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Archive for the ‘Trends in Automotive’ Category

Very soon Artificial Intelligence will indeed surpass human intelligence. Very soon the human mind’s ability to reason will be left in the dust by artificial intelligence computers and unless the human mind is interfaced with the artificial intelligence brain, humans will never catch up. Artificial Intelligence will be much different than the days of the Old Blue beating the human chess champion, as that was not true Artificial Intelligence; smart enough to beat a human, yes, but Artificial Intelligence, no, not really.

Indeed, artificial intelligent computers will write their own programs as they encounter situations and try different things to achieve a goal. If they fail they will record those mistakes and never make them again, meanwhile they will send this information to all the other artificially intelligent computers linked up so they too will learn net-centrically or thru a common collective of computer shared data. This will mean that every lesson learned gets learned once and passed onto the whole.

Human Brains which are hooked into these systems will find additional abilities and unlimited data available, digital online real time libraries of all the information every collected by machine, as well as humans in the collective. Artificial Intelligent machines will be commonplace; net-centric cars, aircraft, home appliances, entertainment devices, military defense and health care to fix broken humans. Of course the high tech world with the use of these machines in everything from robotics to space applications will move at light speed due to the incredible efficiency of real-time collaboration.

Discoveries in Artificial Intelligence may become the single greatest achievement to the ongoing human saga and forward progression of the human species. In fact the road ahead is beginning to look more like a runway. I appreciate your reading of this article and hope you will enjoy the discussion and thoughts it evokes. Perhaps this article is of interest to propel thought?

Purchasing online vehicle insurance is a trend that continues to grow in popularity and that continues to save consumers significant amounts of money. Purchasing your car insurance online is a smart way to ensure that you are saving not only money but time. Online car insurance is easily accessible. There are dozens of websites that can offer you information regarding several different insurance companies. The key is to find a website that is targeted to your specific location. This will enable you to get the most accurate online auto insurance quote possible.

The biggest benefit of online car insurance is that there is no agent, or middleman, involved. Your premium will be lower upfront because you are not responsible for compensating the agent. In addition, using online auto insurance allows you get quotes for several different companies and for several different levels of coverage in a matter of seconds. Intelligent consumers will take the time before purchasing online vehicle insurance to review the details of each policy quote that they receive. Carefully reviewing the details will give the buyer peace of mind that they are getting the absolute best deal available for their needs.

The process of investigating online car insurance is absolutely free, as well as fast and easy. Being diligent and doing your homework with your online vehicle insurance will help to familiarize you with the different types of coverage that may be out there. In the end if you do not like what you see, it is your option to not purchase online vehicle insurance.

Picture yourself riding through the desert and suddenly you hear a noise emanating from your car you never heard before. “What the heck is that noise?” you ask yourself over and over, or “Am I hearing it or imagining it?” Then you grapple with whether or not you should continue on to the nearest service station or stop the car to prevent any further damage. Without the proper knowledge to make this important decision, drivers may find themselves taking on a lot of stress at a very inconvenient time.

One of the things most car owners don’t realize is that cars, like people, can have many types of issues with them. As well, they make many different types of sounds, running well or not so well! The informed car owner can make a better decision on whether to seek the help of an automotive expert with simple diagnostic tests, using simple tools (or even no tools) and a bit of knowledge to assist them with this decision, lending them peace of mind along the way. In this article, I hope to offer you insight to some of this knowledge. After reading, you may find yourself thinking on a more simple level when dealing with your car’s issues.

Cars have the potential to make a wide range of sounds: clicks, ticks, pings, bangs and pops. Some are more serious than others. If that noise is driving you batty and you aren’t near a mechanic, pull the car safely to the side, taking all safety precautions into account. While still in the car and the car running, listen to see if your car is still making the noise. If it is, the sound is most likely related to the engine in some way. If not, then it is more likely the rest of the car. Either way, we have isolated the noise into two areas of importance, moving or not moving.

Let’s assume we can still hear the noise with the car running but motionless. We can further isolate the noise by simply walking around the vehicle once or twice listening for the sound and where you can hear it the loudest or most frequently.

Even though, in most cars, the engine is located in the front of the car, the engine’s exhaust travels the length of the vehicle so anywhere along that system, noises can be created through defect or vibration. The further to the rear you find the noise, the less serious the problem. A general rule of thumb for today’s front-wheel drive vehicles is any noise from the driver’s door to the back of the car (while the car is motionless) would not hinder you from driving to a service station, or home.

The noises you could expect to hear coming from an exhaust that has a hole or crack leaking exhaust somewhere throughout the system would sound both low-pitched and high pitched simultaneously, sounding similar to a snare-drum with a bit of a thump at the same time in a repetitive pulse (due to the opening and closing of the exhaust valves in the engine). If you looked under the car where the leak was emanating from it would be more pronounced. You can drive home, but get it fixed. Leaky exhausts only get worse and can diminish your vehicle’s fuel efficiency and performance, depending on the location of the leak.

If the noise is still in this area but is more of an occasional noise with a pinging, clang, or pop, then it might not be a leak. Clangs and pings are often related to cool or cooling tins that run along the exhaust system and between it and the floor of the car to keep those areas of the car from getting hot. They can ping just from the increase/decrease in temperature but a loose tin will also ping and/or bang. Again, this is not an emergency but not something that should not be left to further deterioration if you can help it. A popping sound coming from your car’s tailpipe is a signal that something isn’t exactly right with the engine. It could mean the car needs a tune-up; a sensor might not be working properly, and so on. Most of this is negligible and you can survive the drive to a service station but again, nothing to ignore. Allowing your engine to burn fuel improperly over a long period can cause damage to your engine’s components which can lead to significant repair expenditures.

So, let’s say that behind the front doors the sound diminishes and it seems most apparent toward the front. You’d move around and try to determine what side of the car as well as whether the noise came from the very front of the car or more toward the windshield. Most front-wheel drive cars have the engine belts and pulleys on the passenger side of the car with the transmission/transaxle on the driver’s side. Knowing this, you should hear more noise on the passenger side even in a new car, but it is a peculiar sound that you seek.

With all that noise coming from such a crowded area, what can you do to pin it down? First, be safe and absolutely certain you don’t have hair, jewelry, or clothing dangling into the engine compartment while it is running, the dangers are real when dealing with the belts and pulleys which usually are not covered very well! Once you have made sure you are clear to peer in, do so listening closely as you move along the engine compartment.

Still having trouble pinning it down? Do you have a newspaper handy, a folder; maybe you have a funnel in your trunk? Maybe you are getting the idea…something you can roll up to make a cone or megaphone shape. This will make a great listening device in a pinch. By pointing the wide opening toward the area of the sound and listening at the small end your ear will lead you into a rough area of the sound. Once you have found it you can flip the megaphone around and trace the entirety of the roughly defined area, with the small opening, to pin-point the offending component or location. This will give you great satisfaction, if nothing else that you have a rough idea what is going on with your car. This would also greatly aid a mechanic in confirming the problem, so you could save yourself a big repair bill and, give you peace of mind.

A variety of sounds can come from under the hood, some of which are listed below. Keep a list with you in your glove box so you can reference them:

-Ticking – Typically, low oil can result in a constant tick, tick, tick in rapid succession – Location: This noise is normally on the top of the engine unless your engine is a V-6 or V8 in which case, on front-wheel drive vehicles, it would be front or back of the engine. Trucks and rear-drive cars with V-type engines would have the noise on the left and right sides. Diagnosis & Prognosis: Check oil level and replace what is lost, if it is low. If it persists, consult your service professional. The actual ticking sound is from a lack of lubricant at the lifter/valve stem, rocker arm, push-rods (if equipped) and camshaft causing a slight delay in the spring return or the actual pushing movement resulting in a slight gap in the contact of a few of these components causing them to tap (or tick) against each other. Other sources of “tick”: Normal operation of A/C compressor (occasional tick or clack); Debris in electric fan, clear debris with engine and fan off (allow to cool prior to cleaning); Exhaust leak at engine, seek professional help but you are OK to drive.

-Squealing – Engine belts are considered a wear item. This is because they are attached to moving components (pulleys) and suffer a fair amount of friction over time. They also dry out and crack under heavy use or being left to the elements, particularly in dry states like Arizona. Location: Passenger side of engine compartment on FWD cars and Front of engine compartment on RWD cars and trucks. Diagnosis & Prognosis: Harder to pin-point to a small point with a makeshift megaphone. Shut off car and look to see if there are indeed cracks on the belt(s)…you can check by depressing the belt and looking for cracks as it flexes. If you can see cracks with or without this action then you should plan for a replacement immediately. Once confirmed, make an appointment with your service professional. An unusually dry belt can squeal for no other reason, for this you can buy a spray can of Belt Dressing to mitigate the noise. It helps to condition the belt for better grip. Other sources of a squeal: Or squelching would be low power steering pump fluid level, check and fill as needed, PS pumps can fail and cause a great deal of squelching. Seek a professional if you believe this is the cause; Water pumps have a bearing that can get worn and squeal, seek a professional; Idler pulley or wheel bearing, seek professional.

-Pinging and knocking – This can have a few sources but usually have to do with your ignition and fuel system. It could be as simple as the quality of fuel you pumped in the tank or an engine in need of a tune-up which is sometimes referred to as pre-ignition. This can happen from poor maintenance schedules or filling up at the wrong fuel station. Diagnosis & Prognosis: Start by fueling at another location. If the problem persists make an appointment for a tune-up (new spark plugs, air filters, etc.) and run a fuel injection cleaner fuel additive through your engine. In most cases, this will clear it up. Other sources of pinging and/or knocking: Poorly functioning EGR or computer sensors, seek a professional. Sometimes a clanging sound in the engine cannot be pin-pointed and this could be connecting rod bearings. This is significant and should be seen by a professional before serious damage to your engine occurs.

-Gurgling – 99 times out of 100 this is due to the cooling system not doing its job. Boiling coolant could be heard from the coolant reservoir and even through the hoses. Diagnosis & Prognosis: Be safe; NEVER remove the radiator cap or reservoir cap when the engine is hot. Allow engine to cool and check the reservoir’s level indicator to give you an idea if you need coolant. Add as needed. If there appears to be plenty, then there is a high likelihood that your thermostat is not operating as it should. One obvious indication of this is that your heater may not heat like it used to or maybe not at all. An inoperable electric fan while in heavy traffic can also cause the temperature to soar. Seek a professional for any of these repairs as needed.

Are there other areas of odd noises? Absolutely, maybe you hear noises when you turn on your heater fan. A mouse could have stashed some debris in your auto’s vent ducts. You may hear a squelch which may be the blower belt slipping due possibly to a bad bearing attached to the blower/electric motor. And while we are in the car, maybe you hear a noise as you drive, it could be something as simple as a door slightly ajar or a window open just a touch.

If the noises are heard only while the car or truck is in motion then you could be dealing with suspension or steering abnormalities (clunks, banks and pops) or possibly drive train issues such as bearings (grinding and vibration). Brakes will also make plenty of noise when they are going bad (screeching = built-in pad wear indicator), already bad (grinding when brakes applied = pad level significant with metal to metal contact) but also if brand new (slight squeak or squeal when vehicle is in motion = metallic/semi-metallic brake pads are guilty of this and is a result of a small burr or fragment hanging away from pads rubbing on the brake rotor. This is a defect of the design, not of the pads and is normal and not considered alarming. However, as with any noise you have any doubt about, check with a professional for advice, especially when it comes to brakes, steering and suspension.

Although there are many noises a car can make over its lifetime, hopefully this will give you an idea of some of them, and help you decide whether you should continue your journey of a trip to the store or a day away business commute.

Audio accessories are a recurring trend that have never ceased in popularity. As the trends in technology change, the great new things that you can acquire for your car continue to get better and better. Whether you are a newcomer to the vast world of audio components or you happen to be a seasoned expert, the hottest accessories are always changing. Keep your eye on sites and sellers that will have the latest information regarding all that you need to know about audio equipment.

Some of the latest technological accessories are focused on iPods. They are the hottest new music player these days, outselling most of the competition. There are a variety of docking stations that can be purchased for the safe keeping of your iPod. Get docking stations with certain logos or in fun shapes that make your iPod an original. Dock it in your car and turn the tunes on.

Satellite radio has grown greatly in popularity since it first burst on to the market. Sirius and XM are the two leading satellite radio providers. Many vehicles will even come with one of these systems already installed. However, if you do not have one installed it is rather inexpensive to purchase one from Wal-Mart or anywhere else that sells one. Installation is also relatively easy.

FM transmitters are another fantastic car accessory. It plugs in to your iPod and turns the output into a low strength radio station for a better sound output. Though it is not required to play music in your car, it does enhance the sound which may be of interest to some drivers and music lovers.

Speaker systems are among the most purchased audio item. Many music lovers are not content to stick with their factory speakers. An upgrade to a better system can greatly increase the sound quality. Brands like Kicker and Pioneer are known for being optimum choices for those seeking quality at a reasonable price.

If you have a portable music player like an mp3 player or an iPod, you will need a charger for it. Though they often come with a house charger, auto chargers often need to be purchased separately. Keep one handy in your glove box to avoid the disappointment of dead batteries.

If you want to do something a little funky yet original to your car, consider something like neon speakers. They are brightly coloured and add an eye catching feature for your passengers. Speakers that are designed to be different may not be as easy to come by and that is what makes them unique. Choose whatever you like, something that fits your personality.

If you are not sure what type of accessories to get try searching for items made specifically for your make and model of car. There are a lot of items that are unique to certain brands. See what is available for your ride to help you cruise in style. Buying something made for your type of car may also improve the quality and the results you are seeking.

With the rising level of automobile production and its corresponding worldwide stocks based on the rapid industrialisation in Asia, Africa and Latin America plus the rising demand in Eastern Europe, the proportion of textiles in a motor car is increasing in response to more stringent comfort and safety needs in industrialised countries like the USA, Japan and Western Europe.

Automobile textiles, which are non apparel textiles, are widely used in vehicles like cars, trains, buses, aircrafts and marine vehicles. Hence, the term automobile textile means all type of textile components e.g. fibers, filaments, yarns and the fabric used in automobiles.

Nearly two third of the automobile textiles are for interior trim, i.e. seat cover, carpets and roof and door liners. The rest is utilized to reinforce tyres, hoses, safety belts, air bags, etc.

It is projected that nearly 45 square meters of textile material is utilized in a car for interior trim (seating area, headlines, side panel, carpet and trunk). According to a survey, the percentage of textile in a motor car amounts to 2 per cent of the overall weight of a car. Apart from this, visible textile components, eliminating hidden components such as in tyres and composites, hoses and filters; amount to 10-11 kg per vehicle in absolute terms. Industrial textiles are largely utilized in vehicles and systems including cars, buses, trains, air crafts and marine vehicles. In automobile textile industry, four types of fabrics are used, namely:

. Air bag fabrics

. Fabric used as a basis for reduction in weight of body parts

. Tyre cord fabrics

. Automotive upholstery and other textile fabrics used inside the vehicle

The airbag and seat belts used as safety measures are one of the latest types of textiles in automobiles and have a potential market for technical textiles that has a considerable scope for growth and development. Because of government legislation and consumer interest, the applications have been extremely successful over the last ten to fifteen years.

In the last decade, airbags or inflatable restraints have received noteworthy significance as a safeguard for the driver and the passengers in case of an accident. Initially, the bags were made for head-on collision, but now, there are many other safety devices like side impact bags, knee bolsters, side curtain, etc, available for safety in any type of crash. Because frontal collisions are a main reason of accidental deaths, airbags are being presented as a standard product in vehicles by legislation, which has given the quick increment of airbags business in the last decade. NHTSA and HHS report that airbag systems have played an important role in saving thousands of lives since 1985. In 2002 alone, due to the airbag system a 20 per cent reduction in fatalities resulting from fatal collisions has been observed.

In 1999, there were 55 million vehicles with 81 million airbags. In 2004, the number of frontal airbag units was nearly 100 million and the number of side-impact airbags nearly 65 million. In the same year, nearly 23 per cent of the new vehicles in North America had side airbags for chest protection and 17 per cent had side airbags for head protection. By 2005, this has increased to 180 million airbags and 65 million vehicles.

Fabric application demand has increased to 325 million square meters in 2005, and 83 tons of fibre, mostly nylon has been used.

The world airbag market is estimated to rise from 66 million units in 1996 to over 200 million units in 2006, a compound annual growth rate of 12 per cent. Over this decade, Europe will put in 60 million units, Asia-Pacific 30 million units and North America 24 million units.

While North American and Western European markets are growing, considerable development is also seen in the international market. As new applications are developing for airbags, including rear seat bags, inflatable seat belts and an outside airbag system for pedestrians, new fabrics and combinations are being applied. The front and passenger bags have different requirements because of the distance from the occupant, but they both have rapid increment and deflation in a very short time span.

Rollover bags must remain inflated for five seconds. In addition to new uses, expected trends include lighter fabric for use with newer “cold inflators,” blended with materials like fabric and film, new coating polymers (Silicone now dominates having replaced neoprene).

Growth of safety devices in the car interior

Increasing electronics and safety devices require more space in the interior together with new concepts for arrangement.

Worldwide market for PA airbag yarns

The fibre manufacturer Accordis Industrial Fibres BV, Arnhem/ Netherlands reported that the global market for PA airbag was 84,000 tons in 2005.

Airbags

Airbags were first introduced in the late 1960s, but it is only in the 1990s that their use increased amazingly and it is set to grow further. This validates the research and development still being made on design, deployment and base fabric material.

The prospects for the textile and making-up indus

Fads come and go, sometimes on a whim, other times because of outside forces. Here at the halfway point of the new millennium’s first decade, car culture has sure taken some interesting turns.

Those of you who innocently took a test drive of a plain-Jane Nissan Altima when it was new in 2002, floored it, and nearly sprained your necks upon discovery of 240 horsepower, may have suspected that the standards of speed had risen a tad since the 90s. Turns out that was only the beginning. Nowadays, the Volkswagen Passat raised that same family car bar to an excessive 280 horsepower. We have little $30,000 Mitsubishis that can leave Camaros for dead. The 500-horsepower Dodge Viper suddenly seems ordinary, and the once-acclaimed Acura NSX is a joke. Whether or not you’re a speed freak, there are two trickle-down benefits: the minimum standard of horsepower has risen from 55 (Geo Metro) to 103, and very few cars in any segment are truly underpowered anymore. Not a bad development.

Cars just won’t stop growing. Every redesign has to be bigger than the last one; the new Toyota RAV4 is 14 inches longer than the last, and current Civics now dwarf Accords of years past. It’s an inevitable force of marketing; no one wants to pay the same money for less car, right? Bigger also means heavier; our cars pack more pounds than ever.

And there’s no rule that contradictory trends can’t coexist. Apparently Americans expect their cars to compete with the speed of sound while also using less gas than their walking shoes. The Toyota Prius hybrid heads into its third year with unsatisfied demand, a long line, and a price premium. All this despite an ample supply of the perfectly serviceable Corolla at the same dealers. No automaker wants to be caught with their pants down, and all are rushing to market with a hybrid, even if it means using systems developed by competitors (Nissan’s Altima will use Toyota hardware).

We seem to want our cars with more stuff and more personality. The 90s banality in our styling is gone, even on the most banal cars like the Accord and Camry. And notice how almost every car has power windows and locks standard, and how even the Kia Rio comes with six airbags and a powerful stereo. Is it any wonder that the average car now costs $28,000?

Speaking of “cars”, we may be moving toward the day when that word will again apply as a general term. SUVs are suddenly for the foolish. They always have been, but now everyone seems to know it, too. Ford’s Explorer and Expedition are going down the drain, and the Excursion has already expired. The bigger the SUV, the bigger the sales drop. Little cars are selling better than ever, even old-timers like the Sentra and Neon.

Lastly, we’re going foreign, and fast. The Big Three’s market share was 60% at the early part of this decade; that will stand at or below 50% by the end of it. This is hardly a new trend, but its recent acceleration is alarming. One thing for sure is that in terms of the players, the market has matured. Only two major automakers set up American bases in the 90s (Kia and Daewoo), and the 2000s have brought none.

Cars can’t get bigger or faster forever, yet no one can stand still. Hybrids are hot, but the long-term experiences remain to be seen. What will become of all this automotive craziness? Check back in ten years.