Tag: driving

Video: BMW teaches evasive driving techniques at a Cold War air base

Filed under: Europe, Safety, Videos, BMW

BMW Security Driving

Click above to watch the video after the jump

It’s not without reason that BMWs are among the top choices for high-security personnel transport. BMW Security vehicles – armor-reinforced versions of the standard roadcars we see on the road every day – are known to be both secure and responsive to quick, often life-saving maneuvers. But what good would these vehicles be if their drivers didn’t know how to handle them properly?

That’s why BMW has a security vehicle training facility in East Germany. Built on the grounds of what was once the largest Cold War air base in Europe, the center is run by advanced driving instructor Klaus Heimerl, who shows chauffeurs and security personnel how to evade any number of potentially threatening situations, from ambushes to roadside bombs. Follow the jump to watch the video, and head to www.bmw.com/drivertraining to find out more.

[Source: BMW]

Continue reading Video: BMW teaches evasive driving techniques at a Cold War air base

Video: BMW teaches evasive driving techniques at a Cold War air base originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 12:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevy offers free driving school to all Corvette buyers for limited time

2010 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Convertible

2010 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Convertible – Click above for high-res image gallery

We operate under the impression that on the whole we live in the best period of automotive innovation and power that the world has ever seen. Manufacturers are turning out four-cylinder engines with more horsepower and torque than the mighty V8 lumps of just two decades ago and eight pots that boast fuel economy numbers as impressive as their dyno charts. These days, mega power is mega cheap and more accessible than ever. But, as Uncle Ben reminds us, great power comes with great responsibility, and to that end General Motors is offering all Corvette buyers a chance to learn how to get the most out of their machines.

For a limited time, GM is giving away vouchers to both of the company’s Corvette Driving Schools to anyone who buys any model of a new Corvette. Typically, the driving schools are free only to those who lay down the coin for a mighty ZR1, but for a limited time, The General is splurging for Coupe, Convertible, Grand Sport, Z06 and ZR1 buyers to go on the company’s dime. The schools are at the Bob Bondurant school in Phoenix, Arizona and Ron Fellows school in Las Vegas, Arizona.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Convertible

Photos copyright (C)2009 Sam Abuelsamid / AOL

[Source: GM]

Chevy offers free driving school to all Corvette buyers for limited time originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: AT&T tugs at heart strings with distracted driving documentary

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Videos

AT&T's The Last Text

AT&T anti-texting documentary “The Last Text” – Click above to watch video after the jump

AT&T launched the “It Can Wait” campaign earlier in the spring of 2010. The idea behind the movement is to create more awareness about the dangers of texting and driving. In order to create more visual impact, AT&T has commissioned a documentary called The Last Text, and it focuses on a few young lives that have been impacted or even cut short due to distracted driving caused by a text message.

The video may play a bit heavily with the emotional subject matter, but it also helps drive home a very important message – Many lives can be ruined in the blink of an eye – all because you had to read or send that text message. Put your phone down for a minute then hop the jump to watch The Last Text.

[Source: AT&T via Engadget]

Continue reading Video: AT&T tugs at heart strings with distracted driving documentary

Video: AT&T tugs at heart strings with distracted driving documentary originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Dec 2010 14:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Bad parenting and bad driving know no bounds

Filed under: Etc., Europe, Safety, Videos

Driving baby

In Poland, babies drive the cars – Click above to watch the video after the break

Warning: Do not try this at home. As much as we’d love to read you the riot act that contains the rest of the typical automotive video warnings – “professional driver on a closed course,” “no animals or small children were harmed in the making of this video” – well, we’re not entirely sure we can claim any of those things are true.

What we have here is a man and a woman who have apparently taken it upon themselves to exercise their inadvisable right to procreate. Oh, and a baby and a car. We’ll set the scene: Man and baby jointly drive car, on what appears to be a public street in Poland, in traffic. Woman records grainy video, family later uploads results to YouTube.

We’ll be the first to admit that we don’t know how old this video is (it has a recent upload date, but who knows?), but it’s still worth watching. We don’t want to spoil it for the rest for you, so all we’ll say is that you have to watch it all the way through to get the full scope of the awful parenting involved. Click past the break to see what all the fuss is about… and please, no Polish jokes in the Comments.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Bad parenting and bad driving know no bounds

Video: Bad parenting and bad driving know no bounds originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 Dec 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Plato v. Coulthard in Red Bull’s driving sim

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Videos, Toys/Games, Racing

Red Bull F1 Simulator

Jason Plato vs David Coulthard in the Red Bull F1 simulator – Click above to watch video after the jump

The Race-Star ConverTTable is cool and all, but compared to Red Bull’s F1 racing simulator it’s just a toy. Jumping behind the Red Bull sim’s wheel are David Coulthard, whose Formula 1 resume boasts 247 starts and 13 wins, and Fifth Gear’s Jason Plato, himself a two-time British Touring Car champion. You’d expect DC to mop the floor with Plato, considering that BTTC cars are a long way from the open-wheel racers of F1. So, what happens? Hop the jump to check out the clip.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Plato v. Coulthard in Red Bull’s driving sim

Video: Plato v. Coulthard in Red Bull’s driving sim originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 04 Dec 2010 18:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Man caught driving 200 km/h on public roads gets $235,000 Ferrari taken away

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Etc., BMW, Ferrari, Canada

Ferrari 430 Scuderia

Two speed-loving Canadians have had the keys to their hoon machines taken away. A 2008 Ferrari 430 Scuderia and a 2008 BMW M6 were caught speeding up Mount Seymour in British Columbia, hitting speeds of up to 200 km/h (about 126 miles per hour) in a 60 km/h zone, as well as narrowly missing a mother who was walking with her two children. As you’d expect, the cars were impounded, but the provincial government is taking things a step further. Both vehicles are going to be sold. In fact, the Ferrari has already moved on to a new home and the M6 is set to hit the auction block in the very near future.

The Ferrari is owned in part by a relative of the person driving at the time. That relative will receive 50 percent of the proceeds from the sale, while the other owner receives 30 percent. The government is going to hold on to the rest. The owner of the M6 also receives 30 percent but the government keeps the other 70. The reason for the payouts? To clear notes on each car with the owners respective banks.

[Source: CNews]

Man caught driving 200 km/h on public roads gets $235,000 Ferrari taken away originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Videos: DOT tugs on heartstrings with ‘Face of Distracted Driving’ campaign

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Videos

Faces of Distracted Driving

Faces of Distracted Driving – Click above to watch videos after the jump

As part of this year’s Distracted Driving Summit, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and the Department of Transportation unveiled a new campaign to curb distracted driving. Called The Faces of Distracted Driving, the web series tells the stories of friends and family members who lost someone to distracted driving. So far, just three episodes have been released, but more are expected in the future.

The DOT says that last year, 5,500 people were killed and over 50,000 were injured in incidents related to distracted driving. Here’s hoping the Faces of Distracted Driving campaign does something to curb that figure. Click past the jump to see the videos for yourself.

[Source: Department of Transportation]

Continue reading Videos: DOT tugs on heartstrings with ‘Face of Distracted Driving’ campaign

Videos: DOT tugs on heartstrings with ‘Face of Distracted Driving’ campaign originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Newsweek investigates why rebel groups always seem to be driving Toyota pickups

Filed under: Truck, Etc., Toyota, Military, Off-Road

Somali Fighters in a Toyota Hilux

It turns out that the Toyota Hilux isn’t just a favorite with fans of Top Gear. According to Newsweek, the unbeatable little pickup from Japan is also a vital cog in various insurgent war machines around the globe. With its combination of reliability, affordability, ubiquity and capability, the bare-bones truck has been a favorite with rebel groups of various nationalities since it first hit the scene in the late ’60s. In the more than 40 years since, the Hilux has shown up in conflicts from Nicaragua, Rwanda, Somalia and Ethopia to Pakistan and Iraq. If you’re looking for the automotive equivalent of the AK-47, you’ve found it.

Newsweek even says that U.S. Special Forces has been known to make use of a Hilux or two on occasion in favor of the heavier, more cumbersome and more expensive Humvee. In most war zones, the Toyota has become the modern equivalent of light cavalry – delivering both weapons and troops over rough terrain in quick order. Throw in the fact that a .50 caliber weapon can be mounted in the bed, and the truck’s versatility grows by leaps and bounds.

Head over to Newsweek to read the very interesting full article for yourself. Thanks for the tips, everyone!

[Source: Newsweek | Image: Mustafa Abdi/AFP/Getty]

Newsweek investigates why rebel groups always seem to be driving Toyota pickups originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Oct 2010 15:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: ABC News gets taken for a spin in Google’s self-driving Toyota Prius

Filed under: Etc., Technology, Videos, Toyota

Testing Google's driverless car

ABC News goes for a spin with one of Google’s driverless cars – Click above to watch video after the jump

Google’s autonomous fleet has been clandestinely racking up the computer-driven miles, and so far, their autonomous autos have been fault-free. One minor incident happened when a car was rear-ended, but the Skynet Google cars have yet to incur any points on their virtual licenses. Earlier this week, ABC News got the chance to go for a spin in one of the tech company’s automated cars, riding shotgun in a computer-controlled Toyota Prius.

The engineers from Google explain that the Prius utilizes a series of cameras and a roof-mounted, spinning laser to see what is going on around it. The result is a vehicle which might just be safer than one with a human behind the wheel. However, according to the report, the goal of the system is not to completely remove the driver from the equation, the system is pitched as more of a “super cruise-control” than a full auto-drive system. The theory is that it would be useful for traffic-filled commutes to and from work, and it might be a nice solution to eliminate or reduce distracted-driving. Get a phone call? Hit the Google button and let the car have the wheel while you take your call.

Becky Worley, the news correspondent in the video clip, even gets up the guts to give the Google car a real-life brake test. She steps in front of it as it’s motoring down the road. What happens? The car “sees” her and slams on the binders. Check it all out in the video after the jump.

[Source: ABC News]

Continue reading Video: ABC News gets taken for a spin in Google’s self-driving Toyota Prius

Video: ABC News gets taken for a spin in Google’s self-driving Toyota Prius originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Oct 2010 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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127 MPG: What Motor Trend got driving the Volt in the real world

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Etc., Chevrolet, GM, Electric

2011 Chevrolet Volt

2011 Chevrolet Volt – Click above for high-res image gallery

Did General Motors lie or didn’t they? The media and public got extremely swept up by the fact that GM told the world its range-extended electric vehicle would not use the on-board internal combustion engine to power the wheels, when it will under certain conditions. This bit of news has blown up in the General’s face, but does it change the fact that the Volt is still a pretty amazing piece of automotive engineering? Motor Trend spent a couple of weeks with one and came away impressed by what the Chevrolet Volt could do. In fact, lead flip-flop lead-foot Jonny Lieberman scored some seat time and was able to hit 127 miles per gallon.

The 127 mpg figure was achieved over a variety of Los Angeles city streets, canyon roads and highways. During the trip, the car ran out of battery power and the gasoline engine quietly turned on to give it more juice. Not to the wheels, but to the battery. If the car gets up over 70 miles per hour, then the ICE will send a small amount of power to the wheels, but by doing so it makes the car more efficient.

The M/T editors took the car on another trip and really tried to push it hard. They ran the Volt up to its 101 mph top speed, had the A/C cranked and traveled across some hilly terrain. The result? The Chevy returned nearly 75 mpg. MT feels the takeaway from its time with the Volt is that the car is incredibly efficient and the fact that the gasoline engine occasionally pitches in doesn’t make it any less remarkable of a vehicle.

Gallery: Quick Spin: 2011 Chevrolet Volt

Photos Copyright (C)2010 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Motor Trend]

127 MPG: What Motor Trend got driving the Volt in the real world originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Oct 2010 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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