Hello and welcome to Overdrive a program that panders to the world of cars and transport
I’m David Brown
In this program we have:
- New cars sales for August 2019 (1:32)
- Ending Melbourne Bike Share the right decision? (2:01)
- VW invests in holographic technology (3:26)
- Jaguar Land Rover wants to beam 3D movies right into your eyes (4:09)
- Tesla adds games and aps to keep you entertained while charging (4:39)
- Hyundai Motor Group reveals personal electric scooter capable of 20km range (5:11)
- ‘Road-racing’ deterrent pilot average speed camera made permanent (6:09)
- Motoring Minute – Suzuki Vitara (7:03)
- Singapore transport – Part of a very functional city– David Campbell and David Brown compare notes (8:07)
- Motoring Minute – RAM 1500 Ute (14:15)
- Motoring Minute – Artificial intelligence to identify poor line marking (15:34)
- Rob Fraser discusses how cars can become members of the family (16:42)
- Motoring Minute – Dopes “User pay” really work in transport? (21:59)
- Quirky news with Brian Smith – Elon Musk tunnels – Fact or fantasy (23:03)
New cars sales slip 10.1% in August: FCAi
New car sales recorded another slump in August, sidelining hopes that the previous month’s more moderate dip signalled a turning point.
Total sales for August came in at 85,600 units, which is a drop of 10.1 percent compared to August 2018.
Based on an estimate of new car cost this still means that this represents a reduction of over $3.5billion in turnover just for one month.
In percentage terms there was a better performance for manufacturers placed 21st to 30th in sales which have on average decline of 1.2% because of significant increases in players that are back on the market: MG, RAM, Haval and Great Wall.
Ending Melbourne Bike Share the right decision?
The Age reports that the Melbourne Bike Share scheme (MBS) now costs $2 million per year and it will be terminated in December after nearly ten years operation. Each bike is only used once per day on average. Commentators say that the only surprising aspect of the Victorian government’s decision is that it took so long
They say It was evident from the outset in 2010 that the scheme would be a white elephant. Yet successive governments from both sides of politics let it continue.
But Why did it fail? There’s a number of possible explanations:
- Australia’s mandatory helmet law. Although free helmets were eventually made available, the requirement to access a helmet imposes a barrier on casual users and tourists.
- Melbourne’s busy city centre roads and lack of cycling-friendly infrastructure deters prospective riders, most of whom aren’t used to cycling in traffic.
- Rich supply of alternative modes. The relatively small area covered by MBS is well serviced by trams and trains. Much of it is walkable.
- And the Pricing was aimed at local users rather visitors & tourists. The scheme was initially designed to encourage short public transport trips for Melburnians via a pricing structure that discouraged longer trips preferred by tourists.
VW invests in holographic technology
Volkswagen Group has taken a minority stake in SeeReal Technologies, a company that specializes in holographic display technology. The move will allow the German automaker to further develop 3D imagery to be used in in-car technology.
SeeReal is experimenting with head-up displays with augmented reality technology.
With computing power increasing and display technologies improving each year, automakers are experimenting with innovative new interfaces to make operating a vehicle safer and easier.
The battle for the cockpit also lets car makers differentiate in an area where they can provide a direct experience for both drivers and passengers.
And as cars acquire higher degrees of automation, drivers and passengers are likely to spend more time using infotainment-related in-car features.
Jaguar Land Rover wants to beam 3D movies right into your eyes
While the car handles the driving Jaguar Land Rover is creating in-car technology that will project 3D images in your line of sight.
The technology would be used to project augmented reality directions and warnings into your field of view, avoiding the need to take your eyes off the road.
When vehicles become fully autonomous, Jaguar says the system could transform a car into a mobile cinema, projecting 3D movies to keep you occupied while it whisks you to your destination.
Jaguar isn’t the only company conceiving ways to keep us entertained once cars are fully automated. Tesla is adding games and apps that will keep drivers busy while their cars are charging, and will eventually provide entertainment on the move as well.
Audi, meanwhile, is developing an in-car 3D platform called Holoride, which allows passengers to enjoy a gaming experience that factors in the car’s movements. This should help combat motion sickness, which could be a serious problem for in-car entertainment.
Hyundai Motor Group reveals personal electric scooter capable of 20km range
Hyundai has developed a new prototype on-board electric scooter.
The company plans to enable first- and last-mile mobility through integrating the scooter with future Hyundai and Kia vehicles. When mounted on a vehicle, the scooter is charged automatically using electricity produced while driving, ensuring that the user can complete their journey seamlessly.
The latest version of the foldable e-scooter features a 10.5 Ah lithium battery. This enables the scooter to achieve a top speed of 20km per hour and is sufficient to power the scooter for around 20km on a single charge.
The ongoing efforts to provide customers with last mile transportation align with trends highlighted in research data by global consultancy, McKinsey & Company. It showed that the ‘Last Mile Mobility’ market in the US, Europe, and China is expected to grow to 500 Billion USD by 2030.
Road-racing’ deterrent pilot average speed camera made permanent
In the UK an average speed camera system that was originally deployed following complaints of ‘road racing’ has been made permanent. The camera system on the A10 in Hertfordshire measures average speed over a set distance and has been paid for entirely by traffic fines. A similar system is used in NSW but for trucks – not cars.
The Road Safety Fund uses money generated from motorists who have committed driving offences and been ordered to pay court costs following prosecution, or who have attended speed awareness courses. Since the cameras have been installed hundreds of motorists have been fined for exceeding the 70mph (or 113km/h) speed limit.
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Originally broadcast 7 September 2019
