Mercedes-Benz's Futuristic Autonomous Truck

While we’ve frequently reported on autonomous cars and the impact of thetechnology on the car industry, one of the areas we’re likely to see the technology take hold first is in interstate trucking. Mercedes-Benz is well aware of this and at this week’s 2014 Hannover Commercial Vehicle Show has shown a concept truck that it says could help make roads much safer.

Mercedes’ parent company Daimler is one of the biggest manufacturers of commercial vehicles in the world, and with its latest concept, called the Mercedes-Benz Future Truck 2025, is previewing technology that could be available in the trucking industry someday. Using autonomous car technology developed for Mercedes’ passenger car line, the Future Truck features a ‘Highway Pilot’ system that has already been demonstrated to work in real world conditions.

Radar sensors and camera technology enable the Future Truck to drive autonomously, independently of other vehicles or central control hubs. A sensor in the lower area of the front section scans the road ahead for objects at long and short range. This works in conjunction with a stereo camera installed above the windshield that scans for the road for markings such as lanes and other traffic signs.

The road surface to the left and right of the truck is monitored by radar sensors installed in the sides. They are located on the left and right, ahead of the truck’s rear axle, and are arranged in such a way that they cover the area parallel to the truck over the entire length of the truck and its trailer as well as two meters in front. These sensors form a standalone Blind Spot Assist function that will make it to production soon. Finally, there are three-dimensional digital maps, which are borrowed from the assistance system known as Predictive Powertrain Control already fitted on many trucks. This helps the truck be aware of a road's course and topography.



All sensors on board the Future Truck are networked (multi-sensor fusion), and provide a complete image of the surroundings. Thus, all moving and stationary objects in the truck's vicinity are registered, and based on this data commands can be sent to the truck’s steering and braking systems.



Traffic flows on long-distance routes that are predictable for all road users mean more safety for all those involved. Already, assistance systems regulate vehicle speeds and are able to automatically initiate emergency braking to prevent accidents. Both have proved their worth for a number of years. A fully autonomous truck takes this concept a step further.



But the developers say the technology isn’t purely about safety; they say an autonomously-driven truck is also more fuel efficient and makes traffic flow smoother.



When might we see something like the Mercedes Future Truck 2025 in production? As in the passenger car world, the biggest hurdle is legislation. Should these barriers be overcome, the developers say the technology could be ready for market launch within the next 10 years.

Cadillac CT6 To Feature Video-Streaming Rearview Mirror

Cadillac is set to unveil a new flagship sedan at the 2015 New York Auto Show in April, and today we learned of one of the cooler features that will appear on the car. The new car will be a fullsize sedan called the CT6 and it will come with a video-streaming rearview mirror that should make backing up and changing lanes much easier and safer.




At a flip of a switch at the base of the rearview mirror, drivers of the CT6 will be able to change the mirror from a traditional unit to one that streams high-resolution video. But this isn’t for watching movies or checking your Facebook status; instead, it relays footage taken by a camera at the rear of the car.

This has the benefit of removing obstructions of passengers, headrests and the vehicle’s roof and rear pillars when a driver needs to see what’s behind them on the road. Better yet, the video-streaming mode of the mirror improves field of vision by an estimated 300 percent, or roughly four times greater than a standard mirror.



A water-shedding hydrophobic coating is applied to the camera to keep it clean to maintain visibility regardless of the driving conditions. And thanks to a high dynamic range, the camera’s video feed also reduces glare and allows a crisper image in low-light situations, versus a traditional mirror.



Right now it’s not clear if there will be any major regulatory hurdles to cross; similar camera-based systems for side mirrors, which automakers love because it would mean no more drag-creating side mirror caps, are not allowed yet under federal standards here in the U.S. Such a setup is already in use, however, on the super-slippery Volkswagen XL1 sold overseas.

We're guessing the video-streaming rearview mirror will be allowed by the time CT6 arrives. The car will go on sale next fall, as a 2016 model. Expect to see the special mirror appear in other General Motors Company [NYSE:GM] products shortly after.

2016 Audi Q7 Arrival Marks Intro Of 23-Speaker 3D Sound System

When the all-new 2016 Audi Q7 goes on sale next year, it will be available with a new 3D sound system that gives your favorite tunes a spatial dimension. So instead of just the left and right channels you also get spatial height. According to Audi, the addition of this third dimension makes the sounds even clearer and more vivid.

But creating the setup isn’t just a matter of specific speaker positioning. At its core is a complex algorithm that calculates the control signals for each speaker swiftly and precisely.

In the first stage of the process, the software breaks the data for the music source down into its spatial components. It does this by using the spatial information contained in the data. For example, when an artist is singing from a stage, surrounding surfaces such as the floor, ceiling and walls of the concert hall reflect the sound with different time lapses. Using these different sonic reflections, the algorithm is able to calculate a mathematical model of any recording room.

The second stage of the process involves reassembling the sound portions so that the sound pattern inside the car corresponds to the original recording room. A digital signal processor uses 11 channels with a total of 23 speakers to produce the new 3D sound. Four of the speakers positioned in the A-pillars are what create the spatial height. The best part is that it works with almost any type of audio—whether streaming internet music, a CD, FM radio, or even a high-quality 5.1 surround-sound recording.

In the 2016 Q7, the new 3D sound system will be available with either the Bose or more expensive Bang & Olufsen sound systems designed for the new SUV. Audi developed the technology in partnership with the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits in Erlangen, Germany. A similar system with 12 speakers will be available on the 2016 TT.

Land Rover’s Transparent Hood Technology

The "Transparent Hood," as Land Rover calls it, is created through the use of camera images projected onto a full width heads up display at the bottom of the windshield, which provides the driver visibility to what is underneath and directly in front of the car.

It's literally like looking through the engine compartment at the ground.

Range Rover said the technology is designed as an aid in off-road driving and tight spaces.

"Cameras located at the front of the vehicle capture data and are used to feed a Heads-Up Display across the bottom of the windshield, effectively creating a 'see-through' view of the terrain through the hood and engine bay, breaking new ground in visual driver assistance," Range Rover said in a statement about the technology.

Not only can a driver climbing a steep incline or negotiating turns see a virtual view of the terrain in front of the car, but can also see the angle and position of the front wheels.

"As our vehicles become more capable and offer increasing autonomy off-road, we will ensure the driver has the confidence to progress over any terrain," Wolfgang Epple, director of research and technology for Jaguar Land Rover, said.

  

Jaguar Land Rover Transparent Pillar and Ghost Car Navigation Technology

The technology is called the 360 Virtual Urban Windscreen, and as its name suggests it provides the driver with a 360-degree view out of the vehicle, completely uninterrupted by the pillars that support the roof. Essentially, a screen embedded in the surface of each pillar inside the car relays a live video feed from cameras covering the angles outside the car.

Pedestrians, cyclists and other vehicles would be visible all around the car—and by combining the transparent pillars with a head-up display on the windscreen, the movement of other road users can be highlighted to the driver with an on-screen halo moving across the car’s virtual windscreen.

An evolution of this moving halo feature is a special navigation feature called Follow-Me Ghost Car Navigation, which projects an image of a vehicle in front of the driver’s car for them to follow, turn by turn, to their destination.

However, so that the driver isn’t overloaded, the screens remained switched off in their default setting, with specific screens only becoming activated when the driver switches on the turn signal or checks over his or head when about to switch lanes. Depending on the driver’s intended direction, the system automatically makes the left- or right-hand side pillars transparent.

Taking the technology a step further, Jaguar envisages connecting the 360 Virtual Urban Windscreen to a cloud containing information on street markings and local businesses. The system could then present information ranging from gas station prices to the number of parking spots available, so drivers won’t have to look for this information themselves.

Unfortunately, there’s no mention of when we might see the 360 Virtual Urban Windscreen fitted to one of Jaguar Land Rover’s production cars.

Classic Muscle Cars

10 Collectible Classic Muscle Cars You Can Afford

It’s mind-boggling. You sit there for hours, watching middle-aged guys in Hawaiian shirts and big watches bid stupid money on muscle cars on the myriad cable channels that broadcast collector-car auctions these days. Crappy models that were being swapped among migrant farm workers a decade ago for tens of dollars go for high five figures now. And the good stuff is all over $100,000. The great stuff? That’s in the millions: A 1967 L88 Corvette went for $3.5 million at Barrett-Jackson—before all the fees that make founder Craig Jackson wealthy. So it’s safe to say that you probably can’t afford the classic muscle car of your dreams. (What are you going to do with a $3.5 million Corvette anyway? Drive it?)

---

• Follow Car and Driver on Facebook

---

Here’s what we say: Change your dreams. Aim quirky, and expand your horizon beyond 1972. Here are 10 solid, drivable, interesting cars that, more rather than less, qualify as muscle cars. More important, they’re cars you might be able to afford—you probably won’t even have to ask the kids to skip college.

Note: All prices come from the NADA Classic Car Guide. The lower number is what you can expect to pay for an example in average condition, the higher number is the top-end value for a well-maintained used car. As with any car, pristine, fully preserved, and unicornesque examples would go for more.

1. 1970–71 Ford Torino GT and Mercury Cyclone GT

Ford redesigned its mid-size cars for 1970, and America instantly fell out of love with them. Maybe it’s because Ford kept campaigning the long-nose 1969 Ford Torino Talladega and Mercury Cyclone Spoiler in NASCAR.

Built on the same mid-size chassis as those of previous Torinos and Cyclones, the ’70 and ’71 models are gracefully drawn with better interiors. Most 1970 Torino GTs and Cyclone GTs came with the 250-hp, 351-cubic-inch (5.8 liter) V-8. Torino GT Cobra and Cyclone GT Spoiler models were often powered by the Super Cobra Jet 429 (7.0 liter) V-8 rated at 360 horsepower.

Values: Torino GT, $11,950/$15,900; Cyclone GT, $12,350/$18,400

2. 1973 Pontiac GTO and 1973–75 Pontiac Grand Am

GM’s mid-size A-cars all got larger and heavier “colonnade” style bodies for ’73. But with the GTO nearly a spent force by then, Pontiac put little effort into it. Yet it was the last traditional, mid-size GTO. Most of the 4806 built had a 230-hp, 400-cubic-inch (6.6 liter) V-8; a 250-hp 455 (7.5 liter) was optional.

More interesting, and more popular, was the squishy nosed Grand Am available as a coupe or sedan. Using the same body as the GTO, many were built with the 400 and the 250-horse 455.

Values: GTO, $12,150/$20,800; Grand Am, $11,350/$16,600

3. 1971 AMC Hornet SC/360

AMC built only 784 of these muscled-up versions of the humble Hornet compact. Power comes from a 360-cubic-inch (5.9 liter) version of the familiar AMC V-8, with a two-barrel Motorcraft carb rated at 245 gross horsepower or a four-barrel at 285 horsepower. The two-barrel is more rare, but the four-barrel is more cherished. Normally, the largest engine in the Hornet was AMC’s 304 (5.0 liter) V-8. So this one is truly special.

The earlier SC/Rambler and Rebel Machine are more prominent among collectors, and the various Javelins and AMXs are more flamboyant, but this might be the rarest AMC muscle of them all.

Values: $22,800/$31,400

4. 1971–75 Ford Maverick Grabber

Not so much a muscle car as a car that looks like one, the Grabber could be had powered by a 210-gross-horsepower, two-barrel 302-cubic-inch (4.9 liter) V-8. That dropped to 140 horsepower when Ford adopted net ratings in ’72 and 129 horsepower when emissions strangled output in ’75. Still, the Grabber was good-looking and simple to work on, and the Brazilians swear by their version.

Values: $6275/$10,200

BMW ConnectedDrive

BMW ConnectedDrive Store hits US in spring 2015

 

BMW will launch its ConnectedDrive Store, offering apps and services like real-time traffic for download and activation directly from the car's infotainment display, in the US come spring 2015. The system, already available in Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany, will be offered across all of BMW's current range in the US, taking advantage of the baked-in cellular connection the cars have to deliver smartphone-free app downloads.

While the car may have its own data connection, it doesn't mean the ConnectedDrive services are limited to when you're behind the wheel, however.

Instead, there's support for buying and remotely installing - as well as pre-programming - apps for your car from your desktop at home.

With a BMW account, and a registered credit card, ongoing and one-off subscriptions can be applied. So, drivers could add temporary real-time traffic updates when they're doing extra traveling, all organized directly through the iDrive controller.

Exactly which apps will be offered is unknown at this stage, but BMW already has a reasonably broad line-up to choose from. As well as the more mainstream titles, offering streaming music and other entertainment, there are more unusual options, like the abilityto control GoPro cameras wirelessly.

The company's ambitions for Connected Drive go much further, however. For instance, in one concept BMW showed how a real-time deal finder and parking space locator could operate, using destination data to figure out where the best parking lot might be.

The new infotainment app store will be shown off at CES 2015 next week, alongside BMW's self-parking autonomous car concept.