In-Car Fuel Mileage Electronic Relay to the Cloud?

The other day, I was talking to an acquaintance who helps wire homes, specifically smart homes with broadband access. He puts the wires in the wall and makes everything work. Many of the homes the he wires up have been long-standing, some of them were built in the 1950s for instance. It's time for those residents to upgrade, and he puts in all of the new technology for them.

It's interesting these days as people's refrigerators are becoming smarter than they are, and the same is happening with our cars, soon they will be driving themselves. In fact our cars are going to be so smart, maybe they can take our tests in school from the parking lot, just kidding, you don't want to get caught cheating. Okay so let's talk a little bit about some of the latest cool in-car gadgetry.

There was an interesting article on March 28, 2013 in the Wall Street Journal titled; "Auto Makers Try to Tackle Inaccuracies Measuring MPG," which discussed how different drivers with different driving habits, different areas were reporting different mileage results, some more and some less than the actual MPG on the sticker when they bought their automobile. As you will recall there have been some rather high profile federal regulatory lawsuits over false advertising and MPG estimates by automakers.

Ford is asking APP makers to come up with something that will relay actual data to their cloud servers via smart phones according to that article. I think that is a wise idea, in fact, I'd like to have one, unfortunately, currently I do not own a Ford automobile, but I have had Ford cars and trucks in the past.

Just think if you were at the beach, and you needed to get some more pizza, beer, and snacks. Wouldn't it be nice to simply use your iPhone to call your car, put in the request by text message, and your car would drive to the store, contact the clerk inside, have all the goodies brought out and put in the car, and pay for it all just as you would with an iPhone payment app?

Now then, back to the story above, we all want to know what our true miles per gallon average is, and we need to be able to adjust our driving habits and behavior to optimize our fuel economy. By doing that we can save money, and at four dollars per gallon for gasoline, everyone is into that. Meanwhile, it will keep the automakers honest, and let us consumers know where we really stand. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it

Getting the Most From iPhone and Ford Sync

Getting the most out of your Ford Sync system sometimes means learning more about your smartphone and here are some tips on using your iPhone with the Ford Sync system.

Are you having trouble accessing your iPhone music?

If you have upgraded to a newer Apple iOS, then one of the options is to "back up" and store your music on the Cloud. This uses a process referred to as iTunes Match. Essentially you see the song titles and information on your iPhone - but the music is actually "parked" in the Cloud. The problem is that the Ford Sync system no longer can access this music since it has become part of the Apple proprietary system. If you go to your iPhone's Settings folder... scroll down to the iTunes & App Stores bar, then turn off the iTunes Match button.

This allows your Sync system to access music files. Turn the iTunes Match button back on to back up and store your music from time to time to keep your files current.

Has your streaming iPhone music stopped playing?

If you pushed the Voice button on the steering wheel to access music by saying "Bluetooth Audio" then you can stream music through your vehicle sound system. It streams music, but you don't have enough bandwidth to give voice commands to "Play Artist Bruno Mars."

If you plug your iPhone into the USB port, then you'll have to push the Voice button and say "USB." The Sync system will index the music on your iPhone (or USB jump drive) and after a few minutes, push the Voice button again and when the Sync system says "USB, state your command" then say "Play All." The Sync system will begin playing your music. You can then push the Voice button and say "Play Artist Miranda Lambert" and it will find and play her music (if you have that in your collection).

So can I play music from Pandora?

If you have a Pandora account on your iPhone, then you can push the Voice button and say "Bluetooth Audio." The system will reply "Bluetooth Audio" and then go to your iPhone and tap the Pandora icon (or other streaming music App) and then as that App starts to play, your music will mute and the streaming music will play.

Once again, if you plug your iPhone into USB, then you have to give your system a voice command of "USB" for the system to change the content it is accessing.

Can I get voice-to-text text messages read to me?

If you have an iPhone 4s or an iPhone 5, go to your phone and push the Home button (the large button on the lower center of your phone). Hold the Home button for a few seconds and you will hear a tome on your phone (and the Sync system). Say, "Read Text Messages." Your iPhone's Siri will look for messages and read them to you. If you want to send a message, push the Home button and say "Send Text Message." Your Siri will ask who you want to send to and what you want to say. Just follow instructions. In fact, you can push the Home button and ask Siri any question. When you are finished with Siri, just push and hold the phone icon on your steering wheel and "hang up" on the call.

So how can I get voice-activated GPS instructions through the Sync system?

Let's say you want to use your iPhone 4s or iPhone 5 App, such as Google Maps, to get turn-by-turn instructions. Push the Voice button on the steering wheel and say "Bluetooth Audio." Then go to your iPhone and activate your GPS App. It will "speak" the instructions over the Sync system. Push and hold the phone icon on the steering wheel to hang up the voice instructions.

On-going support for your iPhone and Sync...

Complete power down your iPhone at least once a week. Keep the iPhone off for at least a few minutes. Then power it back up.

Go to your phone's main screen. Then push the Home button twice. The screen will slide up. You will see a group of App icons. Push and hold your finger on one of the Apps until a red circle with a white minus symbol appears. Then tap the red circle and the Apps will be turned off. Most people will find that every time they open an App that it stays on "in the background." This uses more power and drains your battery more quickly. By turning off your iPhone Music App you won't have the music starting to play automatically every time you start up your vehicle.

By the way, if you are playing Bluetooth or USB music then you can push one of the Audio buttons on your vehicle to change to AM/FM, CD, Aux or Sirius as a music source. Or, you can use the Media (or Source) buttons (if you have them on your vehicle) to access any of the Media available to your vehicle.

What Happens When Your AI Autonomous Car Gets Bored Anticipating Your Next Excursion?

In the future there is no doubt that we will have autonomous vehicles, cars that drive themselves, not only cars but buses, trucks, and perhaps even motorcycles. We already have trains, and aircraft which fly themselves, this will only become more common in those realms. Still, for autonomous vehicles to really do all that we perceive they will in the future, they will have to have more artificial intelligence, faster processing computers, and all of that will need to update itself from the cloud several times a day.

Of course, with all that information these computers will become self-actualized, they will feel as if they have a mind of their own, and much like the Internet they will appear to be thinking, adapting, and changing to the conditions in the real world in real time, even if most of their components were originally created for a virtual or augmented world. Now then, I have a question for you because artificial intelligence is scary for many people, it means that our computers, tools, equipment, and even our personal vehicles in the future will begin thinking on their own.

May I ask you what might happen when you're fully autonomous artificially intelligent car gets bored with you? What happens when he gets bored of driving straight and level, going the speed limit, and he just wants to go out and have some fun? What happens when your artificially intelligent car starts zigzagging in traffic, or taking turns extremely fast just for the fun of it? You may think that's a crazy notion, but haven't you ever just wanted to do that yourself, it's okay to admit it. I'm not going to hold against you. I'm sure you have gone around corners too fast, perhaps broken the speed limit now and again. Who knows, maybe you were bored?

Would you deny that same opportunity for another living and thinking being? You might say that an artificially intelligent autonomous car doesn't think, it can't reason, and it isn't alive? But if it perceives itself to be alive, even has a conscience, then it is alive. All higher-level thinking brains enjoy play, why wouldn't your fully autonomous artificially intelligent automobile?

What if it just starts up, opens the automatic garage door, and goes out for a spin all by itself? Yes, I guess this sounds like another Disney movie; "Cars IV in 4-D" and maybe it does, but my job here is to make you think, so I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Technological Advancements: The Future Of The Automotive Industry

A group of intelligent people turns "cannot" into "can" and their "dreams" into "plans". They believe that there is no remote exist that can control your life. You have to get up and change it in your own way. The situation is somewhat similar in the automotive world, where the automotive engineers and designers have to think of the changes that can lead this industry towards the right direction. The best way to achieve success is by converting your thoughts into reality. The accomplishments that the automotive world have attained is due to patience and passion of bringing something new to the automobile enthusiasts. People are demanding cars that are not just cars, they wish for some outstanding cars that will be a prodigy in themselves. They also desire for automobiles with some exceptional technologies that are beyond human imagination. It seems like a dream, but can only be accomplished with absolute intelligence.

Every Automobile brand is working to bring some unbelievable technologies in the vehicles that will not only give comfort to the drivers but also protect them. The technologies that are expected in the cars by 2020 are as follows:

Camera with 360 Degree Feature: Camera in cars is essential and expected to become a standard tool in almost all automobiles by 2020. With these cameras, you will be updated with the front and rear of your car. These cameras will be able to see 360 degrees. These will make you free from risking your life by getting shoulders out and see if your car is parking in the right direction or not.

Pedestrian Detection and Night Vision: Many people dream for the automobiles that automatically stop on the sudden appearance of the pedestrian. The idea is legitimate and achievable by 2020. It is possible through infrared light or amplifier that will detect the person coming to your way intentionally or unintentionally. Moreover, collision warning, lane departure warning and night vision with automatic braking will also be featured with pedestrian detection. Special display is expected in the vehicles that will display heat-based images making you stop your car without hitting someone.

Inter-Cars Communication: Cars running on the road will be able to communicate with each other as these will be connected through some wireless system. In this organization, vehicles can commune with stop lights, allow traffic reporting to the network and warn other vehicles of accidents. It will save time, fuel and even the lives of many.

Charging Through The Air: The idea is quite innovative but extremely difficult to apply. This will be the coolest and easiest way of charging that will contribute majorly in sustainable use of natural resources for the future generations.

Cars Manufactured Using Advanced Materials: Lightweight concept is very much in demand especially in the automotive industry. People are demanding cars that are lightweight and durable. Moreover, there is an increasing demand of accident-proof outer body which seems like a dream, but can be achieved by 2020. Carbon Fiber, Aluminum and Magnesium are some materials that will be used in the future for making different car parts.

Application Central: Concept of Wi-Fi is already there in the vehicles, but for this, you have to pay a monthly subscription. Automobile representatives are planning to make it free and common for all. Everyone can take pleasure of enjoying internet browsing and surfing for free by 2020.

All these technological features and many more will offer you a comfortable driving. It will surely give an entirely new driving experience to those who are passionate towards it. Moreover, some of these changes will also prove beneficial to our environment as automobile manufacturers have started thinking ecologically.

Top Four Car Accessories Sold Online

It is a well-known fact that buying a car from the showroom is not enough. The interior décor of the car is as important as the car itself. The car must be decorated with proper and comfortable seating arrangements and should also contain certain accessories that enhance the driving experience. Car accessories are one of the most sold items on any e-commerce website as most car owners tend it to buy these accessories online. We take a look at the most popular car accessories that are available online:

a. USB chargers: It is often a necessity to connect our phones or music player to a charger while on a long journey. A USB charger draws power from the car's system and charges up your device. Most chargers come with dual charging point, which lets you charge two devices at a time. This is beneficial for people carrying a laptop or a tablet as well as a cell phone.

b. Car DVD System: A Car DVD system helps you kill boredom while on a long trip. Although not applicable for the driver, this car accessory is a great device for other passengers to watch movies or any video content while on the move. These are adjustable devices that can be set up anywhere to suit the viewers. With SD card capability and motion-detecting features, watching movies on a Car DVD system is even more fun-filled and exciting.

c. GPS Navigation system: This is one of the most useful car accessories as it can guide you through unknown roads anywhere in the planet. With the help of established map services such as Google maps, these devices provide navigation instructions to the driver. This is extremely useful when you are in a new city, trying to figure out the route to a particular place. Apart from the large display screens that show the directions with respect to your current location, certain navigation devices also provide voice commands to guide you through.

d. MP3 player: A car without music would be considered incomplete by a lot of people. In fact, music players have become an integral part of the car, as even manufacturers provide additional slots to fit an external music system. MP3 players for cars are specially designed to accept pen drives and SD cards as input file sources. The more sophisticated music system also places small speakers at different corners of your car in order to provide a better musical experience.

5 Tips For Restoring Used Cars

Restoring a used car is a great way to get a rock bottom price for a car, and then turn it into a reliable vehicle. The key to really get your money's worth in restorations is to be able to handle them yourself. Whether you're looking to get involved in automotive careers, or you simply want to fix up the family car, these five tips will help you restore for less money and less hassle.

1 - Not All Cars Are Worthy of Restoration
When you buy the car you want to restore, it's fine if it's not all in one piece and several pieces must be bought separately. However, there are a few things you do want to avoid. A little bit of rust can be fine, but if it's corroding the structural parts then it should be avoided. Be sure to purchase the car in person, or at the very least ask for detailed pictures. Make sure you do your research so you understand both the market value of the restored car and the cost of restoring it.

2 - Use Only Professional Grade Parts
Your restoration will only be as good as the parts. Make sure that your parts and engine are both of professional quality. You can buy vintage parts online, at salvage yards, through classic car organizations, or a number of other places, but they should be of high quality. Remember that spending a little more on parts now can be the best value in the long run, if it means a car that lasts longer.

3 - Understand That There Will Be Setbacks
Even those who've worked in automotive careers for decades have occasional setbacks. Your goal should not be to have a flawless experience, but to learn from your mistakes and pay attention to what you could do better next time.

4 - There Are Some Things You Need Done From the Pros
There are certain things that may be worth paying extra for the professionals to handle. For example, unless you have a background in automotive painting, you may want the job professionally done. It's true that you can handle it at your home garage, but the professionals will have tools and products not available to the laymen.

5 - Prepare for Plenty of Space
One of the biggest mistakes people make the first time they restore a car is to assume that they won't need a ton of space. They believe they can simply use half their garage and get their car in tip-top shape. The reality is that not only does the car take up space, but you'll have tools, supplies, and possibly several people working on it at the same time. You don't want to have to move it in the middle of an essential task like automotive painting, so be sure you start off with plenty of room.

Car Body Repairs and the Modern Day Techniques

Even a fuel-efficient car, which stays in good condition for most of the time, might need some critical repairs as time progress. The paint might fade out and the car may develop minor scratches, dings and dents. Such damages are hard to fix using waxing. This is technicians are constantly seeking for effective ways of an auto body repair.

Completely Matching Auto Paint

No matter the car demands a complete body painting or an area wise painting for fixing dents or dings, the new paint must completely match with the original paint. Bodywork professionals these days, use a photo-spectrometer to find out the exact colour tone. This computerized paint matching system finds out the exact colour tone to that of the auto. Once they find the exact colour, they paint the auto and dry it to give it a uniform look.

Paint-free Dent Restoration Technique

Dents or dings normally show up on the vehicle when it collides with another vehicle (on the road) or with a hard surface. Dents normally develop at the angular or curved car surfaces. Even though such problems are easily noticeable, they are quite hard to fix. Paint-free dent restoration technique is the best method to fix such problems. Bodywork professionals have the necessary tools to push the dents, till they get back to the normal state. The technicians fix the impairment without doing any damage to the car paint. The auto mechanics normally use spray-filling technique for fixing the inaccessible dents.

Body Frame Restoration

When cars collide with another vehicle or heavy block on the road, it succumb major structural damage to the frame. In such cases, one must use a frame straightening method. They use a computerized equipment (featuring an ultrasound technology), to calculate the frame alignment error. Then a laser beam aligns the frame accurately to its original state.

Smart Repair Technique

This technique is extremely effective for repairing minor dings or chipped paints. It is a lot harder as compared to the other techniques. This technique only repairs or covers the affected area. It mostly suits the brand new vehicles as they have minor damages on the body while the major body part stays fresh and glossy. Some garages also give a mobile service, and can carry out the repairs at your home itself. With such garages, you do not have to wait too long, before you can use the vehicle again.

With recent advancements in auto body repair, getting a quality accident repair service is no longer difficult.