Technology

If your phone can work out where you are, locate three nearby Thai restaurants, rate them, make an online booking, guide you there, find the nearest parking spot  - and update your Facebook status to let your mates know where to meet you - why not your car?It soon will. And a lot more besides. Technology on the near horizon is following two main goals: keeping you connected and keeping you safe - although sometimes those aims will clash.Some of the features are already appearing in a small number of cars, but like the now nearly ubiquitous Bluetooth, you can expect them to spread quickly as carmakers increasingly stack the equipment lists to lure your wallet.Here's our top 10 of the features riding the coming consumer technology wave.BreathalyserDrink. Drive. Bloody impossible. Or at least it will be when breathalyser locks start spreading through the equipment lists. They're already here in limited aftermarket form, and there are court-directed 'alcolock' programs for repeat DUI offenders.Discussion about alcolocks becoming mandatory is just at murmur level right now, but will get louder - with safety, parental and medical lobbies adding their voices (and political clout). Don't be surprised to see the devices follow seatbelts and stability control as a regulation in the future.WiFiIt's going to be peak hour on the information superhighway, with cars turning into mobile WiFi hotspots. And not just in prestige brands. Mainstream models like the Ford Focus are spearheading the roll-out, with the little car getting the SYNC system to allow WiFi device connection in European markets from next year.There's no confirmation yet on how soon after that it will arrive in Australia, but - given our almost insatiable appetite for mobiles devices - you can't imagine it will be too long. Maybe by then we'll have a proper broadband system, and can return the current one to Somalia.Smartphone integrationWe're already seeing cars - and some aftermarket systems - that connect to your phone's music and more recently to your text messages. But technology waiting in the wings will allow you to integrate a smartphone more fully, allowing you to access its apps, GPS and other features.The in-dash screen is possibly going to overtake behemoth speakers as the aftermarket 'must have' and scarily this this is set to expand and explode as quickly as music player integration did over the past decade.Parental lock-outsNot just for the internet and naughty pay-TV channels. Soon you'll be able to restrict a raft of your car's features to put some limits on other drivers - meaning teenagers with shiny new licenses - who use it. The speed limiter will be a popular setting. Neighbours, or perhaps the whole neighbourhood, will thank you for setting a ceiling on the stereo volume.But your offspring will probably curse you most for the latest tech to join the limiter line-up: the phone lock-out. Yes, you'll be able to stop them making or taking phone calls and texts, which will all be saved so they can respond when they get off the road. And the message that dialling and driving is stupid might just spread to phone-happy parents. V2V with crash avoidanceThere are two main streams being developed in collision avoidance. We're already starting to see the cruise-control systems that lock onto the car ahead and start applying brakes if you get too close - with a couple of the most sophisticated able to bring you to a complete stop in low-speed situations. Behind that technology are vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication systems that are able to see further afield.Using GPS tracking and transponder technology, your car will be able to read the behaviour of all the others within a 400-metre radius or more. So if it detects a cluster of stopped cars ahead, or that traffic is swerving around something - like a patch of ice - on the mapped infrastructure, it takes evasive action before you can even see the problem.Parking helpersNo, not the ones that actually park your car - although they're becoming more common too. This helper will search the area around your destination to find you the best possible vacant parking spot, offering options like proximity and price comparisons.Systems being tested in the US are mining traffic and parking data and using algorithms to result in predictive parking - giving you an indication of where you are likely to find vacant spots hours ahead. The helpers crunches all the information on recorded vacancy rates of parking spots, fees, traffic patterns and even special events. So you can avoid the endless circling, circling, circling. Vehicle-to-infrastructureSimple types of V2I communication are already here in the form of electronic tolls, and satnav speed, school zone and camera warnings. But expect to see more sophisticated traffic snarl reporting systems, traffic light synchronisation and - eventually - integration with speed limit infrastructure that can change speeds as traffic demands. It's aimed at keeping the cars flowing smoothly in city areas, but also at cutting the road toll. All of which sounds like a no-brainer for government, until you remember it will also cut the lucrative speed camera revenue.Solar chargersElectric cars can claim to have zero emissions at the tailpipe, but fi they draw their charge from the grid, there's an emissions count at the power station. Solar charging stations using photovoltaic cells bypass the problem. Internet heavyweight Google - who even the harshest critics would admit have a pretty good business decision track record - has invested in a system being rolled out in California.And Australia's climate should make most of our capitals a decent prospect for anything powered by the sun. However that hasn't proved to be the case with hot water systems, so it remains to be seen how green th e electric car push is prepared to go.The Cloud A global network is being created to put telematics in cars via cloud-based computing. The spark is for electric vehicles to charge and manage their battery systems, but it will also manage GPS, telecommunications and multimedia - including streaming music.What might make it a contender against other systems arriving into the market? The project is a joint venture between Microsoft and Toyota - both giants in their fields, and also both in the habit of aggressively growing in any area they enter.Anti-theft GPS trackingFleets are already using GPS vehicle tracking systems (GPS VTS) - as are some owners of expensive cars. If the car moves from where it's supposed to be, in some cases by even 100 metres or so, an alert is raised and the car's location is able to be tracked down.This has generally been done through fairly expensive computer software, operated either by the fleet owner or by a tracking service that provides the anti-theft device. However cheaper systems and software are being released that will put the technology within reach of most drivers with smartphones.And at the same time the tracking devices have become so small that thieves now find them difficult to locate and remove. With one of these on board, if your car is moved, it will send you a text alert - and then keep updating you of its whereabouts. And then there's the technology that just didn't make it - despite looking like the Next Big Thing at the time.FAILEDFlying carsWe were all supposed to be flying around in these by now, according to predictions 50 years ago. Yes, there are 'flying cars' being built - most notably the Terrafugia Transition - but they're more accurately described as small planes with folding wings. And they're from being widely available as an everyday vehicle, which is a good thing when you consider some of the driving you see every day.SegwayAll the buzz prior to the Segway's unveiling in 2001 touted it as world changing: predicted to provide cheap transport, refine how cities are designed, and be the latest in cool. Instead it turned out to be expensive, with limited uses and faintly dorky.Instead of redesigning, cities around the world have resisted allowing them except in very limited circumstances. The Segway's case won't be helped by the death of its owner. British millionaire Jim Heselden, went over a cliff with his own Segway in 2010, less than a year after buying the company.Gas turbine carsThe idea must have looked tempting to Chrysler. A powerful engine with fewer moving parts, durability and able to run on virtually any fuel (a prototype in Mexico was said to have run on tequila). The test fleet of 50 cars got good reports in the late 60s, but 1970s brought the first fuel crisis and emissions restrictions, both of which helped make sure the design never made it to the production line.Steam carsThe early steam cars built on everything that had been developed for rail engines, giving the technology a solid head start. They were smooth and fairly quiet. But the external combustion process lost out in the early 1900s to the internal combustion engine which didn't need to build up heat to start, didn't have the extra weight of a boiler - and didn't need to be constantly topped up with feedwater as you drove.Rotary enginesWhile the similar approach of radial engines was popular in aircraft, rotary engines - where the crank stays still and the cylinder block rotates around it - have had a crack in cars (and bikes). Up until WWI they were favoured for their power-to-weight ratio, but after that started vanishing. The best known modern examples are from Mazda, who persevered with the technology long after everybody else had abandoned it. But the last of those cars is about to roll off the line, and while it will continue to have diehard fans, its time is over.

Just drive in and park – and you’ve got charge. Or slot into a special carpark on the street and do the same thing.Similar to the inductive charging plates you can get for mobile phones – and the inductive technology used by your electric toothbrush as well – cordless charging is probing into the car world.A trial project has been started in Berlin, with German carmakers Audi, BMW, Daimler, Opel and VW lining up to give their electric vehicles a shot. The real-world trial is being backed by the German government, and will start in March 2012 with a family of four living in an induction-equipped house.Over the 15 months they’re in residence, they’ll get to drive cars from the German brands, with the first car onto the rank being a Mercedes-Benz A-Class E-CELL modified with a special charging coil that allows an induction charging option.The A-Class E-CELL will be parked over a charging coil in the carport floor, automatically activating charging via an electromagnetic field. The A-Class will still be able to be charged via the house’s domestic power outlet and public charging stations.Lining up behind the A-Claass – and from the same Daimler stable - are a Smart Fortwo and a Smart ebike electric bicycle, all of which will be evaluated to see how well the technology fits into everyday family life. At least, if you’re an everyday family living in a one-off science lab project.

When I recently changed the battery in my 2004 Ford Falcon I found I needed a code to switch the factory fitted DVD player on again. The previous owner did not supply the code, so I contacted the local Ford dealer who advised they would have to remove the DVD player, locate serial number and fax it off to Ford Australia for the code to be sent out to them. This was going to cost $85, which we declined. Three months later contacted the same dealer to book the car in, but the price was now $150. Can you please tell me if there is a way of getting the security code for our DVD player another way, perhaps by supplying the VIN or engine no.

Market leader Toyota has topped the national list, as well as the state breakdowns for NSW, Queensland and WA, as well as the NT and ACT.Googlers in SA were more interested in searching for Holden - which builds car in the southern states - and Victorians punch Ford into the search engine more often than any other brand.More interesting could be what Google calls the "fastest rising list," which shows what car searches saw a spike in interest over 2011, based on a percentage increase over 2010.Indian-owned British brand Range Rover experienced a 60 per cent increase in searches from New South Wales, while the big Brit spiked by 50 per cent for searches from West Australians.South Australians searches for VW-owned Czech brand Skoda rose by 80 per cent, with Victorians also registering a 50 per cent increase in Skoda searches.Victorians also increased search requests by 180 per cent for Toyota's Tonka Truck, the FJ Cruiser, as well as the Ford-Australia-developed Ranger, which rose by 80 per cent in Victoria and Queensland.Google users in the Sunshine State also recorded increased interest in the Holden Cruze, which was up by 50 per cent over 2010.Volkswagen saw a 50% increase in searches from ACT residents from the previous year One of the more surprising statistics came from across Bass Strait, where Harley Davidson was entered into Google by Tasmanians at a rate up 60 per cent on 2010.The WA statistics Ford Ranger saw a 90% increase in searches from West Australians while Range Rover saw a 50% increase this year.Google Australia spokesperson Johnny Luu says the Google search statistics could be a good indicator of sales trends and marketing penetration."Some car companies have found the google insight can predict how many cars they will end up selling, they've found a three month lag between a search and sale trend, there's evidence pointing to the fact that people use the internet to research purchases, particularly with cars the online research percentage is high."Mr Luu says a high percentage of car buyers research on line and the lists give a good indication of what brands have captured Australia's attention."The Google research shows what people are seeking information on, it can often be used as a good predictor on sales, so if someone looks at a particular model they're more likely in future to consider or purchase that vehicle - from a trends perspective it can give insight into what campaigns and messages are working with car buyers," he says.The top searches tables show overall volume (which car brand had more people typing their brand into Google over 2011). 

The Advanced Tourer Concept (ATC) features a drivetrain that combines a Subaru horizontally-opposed Boxer engine with a hybrid system. Subaru says the direct-injected 1.6-litre turbo engine – which feeds to all four wheels via a CVT -- “ showcases technology that will guide the brand’s future strategy”. However that’s more to be expected on the engine side than on the electric side of the glass-roofed concept, which uses a motor at start-up and low speeds, while capturing deceleration as energy to recharge the lithium-ion battery.

The explosion has sparked a warning for motorists to avoid putting old barbecue gas bottles in their cars. A 47-year-old woman driver was injured when a can of butane exploded in her Toyota Prius, showering a suburban street in Sydney's north with debris.Society of Automotive Engineers, Australasia executive director Max Chanter said he had not heard of a butane container exploding but suggested any volatile gas or liquid should not be transported in the confines of a vehicle. ``We used to give people touch-up paint in nail polish bottles and one woman left it in the centre console of her and in the hot sun it exploded,'' he said.He also advised that people should not carry barbecue gas bottles in their car for too long and to make sure they had not passed their use-by date.``When you top up your gas at a service station and they swap your cylinder, they will only do it if it is still under the use-by date as they may be dangerous if they get old and rusty.`Some people keep a butane container in their glovebox to top up their cigarette lighter and I don't think that is advisable either.”There have been few reported incidents of gas containers exploding in cars, but there were two in 2009. One involved an LPG tank exoploding in a car near Toowoomba and the other was a leaking barbecue gas bottle which exploded on the seat beside a Cessnock driver when he lit a cigarette. Last month, a gas bottle in a caravan exploded in a crash on the Sunshine Coast.

You can’t help but notice that despite all the conspiracy theories, electric cars are in the news, in the reviews and soon to be in the showrooms. But they’re still considered something of an oddity. And there’s still debate about their future.This film follows four people who could be said to each hold a compass point in the debate. GM vice-chairman Bob Lutz is signature Detroit industry. Elon Musk is the dot-com whizzkid who wants to show Detroit how it should be done – with his Tesla brand. Nissan-Renault boss Carlos Ghosn wants to put an affordable electric in every household. "Gadget" Abbott is a home inventor and one of the multitude who are converting cars to electric.Filming for Chris Paine’s follow-up movie started very soon after he finished Who Killed The Electric Car, but a great deal of the footage – including the carmakers’ strategy and planning meetings – was under embargo until this year. That date alone suggests the automotive industry thinks we’re in a change phase.But we still have to wait for the movie theatre industry to catch up. At the moment you’ve only been able to see the doco in selected screenings as it does the festival rounds.

I purchased a 2009 Honda Euro Luxury new and have recently noticed that the sat-nav disc supplied with it was a version that supplied data up to 2008. I have contacted both the dealer and Honda and they have stated that for $398 I can purchase an updated disc. My complaint is that I would have expected to receive a disc of the same vintage as the vehicle I have purchased. At the time of purchase I was not made aware that that the sat-nav information supplied would be 12 to 18 months out of date. I have paid a significant premium for the sat-nav and am extremely disappointed and had I known at the time of purchase I certainly would have negotiated an updated disc in the deal. I am told that this is the industry norm if yes I think that it is deceptive at best.

... it's far more useful and has Australian engineering input. General Motors have unveiled what it is calling an industry-first front centre airbag, developed in part by Holden to shield front occupants in side-impacts on the side furthest from the impact.Holden spokesperson Emily Perry says an advanced engineering team from Holden Innovation worked with Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) on the centre airbag before transferring it to the US safety group."Research showed that far-side impact injuries represent nearly 40 per cent of all side impact injuries, but this area of research was lagging other occupant safety R&D," she says."So the Holden Innovation team was aiming to advance understanding far-side restraint systems and develop new occupant protection systems for these types of accidents." Holden is looking at the possibility of bringing the new centre airbag technology to future models in Australia but as yet has nothing to announce."This is a great innovation, but it does present some challenges in terms of integrating the hardware into the vehicle - so there is some significant re-engineering required in relation to the seat packaging," Ms Perry says.The front centre airbag - to be first seen in a trio of GM's medium SUVs in its model-year 2013 line-up in the US - works like a standard side airbag but from the side of the seat nearest the centre console.A three-year development program for the new airbag was undertaken and the result is a tethered, tubular device has two main purposes - as a restraint during passenger-side crashes and as an energy absorbing cushion between driver and front passenger."The front centre airbag is not required by federal regulation, and no other airbag in passenger vehicles today offers the type of restraint and cushioning this airbag is designed to provide for front occupants," said Scott Thomas, senior staff engineer in GM's advanced restraint systems.GM says the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics show far-side impact crashes accounted for as many as 11 percent of the belted front occupant fatalities in non-rollover impacts between 2004 and 2009.The far-side fatalities, where the occupant is on the non-struck side of the vehicle, also represent 29 percent of all the belted front occupant fatalities in side impacts. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety president Adrian Lund says GM and Takata are to be commended for taking the lead in this important area."The front centre airbag has real potential to save lives in side crashes," he says. GM executive director of Vehicle Safety and Crashworthiness Gay Kent says the new airbag technology demonstrates the company's commitment to provide occupant protection."While no restraint technology can address all body regions or all potential injuries, the front centre airbag is designed to work with the other airbag and safety belts in the vehicles to collectively deliver an even more comprehensive occupant restraint system," she says.

…you only have to look at the death toll on our roads to know that the airbag has had a major impact on our driving lives. Early fears that airbags could cause more injury and disfigurement when they deployed than lives they saved have proved unfounded and they are now an accepted part of the safety arsenal of our cars. Such is the acceptance that we now have a raft of airbags to protect us in impacts in all critical directions. Up to 10 airbags are mounted in the centre of the steering wheel, the dash, the seats and the roof along the tops of the side windows. But there is still some misunderstanding of how and when airbags operate. Airbags are not the first line of protection in a crash, they are a supplemental system designed to come into play when lesser systems prove insufficient to protect us in a crash. 'SRS' is the term used with airbags, it stands for 'Supplemental Restraint System', because the airbag provides a level of protection over and above the seat belt in a severe crash. The airbags are triggered when a sensor, usually located in the centre of the car, determines a crash is severe enough to warrant their deployment. Once that level of severity is reached it takes the front airbags 30-55 milliseconds to deploy, it can be faster in the case of a side airbag. To get a perspective on how fast that is, it takes about 100 mil liseconds to blink your eye. To ensure correct operation of the airbags it's important that they aren't hindered in any way. With that in mind it's important that seat covers don't prevent side airbags, those mounted in the seats, from deploying correctly, and we shouldn't place things like rugs and ornaments on the dash. The driver should sit back from the steering wheel, at least 30 cm is recommended, and they should hold the steering wheel at the quarter-to-three position instead of the old 10-to-2 so their hands and arms aren't in the way of an inflating airbag.