New Auto Security System

Auto Security 
Noisemaking car alarms typically fall on deaf ears. "The next generation in auto security," says Scott Memmer, Technical Editor at Edmunds.com, "is tracking and retrieval. Companies such as Clifford, Alpine and General Motors have improved upon existing technology and greatly increased the odds of retrieving stolen vehicles." 

Clifford Electronics' system, called Mobile Trace 1 and available later this year, utilizes GPS technology to locate and track vehicles to within ten meters (40 feet). Alpine's Mobile Mayday^TM, already for sale in the U.S., serves as a GPS tracking device for theft recovery and can also aid a driver in distress. The touch of a button connects a stranded driver to a 24-hour On-Guard® Emergency Response Center. GM's OnStar, available as standard equipment on many GM vehicles (and soon to appear on select Toyota models), offers similar features. These services will be available for a monthly usage fee. 

"The wealth of options and features available on current and next generation automobiles are creating a more personalized driving experience," says John Clor, Detroit bureau editor for Edmunds.com. "The future of the industry, without a doubt, is an automobile lover's dream."

Dream Machines

The all-out effort to meet demands for cars that reflect consumers' personalities represents nothing less than a reshaping of the automotive industry's future.

Advances in computer design and materials science mean a car can go from clay model to dealer floor in less than two years. It adds up to a marketplace where customers' dreams of personalization reign supreme, and where auto engineers and designers can create affordable cars.

  The latest cars are also more of an electronic extension of their wired drivers. Many new models can integrate an iPod, wireless phone, and laptop into a slick communications module. Auto makers are adding sensors to control car stability, and are splurging on collision warnings, in-dash communication centers, and "smart engines" that squeeze out more power and economy. The automobile is "going through a technological revolution that is the most profound in the last 100 years," says James E. Press, president of Toyota Motor Corp.'s (TM ) North American operations.

Powering new cars

Fuel Cells

Automobile fuel cell technology is under development and has not been marketed yet, however, this innovative energy technology has the potential to revolutionize transportation. Fuel cell car technology under development creates electricity through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen (air). The reaction creates and heat which is stored in batteries to power the car. The reaction creates only water and heat and may off a solution to our energy and environmental situations.

If you are interested in learning more about how fuel cell technology works, visit the US D.O.E. site.

General Motors recently introduced a fuel cell stack that is 60 percent more powerful than any competitor and has announced plans to try to market a fuel cell car to the public by 2010. Hydrogen fuel distribution is still developing and will need to be in-place before fuel cell cars receive wide acceptance.

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Biomass Fuel

Biomass automotive fuels and lubricants have been gaining acceptance over the past several years primarily as a result of environmental concerns. Biomass fuels are typically generated through the decay of organic matter. For the past several years ethanol and di-methyl ether produced from biomass have been added to oxygenate fuels and reduce emissions. Biomass fuel can also produce hydrogen which can be used in fuel cell vehicles. Methane created from biomass is also being explored as an transportation fuel alternative.

New Aotu Gadgets

Hybrids

Although electric cars have been around since the inception of the automobile, a new breed of gas-electric hybrid autos were introduced in the US several years ago. Most of the major automobile manufacturers including GM, Honda, Toyota, Ford and Daimler-Chrysler have either introduced or are planning to introduce new hybrid models during the next several years. Annual 2004 new car sales on hybrids have increased by approximately 36 per cent in the US.

Commercially available hybrid cars available in the US currently boast of 40+ miles per gallon of fuel. As this technology matures it is expected that fuel mileage will increase and some optimistic proponents even speculate that these cars may be capable of 100+ miles per gallon as hybrid automobile designs and technology improve. A comparison of several of the cars available today can be found at Hybrid car comparisons

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