Technology

SAFETY Easter driving trips often mean flat tyres.  The Easy Lift Wheel Supporter ($79.99) from Repco makes it a breeze, especially with heavy 4WD tyres up to 50kg. It lifts the wheel to and from the wheel hub so you can easily rotate the wheel to match holes and wheel studs.  ARB also makes quick tubeless radial and crossply tyre repairs easy with a Speedy Seal kit ($59.95) that includes a gauge, spring steel insertion needle with lubricant, steel reamer, 30 repair cords and two Allen keys. If you are heading off road, ARB also has a premium recovery kit ($525) that will give you some peace of mind.  It includes a snatch block 9000, 4500kg winch extension strap, 8000kg snatch strap, recovery damper, tree trunk protector, 2 x bow shackles and gloves, and comes in a cotton canvas bag. To make deflation quick for off-road driving, get ARB's E-Z Tyre Deflator kit ($58) with bronze Bourdon Tube gauge ($29, if bought separately). GETTING THERE VMS has released a Touring 600 GPS with road and off-road maps, so no matter where you go this Easter, you are covered.  It features a large 15cm anti-glare screen which is visible in the brightest sunlight. The unit is also ultra-slim and can be taken out of the car and used for trekking, cycling or other adventures off the beaten track.  Street Navigation is powered by Where IS maps and the off-road GPS is preloaded with iTOPO Australian 4WD maps and Gregory's Outback Touring maps. COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE Long trips are best with a nice cold drink on hand.  ARB has a cooler bag ($39.95) with a tough exterior, external pockets and strong carry straps. It comes with an ARB bottle opener/cork screw. If you want something a bit more powerful, but still compact, the 235mm Waeco CDF-11 ($499) is the smallest compressor driven fridge/freezer available.  It will cool to 50C below ambient temperature, even keeping ice cream frozen. The 10.5-litre fridge will hold an upright 1.25-litre bottle, operates on 12/24V DC and features battery protection. It also features cup holders and a carry strap. ENTERTAINING THE TROOPS Avoid the fights over what music or video you play in the car and keep the rear seat passengers entertained for hours with the latest Pioneer infotainment system.  The AVIC-F20BT ($2999) has a dual-zone system that allows parents to play their hits of the '70s up front while the kids listen to their own music or watch a DVD in the rear. The new Pioneer flagship multimedia unit also has GPS navigation, mobile phone control, multiple music connectivity and the option of a reverse camera.  All functions can be controlled on a colour touchscreen. It has text-to-voice GPS guidance, a choice between 2D or 3D detailed mapping, SUNA live traffic management, safety camera alerts and Parrot Bluetooth.  It will connect and playback music and/or video from a CD, DVD, iPod/iPhone, USB or SD card and Pioneer has introduced MusicSphere software to manage your iTunes library.

The speedo in the new Subaru Impreza R reads fast. When the speedo reading is 109 km/h we are doing 100 km/h, which we established after many comparison tests with other cars, and a couple of GPS systems. I have been told this is commonplace with all new cars and is legally permissible. I think with a brand new car fitted with wheels and tyres by the manufacturer any difference of more than one or at most two percent is unacceptable. From talking around there appears to be nothing I can do, well there is plenty I am going to try to do.

Rubbish will move into the fuel frontline in 2014 when the Flex Ethanol Australia plant comes online in Victoria in a deal that links the Coskata company in a consortium including GM Holden and the Victorian government.Coskata already has a pilot ethanol program in the USA but is using wood chips, not rubbish, for a switch to full-scale production in less than two years. So Victoria will take up the rubbish collection in a deal that could eventually end the world's reliance on potential food sources - mostly corn in the USA - for automotive fuel."The technology is right today. We're hoping that is as soon as the Australian consortium moves forward," James Frawley, a vice-president of Coskata, tells Carsguide. "There is going to be a huge market. Our technology is cost competitive with gasoline as a transport fuel."His company rocked the fuel business when it first announced the rubbish-to-ethanol plan and its backing from General Motors, but it has been very quiet since then. Now Frawley is happy to confirm the success of a pilot production plant in the USA and the plans to go international, not just in Australia but to other countries including China and Brazil."This technology can go anywhere in the world. There are governments looking at Coskata technology as well."The Victorian plant could eventually turn up to one million tonnes of household, industrial and building waste into 200 million litres of ethanol each year, for use in the E85 fuel being rolled out across the country with backing from Holden.The Commodore is already E85 compatible and Holden is committed to the fuel for all future models. "We're in a position to now move to the next stage of the process, which is scaling up to a commercial design and full-scale processes," Frawley says. He forecasts that ethanol-from-rubbish plants have the eventual potential to supply half of the world's transport fuel needs without any impact on food or land use.What's considered 'rubbish'?Almost any sort of rubbish is suitable to ethanol production, says Coskata. That includes dirty nappies, used car tyres and even - potentially at least - cane toads."Rubbish is rubbish, anywhere you look," says James Frawley. "It's things that are going into landfill anywhere. Most of the things you recycle we wouldn't want in this process anyway."Rubbish becomes what is called a 'feed stock', which has mostly been corn until now in the USA. It is converted to a 'syngas' - composed mostly of carbon dioxide and nitrogen - at extremely high temperature before being fed to mico-organisms that produce ethanol as waste after 'eating' the gas."The organism does not care whether that carbon dioxide and nitrogen came from a tyre, a piece of biomass or whatever - it all works the same," says Frawley.

The Volkswagen XL1 Super Efficient Vehicle (SEV) - a successor to the single-seat L1 concept of 2009 - has two seats and diesel-hybrid power.  Volkswagen says the Polo-sized concept is not for production. But its technology will filter down to production cars.Shown at the Qatar Motor Show, the XL1 is a composite two-door car with steel used in only 23 per cent of its construction.  The 800cc 35kW two-cylinder diesel gets up to 0.9 litres/100km and emits just 24g/km of CO2. By comparison, a Corolla emits 174g/km.The electric motor produces just 20kW but the car is brisk - 0-100km/h in a respectable 11.9 seconds and a top of 158km/h - thanks to the vehicle's low 795kg weight.  The diesel-hybrid power unit is linked to a seven-speed DSG gearbox.The electric motor can either work independently of the TDI engine or in tandem when accelerating.  Volkswagen says that in pure electric mode the XL1 can travel up to 35km before the diesel engine cuts in.In both its styling and packaging the XL1 draws on lessons learned from the 1-Litre car (2002) and the L1 concept (2009).  It has evolved to feature staggered seating with the driver and passenger placed next to each other in a body structure made from advanced new materials providing strength yet weighing just 230 kg.Volkswagen says that to make such weight savings possible "and yet viable for series production" it has developed and patented a new system for the manufacture of the Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) parts on the car called the Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM) process.In total the XL1 weighs 795 kg. In addition to the body structure, the weight is accounted for by the drivetrain (227 kg), the running gear (153 kg), the interior including a pair of bucket seats (80 kg) and the electrical system (105 kg).  In total just 23.2 per cent of the car (184 kg) is made out of either steel or iron.Further savings are made through the extensive use of lightweight materials including magnesium (wheels), ceramics (brake discs) and aluminium (dampers, steering system, brake calipers).  The styling of the XL1 is borne out of functional requirements.It has scissor doors that hinge on the A-pillar while the profile of the car has been shaped by wind tunnel to produce a coefficient of drag figure of 0.186."Although the XL1 is still very much a concept, its unveiling marks the next step towards the birth of a new class of Super Efficient Vehicles, while the advent of a process such as RTM is a significant milestone," Volkswagen says.

The cars could then send messages to warn their drivers about potential crashes.Ford Motor Co is demonstrating the technology for policy makers and journalists in advance of the Washington Auto Show. The technology sends out multiple messages per second about the vehicle's location, speed, brakes and steering.If a vehicle detects a potential hazard, it can warn the driver. The technology aims to prevent collisions involving a car changing lanes, approaching a stalled vehicle, or heading into an intersection in which another car ignores a red light or a stop sign."We really see a safety opportunity here," said Mike Shulman, technical leader for Ford Research and Advanced Engineering.Auto companies have been working on the technology for nearly a decade. Several automakers are part of a consortium sharing information on the crash avoidance systems, including General Motors, Toyota, Daimler and others.The systems, which warn drivers through beeping sounds and flashing red lights at the base of the dashboard, are still five to 10 years from being deployed into the nation's fleet. But Ford officials said the technology, if installed on enough vehicles, could reduce the more than 30,000 people who are killed each year on the nation's highways.The government has touted the intelligent vehicle systems. In October, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the vehicle-to-vehicle communication could potentially address about 4.3 million vehicle crashes, or about 4 in 5 crashes involving drivers who are not impaired by drugs or alcohol.Some crash avoidance systems have used radar systems positioned in the front or back of the vehicle. Ford said the GPS/WiFi systems are less costly and can detect movements surrounding the vehicles, including conditions along winding roads where a driver's vision might be obstructed or in side crashes involving a car that barrels through a red light. The broad availability of GPS and WiFi, meanwhile, could help car companies eventually install the technology on vehicles already in the fleet, Ford said.To showcase the technology, auto companies plan to hold driving clinics next summer to let consumers experience the intelligent vehicles. Car companies and the government are developing standards and hoping to complete research by 2013 and plan for future deployment."This technology is an opportunity to help create a future where millions of vehicles communicate with each other by sharing anonymous real-time information about traffic speeds and conditions. This new world of wireless communication will make transportation safer," said Peter Appel, administrator of the Transportation Department's Research and Innovative Technology Administration.

We updated the GPS maps in our Toyota Aurion Pressare only to find they are three years behind the UBN maps that Whereis use. Place names were spelt incorrectly, and when driving to Bendigo it showed we were going across paddocks even though the road had been opened for years, and closer to home it has an intersection as a roundabout when it has had lights for at least six years. The disc cost $420 from Toyota, what a rip-off.

Kia's KV7 and the Hyundai Curb were two of the more radical vehicles by mainstream makers and both gave pointers to the future directions of the brands.They also showed the next battle for customers' cash will be based as much on software suites and internet access as engine performance and styling.All of the carmakers - and most of the parts suppliers, from Denso to HarmanKardon - at the US show were touting their approach to telematics and web access, but the South Korean duo took it to the extremes.The KV7 was purely a concept vehicle - wooden flooring and swivel seats don't usually make the transition into production - but the boxy activity van showcased a range of ideas that could soon be seen on regular models.Leading the way was a PC-powered software suite that controlled the on-board infotainment system and acted as a wi-fi hub. That gave the trackball-controlled front screen and huge rear tabletop touch screen internet access as well as ensuring all passengers can connect theirAndroid mobile phones or iPhone/iTouch to the web.PC-powered systems have been standard fare on the aftermarket and custom car circuits, but it is unusual for a carmaker to fit such devices in its vehicles.The boxy style of the KV7 is based on the Soul but uses a passenger-side gullwing door for easy access to the rear seats. The concept was powered by the new Theta II 2-litre turbocharged direct-injection engine which is good for 213kW and Kia says fuel use is only 7.8 litres for 100km based on the US highway test cycle.Over at the Hyundai stand the Curb had a conventional two-door exterior, though with cameras replacing the side mirrors and the machine rode high on massive 22.5-inch rims.Company reps insisted on calling it an "urban activity vehicle" which translates as saying they seeit being a city runabout.  But it was inside where most attention lay, with an acrylic touch screen flowing from the dash cluster to the centre console and across into the passenger area. It was paired with monitors in the back of the headrests.A heads-up display projects navigation onto the screen and are linked to the exterior cameras.  The screen can also show vehicle diagnostics, download apps and act as a video phone, using a touch sensor control strip provided by Methode."The goal was to make sure passengers felt connected to each other and the urban environment around them," Bradley Arnold, Curb interior designer, says. "We wanted to empower the passengers with information and make them feel that the exterior was connected to the interior."The Gen-Y targeted machine uses Hyundai's Blue Link software to provide in-car social networking. Calls from friends can be received and the system then shows their location on the satnav. A press of a button then provides guidance to that location.More mundanely, the system enables remote locking and unlocking of the car, notifies the driver when the vehicle's disagnostics detect a problem and can be set to create a speed alert and connect to the internet to access traffic updates and nearby points of interest.

The cruise control in my 2008 Ford Focus often disengages when the car is either under load or going up reasonably steep hills. It doesn't appear to change down gears. The dealer has repeatedly made adjustments, but nothing has changed and I can't get it to occur for them, as there are no decent hills near the dealership. Are cruise controls designed to ever drop out under any circumstances, or should the car just keeping changing down gears?

It admits that an international network may have obtained data about its EV programs - allegedly leaked by three Renault employees who are under investigation - but says its vital technology secrets are safe.In a newspaper report in France on the weekend, it says production of EVs will not be held up.  French newspaper Le Monde on the weekend states Renault's Chief Operating Officer Patrick Pelata saying: "Renault is the victim of an organised international network".He says information leaked is likely to refer to the costs and economic model of the EV program and not technology, including 200 patents that are being lodged."It's serious, but not as bad as if it had been the technology," he says.  "Whether it's the chemistry of the electrodes, the structure of the batteries, the different elements of assembling, be it the charger or the engine itself, we feel OK."Mr Pelata says despite the espionage, Renault's EV program was still on track.  "We have not lost one day to launch our four electric cars," he says.Renault will launch three EVs in Europe this year - the Fluence sedan, Kangoo delivery van and the two-seat Twizy.  The city car, the Zoe, will launch next year and is predicted to become the company's best-selling electric car.Renault's work parallels that of its alliance partner Nissan that is globally rolling out its Leaf EV.  Mr Pelata says the three employees had been on suspension without pay since last Monday.Renault aims to press criminal charges against the three. Two of the employees are Matthieu Tenenbaum, deputy head of Renault's electric-vehicle program, and Michel Balthazard, vice president for advance engineering and a member of the management committee.Renault and the French Government (Renault is 15 per cent owned by the French state) are also investigating a possible link in the espionage to China.In 2007, a Chinese student on a work placement at car parts maker Valeo was given a prison sentence for obtaining confidential documents.  A court stopped short of an industrial espionage verdict, instead finding she had "abused trust".

The spark that is igniting a new generation of electric cars has spread to Ford and fired a battery-powered Focus that will be ready for showrooms later this year.There is no confirmation - yet - of a sales plan in Australia, but the Ford Focus Electric is the blue oval brand's new-age hero as it races to recover ground from the early plug-in pacemakers from Mitsubishi and Nissan - the iMiEV and Leaf - and to shortcut hybrid heroes including the Toyota Prius and Chevrolet Volt.The Focus Electric is revealed today, not at the Detroit auto show but at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show in Los Vegas. It's an event Ford has used often in recent years and that hosts the roll-out this year of Ford's electric-vehicle App for smart phones."We're more than a car company, we're a technology company," says Alan Mulally, Ford's CEO, speaking in Las Vegas.“There's a convergence between consumer electronics and the car.There's a whole ecosystem that goes with the electric vehicle. It's more than just the car. It's part of a system-wide solution.”But the Focus is the focus and, despite a grille that looks like it was snitched from the front of an Aston Martin, the electric model is packed with new technology.The company boasts a top speed of 140km/h and that it can be fully recharged in just four hours, around half the time of other electric vehicles.Power comes from a 23-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack, an electric motor and a single-speed transmission.There is a clear eco focus in the car that includes biofoam seat cushions, trim parts made from recycled plastic, while Ford plans to sell 240-volt chargers for the car for just $1499.The Focus Electric is claimed to drive the same as a regular petrol- powered model and it will be built in the USA, unlike the Focus from Thailand that will be sold in the USA.Ford will use the Detroit motor show to fill in the technical detail of the plug-in Focus, as well as confirming five other EV and updated hybrid models it will have for sale in 2012. They include a pair of hybrids with updated lithium-ion battery packs.