Auto Parts: Envision a flying car — now envision it on autopil...

Auto Parts: Envision a flying car — now envision it on autopil...: Envision a flying car — now envision it on autopilot

Auto Parts: “Five Good Things” about the High Price of GasThe...

Auto Parts:
“Five Good Things” about the High Price of GasThe...: “Five Good Things” about the High Price of Gas The price of gas is rising to an alarming level as of late. Just hearing the  fuel ...

“Five Good Things” about the High Price of Gas

“Five Good Things” about the High Price of Gas

The price of gas is rising to an alarming level as of late. Just hearing the fuel pump in the fuel pump assembly in my car kick on makes me nervous. It’s difficult to be anything other than dismayed at the current situation, but Insideline at Edmunds posted an interesting take on five “good sides” to the insanely high price of gas currently.

See how she's walking? Yay fitness!

 1. You can get in shape. With the price of gas so high, you will supposedly forgo driving short distances to walking or cycling, so you can arrive a sweaty disgusting mess at work after jogging 6 miles to get there.

2. You can learn to drive more efficiently. You will no longer floor it to get around that special individual in a Prius on the freeway going 10 miles under the speed limit, because it would cost you $1.25 to do so. You will patiently coast your vehicle behind the Prius and hope that you can safely and efficiently ease out from behind them by switching lanes, and then increase speed slowly…. And not think how worth it it would be to pay $1.25 to cut that special individual off.

3. You can “say goodbye to stress, traffic tickets, and accidents.” Theory is, practicing the above referenced efficient driving you will no longer be wildly weaving in and out of traffic, and your former habits of speeding will magically cease.

Take out a loan to fill this sucker up.

 4. You will be more inclined to support energy independence. Not being able to afford gas, you will be motivated to take public transportation, ride a bicycle, or because you’re so broke, fork out tens of thousands of dollars for an electric car (that uses lithium batteries we are still dependent on other countries to source). Or you can beg your boss to telecommute as an act of patriotism, because no one fears for their jobs already in this economy.

5. You now have a built in excuse for anything. Don’t feel like fulfilling familial obligations? Sorry Grandpa, I can’t afford to drive to your birthday party. Friend asking you to move? Sorry, can’t afford to cart your stuff back and forth.

There you have it. Five excellent things about gas prices being so high. Take them or leave them… I think I know which one I’m going with.

Autonomous Vehicles

Autonomous Vehicles

If you’ve been reading the news in the last few months, you might have seen mentions here and there of  autonomous vehicles. Autonomous vehicles are cars that drive themselves without human input. The vehicle would be used much like a car with a car navigation system  with an in dash navigation screen  - you would climb in, input your destination, and the car would take you there. This is not a new concept, but lately the concept has garnered a lot of attention because a few companies have built working models. Have you ever stopped to think about what changes autonomous vehicles might bring?

 

 There are a lot of advantages to taking the human out of the equation of everyday driving. Computers are much more precise and do not get tired, upset, or distracted. There would be drastically less accidents because of this fact alone. These cars would merge perfectly with other vehicles and maintain an exact distance between the cars in front of it. Have you ever seen the Pixar movie Wall-E? Imagine cars like all of the robots neatly slipping onto marked highways and speeding off in perfect regulation.

Problem is, humans driving on the road with autonomous vehicles would be a lot like antiquated Wall-E himself. Humans do not have the precision necessary to execute merging into a tightly knit freeway. Will there be a time where laws discourage, or outright forbid, people to drive their own cars on public roads?

 

 Another advantage however is getting to relax while the car drives for you. Even spending the night out drinking would not prevent you from climbing in your car and telling it to convey you safely home. The interior cabins of cars could look very different from automobiles today – the steering wheel, gauge panel, and shifter would all be unnecessary. The inside of a car could look like a cozy living room where people relax and chat while they get to where they need to go. You could lie down and take a nap, or text message to your heart’s content.

Many of us can think of instances where we have seen drivers on the road that should not be driving at all. Using autonomous vehicles,  being too young, too old, disabled, or just plain bad a driving would not bar anyone from safe and effective travel. The only people who might choose to drive their own vehicles are those that enjoy it – people who typically know the ways of the road well.

It is true that for the majority of Americans, cars are used as purely a mode of convenient transportation. Taking the stress out of commuting would improve quality of life for many people. There are bigger issues at hand, of course, like who is responsible in an accident when autonomous vehicles are involved. Nevertheless I feel autonomous vehicles will become a reality in the not-too-distant future.

Envision a flying car — now envision it on autopilot

Envision a flying car — now envision it on autopilot

Turbochargers in Family Cars

Turbochargers in Family Cars

Turbochargers are used to make small engines put out a lot of power while still remaining fuel efficient. Beyond BMW turbocharger s and Audi turbocharger s, even family cars offer turbocharged models these days. Before you get a turbocharged vehicle there are a few things you should be aware of.

 

Hyundai Sonata Turbo

 A turbocharger or “turbo” is a purely mechanical device that boosts engine power by pushing air into the engine. This allows the engine to burn more fuel with every revolution, making it more powerful. Cars without turbochargers are referred to as “naturally aspirated.”  Turbochargers allow automakers to decrease the size of the engine while maintaining the same amount of power and improve fuel economy.

A turbo is attached to the engine near the exhaust manifold. Gasses coming directly out of the engine pass through the turbo first, spinning a turbine inside at thousands of revolutions per minute. The turbo uses this power to pressurize the fresh air going into the engine, forcing more air in than it would normally.

It’s like a pair of big fans, one being driven by the exhaust gases and the other pushing air into the engine. The fans are connected so the exhaust gasses spinning the first fan also spin the fan pushing the fresh air into the engine. The cars computer reads the increased oxygen coming into the engine and thus compensates with more fuel to create the proper air-fuel mixture. This makes the explosions in the cylinders bigger and more powerful, thus making the engine more powerful.

 

It is desirable because you get an increase in power and fuel efficiency. The turbo is driven by the exhaust gasses so it only goes as fast as your engine’s output of exhaust; so basically it only works hard when you need it to.

The downside is, in the beginning turbos got a bad reputation for failing frequently. They had also been known to “lag,” meaning there was a slight delay between the driver pressing on the gas and the turbo pushing more air into the engine. Both problems have since been addressed through advanced new designs and modern technology. It is true however that turbos have more parts than naturally aspirated engines, which make them more expensive to manufacture. This usually translates to a higher price tag.

Many modern vehicles come with turbocharged models. Volkswagen, Ford, and Chevy all have family cars on the market that have turbocharged models for sale. By providing more power and greater fuel economy, turbocharged vehicles are a great option for today’s families.

The First Auto Show – 1900

The First Auto Show – 1900

With the New York International Auto Show in full swing this week, it’s interesting to take a look at the humble roots of this show. Back to a simpler time before air fuel ratio sensor s and 02 sensors . The very first of its kind was held in 1900 at Madison Square Garden. The weeklong event displayed 31 brand new vehicles and a variety of accessories to customize each “horseless carriage.” Even more interesting is this excerpt from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle on October 13^th, 1900 describing the show: 

 

“During the Automobile Show at Madison Square Garden, November 3 to 10, there will be contests of many kinds. The usefulness of the automobile in all kinds of going and under all conditions will be fully tested, and everybody will have an opportunity to see how the experienced chauffeur gets out of trouble. All the contests but these on Friday will be for vehicles on the show, and the programme, under the directions of the technical committee and the contests and exhibition committee of the Automobile Club of America, C.J. Field, chairman, will be as follows–

• November 3: Brake contest and obstacle contest for steam vehicles.
• November 5: Brake contest and obstacle contest for electric vehicles.
• November 6: Brake contest and obstacle contest for gasoline vehicles.
• November 9: Obstacle contest between electric cabs for hire, competition of electric delivery wagons.
• November 10: Championship competition and obstacle contest between winners in steam, electric and gasoline, championship between winners of stopping competition in steam, electric and gasoline.”

   

 The focus was more on pitting the different engine types against one another in feats of agility and power, versus the different styling and technological features we have today. There was a special ramp built to test the vehicles power for driving up inclines, and to prove how rugged and durable the Oldsmobile runabout was, they drove it from Detroit to NYC.  Patrons were charged 50 cents for admission, yet despite the steep price (about $13 in today’s cash) about 48,000 visitors attended throughout the week. 

 

The Oldsmobile runabout, or “Curved Dash,” was the world’s first mass produced car. It was built between 1901 and 1907 and sold for $650. General Motors bought Oldsmobile in 1908 and produced more than 35 million vehicles under that name before it retired it in 2004. None of the automobile makes displayed at the first New York Auto Show exist today.

 

The first car advertisement, 1898.

Interestingly enough the gasoline powered engines were the least popular vehicles at the first show due to their noisy and noxious qualities. They ran on “light spirits” such as stove gas, lamp oil, alcohol, and of course gasoline. Gasoline was once an unwanted byproduct of producing kerosene (the oil used for light and heat at the turn of the century) and cost only 15 cents a gallon. It was quickly discovered that gasoline was the superior fuel and provided far greater horsepower, so its popularity took off.

It’s interesting to look back at how far auto shows and the cars showcased in them have come, but the basics are still the same. If you’re planning on attending the New York Auto Show this year, think back on its humble beginnings – if you can remember while drooling over the new 2013 SRT Viper.