Tag: glass

Report: BMW i8 will be first production car to use Gorilla Glass

Filed under: Coupe, Hybrid, Performance, Technology, BMW

BMW i8 will be the first car to use Gorilla Glass.

What do smartphones and the BMW i8 have in common? Glass. Scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass, that is. The i8 will be the first production car to use the chemically hardened material, which is more durable, lighter and provides more sound deadening than conventional laminated automotive glass. We thought it would be a natural replacement for windshields, but, according to Autoweek, BMW said it will be used for the rear window for sound deadening purposes. The Gorilla Glass will still be laminated, with two 0.7mm thick layers of it sandwiching an acoustic sheet, reports Autoevolution.

BMW reportedly claims the i8 will weigh less than 3,285 pounds, and to offset the heavy hybrid powertrain to reach that goal the automaker has implemented lightweight materials normally not found in mass-production automobiles. With a carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) monocoque used for both the (relatively) pedestrian i3 and the upscale i8, it’s not surprising BMW was also the first to jump onto Gorilla Glass, especially given the timing of a report that a high-end automaker would introduce it within the year.

Be sure to check out our First Drive review of the i8 to see if BMW’s newest sports car is living up to the hype.

BMW i8 will be first production car to use Gorilla Glass originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Aug 2013 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Penalties possible for drivers wearing Google Glass in US and UK [w/poll]

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Technology, UK

Google Glass may be banned by the UK and West Virginia before it's released.

The key feature of Google Glass is that it basically puts an Android smartphone on users’ heads, allowing them hands-free operation of many smartphone features, including web browsing, phone calls, texting and navigation. A small heads-up display rests directly above the right eye, making it seem like a match made in heaven for drivers, who could use Glass without taking their hands off the wheel. But lawmakers already are planning to ban the device from being used while driving before it has even been released to the general public, Engadget reports.

A UK Department for Transportation official told Stuff that it is “in discussion with the police to ensure that individuals do not use this technology while driving.” Similarly, as Gizmodo reports, West Virginia House of Delegates member Gary G. Howell has said he thinks the technology would be just as problematic as texting while driving and is introducing a bill to ban Google Glass from being used on the roads in that state.

Glass has been tested while riding a motorcycle with mixed results, and there’s even an application in development for Tesla Model S owners, but it could all be for naught if Big Brother says no. Do you think using Google Glass should be prohibited while driving? Sound off in the poll below.

View Poll

Penalties possible for drivers wearing Google Glass in US and UK [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Mercedes pondering Google Glass navi

Filed under: Technology, Mercedes-Benz

Engadget is reporting that Mercedes-Benz might be tinkering with Google Glass for its future navigation systems. The first, big-name wearable tech item of the 21st century, Google Glass has a huge degree of potential in a number of fields, not the least of which is the auto industry.

Citing the Silicon Valley Business Journal, Engadget mentions that Mercedes is focusing on producing genuine, door-to-door directions that combine the pedestrian and automotive applications that Google Maps has become known for. President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Research and Development North America, Johann Jungwirth, mentioned this seamless integration of directions is the division’s ultimate goal.

The idea is intriguing, but we’re probably going to be waiting on it for some time. Google Glass is still quite expensive and is far from being available at the local Best Buy. Until that day comes, it looks like we’ll just have to make do with going from our car’s navigation to a smartphone.

Mercedes pondering Google Glass navi originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 31 Jul 2013 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Lexus responds with its own champagne glass re-creation

Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Lexus

Lexus LS460 with champagne glasses stacked on its hood

Lexus champagne glass re-creation – click above to watch video after the jump

In response to the Lexus owner who unsuccessfully attempted to re-create the now-classic 1990 tv commercial that launched the brand, Lexus proves it’s still possible. Cleverly showing that it’s paying attention, Lexus took the time to pull a 2011 LS460 and 1990 LS400 into the garage, level them (that’s the key!) and run the respective V8s up north of 4,000 rpm. In all cases, the stack of champagne glasses remained unperturbed on either hood. Good show of customer-engagement moxie. Check it out after the jump. Thanks for the tip, Jub!

[Source Lexus/Youtube]

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Video: Lexus responds with its own champagne glass re-creation originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 20 Mar 2011 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Glass Ceiling Stealing: Car theft easier for men

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal

Sorry ladies, but it looks like the dark and seedy world of car thievery is still dominated by the males of our species. A new report in Justice Quarterly reports that while women typically have no problem breaking a window, shattering a steering column lock and hotwiring their way to freedom, they tend to have more limited access to facilities that can turn a single stolen car into multiple sellable parts. For whatever reason, the crews that run chop shops just don’t tend to trust a lady thief like they would her masculine counterpart.

Apparently, the auto theft world, and more importantly, the automotive disposal world, is dominated by male “gatekeepers” who decide who gets to play and who doesn’t. Fair? Of course not, but who said anything about the filthy underbelly of our society exhibiting anything close to political correctness?

You know what that means, ladies – time to get out there and start popping locks. Or something.

[Source: Edmunds Inside Line | Image: Rockstar Games]

Glass Ceiling Stealing: Car theft easier for men originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A glass of water a day can help keep your fuel consumption at bay

Glass of water

The idea of driving around with a glass of water on your dashboard may seem ludicrous, but if Toyota told you that a single glass of water could help you reduce your fuel consumption by 10 percent, would you think differently? Now, Toyota doesn’t want you to literally place a glass of water on the dash. Instead, the company is pushing the idea that driving in such a way that a theoretical glass of water there remains full would reduce fuel consumption significantly. To spread the word about this fuel-saving concept, Toyota has created a website appropriately called “A Glass of Water.”

So, how do you keep this imaginary glass of water topped off at all times? Well, provided you aren’t in a hurry to get somewhere, it should be quite simple. Begin by accelerating gracefully, leave plenty of distance between you and the vehicle ahead, brake gently, and apply tactics used by hypermillers.

If you’d like to learn more about Toyota’s “A Glass of Water” challenge and are interested in giving it a try, then click here. iPhone users can also download a virtual glass of water app by clicking here.

[Source: A Glass of Water]

A glass of water a day can help keep your fuel consumption at bay originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 24 Jul 2010 15:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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