Annual New York Auto Show Traffic Safety Symposium points to high fatality and injury rate among teens, while University of Bridgeport design school students propose technology solutions and Ford discusses impaired driving simulator "suits.
The $1 billion venture, funded for five years, will focus on autonomous vehicle technologies, artificial intelligence, materials science, robotics, and more.
Dangers from malware, including ransom demands, must be pro-actively avoided as industry and owners enter era of connected cars. For all their conveniences, telematics could pose ugly series of risks that will require new approaches to prevent, explains Cisco Systems scientist to SAE Congress attendees. Vulnerabilities are in many areas, including the OBD system.
TRW Automotive has launched its next-generation seatbelt retractor, the Floating Spool 1 (FS1), which offers reduced weight (about 15% lighter) and smaller dimensions compared to previous systems, according to the company. Production of the global FS1 technology starts in the second quarter of 2014.
With 76% high-strength and ultra-high-strength steel, larger welds, and extensive use of structural adhesives, the design is predicted to get top ratings from NHTSA and IIHS. Other highlights are a direct-injection 3.3-L V6, hands- and feet-free liftgate, and UVO infotainment with new eServices.
Vehicular traffic deaths decline, but pedestrian fatalities unchanged. Proposed solutions range from greater use of roundabouts, new signaling, and vehicles with pedestrian detection and auto-braking. Some success found with driver and pedestrian education. "Vision Zero" program adopted in New York City.
Engineers at NASCAR's Research & Development Center in Concord, NC, recently performed three separate window net and window net mounting tests and used them to design an improved window net mounting system for the 2013 season.