Technology Review: A car that swerves back into lanes on its own and a video system that makes parking a breeze were part of technological features on display by the Japanese automaker Nissan Motor Co. The technology that reporters tried out in test drives Monday at a research center outside Tokyo is part of Nissan’s efforts to make driving safer. […]
Easy Driving
Coming Soon: Space Tourism
BBC News: Space tourism is less than three years away, Sir Richard Branson has claimed. There are already 13,500 potential passengers for the £100,000 ($190,000) “Virgin Galactic spaceliner” trip, Sir Richard told the BBC. The entrepreneur is having five “spaceliners” built in the US by the team which launched the SpaceShipOne rocket plane last year. Sir Richard said he himself, […]
Movie Location Tourism
Trends in Japan: A new breed of tourist is beginning to attract the attention of tour operators and of localities where movies have been filmed. The main objective of these visitors is not to see famous landmarks or to go shopping but to visit the settings of popular movies and TV series. They are eager to experience for themselves the […]
Roadside Message Board
Market Launcher: The Roadside Message Board is the latest in road safety and protection. Although it was invented to aid motorists when a vehicle needs to be left unattended, it has a thousand other uses. One of the reasons that people need the Roadside Message Board is that many cell phones don’t work in remote or rural areas because of […]
Your Tour Guide – In A Cell Phone
Wired News: Celebrity sightings may be a dime a dozen in New York City, but now visitors can extend that glimpse to almost an hour, with stars Sigourney Weaver and Jerry Stiller talking their ears off. Weaver’s and Stiller’s voices pop up as narrators for Talking Street, a series of cell-phone tours that guide visitors through the Lower East Side, […]
New Touch Sensor Technology
Yenra: Touch sensor technology from TRW may transform human-machine interfaces for control systems. The company is working with two major vehicle manufacturers to bring the technology to market in 2007. The technology uses a control surface, much like that of a laptop computer, in place of mechanical switches. The technology replaces traditional mechanical control functions from simple on and off […]
Need Help? Ask The Mobile Service Advisor
The Reynolds and Reynolds Company, the leading provider of software and services to the automotive retailing industry, has launched Mobile Service Advisor, a powerful new software tool connected via a Tablet PC and wireless network. Mobile Service Advisor is designed to speed up service department repair order processes and help improve the customer experience. Mobile Service Advisor, an integrated extension […]
Cars Getting More And More High-Tech
Indeed, manufacturers are adding so many high-tech functions and features to cars that greatly enhance the driving experience. Nowadays, you can check your e-mail, surf the Web, watch television and videos, and do so much more, all from the comfort of your driver’s seat. Japan’s Toyota even has an “Intelligent Parking Assist” feature, available on the hybrid gas-electric Prius model […]
High-tech DIY Tours
Travellers love to take a guided tour of the place they have come to see. Although there are companies that provide walking tours, often the price is quite high. If you’re unwilling to spend the extra bucks, you would probably end up planning a self-guided tour. There are some books and websites that provide information on the must-see sights and […]
Talking To Your Car
Are you lost or not sure if you have taken a wrong turn? Or have you found yourself in unfamiliar territories? Too embarrassed to frequently stop at the gas station to ask for directions? Well, fear not! Come October, Honda will be the first carmaker to include in some of their models, technology that enables drivers to converse with their […]