Given the vehicles dependent lifestyle, what are the prospects of a low carbon economy in the future. Bleak, to say the least. But we have the choice.

Culture in all societies are auto dependent. As per empirical observation, given chance, very few people want to use public transport to and from work or for other usual commutes. People who use public transport are much more likely than other to be from lower rungs of the society. Read the rest of this article »

Like Black Box in an airplane, CarChip performs some of the tasks in a car. On-board diagnostics data was once available only to professional mechanics but thanks to the developing technologies and know hows, now any one can have this facility and stay informed.

CarChip (very aptly named) is one of the easiest ways to keep an eye on your young ones’ driving habits or see what your company drivers are doing while on the road? CarChip monitors speeding, braking, acceleration and data on what happened during the last 20 seconds before any collision. Users can remove the CarChip and download data that might be very useful for preventing accidents and or even crimes. Read the rest of this article »

My favorite car has to be the Audi R8, if I had endless amounts of cash this is the car I would buy, Audi has just released a new version, the Audi R8 V10.The Audi R8 V10 features a 5.2 litre V10 engine which pumps out a massive 525hp, Read the rest of this article »

With new cars coming out with more and more new features and new technologies, it is increasingly important for new car buyers and car fans to understand all the new luxuries they have to choose from. In our effort to bring clarification on some new and or improved cars available in 2009 and 2010, Techno Station keeps offering peek into some noteworthy additions. Our pick this time is A6. Read the rest of this article »

Automotive manufactures are doing great efforts to get out of the ongoing global economic recession and also to keep the buyers engaged by offering new twists in automotive design and function.

All the future cars are both extremely fascinating and trendy. As we see in the insight offered by manufacturers or on display at your local auto show, they all look like the shinny ultra cool. Ever new car is much better in safety, and styling issues than the previous model. That is what makes discussing future cars very difficult indeed. Read the rest of this article »

The 2010 Karma - world's first true premium plug-in hybrid sports sedan – is beautiful; like a jet engine spooling up. The Karma features two operating modes - Stealth Mode and Sport Mode. In electric only Stealth Mode, users can drive emission free for up to 50 miles on a full electric charge. Once the 50 mile electric range has been exceeded, the car operates as a normal hybrid vehicle. This balance of electric and gas range makes it entirely possible that Karma drivers who charge their car overnight and commute less than 50 miles a day will achieve an average fuel economy of 100 mpg (2.4L/100km) per year. For distances of up to 300 miles, users can choose Sport Mode, which relies on a small gasoline engine to turn the generator that charges the lithium ion battery pack. Karmas are scheduled to ship late 2009. Read the rest of this article »

News is that Geneva Motor Show (March 3, 2009) audience are going to see 200EX - the latest addition to the Rolls-Royce model family. The 200EX is a design study for a contemporary four-door saloon and shows the direction for RR4, a new model series from Rolls-Royce due for production in 2010. The company is not making the details public till the show day. Rolls-Royce 200EX is four door can that is 5399mm long, 1948mm wide and 1550mm high. The wheel base is 3295mm. Wheel and tyre size is 20 inch, 255/45 R 20 front and 285/40 R 20 rear. The design is “alluring, inviting, approachable - this car captivates with each encounter," says Ian Cameron , the Chief Designer. Read the rest of this article »

Drivers’ attention and concentration is vital for safe driving. Given the statistics of road accidents, most of the crashes are result of lack of attention; reason may use of cell phone, drossiness or so many others.

“Driver behavior is the leading factor in most crashes and near-crashes, according to a landmark research report released today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI). Nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involved some form of driver inattention within three seconds before the event. Primary causes of driver inattention are distracting activities, such as cell phone use, and drowsiness.” Read the rest of this article »

You want to see a unique convergence of luxury, beauty and style with an environmental conscience? Have a closer look at Fisker Karma. Joint project of Fisker Coachbuild and Quantum Technologies has developed a plug-in hybrid sportscar. The company's sole existing product is the Fisker Karma that was first shown at the North American International Auto Show in January 2008. Fisker intends to sell its Karma late this year in the US and in early 2010 in Europe.

The Karma claims a top speed of 125 mph and goes 0 to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds. Fisker Automotive is calling it the "world's first true premium plug-in hybrid sports sedan." The Karma features two operating modes - Stealth Mode and Sport Mode. In electric only Stealth Mode, drivers can travel emission-free for up to 50 miles on a full electric charge. For distances of up to 300 miles, they can choose Sport Mode, which relies on a small gasoline engine to turn the generator that charges the lithium ion battery pack. Karmas are scheduled to ship late 2009. Read the rest of this article »

US President Barack Obama - first black and 44th President of the United States of America - arrived to take the oath of his office in a new brand car, a Cadillac Presidential Limousine. As per one of the many traditions associated with presidential inauguration in United States, the president’s car is shown for the first time on the day of inauguration – Jan 20. The safest (may be costliest) car has already been officially names as Cadillac One and nicknamed as the Beast and a rolling bunker. I call it a command post on the move. Read the rest of this article »

An all-electric Russian sports car already making headlines is expected to get a power boost from nanotechnology. The battery-powered Marussia will leverage nanotechnology to allow it to travel 400 km on a single charge, even in Russia's extremely cold climate. Big things come in little packages, indeed.

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Ongoing economic recession - unprecedented in our lifetimes - has hit every industry hard. Even the newspaper industry is shrinking. But Auto industry was the hardest hit among all. Analysts are alive to the situation and are continuously giving opinions and points of view; some encouraging and some not very encouraging.

Auto industry has seen exponential growth since 1769. Fuel gas-powered internal combustion engines first appeared in 1806, while 1885 marked the introduction of gasoline-fuelled internal combustion engines. Automotive history is generally divided into a number of eras based on the major design and technology shifts. All along the industry has seen matching demand. That was one of the basic factors for the growth in the industry. But the near future seems grim. Read the rest of this article »

This is not yet a trend, but Atlas Copco Compressors would like it to become one. The company is encouraging employees at its Hemel Hempstead headquarters in the UK to replace the air in their tires with nitrogen — using, of course, Atlas Copco nitrogen generators. If this sounds like a gimmick, consider: unlike oxygen which gradually seeps through tire walls leading to under inflation, poor vehicle performance, and increased fuel consumption, nitrogen is slower to permeate rubber. It is also inert, halting oxidation and premature tire aging.

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