Latest Gear Live Videos
Google’s self-driving car brings a blind man to Taco Bell
Posted by Andrey Malskiy Categories: Google, Transportation, Videos,
We’ve had a lot of chatter about self-driving cars here at Gear Live, but apart from doing a few hot laps around a closed circuit and quick drive around the Autobahn, we haven't really seen a practical application. But our thoughts have changed, as Google has produced a self-driving Prius, which wouldn’t have been our first choice, but that’s not the point.
Google has developed a brilliant application of the autonomous car. As we reported before, the autonomous car was aimed for traffic improvement and flow, but Google believes that the technology could be used to assist the blind and those unable to operate a vehicle on their own.
The video follows Steve Mahan, as he gets around doing his daily routine. The tasks may seem trivial to us, but to a person of limited mobility, the possibilities are now endless.
Advertisement
Toyota leads the way in hybrid sales with Prius C
Posted by Andrey Malskiy Categories: Corporate News, Transportation,
Toyota is aiming for the top in hybrid sales and, in the words of Charlie Sheen, they’re winning!
Toyota has reported that it sold 8,400 units in the first ten weeks of in the U.S. market. That’s not the only vehicle they’re proud of though, as the Prius C, its smaller, more efficient, and compact hybrid has sales to boot. The Prius C sold 1,201 its first three days on sale in the U.S. AutoBlog reports, “that's enough to make it "one of Toyota's fastest-selling vehicles," according to the automaker, which also pointed out that those three days of sales is more than either the Nissan Leaf or Chevrolet Volt sold all last month.” However, these numbers are nothing compared to the Japanese market.
Toyota reports that 120,000 orders have been put in for the Prius C. Though we’re not certain as to how many were sold, it is clear that the Prius franchise is doing exceptionally well. There were almost 10,000 sales reported the first half of March in the U.S. and Toyota has projected to sell 220,000 units this year. All we got to say, is those are some impressive numbers.
Top 10 technologies that will change the automotive game
Posted by Andrey Malskiy Categories: Science, Transportation,
The internal combustion engine saved the horse in the 1900s, and hybrid cars were supposed to save the automobile in the 2000s (nice try, Prius.) Now there’s a new savior in town--well, actually, there are a few.
Though the hybrid was a great start, it was only a gateway drug of an idea for gear-heads everywhere. We’ve all walked out into our driveway ready to get doing, only to stumble upon a flat tire. You can kiss that problem goodbye thanks to Goodyear. Thinking that your engine isn’t as efficient as it should be? You’re probably right, but technology mirroring NASA will solve that worry for you. Oh, and forget about getting a bigger motor, because you should instead be focusing on the 1-liter powerhouses. As technology improves, our automotive life will too. To get the full story, click on through to get a look at Car and Driver's 10 Most Promising Auto Technologies of the Future.
Toyota Prius camper conversion
Posted by Andrey Malskiy Categories: Mods / Hacks, Transportation,
The Toyota Prius has become an icon in the hybrid world. From celebrities praising the second generation Prius, to Toyota growing a single car into a family of vehicles, the Prius has come a long way. Though, for some, it hasn’t come far enough. The Japanese conversion company Campinn has decided to take the Prius down the Frankenstein route.
The Prius Camper debuted at the Tokyo Auto Salon, consisting of one part Toyota Prius hatchback and one part truck camper. Made of fiber-reinforced plastic that extends the car’s length to 196 inches and its height to about 82 inches, it makes the Prius look as if it has a cancerous lump growing on it. The interior amenities are limited to a skylight, a sleeping area up top, and a convertible sofa bed on the bottom. Though I’m not sure how useful and versatile this thing is, people will now have the option of camping in a hybrid. However, the most convenient feature of the Prius camper is its back door, allowing the owner an escape while people laugh at the monstrosity.
Read More 
| Autoblog
Advertisement
© Gear Live Inc. {year} – User-posted content, unless source is quoted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Public Domain License. Gear Live graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, videos, articles, blogs, forums, scripts and other service names are the trademarks of Gear Live Inc.