Humanoid robot hit and killed by a self-driving Tesla at CES

A self-driving Tesla Model S hit and “destroyed” an autonomous robot in a car accident in Las Vegas on Sunday night, ahead of Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2019.

The incident took place around 7 p.m. in Paradise Road, Las Vegas where the robots called Promobot, were being transported to the Congress Hall by the Promobot engineers to be used in the company’s booth in CES 2019.

For those unaware, Promobot, the company’s new model v4 robots, is a part of a collection of autonomous robots designed for business purposes, which can be rented for $2,000 a day. They perform the functions of administrators, promoters, hostesses, Museum guides, consultants, concierges, and many others.

Although all the robots were moving in a line, one of them missed its way and drove to the roadway of the Congress Hall’s parking lot. Just then, it was hit by a self-driving Tesla car.

The impact of the car pushed the robot aside and it fell down. However, the car continued driving after the accident and stopped only some 50 meters away from the accident site.

The passenger, George Caldera, who was in the car at that time, said that he was trying out the self-driving mode (Full Self-Driving Capability mode) and decided to test it in an empty area.

Caldera said, “There was nobody there, no men, no cars.‘I switched this Tesla into a self-driving mode and it started to move. And wow! A robot on the track! I thought the flivver would come round, but it bumped straightly into it! I am so sorry, the robot looks cute. And my sincere apologies to the engineers.”

The robot suffered some serious damage, as parts of its body, head, arm mechanisms, and movement platform were completely destroyed.

Oleg Kivokurtsev, Promobot’s Development Director said, “Of course we are vexed. We brought this robot here from Philadelphia to participate at CES. Now it neither can participate in the event or be recovered. We will conduct an internal investigation and find out why the robot went to the roadway.”

The incident is currently being investigated by the Nevada Police Department.

A BMW is a strong brand. That is why people struggle to get a model of BMW. A price for an item is quite expensive. It makes people buy used vehicles instead of new ones.

Not too old BMWs are usually in an excellent technical condition. They cost much less than brand new vehicle. That is why buyers struggle to get a used BMW because they get good quality for considerable money.

Why Buyer Needs To Get Full VIN Check

For buyers of expensive BMW cars, vehicle identification check is obligatory. Such a check can be provided partially for free. However, full overall expertise is not that costly. Value of the VIN report has can hardly be overestimated. Here are some data you will get from a VIN check report.

• Basic information about a vehicle. Such type of data is provided for free. It includes year of car production, country of production. This type of information  BMW buyer has to consider immediately. If a BMW has been manufactured outside Germany, it can be of a lower quality.
• Odometer reading. Odometer reading is a indicator drivers pay precise attention to. The lower it is, the better it is. It is important to get real odometer reading. Sellers of used cars often manually decrease the number of miles the vehicle has covered.
• Accidents history. Each new owner would like to know if a vehicle had been in any accidents. During accidents, a car can get not only external damage, but also profound technical defects not obvious from the first sight. Without a VIN check, it is impossible to understand a real technical state of an automobile.
• Theft history. A BMW is one of those autos that gets stolen quite often. That is why it is indispensable to get full VIN report to know the theft history of the vehicle. A car you intend to buy could have been stolen. If you buy it, you can even go to jail for this.
• Insurance details. You should know what type of insurance a vehicle has. It will help evaluate the pay off an insurance company can pay if a vehicle gets damaged.
• State inspections data. Each BMW car undergoes a state inspection each year. A potential buyer should be aware of the inspection results.

These are the main types of data that a buyer will get from a VIN check report. VIN check reveals very important information about any automobile. It will help you to buy a car that is truly in its best technical condition.

Where the VIN Number Is Located

Each manufacturer locates a vehicle identification number on a different place on a car. Here is where to find a VIN on a BMW vehicle:

• It is usually located on a right suspension turret on models that were manufactured in Europe.
• It can be located on windshield from a passenger side.
• In models that were manufactured in North America you can find VIN inside driver’s door jamb.

These are the most common locations of a vehicle identification number. After you find it on a BMW car, you can send it to a DMV office. They, as well as private companies, will conduct a full VIN check.

One needs to be careful while buying a car for teenagers. They have grown up in an era which was more advanced than that of us. While we used to find our way by asking the routes from the passersby, these people simply fire the navigation. The young generation will love to have music and mobile connectivity options in their new cars. Also, you will need to be sure about the car’s safety features.

Among a wide range of cars, we have listed the best four low price cars in India that can fulfil all your demands as well as your teen’s convenience requirements.

Tata Tiago

The Tata Tiago is one of the best options in this price range as it comes with a magnificent build quality along with a premium design. It comes with some convenience features such as smartphone-enabled Turn-By-Turn Navigation app, Juke-Car app and Multi-drive mode (City & Eco).

The vehicle is blessed with a 1.2-litre Revotron petrol engine that churns out up to 83 bhp power by developing 114 Nm of peak torque. Moreover, it is also available with a 1.05 L Revotorq diesel motor, which is capable of providing a maximum of 67 bhp power and 140 Nm torque. Both the engines are mated to a 5-speed manual transmission.

It is an extreme fuel-efficient car as the petrol version offers 19.22 kmpl mileage in the city. On the other hand, the diesel oil-burner is capable of providing 23.28 kmpl mileage in the city, which can be raised to 27 km per litre on the highway.

The base model of the Tata Tiago is priced at Rs. 3.24 lakhs (Ex-showroom, Delhi).

Also Read: Top 5 Hot Deals in Sedans in April 2018

Renault Kwid

The Renault Kwid single-handedly turned the things around for its manufacturer in the entry-level segment. The car features impressive ground clearance along with a class-leading boot space. Moreover, the SUVish look makes it more appealing to the eyes.

As for the convenience features, the mini-hatchback gets a touchscreen infotainment system having the radio, four speakers, digital instrument cluster, Aux and Bluetooth compatibility, chrome-accented AC vents and USB.

The vehicle is blessed with a 799cc, three-cylinder petrol oil- burner which is capable of providing 53.2 bhp power and 72 Nm of peak torque. Moreover, you can also get a 1L petrol engine which is capable of making up to 67 bhp of power and 91 Nm of torque. The engines come mated to a 5-speed manual transmission, whereas you can also go for an AMT unit with the bigger engine.

As for the safety features, the top variant of the car has only one airbag. Disc brakes are present at the front whereas the rear gets drum brakes.

The starting price of the mini-hatchback is Rs. 2.62 lakhs (Ex-showroom, Delhi)

Datsun Redi-Go

The Datsun redi-GO is based on the company’s CMF-A platform. It has an interesting tall-boy stance, bold design and aggressive pricing. The hatchback has the best ground clearance in the segment.

The popular car gets a three-cylinder, 800cc powertrain, which can make a maximum of 58bhp power at 60 Nm of peak torque. The oil-burner is coupled to a 5-speed manual transmission. It provides an impressive average mileage of 25.17 kmpl.

The top end model of the hatchback offers single airbags for the driver. Moreover, the disc brakes are present at the front and the rear gets drum brakes to enhance the confidence level of the drive.

The price of the Datsun redi-GO is ranged between Rs. 2.41 lakh to 3.96 lakh (Ex-showroom, Delhi)

Maruti Suzuki Alto 800

The most popular entry-level car in the country, Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 had got a facelift a couple of years back. The car has come up with two new vibrant colour options as Cerulean Blue and Mojito Green. The front fascia of the car is also updated with the new front bumper, redesigned headlamps, restyled radiator grille and provision fog lamps.

The hatchback draws its required power from a 3-cylinder, 800cc engine that can make 47 bhp of maximum power and 69 Nm of peak torque.The transmission duties of the vehicle are handled by a 5-speed manual gearbox.

The Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 starts Rs. 2.45 lakhs, and goes up to Rs. 3.70 lakhs.

In addition to the car mentioned above, you can also consider options like Hyundai Eon, Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 and Datsun GO Plus, depending on your requirements.

So you are having problems with the headlights of your vintage car as they may be very fogged, hazy or discolored. Well, before you decide on taking your vintage car to the shop and having the headlights replaced, check to see if you can do it yourself first.

Headlights, obviously are very important to any car as they are the “eyes” that illuminate the road during the night and assist the driver to stay in the right lane. Without a fully-functional headlight, one would definitely find it impossible to drive, especially during the night. That being said, the maintenance of headlights should definitely be a top priority for drivers.

Now going back to your problem, buying a new set isn’t the only solution to a fogged, discolored and hazy headlight. With just a little bit of physical labor and patience, you can definitely “restore” your headlight to a new-looking and fully-functional one all by yourself. As for the equipment and other necessary items, you can easily find best headlight restoration kit at auto shops and big stores.

Here are 5 tips that will guide you through the process.

1. Wash your Car

Before you start restoring your headlights, it would be a better idea to wash the whole car first as it will remove the dust and other dirt that has accumulated on the exterior of your car. You don’t need to do it extensively though; a simple quick wash with soap and water will be enough to remove the dirt and dust.

2. Pre-Restoration

Before you start dealing with the headlights, it would be ideal to move your car in to a shaded and cool area. Proper lighting is needed though in order for you to spot the tiny scratches and other minor details. Make sure that the car is dry before you start the restoration. Also, it is also recommended by experts to keep the headlights at room temperature.

The next step is to tape the area surrounding the headlights. Use a painter’s tape as it can be easily peeled off and they are also specially made to protect the paint. It is important that you avoid touching the “outside” part of the headlight while restoring it to avoid causing potential damage, especially on the paint.

3. Restoration

To restore the headlight of your vintage car, make sure that the headlight is completely dry and drained of moisture.

To start, you will need sandpaper in order to peel or thin out the fogged and hazy plastic. Start by wetting a 1500-grit sandpaper, after which, sand the whole headlight area in a consistent and straight motion. Be very technical with the process, if you started sanding horizontally, then maintain it through the end. After using up the sandpaper, if you still notice some scratches and discoloration then you can repeat the sanding. You can also use higher-grit sandpapers, depending on your judgment. Just remember, that consistency and uniformity is key in order to achieve a smooth and clear headlight.

4. Polish the headlight

After sanding the headlight, there would definitely be stuck residues from the sandpaper on your headlights. There are also cases when there are sandpaper scratches. To fix and remove all of these fine materials, you can use a plastic polish compound. With a microfiber or similar cloth, wipe the whole headlight area with the plastic polish compound. After minutes of polishing of wiping, you will surely be able to see results, if you are still not satisfied, then you can keep repeating until you achieve your desired results.

5. Headlight deoxidizers and UV sealant

Oxidization is one of the major cause of fogged headlights, thus, by using headlight deoxidizers you would be able to clear up the fog and increase your headlights’ brightness. Additionally, applying UV sealants help reduce the effects of UV rays, which are very harmful to plastics. Furthermore, they make droplets of rain and other scratch-inducing materials just slide on the headlight when they come in contact.

Tesla unveils electric sports car and semi truck

Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled the revamped version of its original Roadster, called as Roadster 2, a sports car, along with two Tesla’s Semi trucks, to a live audience in Hawthorne, California on November 16. This is company’s second attempt to build a sports car after building a small electric roadster based on the Lotus Elise.

The new convertible four-seater Roadster prototype, which sped into the event, can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 1.9 seconds, and 0 to 100 mph in only 4.2 seconds.

“This is the first time that any production car has broken nine seconds in a quarter mile,” Musk said. “The new Tesla roadster will be the fastest production car ever made – period.”

On the other hand, the two Tesla Semi trucks, one silver, and one a Batman-ish matte black, will achieve 0-60 mph in 5 seconds.  “It’s not like any truck that you’ve ever driven,” Musk said.

The new Roadster has a top speed north of 250 mph and 620 miles (1,000 km) of estimated range on a single charge. “These numbers sound nutty but they’re real,” Musk insisted. “You’ll be able to travel from L.A. to San Francisco – and back – without recharging.”

Musk described the Roadster as “a hardcore smackdown to gasoline cars” making driving a gasoline sports car feel like driving “A steam engine with a side of quiche”.

The Tesla Semi can pull the max allowable payload of 80,000 pounds over a distance of 500 miles at highway speeds on one charge even if it’s fully loaded. It also comes with a million-mile guarantee on its powertrain. Another guarantee is a full refund if the windscreen doesn’t survive a thermonuclear blast Musk said it will be able to keep up a speed of 65 mph while going up a 5 percent grade.

Prices of the new Roadster start at $250,000 for the first 1,000 cars that will start production in 2020, with later models starting at $2,00,000. This would help Tesla raise $250 million plus the $50,000 deposits on reservations.

On the other hand, production of the truck is expected to start in 2019. While no price was released for the Tesla Semi trucks, it will be half the price of diesel semis and even less expensive than rail transport, said Musk. Customers who order now would get the vehicles in two years, Musk added.

J.B. Hunt, trucking and freight company, after the unveiling announced that it had placed a reservation to buy “multiple Tesla Semi tractors,” which it plans to use primarily on the West Coast.

“Reserving Tesla trucks marks an important step in our efforts to implement industry-changing technology,” J.B. Hunt President and CEO John Roberts said in a news release. “We believe electric trucks will be most beneficial on local and dray routes, and we look forward to utilizing this new, sustainable technology.”

What do you think about the new Tesla Semi and Tesla Roadster? Do let us know about these vehicles in the comments section below.

Source: Neowin

On the Road Again: Tale of the American Trucker

Adventure, solitude, winding roads and pressing deadlines. Few occupations in America share the same cultural expression, economic importance, and interesting experience as the trucker.

The impact truckers have had on American culture is evident everywhere, from the hats, to the slang, to the books, movies, and magazines that glorify the lifestyle, one this is certain, the career has captured the imagination of the American people.

Perhaps that is because truckers often leave their home for days at a time. They spend most of their time traveling to unfamiliar territory, so something new is always waiting for them on the road.

Tales to Tell

The American icon known as the trucker is something that has developed from generations of families in the trucking industry. Truckers have been known to tell stories as engaging as a fisherman, but with more truth and outrageousness added in.

These bizarre stories have become an integral part of what it means to be a trucker, and the culture you become a part of once you choose this as a career path.

You would be hard pressed to find someone who didn’t know at least one good story about a trucker, whether it is a first or third-hand account. In every family, there is the one member that knows or is a trucker, and they always have a trucking story that keeps everyone on the edge of their seats for family gatherings.

Thinkers and Tinkerers

The interesting and often uncelebrated part of the American trucker is their ingenuity. Truckers aren’t usually thought of as scientists or philosophers, but because they spend so much time in their own head, often they do get a curious mind and begin to question and tinker with the world around them.

Another thing American truckers enjoy is gadgetry. This may have started because they used to by reliant on the CB radio to communicate. Whatever started it, truckers have developed an affinity for gadgets, toys, and tools that help them do everything from complete their daily work to entertaining them in their off hours.

Truckers tend to be techies, which is why they like to stay updated on tech news and interesting gadgets soon coming to the public forum.

Classic Americana

The legends and myths of the truck driver are ones that cement themselves as an integral part of classic Americana culture, akin to Huckleberry Finn and apple pie.

Truckers today still serve as the vital lifeblood of economy and industry, and they themselves have helped to carve out the nation we have today.

Interstates, highways and perilous mountain roads have been laid for the purpose of long-haul transportation, which is why the trucker has had more of a role in shaping the states and economy than many realize.

Recently there has even been a surplus of truck driver jobs, as less and less are interested or aware of the industry. This has created an opportunity for a new generation of rookie truck drivers to get behind the wheel and forge their own legends. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for this historic profession.

China’s Futuristic Straddling Bus Gathers Dust, As It Gets Abandoned By Investors

China’s “straddling bus” touted as the futuristic solution to urban traffic jams has hit a major roadblock, according to a recent report from Chinese news outlet The Paper (via Fortune). The full-scale test model of the bus has been left abandoned on the 300-meter test track of Qinhuangdao city, Hebei province. Apparently, Transit Explore Bus, the company developing the Traffic Elevated Bus (TEB) has also left the project.

According to a translation by Shanghaiist, a guard said that “The managers from the company have long drifted away, and I am unable to contact them.”

The TEB was described as a revolution in public ground transportation when it was showcased as a prototype at the Beijing International High-Tech Expo in May. The vehicle was intended to carry passengers above road traffic, to help reduce congestion and vehicle emissions – a growing problem in China.

Apparently, investors who funded the construction and initial testing of the TEB have decided that they’ve already blown enough of their money, and are unwilling to invest any more. It is alleged that construction work on the company’s first factory hadn’t started. In fact, it hadn’t even obtained permission to develop the land. Investors soon began asking for their money back, and TEB parent company Huaying Group found itself in dire financial straits. Further, there are some who are claiming that TEB was running a scam to escape with money from its investors.

But, Song Youzhou, creator of the “straddling bus” and TEB Technology chief engineer, has remained defiant, calling reports of his invention’s demise mere “rumors.”

Whether or not those claims are true remains to be seen, but what’s becoming increasingly certain is that China’s once-celebrated straddling bus won’t become a reality anytime soon.

Thrustcycle Releases GyroCycle, A Self-Balancing Motorcycle

Thrustcycle Enterprises, a company based in Honolulu, Hawaii has unveiled a new prototype of the GyroCycle – a self-balancing electric motorcycle – to experience the joy of riding a bike without the common fear of balancing. The GyroCycle would be the first self-stabilizing gyroscopic motorcycle in the market.

“The GyroCycle an energy efficient vehicle with rock solid stability,” says Thrustcycle Enterprises LLC President and co-founder Clyde Igarashi. “The gyroscope functions as both a stabilizer and mechanical battery so you get the benefits of both.”

The GyroCycle is not only self-stabilizing, but it’s also electric, transforming two trends in motorcycling that continue to garner traction. The bike uses internal flywheels to create a gyroscopic effect that ensure that the bike will remain upright and stable both during riding and while at a standstill (when the engine is running). Basically, this is to give the rider more stability and control at speed while enhancing safety conditions.

The vehicle will be less likely to lose traction when going into turns because the gyroscope will maintain lateral integrity, as the GyroCycle’s system keeps a fixed plane in space, Thrustcycle says. “The self-balancing function gives the rider more control and greatly increases safety,” Thrustcycle adds.

The GyroCycle also uses a mechanical battery that reuses energy normally lost during braking in addition to reusing energy stored in the flywheel for the self-balancing motorcycle function. It later transfers this energy back into the flywheel for use in acceleration in the future.

“These are the concepts that Thrustcycle has been promoting for a while now,” says Igarashi. “We are eager to demonstrate them with our GyroCycle. We are further encouraged by the announcement that Lingyun Intelligent Technology, based in Beijing, is also entering the gyroscopic vehicle technology race. We see the entrance of large competitors as vindication of the potential in technologies that we’ve been pursuing for years.”

Igarashi says that the final version of the battery powered GyroCycle will have a range of about 80 miles (129 km) and a top speed of 75 mph (121 km/h).

“We’re working with a custom builder for the first limited production run and anticipate being on market in 2017.

“Price has not been finalised for the limited run but it should be less than $20,000 USD.

“The price for full production runs in the future should be significantly lower,” he says.

If Thrustcycle is able to pull this off, then their next project would be a smaller, front wheel-steered scooter prototype along with implementing some of the technology on watercraft and hoverboards.

Source: Digital Trends

This Real-Life Transformer Could Be Yours For $600,000

Are you an action figure Transformers fan? Do you have $600,000 in your pocket to shell out? If yes, then you could probably buy a real-life Transformer for $600,000 and make your dream a reality.

A real-life transformer is up for auction at the Big Boys Toys 2016 exhibition that takes place at ADNEC in Abu Dhabi from Wednesday. A BMW 3-series vehicle that transforms into a giant robot will be the star attraction at the event.

Letvision is launching the world’s first Letrons car and leader of the Letrons’ clan, Antimon – a red BMW E92 that turns into a robot in approximately 30 seconds. It’s the work of 12 engineers and 4 technicians from Turkey, who spent 11 months putting their creation together.

“We want to show our power all over the world,” Turgat Alpagot, sales and marketing director for Letrons, the Turkish start-up behind the transformer told CNN. “We think if we do something like this it’ll get great exposure all over the world.”

It won’t come cheap though, the starting bid is expected to be $600,000 for the futuristic mean machine.

“Since it is the first of its kind, we will auction Antimon to any buyer who wants to be the owner of the world’s first transformer,” told Alpagot.

“Bids will start at $600,000, which is the original cost of the car.

“There will be 11 more cars joining this clan soon.”

Antimon will go home with the highest bidder at the end of this week’s Big Boys Toys Exhibition in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

However, the transformer isn’t road ready. Antimon is remote-controlled, with no seats inside and only goes up to a maximum speed of 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) per hour. It can fully move its arms, fingers and head in standing position. The Letrons team is hoping that one day they can allow humans operate the robot from the inside.

Letrons hopes Antimon will be the first in a series of 12 transformers. It plans on developing a fleet of transforming cars, similar to Antimon. The new fleet include the current models such as the impressively-named Bizmut, Wolfram, Argon and Tantal.

The Letrons are looking to make these bots road ready. The company is currently seeking for funding from private investors to develop smaller transformers that are more affordable and can be driven on the road.

Source: CNN

Apple does a re-think on its car projects, dozens of employees laid off

Apple’s dream of taking on Google’s smart car seems to have hit a major roadblock. According to a New York Times report, the Cupertino-based company recently “laid off dozens” of people as its car effort, dubbed Project Titan, shrinks.

Apple has never revealed details of its top-secret smart car project, however, some leaks that surfaced last year pointed to the iPhone maker working on some kind of smart car. The reports got a further fill-up when Apple began poaching employees from other companies including Tesla and the makers of EV batteries.

However, now the NYT report says that Apple is having a major policy rethink and is looking shelve the smart car project.

An earlier Bloomberg report said that Apple was shelving the plans to make smart cars and instead would be focusing on developing self-driving car tech. The NYT article confirms the same and says that Apple has already laid off several employees who were supposedly working on the smart car project.