dynamics optimised for maximum fuel efficiency. Furthermore, by taking the concept of downsizing to the extreme and masterfully tuning the basic mechanics, the new family – delivering from 65 to 105 HP – emits 30% less CO2 than an engine of equal performance.

On sale from next September, the 500 will be the first Fiat model to adopt this, which will be the progenitor of a new family of engines: a 85 HP (900 cc) turbo two-cylinder with the lowest CO2 emission for a petrol engine (92 g/km with a Dualogic robotised gearbox and 95 g/km with manual gearbox) without skimping on performance or driving pleasure. This is thanks to the small-sized turbine which, combined with dedicated valve management strategies, minimises transient response times and, at the same time, keeps maximum power levels high. In this way, despite its small size, the engine ensures excellent performance and an appreciable reduction in fuel consumption: compared with a 1.2 8v, the new 85 HP turbo has 23% more power and a 30% better performance index. In fact, the performance of the two-cylinder is not only equivalent to a 1.4 16v, but consumption is a remarkable 30% lower.

Equipped in this way, the Fiat 500 reaches a top speed of 173 km/h and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in only 11 seconds. This remarkable performance corresponds to a significant reduction of fuel consumption and emissions: 4.1 l/100 km and 95 g/km respectively on the urban cycle (with manual gearbox), that becomes 4.0 l/100 km and 92 g/km with a Dualogic robotised gearbox. Furthermore, the Fiat 500 with TwinAir 85 HP is provided with an ECO button – positioned on the dashboard – for further cutting fuel consumption in cities and guaranteeing very eco-friendly running. Two driving modes can be selected: Normal and ECO.

In the first mode, the ECO function is off and the engine delivers the maximum available torque (145 Nm), guaranteeing prompt, brilliant response and a "sportier" driving feel. Steering assistance is also specifically calibrated for Normal mode. No indication appears on the dashboard in this mode (City is not selected). Consequently, this configuration is recommended for maximum response and full enjoyment of all available torque.

In ECO mode, instead, the emphasis is on "eco-friendly" engine running: torque delivery is cut off to 100 Nm at 1750 rpm to minimise consumption and promote a driving style more suitable for city traffic. The steering wheel is lighter (CITY mode is automatically selected). The driver only needs to press the specific button on the dashboard to activate the ECO function. The lettering ECO will appear on the panel (the letter "E" will appear on the panel if the car has a Dualogic robotised gearbox). Furthermore, the Dualogic shifting strategy also switches to ECO mode to further optimise fuel consumption.

Furthermore, compared with a medium-sized four-cylinder of equal performance, the new engine is significantly shorter (-23%) and lighter (-10%), opening the way to further developments, such as methane fuel supply or hybrid technology combinations, again on the theme of greater eco-friendliness. In particular, a methane version of the TwinAir will be available soon providing a further CO2 emission reduction, by adopting a pair of special injectors in addition to the petrol injectors on the intake manifold ducts. Improving on these fuel saving results using internal combustion engines will be difficult and alternative technologies will need to be developed. The combination of traditional engines and electric motors appears particularly promising. Due to its reduced size, the TwinAir is quite suitable for being paired with an electric engine and in general with a device located between the engine and gearbox for recovering and storing the energy that is normally wasted during braking.

Interestingly, the TwinAir 85 HP comes with "Start&Stop" as standard. This device temporarily stops the engine and restarts it, ensuring reductions in fuel consumption and noise in the passenger compartment. The Gear Shift Indicator (GSI) associated to the Start&Stop system is a genuine "co-pilot" that discreetly suggests when to shift gear, leading to more efficient use of the engine in terms of fuel consumption. For example, the GSI may suggest shifting up, by means of an indication on the control panel, to allow the engine to burn a leaner mixture, i.e. one containing less fuel, or shifting down to make best use of the available torque.

Nothing short of an engineering gem, the two-cylinder implements the revolutionary MultiAir technology developed and patented by FPT – Fiat Powertrain Technologies, which was introduced on FIRE engines last year for the first time. The heart of MultiAir is a new electro-hydraulic valve management system that reduces fuel consumption by controlling air directly via the inlet valves (without using the throttle). MultiAir reduces polluting emissions (thanks to combustion control) and also considerably improves performance by boosting driveability with respect to a traditional petrol engine of equal displacement. In brief, the advantages of MultiAir technology applied to petrol engines are:

* maximum power boosted by 10% compared with a traditional engine of equal size;

* 15% more torque at low rpm and during transitions by applying early intake valve closing strategies to maximise the air introduced into the cylinders;

* less fuel consumption and consequently lower CO2 emissions, equal to 10% by eliminating pumping losses and precise parameter calibration for optimising combustion;

* lower polluting emissions from the engine by optimising valve control strategies during the intake stroke;

* prompter response to accelerator commands due to the constant air pressure upstream of the cylinders combined with extremely fast control of the intake valves.

Also, the new TwinAir engine takes the concept of downsizing to an extreme: by combining a small-sized engine with a next-generation turbocharger performance comparable to – or even better than – that of a larger engine is obtained but with less fuel consumption and lower emissions. Not only that, the turbo significantly increases the maximum torque, making it available at a very low rpm, with the result of offering greater flexibility and an unrivalled responsiveness compared to conventional aspirated engines. All this comes with a simple build to the benefit of strength and reliability.

Last but not least, the new engine was painstakingly optimised and tuned. For instance, the basic two-cylinder architecture – combined with the low friction of internal parts – ranks this engine best in the world as far as friction is concerned. Furthermore, calculated simulations have been used to identify the best possible unit displacement in terms of thermo-dynamic efficiency, and the best fluid dynamic configuration to optimise and get the best out of the MultiAir system. Finally, special attention has been placed on the NVH (Noise, vibration, and harshness) aspect to ensure vibration performance at least equivalent to that of a four-cylinder, with equal performance but with a characteristic sound. For this purpose, a balancing countershaft was used to maintain optimal vibration levels in all operating conditions of the engine, from idling speed to top power.

TeleNav to guide U.S. Cellular smartphones.

U.S. Cellular is has partnered TeleNav to bring turn-by-turn navigation to the carrier's smartphones.

On Friday, the carrier announced its Your Navigator Deluxe service that offers such features as voice-guided directions, 3D maps, speech recognition, more than 12 million business listings, and traffic and weather information. Even better, there isn't an additional fee to use TeleNav as it's all included in U.S. Cellular's new smartphone data plan, which costs $30 per month.

Supported smartphones include the recently announced Samsung Acclaim, as well as the HTC Touch Pro2, HTC Snap, the RIM BlackBerry Tour 9630, the RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530, and the Samsung i225. You can find the full list of compatible devices on TeleNav's Web site.

New Tech from Ford lets you to hear SMS.

Ford Motor Company has announced  updates to its SYNC technology that promotes safer alternatives to texting while driving.

New MyFord Touch-equipped cars will let drivers block incoming calls and texts with a “Do Not Disturb” button, but the biggest addition is support for a new protocol (MAP) that will allow SYNC to read aloud incoming text messages over Bluetooth (Bluetooth).

New and Future BlackBerry owners will be the first to benefit as RIM is working with Ford to make audible text messaging via SYNC possible. RIM has agreed to implement the Bluetooth standard MAP — Message Access Profile on new BlackBerry devices moving forward. BlackBerry MAP integration will create an enhanced connection between the smartphone and the SYNC system so that it can read aloud incoming text messages.

Ford’s Bluetooth MAP support means that other mobile device manufacturers can implement MAP to take advantage of the audible text messaging functionality of SYNC. Ford hopes that the hands-free bonuses will encourage other manufactures to adopt the standard as well.

The new version of SYNC — available on 2011 models with MyFord Touch — will also include a “Do Not Disturb” button that will give drivers the ability to block incoming texts and calls, but still make outgoing calls.

Src: mashable.com

Petrol prices may change every fortnight in India, similar to West Countries.

State-owned oil firms may opt to revise petrol prices every fortnight to reflect changes in the global oil market in the free pricing regime that kicks in from next week.

Petrol prices were freed from government control last month resulting in a Rs 3.50 per litre hike in rates in Delhi, but modalities of subsequent retail price adjustments were left to the industry to deliberate and decide.

Sources said Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum on Thursday began consultations on modalities like the frequency or interval at which prices will be revised and if the PSUs should have uniform rate that would change on same date.

Private firms Reliance Industries, Essar Oil and Royal Dutch/Shell too are being consulted in the exercise. Sources said most retailers favour fortnightly revisions in retail rates to reflect changes in cost of raw material (crude oil), but the nation's largest oil firm IOC was at variance, wanting rates not to be revised too often.

Those in favour of a 15-day cycle for price adjustment argue that oil firms already have a mechanism of calculating the desired fuel prices on 1st and 16th of every month. Also, rates of aviation turbine fuel (ATF), which was freed from Government control in 2002, change with cost every fortnight.

But IOC does not want frequent price changes, saying a fixed date for revision may lead to hoarding at pump end.


Sources said modalities are likely to be finalised by next week and pump rates would be revised accordingly.

An Empowered Group of Minister headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had on June 25 decided to free petrol and diesel prices from government control.

Chrysler to going to Set Up 200 Fiat Dealerships in US.

Fiat dealerships will be returning to the United States of America after a long holiday of 26 years.

Chrysler said Tuesday that it planned to set up about 200 outlets by the end of the year to sell the Fiat 500, an Italian designed subcompact. The dealerships will be run by existing Chrysler dealers and in many cases located on the same property, but they will have separate showrooms and employees.

The strategy runs counter to a general trend of consolidating multiple brands into one showroom. It also requires dealers to commit significant resources to a lineup that initially has a single model. A convertible, the 500 Cabrio, is scheduled to arrive in 2011, followed by a battery-powered 500 in 2012, but Chrysler has not revealed plans to expand Fiat beyond that.

BMW used a similar approach to successfully reintroduce its Mini brand to the United States nearly a decade ago, requiring dealers to build auxiliary showrooms to sell the Mini Cooper. But investing in an expansion for what analysts consider to be a niche model, at a time when auto sales are depressed and many dealers are struggling, is a gamble.

“If I were a dealer, I would be somewhat reluctant to make that investment,” said Erich Merkle, an automotive analyst and president of Autoconomy.com in Grand Rapids, Mich. “You have to go and build a new facility to sell a brand that really is going to take a considerable amount of time to get any kind of volume.”

A Chrysler spokesman, Ralph Kisiel, said the company intended to have Fiat dealerships in 125 markets in about 41 states. He said most would be concentrated in metropolitan areas where small cars were already popular and where demand was expected to increase.

Executives sent letters this week to all 2,320 Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram dealers inviting them to apply for a Fiat franchise. Fewer than 10 percent will be selected, and the locations will be announced in September, Chrysler said.

Interest in the 500 among Chrysler dealers has been high, and given the small number of outlets being selected, Mr. Merkle said he expected the company would receive more than enough bids, despite the requirements.

“All these years I’ve been waiting and waiting and waiting” for Fiat to return, said Mr. Gulla, the owner of Larchmont Chrysler Jeep Dodge. “It’s an emotional situation as well as an economic one.”

The Fiat 500 is a major piece of Chrysler’s efforts to diversify a lineup that has relied heavily on trucks and sport utility vehicles, hurting sales as American consumers began seeking more fuel-efficient alternatives. The company plans to build more than 100,000 of the vehicles a year at a plant in Mexico, sending half to the United States and half to South America.

Src: [nytimes]

Electric Cars in US might cause Electricity Shortage.

Temperatures reached a record 103 degrees in New York City on Tuesday. The heat also strained the electric grid all over the country, with utilities reporting scattered outages.

Some observers see possible trouble ahead. “In a situation like New York is in right now, charging electric vehicles could add to the burden pretty significantly,” said Jack Nerad, an executive market analyst at Kelley Blue Book. He said the load would be considerably less if electric cars are charged overnight, “but there’s no guarantee of that.”

Phil Gott, managing director of automotive consulting for IHS Automotive and the author of reports on E.V. adoption, said it’s likely that utilities will “see the added load coming and will add capacity where necessary.” But, he added, “If they elect not to take it seriously, then yes, we’ll have issues.”

A January 2010 report for Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s PlaNYC estimates that New York could have tens of thousands of electric vehicles (including plug-in hybrids) by 2015. These include the electric drive Smart and the Chevrolet Volt, both of which have recently announced that New York will be among their early markets.

The PlaNYC report concludes that the expected adoption rate “should not threaten the stability of the electric grid as long as most chargers are ‘smart,” allowing charging to take place during off-peak hours.” That’s by no means assured, however, because high-tech smart grids are still embryonic in many areas.

One solution, proposed by energy companies, such as DTE Energy in southeastern Michigan, is to encourage electric car owners to charge at night. Scott Simons, a spokesman for DTE Energy, said the utility was developing an incentive to offer one-third price reduction during off-peak hours.

Branko Terzic, a former commissioner at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission who is regulatory policy leader in energy and resources at Deloitte, said that such time-of-day rates can be put into effect even with “a dumb grid.” He said that some utilities had delayed making smart grid improvements because they were a capital cost with benefits in the future.

Jeff Seidel, chief strategy officer at Ener1, which supplies batteries to Think and Volvo electric cars, said that mobile electricity storage could provide a partial solution to the summer overload problem. His company is working with the utility Portland General Electric on one-megawatt battery storage units that could be moved from trouble spot to trouble spot on a tractor trailer and provide emergency power for periods of up to a few hours.

Src: [nytimes]

BMW cars to support apple's iOS 4:iPod out

BMW announced on Wednesday its intent to support what is probably the most obscure and overlooked new feature in Apple's iOS 4: iPod Out. This feature allows a connected iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, or iPod Touch (2 or 3 generation) to output and display an iPod interface on a connected device's external screen.

Rather than displaying BMW or Mini's iPod interface, the connected vehicle would display Apple's own interface, which will be controllable with the vehicle's controls. Users will be able to control the iPod's music playback and browse their music catalog, playlists, podcasts....

Navigating the iPod interface has always been super simple using Apple's click wheel. Lets see how easily it will be navigated with BMW's iDrive controller.

The benefit of using the iPod Out connection is that it allows the interface to change and grow with the connected iPhone or iPod. If Apple adds, changes, or removes an iPod feature in the next revision, the connected BMW or Mini should immediately be able to reflect those changes.

(Image Credit: BMW)
(Source Credit: reviews.cnet)