National Rail Enquiries (NRE) has launched ‘Lisa’, a new online Virtual Assistant.Lisa is now poised, ready to answer your train travel questions, 24-hours a day, seven days a week. Lisa is a state of the art virtual assistant - known as a 'Lingubot' and is a virtual interactive assistant capable of holding conversations with internet users in real time, 24/7
The FuelVapor alé is a sportscar with three wheels, but two of them are in the front. It runs on fuel vapor, so it uses about one-third the normal amount of fuel for a car of its kind, supposedly 92 mpg. And the emissions are very low. Top Gear says the FuelVapor alé will be on sale in 2008. Not only does the “alé” have extreme mileage capabilities, but its performance is outstanding and better than many high-end sports cars. It accelerates from 0-60 in 5 seconds, and will pull over 1.7 g’s in hard corner's on street tires. Brad Zimmerman, head tech for the company stated during testing at the Mission race track, “I drove it hard for 4 solid hours, throwing it into corners, accelerating and braking hard. The car’s performance is spectacular.
Super-efficient engines ditch the spark The next big step in gasoline engines burns fuel like diesel engines burn diesel. But hurdles remain. By Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNNMoney.com staff writer Last Updated: June 11, 2008: 9:07 AM EDT NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Car companies are working to perfect a new generation of gasoline engines that could get up to 20% better fuel efficiency. The system, which burns gasoline without spark plugs, relies in massive amounts of speed and power - the computer kind - to work. It's called Homogenous Charge Compression Ignition, or HCCI. General Motors (GM, Fortune 500) has been allowing journalists to drive a test vehicle with this technology. It clearly isn't quite ready for the mass market, but GM insists that it's finally in the home stretch after years of trying. "You're basically getting the best of gas and diesel all together," said Kelly Mundt, director of gasoline system marketing for auto parts supplier Bosch, which is working on some components needed for this new engine system.
New York cab of the future?
Technology Microsoft Introduces Tool for Avoiding Traffic Jams By JOHN MARKOFF - Published: April 10, 2008 The new service’s software technology, called Clearflow, is an ambitious attempt to apply machine-learning techniques to the problem of traffic congestion.
The Solar Impulse project is a paradox, almost a provocation: it aims to have an airplane take off and fly autonomously, day and night, propelled uniquely by solar energy, right round the world without fuel or pollution. An unachievable goal without pushing back the current technological limits in all fields...
Nissan concept car aims at video generation The Nissan (7210.T) concept car Mixim turned heads at the Frankfurt International Motor Show -- a futuristic three-seater that looks more like a video game centre than a car and was designed with the help of teenagers who hate cars from around the world. "This is something that would distinguish them from their parents," said Francois Bancon, general manager of Nissan Motor Co.'s Exploratory and Advance Planning Dept. "Our ultimate objective was this is something their parents would hate." He said the battery-powered Mixim, which if it gets the green lights at Nissan could be on the road in 2012 and cost 12,000 to 16,000 euros ($16,000-$22,000), was aimed at people who prefer to hang out in on-line worlds like Second Life rather than in cars.
Electric-Bikes.com Practical transportation for errands and short commutes. Light Electric Vehicles (LEVs) include electric bicycles, scooters, three-wheelers, commute cars, and more. These exciting new vehicles provide environmentally sound transportation that promises to improve the lives of millions over the next few years. Markets are growing explosively for electric bikes in China, strongly in Europe, and developing nicely in many other countries.
EcoDrive.org - With support of the European Commission from the „Intelligent Energy Europe“ Programme a European-wide campaign for improving driving behaviour, energy-efficiency and traffic safety among drivers of passenger cars, delivery vans, lorries and buses organised during 2006 and 2008.
Greener Jet Fuel The CEO of Amyris Biotechnologies says genetically engineered microorganisms could make better jet fuel. Carbon-dioxide emissions from jets are a growing environmental concern. In the United States, about 12 percent of carbon-dioxide emissions come from jet fuel, a rate that is expected to rise as air travel increases. In addition, fuel prices have more than doubled from 2000 to 2006, boosting airline operating costs and making airlines increasingly desperate for a more price-stable alternative.
The DARPA Urban Challenge is an autonomous vehicle research and development program with the goal of developing technology that will keep warfighters off the battlefield and out of harm’s way. The Urban Challenge features autonomous ground vehicles maneuvering in a mock city environment, executing simulated military supply missions while merging into moving traffic, navigating traffic circles, negotiating busy intersections, and avoiding obstacles.
Stanford's New Driverless Car Junior the autonomous car passes an initial round of tests in preparation for DARPA's Urban Challenge, slated for later this year. The motivation for the Urban Challenge is to build a better car. "As we all know, cars are unsafe," says Sebastian Thrun, the team leader and a professor of computer science at Stanford. Car accidents kill roughly 42,000 people a year in America and about a million people worldwide, he says. In addition, cars are inefficient, causing traffic jams and requiring people to consistently focus on the road during long commutes. The Stanford researchers' goal is to design a car that can drive itself, conceivably making roads safer and giving people back their time. "The idea of a self-driving car, in my opinion, will change society," says Thrun.
Climatecars launched in London. The eco-friendly taxi service currently drives five Toyota Prius cars, with three more to follow this month. The company is targeting London's corporate market, offering first class service and extras like complimentary magazines, newspapers and Belu mineral water (the "first bottled water that doesn't contribute to climate change").
