Heads-up
Navdy has introduced a new portable head-up display (HUD) that can be added to almost any car, reports PC Magazine. The $299 Hudly is a solid way to safely display navigation directions and other information while you drive, according to the magazine. But for the time being, the device can only project content from your connected smartphone. Hudly measures 7 inches by 5.3 inches, and is easily removed from the dashboard. The unit is powered by a USB charging port and comes with a power cord that plugs into your car’s 12-volt outlet. Getting a HUD in most cases still means having to buy a new car, according to the review. So aftermarket alternatives like Hudly offer a low-cost option for everyone else.
The Takata recall continues (with good reason)
The largest and most complex automotive recall in U.S. history gets more complicated all the time, reports Consumer Reports. About 3 million vehicles were added to the campaign to replace Takata airbags in about 37 million vehicles, which can malfunction and kill drivers and passengers. Ford expanded a do-not-drive order for its 2006 Ranger small pickup, a particularly problematic model year for the airbags. GM petitioned the government to get out of recalling some of its most widely sold SUVs and trucks. And a deal in bankruptcy court could make it difficult for consumers to sue.
It has been nearly 10 years since automakers began recalling vehicles for exploding Takata airbags and four years since regulators began to investigate the defect. And it has been more than two years since NHTSA took over its management. Even so, this recall is not close to being over, reports Consumer Reports. Waves of vehicles are scheduled to be added in each of the next two years, and officials expect it to take a couple more years for all the airbag repairs to be completed.
Here’s the issue: Ammonium nitrate used in Takata airbags can become unstable over time, especially after exposure to temperature fluctuations and periods of constant high humidity. That can lead to inflators exploding with an unexpectedly violent force and spraying metal shrapnel. At least 15 drivers and passengers in the U.S. have died from blunt force trauma, from injuries to the head and neck, and from massive bleeding from lacerations caused by the flying metal.
Revenge of the carmakers
How do you get someone to pay hundreds of dollars for an inferior product, when most people already have a better one in their pocket? That’s the problem facing carmakers trying to sell built-in navigation systems when superior alternatives, such as Apple’s Maps, Google Maps and Waze, are available for free to anyone with a smartphone, points out The New York Times. Most in-dash navigation systems aren’t as smart as your phone, perhaps lacking traffic data or point-of-interest information, and stuck with clunky update procedures. But improvements are on the horizon. In-dash navigation systems will be getting smarter, not just learning your preferences and using data connections for timely updates, but crowdsourcing sensor information from connected vehicles to assess traffic problems and road conditions – even guiding you around a newly formed pothole. Even with their limitations, in-dash systems have some advantages, the paper says. They’re convenient and uncluttered. There’s no need to find a way to suspend a smartphone and its dangling charge cable; they use a vehicle’s built-in controls, and there’s no danger of running out of power.
The grisly stats
In 2016:
- 37,461 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes – a 5.6 percent increase from the previous year. This follows an 8.4 percent increase from 2014 to 2015, which was the largest percentage increase in nearly 50 years.
- Automobile crashes remain a leading cause of death for Americans age five to 34.
- Almost half (48 percent) of passenger vehicle occupants killed were unrestrained.
- A total of 5,286 motorcyclists died, totaling 14 percent of all crash fatalities.
- 1,233 children aged 14 and younger were killed in motor vehicle crashes, including 311 children age four through seven and 228 children age 2 and younger.
- Crashes involving young drivers (age 15-20) resulted in 4,853 fatalities, accounting for almost 13 percent of all crash deaths.
- There were 10,585 fatalities in crashes involving a drunk driver.
- In crashes involving a distracted driver, 3,450 people were killed.
Source: “2018 Roadmap of State Highway Safety Laws,” Advocates for Highway & Auto Safety
Voice-enabled virtual assistant
Hyundai will introduce its “Intelligent Personal Agent,” a voice-enabled virtual assistant system, in models set to roll out as early as 2019. Co-developed by Hyundai and SoundHound Inc., Intelligent Personal Agent is said to allow drivers to use voice commands for many different operations and real-time data. In fact, it acts as a proactive assistant system, predicting the driver’s needs and providing useful information, such as an early reminder of an upcoming meeting, or suggested departure times that account for current traffic conditions. These personal features combine with an array of driver conveniences, such as the ability to make phone calls, send text messages, search destinations, search music, check weather and manage schedules. It also allows drivers to voice-control frequently used in-vehicle functions, such as air-conditioning, sunroofs and door locks. The Intelligent Personal Agent supports a “Car-to-Home” service, enabling the driver to control electronic devices at home with simple voice commands.
‘Hey Google, Book parking’
Parking reservation service SpotHero has launched a new integration that enables drivers to book parking with the Google Assistant using voice commands. With the Google Assistant’s recent integration into Android Auto, drivers with Android Auto will soon be able use SpotHero and the Google Assistant to find and pay for parking on the go, completely hands-free, in more than 50 major markets across North America. Drivers can book parking with the Assistant on eligible devices, including Android phones and iPhones, simply by saying “Hey Google, book parking.”