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Navigating With Feedback From Fellow Drivers

The Dash Express is a navigational device can not only report that a tie-up — many systems already do that — but also tell how long it will take to get through it, based on current traffic reports and its record of past journeys, according to the New York Times.

What makes the Dash device so different is that it not only receives location data from the satellites of the Global Positioning System, like other navigation units, but it also broadcasts information about its travels back to the Dash network.

The continuous two-way reporting lets the system accomplish several things. It can measure how fast traffic really travels on a given road, and use that to compile a highly detailed and accurate database of traffic information. Dash units can warn each other through the network the second they hit a traffic slowdown. And because the units stay connected to the Internet, information on nearby points of interest like restaurants is instantly available and current.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:59 AM to Technology | Permalink | Comments 0

Tokyo Auto Show: The future is now!

The Tokyo Auto Show is awash with fantastic concepts. Check out these from ABC News.

Here is Nissan's R.D./B.X.:

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:19 AM to Shows | Permalink | Comments 0

Nissan considering $3,000 car for sale worldwide

TOKYO — Just a day after unveiling a $70,000 super car, Nissan Motor CEO Carlos Ghosn described plans for a $3,000 car that could be sold worldwide, according to USA Today.

The cheap car would be built in collaboration with Bajaj, a motorcycle maker in India that's working with Nissan and French car company Renault. Ghosn is CEO of both Nissan and Renault, which own stakes in each other and work together on some projects.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:15 AM to Nissan | Permalink | Comments 0

Nissan GT-R sports coupe zips onto the scene at last

TOKYO — Nissan finally quit teasing and showed the production version of its super-high-performance GT-R sports coupe, unveiling it at the big auto show near here Wednesday as a car designed to give Nissan the kind of halo that the Corvette gives to Chevrolet, according to USA Today.

GT-R will go on sale here in December and in the USA — to the cheers of long-suffering auto enthusiasts — in June or July 2008. U.S. auto buffs have been clamoring for the car for more than a decade.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 11:12 AM to Nissan | Permalink | Comments 0

Renault/Nissan's Carlos Ghosn sees emissions challenge as opportunity

Carlos Ghosn, the top executive in the Renault/Nissan alliance, says he considers the call for tougher regulations of CO2 emissions and better fuel economy not only a challenge but as an opportunity, according to thecarconnection.com

"I don't consider CO2 (regulations) or climate change as a (problem.) I see it as an opportunity. What you want is a car that's going to be a showcase for performance and performance is many kinds of things. Controlling CO2 is part of performance, fuel efficiency is part of performance. I think this a chance to adapt the car to the 21st Century," said Ghosn.

Ghosn said Renault/Nissan is putting a lot of emphasis on new batteries for electric vehicles because workable electric vehicles have to be considered part of the solution, he said.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 10:58 AM to Renault/Nissan | Permalink | Comments 0

Concept cars from the Tokyo Auto Show

Check out a bunch of concept cars, including the VW Space Up shown below, that thecarconnection.com is currently highlighting from the Tokyo Auto Show at its home page.

Volkswagen's Space Up! concept car:

The show runs Oct. 27 to Nov. 11.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 9:48 AM to Design | Permalink | Comments 0

Daimler Posts 3Q Loss of $2.18 Billion

FRANKFURT, Germany -- Automaker Daimler posted its first quarterly loss since 2003, with charges of $3.7 billion from the sale of Chrysler offsetting big gains by its Mercedes-Benz Car Group, according to the Associated Press.

But the 1.53-billion euro, or $2.18 billion, quarterly loss was anticipated by analysts, who were cheered by an otherwise solid performance, noting that sales were up in key U.S. and European markets.

Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth  at 9:42 AM to Mercedes-Benz | Permalink | Comments 0