| Exciting Future Of Automobiles
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| | radar and cameras that watch for danger.
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| New technologies will improve fuel
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| | "We've put airbags just about every place
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| efficiency, increase safety, aid
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| | you can." Says Toyota Product-planning
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| navigation and repair.
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| | Manager, John Weiner, "Within the next
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| Bend Bohn, of the German auto components
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| | five years the car will use algorithms to
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| company, Robert Bosch Corporation,
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| | anticipate hazards and intervene or warn
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| recently predicted that internal
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| | the driver.
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| combustion engines will continue to
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| | 2) Keyless entry has already been
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| dominate the automotive market well into
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| | implemented on certain Cadillac, Infinity
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| the 21st Century. Automotive
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| | and BMW models and will be introduced to
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| manufacturers have invested considerable
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| | approximately 40 different vehicles in
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| time and effort in attempt to improve
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| | the next three years. Credit card style
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| fuel efficiency in these engines, and
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| | systems will replace car keys.
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| they have been successful. In fact the
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| | 3) Navigation systems such as
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| U.S.A. Environmental Protection Agency
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| | computer-like screens on the dash,
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| (EPA), estimates engines have become 30
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| | displaying navigation systems that employ
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| percent more fuel-efficient over the past
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| | global positioning satellite and onboard
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| 15 years than previously. However the
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| | DVD's to provide the driver with
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| gains have been offset by the
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| | distractions, maps, and information on
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| introduction of increasingly bigger and
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| | businesses such as hotels, hospitals and
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| more powerful engines. The average engine
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| | restaurants. The video screens will also
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| in the present industry is 63 percent
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| | have the capability to connect to PDA's
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| more powerful than 20 years ago.
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| | and cellular phones.
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| John Heywood, Director of the Sloan
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| | 4) Wi-Fi hook-ups in almost every vehicle
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| Automotive Laboratory at Massachusetts
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| | will provide weather, news, and other
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| Institute of Technology, estimates new
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| | information. "We're going to see hot
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| technology will reduce fuel consumption
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| | spots in places like gas stations and
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| by a third by 2020 and a half by 2030.
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| | restaurants," says Peter Wengert,
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| Gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles and
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| | marketing manager for automotive products
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| modern diesel engines are significantly
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| | at Microsoft.
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| more fuel efficient than their gasoline
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| | 5) Data collection will give vehicles the
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| counterparts, but new technology in
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| | capability to collect pertinent data that
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| gasoline engines is also expected to
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| | can be shared with dealers,
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| reduce fuel consumption.
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| | manufacturers, and other vehicles helping
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| Next year, General Motors will begin
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| | service personnel perform remote
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| introducing "displacement on demand"
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| | diagnostics and help troubleshoot for a
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| technology in their engines, reducing
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| | broken down motorist.
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| fuel consumption by eight percent by
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| | 6) Onboard cameras will help detect blind
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| using only half their cylinders during
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| | spots, while helping parents watch their
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| most normal driving. GM predicts another
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| | kids. Many recreational vehicles already
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| 7 to 11 percent in fuel savings can be
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| | have this technology at the rear and in
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| achieved through use of continuously
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| | front to "see" around corners.
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| variable automatic transmissions.
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| | 7) 40 Volt Electrical Systems will become
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| More advanced variable valve controls,
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| | standard to accommodate the many new
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| already in the works at BMW, are expected
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| | electric devices.
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| to further increase fuel savings, while
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| | 8) Voice commands are already in certain
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| Bosch has recently developed it
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| | BMW's, Jaguar and Lexus models and will
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| Direct-Start system. The system allows
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| | become common and necessary in order to
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| the engine to shut off while idling, but
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| | operate the various functions in cars.
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| it instantly restarts as soon as the
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| | 9) Electronic pedals already in use in
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| driver touches the gas pedal, igniting
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| | Mercedes, Chevy Corvette and all recent
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| the combustion mixture in the fuel
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| | Audi vehicles, brake-by-wire and
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| injections system without engaging the
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| | accelerate by wire pedals send an
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| starter motor. Bosch predicts fuel
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| | electronic signal rather than activating
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| savings of 5 percent with the
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| | a physical connection to the engine and
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| Direct-Start system.
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| | brakes. Emergency brake handles will also
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| New and exciting automotive technology
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| | be replaced by electronic controls.
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| goes far beyond fuel economy
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| | 10) Programmable vehicles will let you
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| improvements. "'I've been involved [with
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| | use electronics to express your choice of
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| auto research] for more than 30 years,
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| | vehicle you wish to drive, says Stanford
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| and there's more action and more promise
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| | professor of mechanical engineering Chris
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| for improvement now than I've ever seen,"
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| | Gerdes. "You can have it be as sporty or
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| says Heywood.
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| | luxurious, as you choose." Drivers of the
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| New technology expected to hit the
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| | new Audi A8, for example can change the
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| marketplace within the next decade:
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| | car's ride by raising and lowering road
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| 1) Active safety systems will include
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| | clearance.
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