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Connected vehicles
[Due to the increasing size of the archives, each topic page now contains only the prior 365 days of content. Access to older stories is now solely through the Monthly Archive pages or the site search function.]
ORNL team presents solution for coordinating connected and automated vehicles at merging roadways; reduced fuel consumption and travel time
August 29, 2016
A team of researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has developed an optimization framework and an analytical closed-form solution that addresses the problem of optimally coordinating connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) at merging roadways to achieve smooth traffic flow without stop-and-go driving.
They validated the effectiveness of the efficiency of their proposed solution through a simulation, showing that coordination of vehicles can significantly reduce both fuel consumption and travel time. A paper on the work is published in IEEE Transactions On Intelligent Transportation Systems.
Audi introducing first vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) service: Traffic light information system
August 15, 2016
Audi of America, in conjunction with Traffic Technology Services (TTS), will launch the first vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) driver assistance system—Traffic light information—on select 2017 Audi Q7, A4 and A4 allroad models this fall.
Traffic light information, an Audi connect PRIME feature, enables the car to communicate with the infrastructure in select cities and metropolitan areas across the US. The car receives real-time signal information from the advanced traffic management system that monitors traffic lights. The link between vehicle and infrastructure is routed via the on-board LTE data connection and Traffic Technology Services, Inc. servers.
Panasonic acquires German software company OpenSynergy; virtualization for integrated cockpit solutions
August 09, 2016
Panasonic Corporation has acquired all the outstanding shares of the German software company OpenSynergy GmbH, making it a subsidiary. OpenSynergy specializes in embedded automotive software for cockpit solutions; it products enable the convergence of instrument clusters, head units, advanced driver assistance systems, and car connectivity systems.
A current cockpit system is controlled by different systems: one handles multimedia functions such as navigation and audio; another for driver support functions such as warning signals on head-up display. To integrate such different functions going forward, and to provide a better and intuitively easier driving support, system integration needs to be achieved from the operating system level, Panasonic said.
Fujitsu develops technology to enable high-speed deep learning
Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. has developed software technology that uses multiple GPUs to enable high-speed deep learning powered by the application of supercomputer software parallelization technology. This newly developed technology was implemented in the Caffe deep learning framework, where, in a test measuring learning time using AlexNet on 64 GPU-equipped computers, it achieved a learning speed that is 27 times faster than a single GPU.
Compared with before this technology was applied, it achieved learning speed improvements of 46% for 16 GPUs and 71% for 64 GPUs (according to internal comparisons). Using this technology, the time required for deep learning R&D can be shortened, such as in the development of unique neural network models for the autonomous control of robots, automobiles, and so forth, or for healthcare and finance, such as with pathology classification or stock price forecasting, enabling the development of higher-quality models.
VW BUDD-e electric microbus named "2016 Concept Truck of the Year"
August 02, 2016
The Volkswagen BUDD-e battery-electric microbus concept (earlier post) has been named "2016 Concept Truck of the Year" at the 15th Annual North American Concept Vehicle of the Year Awards. Judges recognized the all-electric microbus concept for raising the standards of automotive design, with features that address both the utility and mobility needs of the present and future.
The first Volkswagen vehicle built using the company's Modular Electric Toolkit (MEB), the BUDD-e captures the brand's heritage, while offering a glimpse into the company's next-generation connectivity, infotainment and EV technologies. The BUDD-e concept's highlights include:
Singapore LTA selects nuTonomy for trials of autonomous mobility-on-demand transportation service; new AV testing center
August 01, 2016
In addition to Delphi (earlier post), Singapore's Land Transport Authority (LTA) has also selected nuTonomy to begin trials of an autonomous mobility-on-demand transportation service. The partnership will expand and accelerate the nuTonomy's development efforts in Singapore as it progresses towards the launch of a commercial autonomous vehicle (AV) service in 2018.
Delphi and nuTonomy were shortlisted from several participants which submitted proposals for autonomous mobility-on-demand concepts under the Request for Information (RFI) issued by LTA in June last year. (Besides mobility-on-demand services, LTA is also exploring SDVs for other public transport applications, such as self-driving buses.)
Singapore Land Transport Authority selects Delphi for autonomous vehicle mobility-on-demand program
The Singapore Land Transport Authority (LTA) has selected Delphi Automotive PLC as a strategic partner to implement autonomous mobility concepts.
Delphi will provide a fleet of fully autonomous vehicles (AVs) and will develop a cloud-based mobility-on-demand software (AMoD) suite, opening up new potential autonomous markets for Delphi's customers. Delphi will conduct a trial of an urban, point-to-point, low-speed, autonomous, mobility-on-demand service in Singapore's Autonomous Vehicles Test Bed located at one-north, a business park in the western area of the city.
Audi AG developing automotive driver health as new business area; leveraging digitalization, connected vehicles
Audi AG has become a founding partner in Berlin's "Flying Health Incubator", a center supporting startups that develop digital innovations in the healthcare sector. The investment highlights Audi's interest in developing "automotive health"—enhancing the customer's health and fitness while driving—as a new business area. With the Audi Fit Driver offering, the brand is already testing innovative services and functionalities in this field.
In the Flying Health Incubator, Audi AG is entering into dialog with decision-makers from the startup scene and from the healthcare industry. Together, the partners will strive to identify trends, technical solutions and business models in the digital health market at an early stage.
Daimler chief Zetsche: Daimler working toward swarm organization; mobility services, digitalization and e-mobility
July 25, 2016
In an interview with Germany's Wirtschaftswoche, Daimler CEO Dr. Dieter Zetsche said that the company is implementing swarm organization management techniques to enable more rapid development in emerging critical areas such as digitalization, mobility services and e-mobility.
The swarm organization method, explained Zetsche, supplements the hierarchical-management pyramid with cross-functional and interdisciplinary groups and eventually replaces them.
NIRA Dynamics, InfoCar expand availability of Road Surface Information software with OBD plug-in
Sweden-based NIRA Dynamics, a software company developing sensor-fusion-based systems for different vehicle applications, is rolling out its Road Surface Information (RSI) software more broadly, in partnership with InfoCar AB.
Road Surface Information (RSI) by NIRA continuously monitors the quality and tire grip level of the road surface—without stereo cameras, adaptive suspension or other expensive sensors. With sensor-fusion-based algorithms, RSI can determine the level of road roughness and road friction.
Ford takes stake in Civil Maps; 3D mapping technologies for fully autonomous vehicles; AI and voxel hashing
July 16, 2016
Civil Maps, a start-up developing 3D mapping technology for fully autonomous vehicles, raised a $6.6-million seed funding round, led by Motus Ventures and including investment from Ford Motor Company, Wicklow Capital, StartX Stanford and Yahoo cofounder Jerry Yang's AME Cloud Ventures.
Civil Maps' mission is to make it possible for fully autonomous vehicles (SAE Levels 4-5) to drive anywhere smoothly and safely. The company's focus is on building continental-scale maps for autonomous vehicles and providing precise localization using voxel-hashing algorithms. Although GPS and IMU (inertial measurement unit) technologies can in theory determine both position and orientation of vehicles, the accuracy is limited by atmospheric distortion, the start-up notes.
NSF leads $400M federal effort to boost advanced wireless research
July 15, 2016
The National Science Foundation (NSF) will invest more than $400 million over the next seven years to support fundamental wireless research and to develop platforms for advanced wireless research in support of the White House's Advanced Wireless Research Initiative. These investments will support the research community in experimenting with and testing novel technologies, applications and services capable of making wireless communication faster, smarter, more responsive and more robust.
This new program will enable the deployment and use of four city-scale testing platforms for advanced wireless research over the next decade and builds upon the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Spectrum Frontiers vote yesterday. (Earlier post.)
Jaguar Land Rover demonstrates all-terrain self-driving technology; off-road connected convoy
July 12, 2016
Jaguar Land Rover has demonstrated a range of innovative research technologies that would allow a future autonomous car to drive itself over any surface or terrain.
The multi-million pound autonomous all-terrain driving research project aims to make the self-driving car viable in the widest range of real life, on- and off-road driving environments and weather conditions. To enable this level of autonomous all-terrain capability, Jaguar Land Rover's researchers are developing next-generation sensing technologies that will be the eyes of the future autonomous car.
Automotive and telecoms sectors to launch EU project for connected and automated driving
July 07, 2016
Europe's leading trade associations for the telecommunications and the automotive sectors intend to launch a large-scale, pre-deployment project to test connected and automated driving at the EU level.
The industry-led project will focus on use cases and test functionalities in three main areas: automated driving, road safety and traffic efficiency, and the digitalisation of transports and logistics. Functions that are being considered include high density platooning, cooperative collision avoidance, remote control parking, local-hazard warnings and traffic flow optimization. High definition maps will be updated with a fast connection to the internet on phone or other mobile devices.
Volkswagen and LG agree on joint development of next-gen connected car platform
July 06, 2016
The Volkswagen Group and LG Electronics have signed a memorandum of understanding on joint research and development of a next-generation connected car service platform.
Going forward, the two companies will work together on Volkswagen's Cross Over Platform, which is aimed at enhanced vehicle connectivity and convenience. Using cloud technology, it will offer drivers seamless digital access to extensive features such as smart home and location-based services. Over the coming years, the two companies will be concentrating on:
Renault-Nissan Alliance delivers €4.3B synergy target early; autonomous drive and connectivity expected to deliver major savings
Renault-Nissan Alliance generated €4.3 billion (US$4.8 billion) in synergies in 2015, one year ahead of schedule and an increase of 13% from 2014. Purchasing, engineering and manufacturing were the main contributors.
The Common Module Family and cross-production continue to reduce costs, while the development of technologies including autonomous drive and vehicle connectivity is expected to generate major savings moving forward. With the convergence, the Alliance expects to generate at least €5.5 billion (US$6.1 billion) in synergies in 2018
BMW Group, Intel and Mobileye partner on open platform to bring fully autonomous driving to market by 2021
July 01, 2016
BMW Group, Intel, and Mobileye are collaborating to bring solutions for highly and fully automated driving into series production by 2021. The three are creating an a standards-based open platform—from door locks to the datacenter—for the next generation of cars.
The goal of the collaboration is to develop future-proofed solutions that enable drivers to not only take their hands off the steering wheel, but reach the "eyes off" (level 3) and ultimately the "mind off" (level 4) level transforming the driver's in-car time into leisure or work time.
Report: combination of new mobility technologies creates opportunities for cutting emissions, but requires strategic policy interventions
June 30, 2016
The combination of connectivity, automation plus shared vehicle ownership and use has the potential to make car travel greener and cheaper, cutting energy use and helping accelerate the introduction of low carbon vehicles. However, these energy and carbon benefits are by no means guaranteed and will require strategic policy interventions to maximize them according to new report by the Institute for Transport Studies (ITS) at the University of Leeds, commissioned by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership (LowCVP) and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE).
The study—Automated vehicles; Automatically low carbon?— was presented at the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership Conference at the Olympic Park in London. According to the study, better coordination and connectivity between vehicles and infrastructure is likely to improve energy efficiency, as well as potentially make road transport safer and quicker.
Route Monkey and Sygic parter on route optimization for EVs
June 27, 2016
Scotland-based route optimization specialist Route Monkey (earlier post) has signed a partnership agreement with global GPS navigation expert Sygic. The partners aim to develop jointly a fully integrated optimization and navigation platform for electric vehicles (EVs).
The new platform will see Route Monkey schedule a fleet's EVs—as well as its conventional vehicles—in a way that optimizes the fleet as a whole. It then sends the best route for the entire itinerary to each driver, directly into the Sygic Navigation app. Working together, Sygic and Route Monkey can also schedule stops at charge points en route to top-up the batteries, and provide real-time navigation to recharging stations.
Columbus, Ohio wins $40M DOT Smart City Challenge; $10M more from Vulcan, $90M from private partners
June 24, 2016
US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced that Columbus, OH has been selected as the winner of the US Department of Transportation's Smart City Challenge. (Earlier post.) As winner of the Challenge, Columbus will receive up to $40 million from US DOT and up to $10 million from Paul G. Allen's Vulcan Inc. to supplement the $90 million that the city has already raised from other private partners to carry out its plan.
Using these resources, Columbus will work to reshape its transportation system to become part of a fully-integrated city that harnesses the power and potential of data, technology, and creativity to reimagine how people and goods move throughout their city.
Beijing Foton launches "China Internet Super Truck Global Innovation Alliance"; Auman Energy Super Truck
June 23, 2016
Chinese truck and utility vehicle manufacturer Beijing Foton has launched the China Internet Super Truck Global Innovation Alliance and showcased the Auman EST (Energy Super Truck) at an event in Athens, Greece.
The Internet super truck project is a collaboration that brings together Foton Motor Group, Cummins, and Daimler AG and aims at building Internet-driven super trucks that are green, efficient, safe, and intelligent through the integration of global resources, the effective use of new energies, the establishment of vehicle networks, and the implementation of intelligent truck-loading technology.
DOE awarding $16M to 54 projects to help commercialize promising energy technology from national labs
June 22, 2016
The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced nearly $16 million in funding to help businesses move promising energy technologies from DOE's National Laboratories to the marketplace. This first Department-wide round of funding through the Technology Commercialization Fund (TCF) will support 54 projects at 12 national labs involving 52 private-sector partners. Among the selected technologies are a number addressing advanced vehicle and transportation needs.
The TCF is administered by DOE's Office of Technology Transitions (OTT), which works to expand the commercial impact of DOE's portfolio of research, development, demonstration and deployment activities. In February of 2016, OTT announced the first solicitation to the DOE National Laboratories for TCF funding proposals. It received 104 applications from across the laboratory system, for projects in two topic areas:
Topic Area 1: Projects for which additional technology maturation is needed to attract a private partner; and
Topic Area 2: Cooperative development projects between a lab and industry partner(s), designed to bolster the commercial application of a lab developed technology.
All projects selected for the TCF will receive an equal amount of non-federal funds to match the federal investment.
A selected list of transportation-related TCF selections, as well as the Topic Area 2 projects and their private sector partners is below.
|Transportation-related TCF Awards
|National Lab
|Manufacturing Of Advanced Alnico Magnets for Energy Efficient Traction Drive Motors
|Carpenter Powder Products
|Direct Fabrication of Fuel Cell Electrodes by Electrodeposition of High-performance Core-shell Catalysts
|Nitride-Stabilized Pt Core-Shell Electrocatalysts for Fuel Cell Cathodes
|Enhancing Lithium-Ion Battery Safety for Vehicle Technologies and Energy Storage
|Vehicle Controller Area Network (CAN) Bus Network Safety and Security System
|Mercedes-Benz R&D North America
|Large Area Polymer Protected Lithium Metal Electrodes with Engineered Dendrite-Blocking Ability
|Lawrence Berkeley
|Cryo-Compressed Hydrogen Tank Technology in an Internal Combustion Engine Application
|Lawrence Livermore
|GoTek Energy
|Scaled Production Of High Octane Biofuel From Biomass-Derived Dimethyl Ether
|Thermal Management for Planar Package Power Electronics
|John Deere Electronic Solutions (JDES)
|Assembly Of Dissimilar Aluminum Alloys For Automotive Application
|Development of Electrolytes for Lithium Ion Batteries in Wide Temperature Range Applications
|Farasis Energy, Navitas Systems
|Direct Extruded High Conductivity Copper for Electric Machines Manufactured Using the ShAPE Process
|General Motors R&D
NVIDIA deep learning software platform gets trio of big updates
June 20, 2016
NVIDIA announced three major updates for its deep learning software platform. NVIDIA DIGITS 4 introduces a new object detection workflow, enabling data scientists to train deep neural networks to find faces, pedestrians, traffic signs, vehicles and other objects in a sea of images. This workflow enables advanced deep learning solutions—such as tracking objects from satellite imagery, security and surveillance, advanced driver assistance systems and medical diagnostic screening.
When training a deep neural network, researchers must repeatedly tune various parameters to get high accuracy out of a trained model. DIGITS 4 can automatically train neural networks across a range of tuning parameters, significantly reducing the time required to arrive at the most accurate solution.
Local Motors debuts first self-driving vehicle using IBM Watson Internet of Things for Automotive
June 16, 2016
Local Motors, creator of the first 3D-printed cars (earlier post), introduced the first self-driving vehicle to integrate the advanced cognitive computing capabilities of IBM Watson. The vehicle, dubbed "Olli," will be used on public roads locally in Washington DC, and late in 2016 in Miami-Dade County, Florida and Las Vegas, Nevada.
Olli was unveiled during the grand opening of a new Local Motors facility in National Harbor, MD and transported Local Motors CEO and co-founder John B. Rogers, Jr. along with vehicle designer Edgar Sarmiento from the Local Motors co-creation community into the new facility. The electric vehicle, which can carry up to 12 people, is equipped with IBM Watson Internet of Things (IoT) for Automotive to improve the passenger experience and allow natural interaction with the vehicle.
BMW Group introduces MINI and Rolls Royce centenary concepts; individual mobility based on megatrends and projections
To mark its centenary year in 2016, the BMW Group is looking further ahead than usual with a series of Vision Vehicles designed to anticipate and respond to future mobility needs. At its Munich Centenary Event on 7 March, the automaker introduced the BMW VISION NEXT 100. (Earlier post.)
BMW now has introduced two more Vision concepts: the MINI VISION NEXT 100 and the Rolls-Royce VISION NEXT 100. A fourth Vision Vehicle, by BMW Motorrad, will make its premiere on 16 October in Los Angeles, completing the BMW Group's brand quartet of far-forward looking concepts.
Volkswagen learning-enabled "Regular Routes" navigation feature detours around traffic jams even without active navigation
June 15, 2016
Volkswagen has developed a learning-enabled navigation feature known as Regular Routes. The system automatically "memorizes" regularly driven routes (e.g. to work) and then scans them to see if there are any traffic disturbances.
If a jam has been identified along the route, the navigation system will automatically select an alternate route even when in the inactive mode. The latest generation of the Discover Media and Discover Pro radio-navigation systems from Volkswagen come with Regular Routes as a standard feature.
Ford Sustainability Report details pilot program in South Africa to deliver health care, education
A new Ford Motor Company pilot program aims to enhance mobility health services in rural areas of South Africa and Nigeria.
Ford Project Better World brings together multiple organizations such as World Vision South Africa, and social entrepreneurs to deliver health education, medication, nutrition and basic services to thousands of underserved people in remote areas. The services will be accessed using enhanced mobility and connectivity technologies from Ford vehicles. Ford Project Better World is detailed in the automaker's 17th annual Sustainability Report, released today.
Savari launches next-gen V2X solutions to accelerate adoption of safety apps in connected and self-driving cars
June 14, 2016
Savari Inc. announced its next generation of MobiWAVE On-Board Units (OBUs), StreetWAVE Road-Side Units (RSUs) and V2X middleware. These new solutions add to Savari's experience in V2X communication technology and target automotive manufacturers, tier one suppliers and governments.
V2X communication technology is widely recognized throughout the industry as a ready-to-deploy option to bring advanced situational awareness to the driver through V2V (vehicle-to-vehicle), V2I (vehicle-to-infrastructure) and V2P (vehicle-to-pedestrian) safety applications. V2X systems can operate independently or complement other connected vehicle technologies, and they offer the benefit of working in a non-line-of-sight environment with a 0.6 mi./1 km range. Savari's V2X solutions are roadway proven, amassing more than 15 million miles and four hundred thousand hours of public safety pilot testing with the US Department of Transportation (DOT).
Qualcomm announces Connected Car Reference Platform
June 09, 2016
Qualcomm Incorporated, through its subsidiary, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., announced the Qualcomm Connected Car Reference Platform aimed at accelerating the adoption of advanced and complex connectivity into the next-generation of connected cars.
As a leader in automotive connectivity with more than 340 million chips shipped so far for products for more than 20 automakers, Qualcomm Technologies developed a product designed to maintain pace with an ever-increasing set of automotive use cases facilitated by the latest advances in 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications. The platform is also designed to solve for challenges such as wireless coexistence, future-proofing and support for a large number of in-car hardware architectures.
Daimler Trucks pushing forward with platform strategy for chassis and electrics/electronics
June 08, 2016
Daimler Trucks is systematically expanding its strategic pillars of intelligent platforms and modules beyond the existing modular drivetrain components. The platforms for drivetrain components for medium- and heavy-duty engines and for automated transmissions are already successful in the market, and account for about 50% of a truck's value added.
Daimler Trucks is now introducing multi-brand platforms for other truck module groups, including uniform electrics/electronics architecture (E/E), chassis and cab. Joint development and purchasing will be carried out wherever there is no impact on customer perception and brand differentiation.
Rambus & Movimento team to deliver personalized OTA security for automotive; one-time, single-use keys unique to each vehicle
June 07, 2016
Digital security provider Rambus and Movimento, leading provider of over-the-air (OTA) software lifecycle and data management for the automotive/IoT sectors, have partnered to deliver secure, convenient and personalized OTA vehicle updates critical to safety and performance in the era of the connected car.
The Rambus CryptoManager platform adds a layer of security to the Movimento OTA solution. Vehicle updates provided by the combined Movimento and Rambus solution offers one-time, single-use keys that are unique to each vehicle, minimizing vulnerabilities and maximizing security.
Audi's Gen2 A5 offers up to 17% more performance and up to 22% lower fuel consumption
June 03, 2016
Nine years after the launch of the mid-size A5, Audi unveiled the second-generation A5 and S5 Coupé during an event at the company's headquarters in Ingolstadt. The new Audi A5 Coupé will launch in Germany with five engines: two gasoline TFSI and three diesel TDI units.
Their power output has increased considerably and is now between 140 kW (190 hp) and 210 kW (286 hp). Compared with the previous model, they offer up to 17% more performance while consuming as much as 22% less fuel. All the engines combine high efficiency with sporty power development and smooth running—especially the two 3.0 TDI six-cylinder engines.
Toyota and KDDI jointly to establish global communications platform to support car connectivity
June 02, 2016
Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) and KDDI Corporation (KDDI) are partnering to establish a global communications platform to enable the operation of communications networks throughout the world to support car connectivity.
Toyota aims to bring greater connectivity to its vehicles throughout the world. To do so, a broad-reaching, robust communications platform and the use of a uniform data communications module (DCM) will be needed. Toyota will develop such globally uniform DCMs by 2019. DCMs will be the standard equipment in nearly all new Toyota and Lexus vehicles sold in Japan and the US by 2020, and will gradually be installed in a range of new vehicles in other major markets over time.
Volkswagen Group and ride-hailing provider Gett to expand on-demand mobility solutions & activities in Europe
One week after the Volkswagen Group announced a US$300-million strategic investment in global ride hailing provider Gett (earlier post), the two companies laid the cornerstone for their strategic partnership at a kick-off event at the DRIVE Volkswagen Group Forum in Berlin. For the Volkswagen Group, this marked its first substantial step in the transition from car making to structuring and providing integrated, sustainable mobility.
Chairman of the Board of Management Matthias Müller stressed the importance of the new strategic partnership, stating that ride hailing will be at the center of the Group's new mobility on-demand business, which the company is building up as the second pillar alongside the classic automobile business. "Our investment in Gett gives us instant access to a service from which people all over the world can benefit."
Audi equipping new models in Europe with Audi connect SIM
May 31, 2016
Audi is now equipping its new models that use the second-generation modular infotainment platform with Audi connect SIM. With the factory-installed SIM card, customers can immediately use the wide range of Audi connect services with the accompanying data flat rate for up to three years.
The Audi connect SIM is a permanently installed SIM card (embedded SIM or eSIM), which customers in Europe will receive in combination with the optional Audi connect equipment package. This transforms the car into a mobile communication center. The SIM card brings Audi connect services on board via an LTE/UMTS module with a download speed of up to 100 MBit/s.
MAN Truck & Bus invests $8.5M in logistics startup FR8 Revolution
MAN Truck & Bus AG, part of Volkswagen Truck & Bus, is investing up to $8.5 million in the US start-up FR8 Revolution Inc. ("Fr-eight"). Silicon-Valley-based FR8 has developed a comprehensive "operating system" for a connected transportation industry that will be launched in the second quarter of 2016. The IT platform will provide shippers, carriers, and truck drivers with a uniform and transparent platform for planning cargoes based on real-time data.
Currently, around 12,000 freight brokers in the US act as intermediaries for free-loading capacities between shippers and carriers via telephone, e-mail, and fax. The system is highly fragmented and thus often very inefficient; it is difficult to compare prices and costs for mediation are high. The FR8 system aims to support all parties involved in the process of this ecosystem, to leverage the existing potential, and to make it significantly more efficient.
Volkswagen Group makes $300M strategic investment in on-demand mobility provider Gett
May 25, 2016
Volkswagen has made a US$300-million strategic investment in Gett (formerly GetTaxi), a global provider of ride-hailing services. Present in more than 60 cities worldwide, Gett is one of the faster-growing ride-hailing providers sprouting up in the mobility-on-demand area. The partnership between Volkswagen Group and Gett is based on a joint growth strategy to expand on-demand mobility services in Europe.
Innovative, digitally integrated services covering all aspects of mobility promise very strong growth momentum and earnings opportunities in the coming years. Other OEMs, such as GM with its $500M investment in Lyft, Ford with its $182-million stake in Pivotal, or Toyota with its new investment in Uber (earlier post), have begun expanding their presence in the mobility services sector sector. The Volkswagen Group says that the ride-hailing market represents the greatest market potential in on-demand mobility, while creating the technological platform for developing tomorrow's mobility business models.
U. Minnesota team develops Lagrangian technique to identify NOx hotspots; opportunity for connected vehicles and big data
May 15, 2016
Researchers at the University of Minnesota have introduced a new method for identifying NOx emissions hotspots using high-fidelity Lagrangian vehicle data to explore spatial interactions that may influence emissions production.
Their study, published in the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology, finds that the two transit buses under study—a conventional powertrain transit bus and a series electric hybrid bus—emit higher than regulated emissions because on-route operation does not accurately represent the range of engine operation tested according to regulatory standards. Using Lagrangian hotspot detection, they demonstrated that NOx hotspots occurred at bus stops, during cold starts, on inclines, and for accelerations.
Audi A7 piloted driving concept "Jack" now driving more naturally
May 13, 2016
Audi's latest version of its piloted driving research car, the Audi A7 concept "Jack," has not only learned how to autonomously perform all of its driving maneuvers on the expressway, it has also learned how to show consideration for other road users. Jack exhibits a driving style that is adaptive to the given situation, safe and especially interactive, Audi says.
"Jack"—the internal nickname for the Audi A7 piloted driving concept technology platform now passes trucks with a slightly wider lateral gap. It also signals upcoming lane changes by activating the turn signal and moving closer to the lane marking first—just as human drivers would do to indicate their intentions.
Ford expands Smart Mobility pilot program to deliver improved access to healthcare in The Gambia; motorcycles with sensors
Pregnant women, children and those with medical conditions in The Gambia—one of Africa's smallest, poorest countries—may have better access to healthcare through an expansion of a Ford Smart Mobility pilot program. Ford has equipped 50 motorcycles serving Riders for Health with sensor technology so the medical services group can collect a variety of data, including mapping coordinates, to improve the delivery of medical services and supplies—particularly in remote areas of the West African country.
The project uses Ford's OpenXC (earlier post) sensor kits fitted to the motorcycles to gather information. OpenXC technology records every trip, and is accessed via an application on a mobile phone provided by Ford.
Ford invests $182.2 million in cloud-based software development company Pivotal
May 05, 2016
Ford is investing $182.2 million in Pivotal, a cloud-based software platform company with which it already has partnered (earlier post) on FordPass (earlier post), to further enhance its software development capabilities. The investment was part of Pivotal's $253-million Series C financing round; the round was led by new investor Ford, in conjunction with Microsoft and all previous investors GE, EMC and VMware. The deal is expected to close in May 2016, subject to customary conditions, including receipt of required regulatory approval.
Ford intends for the $182.2-million investment in Pivotal to help drive Ford's transition to both an auto and a mobility company.
DOE and DOT collaborate to support smart transportation systems and alternative fuel technologies
April 30, 2016
The US Departments of Energy (DOE) and Transportation (DOT) announced a collaboration to accelerate research, development, demonstration, and deployment of innovative smart transportation systems and alternative fuel technologies.
The agencies formalized this collaborative relationship through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that was unveiled at a symposium this week called Achieving Zero-Emission Mobility: The Role of Innovative Electric Vehicle Companies, hosted by the University of California Center on Economic Competitiveness in Transportation in Berkeley, California.
Audi introduces connected mobility concept in Beijing; electric longboard integrated with intelligent nav system
April 25, 2016
At Auto China 2016 in Beijing, Audi is presenting the Audi connected mobility concept, a concept car based on the Audi Q3, the brand's urban compact SUV. The concept offers sporty and multi-functional mobility for megacities with dense traffic and road restrictions.
Tailored to markets with growing urbanization such as China, this lifestyle concept was developed at Audi Research& Development in Beijing and focuses on young, progressive drivers.
Coodriver GmbH and Volkswagen sign strategic partnership; using smartphone or GPS transmitters to alert drivers about children
April 22, 2016
Volkswagen has signed a strategic partnership with Coodriver GmbH, a cloud-based application service provider for traffic safety, on the integration of a connected vehicle application into new Volkswagen models that will help motorists to see children on the road in time to avoid dangerous situations.
Coodriver developed the "Schutzranzen" (protection satchel) app that uses smartphone or GPS transmitters to alert drivers in time about hazardous situations visually and/or audibly.
AVnu Alliance members showcase the first multivendor interoperability demonstration of the AVnu AVB Automotive Profile
April 20, 2016
Members of AVnu Alliance, the industry consortium driving open, standards-based deterministic networking (earlier post), publicly demonstrated interoperability of systems designed to meet the AVnu Automotive Profile at the Automotive Ethernet Congress held in Munich, Germany earlier this year.
The demo featured products and solutions from several AVnu Alliance members: Ixia, a provider of network testing, visibility, and security solutions; Marvell Technology Group, a provider of complete silicon solutions; and NXP Semiconductors, a provider of secure connectivity solutions for embedded applications.
European Transport Ministers sign Amsterdam Declaration on steps for development and harmonization of connected, autonomous driving in Europe
April 15, 2016
On 14 April, the transport ministers of all 28 EU member states signed the Amsterdam Declaration, laying down agreements on the steps necessary for the development of connected, autonomous driving technology in the EU. The signatories pledge to draw up rules and regulations that will allow autonomous vehicles to be used on the roads.
A lack of good cooperation between EU member states could give rise to a jumble of different rules, thereby preventing the large-scale availability of this new technology. Agreements also need to be made on issues such as liability, privacy, data security and the effects of self-driving vehicles on traffic and the road network.
GM sees connectivity, autonomy and transport-as-service fundamentally changing automotive industry
April 14, 2016
Three emerging and converging factors—connectivity, autonomy and transport-as-a-service—will fundamentally change the automotive industry over the next few decades, according to Mike Abelson, GM's VP of Strategy and Global Portfolio Planning.
These three factors, said Abelson in a panel talk at the 2016 SAE World Congress in Detroit, are changing how the vehicle interacts with the environment; how the user interacts with the vehicle; and the entire business structure around it.
Toyota to deploy 5,000 vehicles with vehicle awareness devices in Ann Arbor; expanding AACVTE
April 13, 2016
Toyota, in partnership with the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI), is working to transform the streets of Ann Arbor, Mich. into the world's largest operational, real-world deployment of connected vehicles and infrastructure.
The Ann Arbor Connected Vehicle Test Environment (AACVTE) is a real-world implementation of connected vehicle safety technologies being used by everyday drivers in Ann Arbor and around Southeast Michigan. Begun in 2014, it expands the Connected Vehicle Safety Pilot Model Deployment to include 9,000 equipped vehicles—including private automobiles, trucks, buses, motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians—over 27 square miles of equipped infrastructure covering the greater Ann Arbor area.
ARPA-E issues $30M NEXTCAR program funding opportunity; 20% reduction in energy consumption beyond current regulatory requirements
April 12, 2016
The Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E) has issued a $30-million funding opportunity (DE-FOA-0001564) for the Next-Generation Energy Technologies for Connected and Automated On-Road Vehicles (NEXTCAR) program. (Earlier post.)
NEXTCAR seeks to fund the development of new and emerging vehicle dynamic and powertrain (VD&PT) control technologies that can reduce the energy consumption of future vehicles—light-, medium- and heavy-duty—through the use of connectivity and vehicle automation. The new program is seeking transformative technological solutions that will enable at least an additional 20% reduction in the energy consumption of future connected and automated vehicles (CAVs), compared to vehicles without these VD&PT control technologies. I.e., the NEXTCAR improvements are in addition to and beyond any currently expected future vehicle fleet fuel efficiency improvements that will be required or driven by Federal or State regulations.
EB software and Mapscape digital maps support WEpods autonomous electric shuttles
April 06, 2016
Elektrobit (EB), a leading developer of embedded technology solutions for the automotive industry, and Netherlands-based digital map provider Mapscape, are contributing to WEpods—completely autonomous electric shuttle buses that will use public roads.
EB and Mapscape together provide an enhanced electronic horizon solution for assisting in motion prediction and path planning of the autonomous shuttle bus. Mapscape provides an NDS (Navigation Data Standard) map database with comprehensive road geometry data that provides more detailed information for objects and pinpoint locations than standard map information.
Hyundai Motor Group outlines roadmap for connected car development
April 05, 2016
Hyundai Motor Group has outlined its roadmap for connected car development. The Group will collaborate with leading global IT and networking companies to develop its "Hyper-connected and Intelligent Car" concept.
The roadmap outlines four main service fields that will help develop smarter, more intelligent cars that can receive and utilize data faster than before. The mid- to long- term development focus includes a range of key features, including: smart remote maintenance services; autonomous driving; Smart Traffic; and a connected Mobility Hub that provides security and data management for all elements of the connected car.
Toyota launches new company to focus on software- and data-driven mobility
April 04, 2016
Toyota is launching a new company—Toyota Connected, Inc.—to significantly expand the company's capabilities in the fields of data management and data services development. The new company will serve as a data science hub for Toyota's global operations and will support a broad range of consumer-, business- and government- facing initiatives.
The company intends to leverage the power of data science through Microsoft's Azure cloud technology to develop predictive, contextual, and intuitive services that help to humanize the driving experience while pushing the technology into the background.
BMW Connected North America makes its world debut at Microsoft Build 2016; powered by Azure
April 03, 2016
BMW Connected, a new personal mobility companion, made its world debut at Microsoft Build 2016, Microsoft's developer conference, last week. The first version—called BMW Connected North America—is now available at the Apple App Store to BMW ConnectedDrive customers in the US for iOS devices.
Powered by the Open Mobility Cloud, which is based on Microsoft Azure, and available for iOS, BMW Connected is part of the automaker's vision for the "future of mobility," which includes digital services, automated driving and assistance, and interiors designed for digital seamlessness. BMW built the Open Mobility Cloud, a new flexible, scalable platform, using Microsoft Azure technologies and tools.
Nissan, Savari, UC Berkeley and City of Sunnyvale collaborate on real-world V2X testbed with DSRC
March 29, 2016
Nissan Motor Company, Savari, UC Berkeley Partners for Advanced Transportation Technology (PATH), and the City of Sunnyvale have collaborated on a real-world V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) testbed spanning 4.63 square miles with three public intersections in Sunnyvale, California. The City of Sunnyvale pilot is examining the role of V2X communications and its potential benefits on easing traffic congestion, and enhancing fuel economy and public safety.
Savari is a provider of V2X safety communication technology; its smart city deployments now span 130 square miles of public roadways. Prompted by Nissan's vision initiative to establish a V2X testbed, PATH deployed Savari StreetWAVE road-side-units (RSUs) and coordinated with the City of Sunnyvale and Nissan on the project, which started in August 2015 and is continuing to provide data.
ABI Research: 6 transformative paradigms driving toward smart, sustainable automotive transportation
March 25, 2016
ABI Research has defined six transformative paradigms for the automotive industry over the next 25 years: the software-defined car; sensors and big data; the connected car; cooperative mobility and the IoT; electrification; and car sharing/driverless cars. While the first three phases are already underway, the latter three will start to drive the market forward within the next 10 years, according to the market research firm.
Car manufacturers are currently revamping vehicles' electronics and networking architecture to ensure every sub-system is connected and software-defined. Moving toward the next decade, the automotive industry will achieve cooperative mobility. Cars will communicate with not only each other but also infrastructures and environments. Electrification will then change the way consumers power their vehicles. And, lastly, car sharing and driverless cars will likely lead to market consolidation.
VW BUDD-e EV concept makes US auto show debut; 233-mile range based on EPA cycle; next-gen connectivity and HMI
March 23, 2016
Building on its unveiling at January's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas (earlier post), the Volkswagen BUDD-e electric vehicle concept is making its US auto show debut at the New York International Auto Show.
The first vehicle based on the all-new Modular Electric Platform (MEB) designed specifically for plug-in vehicles, the BUDD-e with its 101 kWh battery pack offers a range of up to 373 miles (600 km) based on the New European Drive Cycle (NEDC), or up to 233 miles (375 km) based on EPA drive cycle) miles.
Daimler demonstrates autonomous truck platooning; Highway Pilot Connect delivers ~7% lower fuel consumption
March 22, 2016
Daimler Trucks demonstrated the new Highway Pilot Connect system for autonomous truck platooning on the A52 autobahn near Düsseldorf. Three WiFi-connected, autonomously driving trucks operated on the autobahn with authorization for public traffic in a platoon formation.
Such a combination can reduce fuel consumption by up to 7% and the road space requirement on motorways by almost half, while improving traffic safety at the same time, Daimler said. Based on the Daimler Trucks Highway Pilot system for autonomously driving heavy trucks (earlier post), the three trucks link up to form an aerodynamically optimized, fully automated platoon.
Honda R&D using IBM Watson IoT technology for real-time monitoring and data analysis in F1 racers
March 17, 2016
Honda R&D is monitoring and analyzing data from more than 160 sensors in Formula One (F1) cars using IBM Watson Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Drivers and crews can apply data and analytics in real-time to help streamline performance and improve fuel efficiency, enabling drivers to make real-time racing decisions based on this data, such as speed adjustments and pit stops.
To help mark its return to Formula One racing and reach new milestones in efficiency for both race cars and future consumer models, Honda R&D developed a new system to analyze data from the hybrid power units quickly and efficiently to check residual fuel levels and estimate the possibility of mechanical problems. Honda is using the IBM IoT for Automotive solution, based on IBM Watson IoT technology, to deliver data generated from cars, including temperature, pressure and power levels, directly to the cloud for real-time analysis.
BMW rolls out new strategy, focusing on further advances in e-mobility and automated driving; Project i 2.0
March 16, 2016
BMW has revealed initial details of its new strategy, "Strategy NUMBER ONE > NEXT". The BMW Group sees digitalization as an opportunity to make mobile life simpler, safer and more convenient, thereby capturing new customer groups. In the coming years, the Group will focus on broadening its technological expertise, expanding the scope of digital connectivity between people, vehicles and services and actively strengthening sustainable mobility.
BMW's technology focus will therefore be on consistently achieving further advances in the fields of electric mobility and automated driving. Under the banner of BMW iNEXT, the BMW Group will bring new forms of automated driving and digital connectivity together with a new generation of electric mobility, lightweight construction and interior design. BMW said that it would usher in the next decade with a new BMW i model.
New Buick LaCrosse upgrades computing power from 17 to 31 ECUs; new electronic control system
The all-new Buick LaCrosse, which launches this week in China, features significant upgrades in computing power and networking to advance connectivity and safety features.
There are 31 ECUs distributed in the all-new Buick LaCrosse—its predecessor utilized only 17. This 82% increase in the number of ECUs helps to optimize calculating efficiency. In order to facilitate the handling of large quantities of data, a specific data bus is arranged to connect ECUs, each of which can process data independently.
IEEE approves 802.3bw Ethernet; 100 Mb/s over single twisted-pair driven by needs of automotive industry
March 15, 2016
IEEE announced the approval of IEEE 802.3bw, IEEE Standard for Ethernet Amendment: Physical Layer Specifications and Management Parameters for 100 Mb/s Operation over a Single Balanced Twisted Pair Cable (100BASE-T1). The standard is driven primarily by the needs of the global automotive industry and illustrates Ethernet's expansion into new application areas.
Mainstream adoption of emerging in-car applications such as advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and infotainment has created the need for cost-effective, high-bandwidth connectivity. The first of several Ethernet standards especially tuned to the needs of the in-car automotive market, IEEE 802.3bw-2015 100BASE-T1 will provide 100 Mb/s Ethernet over a single twisted-pair. It is intended to enable the consolidation of these new, as well as legacy, in-car applications on a homogenous network architecture.
7 finalists announced for USDOT Smart City Challenge; Amazon Web Services new partner
March 14, 2016
US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, joined by Barbara Bennett, President and COO of Paul G. Allen's Vulcan Inc. and Rick Clemmer CEO of NXP Semiconductors, announced the seven finalists for the US Department of Transportation's (USDOT) Smart City Challenge. (Earlier post.) The USDOT has pledged up to $40 million (funding subject to future appropriations) to one city to help it define what it means to be a "Smart City "and become the country's first city to fully integrate innovative technologies—self-driving cars, connected vehicles, and smart sensors—into their transportation network.
The finalists are: Austin, TX; Columbus, OH; Denver, CO; Kansas City, MO; Pittsburgh, PA; Portland, OR; and San Francisco, CA. Secretary Foxx was joined by representatives of the seven city finalists, including Austin Mayor Steve Adler, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther, Kansas City Mayor Sly James, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto, and Portland Mayor Charlie Hales for the announcement at the C3 Connected Mobility Showcase being held during the South by Southwest conference (SXSW).
ViriCiti, Simacan tool predicts energy usage and savings per route by driving electric
March 04, 2016
ViriCiti B.V., a provider of telematics systems for electric city buses and trucks, and Simacan B.V., a provider of real-time traffic information, are partnering to develop a new online tool that predicts the energy usage and savings per route by driving electric.
The EV Fleet Analyzer provides insights into when the deployment of electric distribution vehicles is profitable. With this tool, ViriCiti and Simacan aim to increase the use of electric vehicles.
Nissan's Intelligent Mobility vision builds on electrification, autonomous drive and vehicle intelligence
March 01, 2016
Nissan outlined its Intelligent Mobility vision at the Geneva International Motor Show. Created to guide the Nissan product evolution, Intelligent Mobility will anchor company decisions around how cars are powered, how cars are driven, and how cars integrate into society, all while staying focused on creating more enjoyable driving experiences.
At the core of Nissan Intelligent Mobility are three areas of innovation: Nissan Intelligent Driving, spearheaded by Nissan's autonomous drive technology, Piloted Drive; Nissan Intelligent Power, spearheaded by electric vehicles (EV); and Nissan Intelligent Integration—new links between vehicles and society.
Volkswagen launches new luxury flagship Phideon at Geneva; plug-in hybrid drive planned; first VW brand car based on MLB
Volkswagen unveiled the new Volkswagen Phideon luxury sedan ahead of the Geneva International Motor Show 2016. The future of Volkswagen's premium segment will go into production in China initially for the China market in the third quarter of 2016.
The new Phideon was developed in Germany with the assistance of VW's Chinese partner SAIC Volkswagen. The sedan will be offered with high-efficiency turbocharged gasoline TSI engines, and a plug-in hybrid drive is also planned.
J.D. Power study finds ACEN technology woes affecting vehicle reliability for consumers
February 26, 2016
Problems with technology continue to affect vehicle reliability for consumers, according to the J.D. Power 2016 US Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS). The number of problems with infotainment, navigation and in-vehicle communication systems—collectively known as audio, communication, entertainment and navigation or ACEN—has increased and now accounts for 20% of all customer-reported problems in the study.
ACEN is now the most problematic area on most vehicles and is the cause of the industry's 3% year-over-year decline in vehicle dependability. Key findings of the study included:
Visa extends Visa Token Service to automakers to enable car-based commerce; Honda Developer demo partner
Visa Inc. is making the Visa Token Service available to auto manufacturers, helping to pave the way for easy and secure car-based commerce. To further advance car-based commerce, Visa is also offering a range of related digital payment solutions, including new standards for Bluetooth (BLE) and QR codes that could help expand enablement of mobile payments for both merchants and consumers in any environment. Technologies built with Visa Token Service provide an ecosystem of payment partners—from auto manufacturers to point of sale (POS) providers and beyond—a streamlined way to offer commerce and payments anywhere there is an Internet connection.
In partnership with Honda and ParkWhiz, Visa demonstrated fuel and parking proof-of-concept apps at Mobile World Congress this week in Barcelona. Developed by Honda Developer Studio and fully integrated into Honda's head unit, the fuel and parking proof-of-concepts are designed to bring greater simplicity and convenience to services and tasks consumers do every day. Both apps showcase Visa Token Service and feature Visa Checkout, Visa's online payment service offering simple, one-touch payments. Additional features include:
BMW introduces Vehicular CrowdCell research project; mobile femtocells to optimize mobile radio networks
February 22, 2016
At this year's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the BMW Group is unveiling the "Vehicular CrowdCell" research project. This project extends the concept of the "Vehicular Small Cell" presented last year in Barcelona. (Earlier post.)
The "Vehicular Small Cell" is a mobile femtocell that optimizes the mobile radio reception inside vehicles; the technology is now also able to enhance the capacity and coverage of mobile radio networks. The BMW Group is teaming up with peiker and Nash Technologies to present a prototype of the "Vehicular CrowdCell" integrated into a BMW research vehicle.
Ford and Pivotal collaborate on software platform for FordPass
February 08, 2016
Ford is working with platform-as-a-service (PaaS) provider Pivotal to build a software platform supporting FordPass, announced at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) (earlier post), that will enable the company to innovate rapidly and to iterate on new applications and mobility solutions for consumers.
FordPass, described as a free digital, physical and personal platform, is an ambitious new customer service product that incorporates software services and apps, human agents and storefronts and is intended to support the company's strategic transformation into an auto and a mobility company. FordPass features four benefits for members: Marketplace includes mobility services such as parking and sharing; FordGuides help consumers move more efficiently; Appreciation, where members are recognized for their loyalty; and FordHubs, where consumers can experience Ford's latest innovations.
Jaguar Land Rover in two UK projects worth ~$16M to advance connected and autonomous vehicle technology
February 01, 2016
Jaguar Land Rover is participating in two new projects in the UK worth a combined £11 million (US$15.7 million) to advance connected and autonomous vehicle technology. The £5.5-million (US$7.9-million) UK-CITE (UK Connected Intelligent Transport Environment) project will create the first test route capable of testing both vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure systems on public roads in the UK.
The three year £5.5-million MOVE-UK project, which is led by Bosch, is intended to help future autonomous vehicles drive naturally—more like human drivers rather than like robots. The project will also help develop future insurance policies for automated vehicles
VW e-Golf to be enhanced with improved infotainment, connectivity and range
January 14, 2016
Over the next few years (exact timing is unannounced) Volkswagen's e-Golf battery-electric vehicle will receive a boost in range due to planned and anticipated improvements to its batteries (earlier post) as well as some of the advanced HMI (human-machine interface), device and connectivity technologies showcased at CES 2016 in the e-Golf Touch concept. (The exact technology slate for the US is also unannounced.)
The e-Golf Touch introduced a more advanced generation of the Modular Infotainment Toolkit (MIB) and for the first time, an early series-production preview of the new intuitive control technology, some of which will appear in the production e-Golf over the next few years. The e-Golf Touch features the latest version of MIB with a 9.2-inch high-resolution display (1280 x 640 pixels).
Fraunhofer characterizes Alphabet Energy thermoelectric PowerCard; up to 5% fuel economy improvement in automotive
Alphabet Energy is commercializing low-cost, efficient thermoelectric materials for power generation leveraging technology initially developed at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. (Earlier post.)
The company has now announced characterization from the Fraunhofer Institute for Physical Measurement Techniques IPM of heat flow and thermal resistance (in air) of the Alphabet Energy PowerCard, the company's core thermoelectric device for power generation. The PowerCard has shipped to customers in a variety of industries, including automotive; has been tested extensively; and is now entering high-volume production.
IBM study finds consumers very interested in alternative ownership models for cars, self-enabling vehicles
January 12, 2016
Consumers expect to use cars differently—showing particular interest in self-enabling vehicles—though they don't necessarily want to own one in the traditional sense, according to the results of IBM's automotive consumer study, presented at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. This presents opportunities for automakers to apply analytics and cognitive capabilities to develop new vehicle options.
"A New Relationship – People and Cars," developed by the IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV), reports that consumers also show a high level of interest in self-enabling vehicles, or cars that can learn, heal, drive and socialize. These capabilities include autonomous, self-driving cars, vehicles that can be fixed without human intervention and the implementation of cognitive computing to learn and assimilate to the driver's behaviors, the vehicle itself and the surrounding environment.
Toyota displays Mirai-based research vehicle with satellite communications function; Kymeta flat-panel antennae
At the 2016 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), Toyota is displaying a research vehicle based on the Mirai fuel cell vehicle which is equipped with satellite communications technology from Kymeta, a US-based company that is the world's leader in flat-panel antenna technology.
Toyota is working to enhance its connected technologies, including a plan to install a Data Communication Module into a broader range of its vehicles. (Earlier post.) The company is also considering using satellite communications in the future, including high capacity satellites that offer much higher data transfer rates than conventional satellite technologies.
Ford, U Michigan collaborating on enablers for autonomous driving in the snow; high-resolution 3D mapping
Typical autonomous vehicle sensors are useless on snow-covered roads, but researchers at the University of Michigan and Ford are collaborating on a solution. In Michigan and on U-M's 32-acre Mcity simulated urban environment, they have conducted what they believe are the industry's first tests of autonomous vehicles in wintry conditions.
Fully autonomous driving can't rely on GPS, which is accurate only to several yards—not enough to localize or identify the position of the vehicle. It is essential for an autonomous vehicle to know its precise location, not just within a city or on a road, but in its actual driving lane—a variation of a few inches makes a big difference.
IAV and Microsoft demonstrate connected highly automated driving vehicle for enhanced safety; cloud-based analytics and big data
January 11, 2016
At CES 2016 last week, IAV and Microsoft demonstrated a connected highly automated driving (CHAD) vehicle capable of connecting with the Microsoft Azure cloud and Windows 10 to enable communication that helps prevent vehicle and pedestrian accidents and increases driving comfort and convenience. This vehicle-2-x communication (V2X) connectivity approach uses data from the vehicle's surroundings to improve smart service for convenience and enhance safety by anticipating and mitigating potential hazards.
The two demonstrated a use case pf the approach: a pedestrian with a wearable device is walking toward the road, concealed by a parked vehicle. The device is located by nearby intelligent roadside infrastructure that is connected to the Azure cloud. The CHAD vehicle then receives a V2X warning that permits the safe, convenient adjustment of its driving dynamics in order to detect and avoid the hazard.
HARMAN introduces range of connected vehicle technologies and Microsoft partnership at CES
HARMAN International Industries made a number of connected vehicle technology announcements during CES 2016 last week, including a connected car computing platform, demonstrated in the Rinspeed Σtos concept car; an advanced navigation system with live data fusion; an open cloud-based software delivery system; and a new partnership with Microsoft. The company also introduced the first pupil-based driver monitoring system.
Connected car computing platform. HARMAN's Life-Enhancing Intelligent Vehicle Solution (LIVS) integrates previously discreet or separate connectivity and operational domains under a new, holistic automotive computing platform. HARMAN says that LIVS is the industry's most complete end-to-end system to provide drivers intelligent, adaptable and personal solutions in the car. HARMAN demonstrated LIVS applied in the latest Rinspeed concept car—Σtos—at CES 2016.
Visteon to launch ECU-consolidating cockpit domain controller with European automaker in 2018
January 08, 2016
Addressing the proliferation of electronic control units (ECUs) in vehicles, Visteon Corporation is preparing to launch an industry-first, automotive-grade cockpit domain controller with a European automaker on a global vehicle program in 2018.
SmartCore combines previously separate instrument clusters, head-up displays (HUD) and advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) domains on a one-chip, multi-domain controller that can be accessed through an integrated, easy-to-use human machine interaction (HMI). Visteon displayed the SmartCore connected domain controller at CES 2016.
Toshiba introduces new automotive Ethernet-AVB bridge; working with Qualcomm on advanced connected car systems
AT CES 2016, Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. (TAEC) introduced an automotive-grade Ethernet bridge solution for in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) and other automotive applications. The TC9560XBG supports standards such as IEEE 802.1AS and IEEE 802.1Qav, generally referred to as Ethernet-AVB (Audio Video Bridging). The Ethernet-AVB standard enables stable, reliable multimedia transmissions, making it suitable for IVI and telematics. (Earlier post.)
TAEC also announced it is working with Qualcomm Technologies to bring to the automotive market advanced connected car platforms powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 820A and Snapdragon 602A processors, and telematics solutions powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon X12 LTE modem. (Earlier post.)
Renault-Nissan to launch more than 10 vehicles with autonomous drive technology over the next four years
January 07, 2016
The Renault-Nissan Alliance will launch more than 10 vehicles with autonomous drive technology in the next four years in the United States, Europe, Japan and China. The technology will be installed on mainstream, mass-market cars at affordable prices.
The year 2016 will mark the debut of vehicles with "single-lane control," a feature that allows cars to drive autonomously on highways, including in heavy, stop-and-go traffic. In 2018, Renault-Nissan will launch vehicles with "multiple-lane control," which can autonomously negotiate hazards and change lanes during highway driving. And 2020 will see the launch of "intersection autonomy," which can navigate city intersections and heavy urban traffic without driver intervention.
Audi to use Gen 2 zFAS controller in production e-tron quattro; piloted driving; moving to domain-controlled architecture
The production version of Audi's e-tron quattro battery-electric SUV (earlier post) will be equipped with the second-generation of Audi's central driver assistance controller the zFAS (earlier post), according to Ricky Hudi, Executive Vice President Electronic Development, Audi AG. The vehicle will be capable of driving fully autonomously, he said at CES 2016.
zFAS is the domain controller for Audi piloted driving systems. The information supplied by all sensors—including the signals from the 3D cameras, the laser scanner and the radar and ultrasonic sensors—is permanently fed into and processed by this module. With its tremendous computing power, the zFAS will be capable of continuously comparing the data from the vehicle sensor systems with the model of the road space and its surroundings.
Qualcomm introduces Snapdragon 820A SoC infotainment and connectivity processors for automotive; expanding automotive investment
Qualcomm subsidiary Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., introduced its latest Qualcomm Snapdragon automotive processors, the Snapdragon 820 Automotive family, offering a scalable next-generation infotainment, graphics and multimedia platform with machine intelligence and a version with integrated LTE-Advanced connectivity.
The new processors expand Qualcomm's automotive technology portfolio, adding to a collection of integrated solutions in the areas of telematics and connectivity, as well as high definition graphics and multimedia for rich infotainment systems, machine intelligence and sensor fusion for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), GNSS location technologies, V2X (Vehicle to Vehicle/Infrastructure/Pedestrian) communications for improved safety and driver convenience, and wireless charging for electric vehicles.
Volkswagen unveils BUDD-e electric van concept at CES; first VW based on new Modular Electric Toolkit (MEB)
January 06, 2016
At CES 2016, Volkswagen unveiled the battery-electric BUDD-e van. Equipped with a 101 kWh battery pack supporting a range of up to 373 miles (600 km) on the NEDC, the BUDD-e concept is the first vehicle based on Volkswagen's new Modular Electric Platform (MEB) designed specifically for plug-in vehicles. BUDD-e exemplifies what Volkswagen considers as potentially representative of electric mobility offerings in the 2019 timeframe.
With the BUDD-e, Volkswagen has also developed a vehicle that is more thoroughly connected with its surroundings than any car before it. An integral automotive component in the Internet of Things (IoT), BUDD-e is capable of seamlessly communicating with the smart home or office.
ARPA-E issues RFI on energy efficiency optimization for connected and automated vehicles; vehicle dynamic and powertrain control
January 05, 2016
The Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E) has issued a request for information (DE-FOA-0001473) seeking input from researchers and developers in a broad range of disciplines including automotive vehicle control, powertrain control and transportation analytics regarding the development of advanced energy efficiency optimization technologies for future connected and automated vehicles (CAVs).
ARPA-E is interested in new and emerging full vehicle and powertrain control technologies that can reduce the energy use associated with automotive transportation, beyond those technologies currently expected to be deployed in future vehicles. The focus of the RFI is on the potential improvement in the energy efficiency of each individual vehicle in the automotive fleet through the improvement of powertrain control and vehicle dynamic control, by utilizing emerging technologies and strategies in sensing, communications, information, control and automation.
Toyota introduces next-gen connected vehicle framework; globally uniform DCM by 2019
Toyota unveiled its next-generation connected vehicle framework at CES 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada, accelerating its initiatives to provide its customers with greater convenience and increased data security. The framework builds on advances in automobile, IT, and communications systems to enhance Toyota vehicles with connected technologies.
Toyota's connected vehicle framework is anchored by the installation of a Data Communication Module (DCM) into a broader range of its vehicles starting with model changes in 2017 in the US market. Availability will expand to additional regions and countries following the US. Adding DCM will connect Toyota vehicles to cellular telecommunications networks, expanding the ability to transmit data for products and services.
GM to invest $500M in Lyft; creating integrated network of on-demand autonomous vehicles
January 04, 2016
General Motors and rideshare company Lyft are entering a long-term strategic alliance to create an integrated network of on-demand autonomous vehicles in the US. GM will invest $500 million in Lyft to help the company continue the rapid growth of its successful ridesharing service. In addition, GM will hold a seat on the company's board of directors.
The GM investment is part of a $1-billion funding round Lyft is closing. In addition to the GM money, Kingdom Holding Company invested $100 million making the total investment of Kingdom Holding and its affiliates approximately $250 million. Several new and existing Lyft investors were also in the round including Janus Capital Management, Rakuten, Didi Kuaidi and Alibaba. Following this latest round, Lyft is valued at $5.5 billion, post-money. Key elements of the GM and Lyft alliance include:
Ford, Mazda, Mitsubishi Motors & Subaru Join Linux Foundation and Automotive Grade Linux; new unified code base distribution
Automotive Grade Linux (AGL), a collaborative open source project developing a common, Linux-based software stack for the connected car, announced that Subaru (Fuji Heavy Industries, Ltd.), Mitsubishi Motors, Mazda Motor Corporation and Ford Motor Company are joining The Linux Foundation and AGL. Ford Motor Company is the first US car manufacturer to join AGL. These latest automakers join existing members Toyota Motor Corporation, Nissan Motor Company Ltd. and Linux Foundation board member Jaguar Land Rover.
AGL also announced a new Unified Code Base (UCB) distribution built specifically for the automotive industry. This new Linux distribution was built from the ground-up to address automotive-specific applications and leverages the best software components from AGL and other existing open source projects such as Tizen and GENIVI Alliance.
Visteon showcasing advanced gesture recognition and HUD technologies at CES
January 02, 2016
Visteon will display two vehicles featuring advanced concepts at CES 2016 this coming week in Las Vegas: one with 3-D gesture technology and the other with a large field-of-vision windshield head-up-display (HUD). A separate driving simulator brings together the latest Visteon human-machine interaction (HMI) input technologies for an interactive experience using real-world driving scenarios.
The proprietary 3-D gesture recognition concept is demonstrated within a compact multi-purpose vehicle. The system quickly reads defined hand movements to command certain features, using time-of-flight camera technology and high-performance, image-processing algorithms.
IHS: connectivity, infotainment, safety to drive growth in automotive display systems to $18.6B by 2021; > 11% CAGR
December 30, 2015
Driven by continued innovation in vehicle connectivity and safety technologies, global revenue from automotive display systems will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 11% to $18.6 billion by the end of 2021, according to a new forecast by IHS Inc. This will add nearly $9 billion in annual revenue compared to 2015.
Data from the Automotive Display Systems Forecasts from IHS represents production of instrument cluster systems, head-up display systems and center stack display systems as full automotive modules, not just display panels. Center stack display systems are expected to account for half of the overall revenue growth, while head-up display (HUD) systems will deliver the strongest revenue CAGR at nearly 21% from 2015.
Toyota developing new cloud-based high-precision map generation system using data from production vehicles
December 22, 2015
To aid the safe implementation of automated driving, Toyota is developing a high-precision map generation system that will use data from on-board cameras and GPS devices installed in production vehicles. The new system will go on display at CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2016 in Las Vegas next month.
Toyota's new system uses camera-equipped production vehicles to gather road images and vehicle positional information. This information is sent to data centers, where it is automatically pieced together, corrected and updated to generate high precision road maps that cover a wide area.
2nd annual Bosch analysis of ADAS finds emergency braking and lane assist systems on the rise
December 21, 2015
An analysis of new car registration in Germany for 2014 reveals that driver assistance systems are playing an increasingly greater role when it comes to purchasing a car. The importance of lane assist and automatic emergency braking systems in particular has grown significantly, according to the analysis by Bosch—the company's second annual assessment of adoption of the technology.
According to the evaluation, based on the 2014 registration statistics, one in five of the nearly three million newly registered passenger cars in Germany last year were equipped with such systems. By way of comparison, the evaluation for 2013 revealed that the two assistance systems featured in only one in ten new cars.
Continental to demonstrate dynamic eHorizon technology during CES; Connected Energy Management and Blind Curve Warning
December 16, 2015
Continental will demonstrate its latest generation of eHorizon technology during CES next month in Las Vegas. Continental will show with two use cases based on dynamic eHorizon technology—Connected Energy Management and Blind Curve Warning—how data from the cloud can predict the road ahead, ultimately reducing fuel consumption and making vehicles safer. Both demonstrations will be conducted on public roads in Las Vegas.
Continental has already shown that the static eHorizon—introduced commercially in 2012—which uses certain data from a static map stored in the vehicle, enables a significant reduction of fuel consumption (around 3% on average). As a result of this success, Continental has taken the development of eHorizon even further by using the cloud and crowd intelligence to enhance the digital map in the dynamic eHorizon Backend with fresh and accurate information.
Siemens chooses Ann Arbor as 1st Center of Excellence for Intelligent Traffic Technology
December 15, 2015
Siemens has chosen Ann Arbor, MI as the company's first Center of Excellence for Intelligent Traffic Technology. Understanding the impact integrating intelligent software and hardware can have on significantly improving a city's transportation system, Siemens will provide Ann Arbor with its latest hardware and software technology to help expand the city's smart traffic system infrastructure.
Ann Arbor will be among the country's first real-world implementations of this latest intelligent traffic technology and the partnership will allow the city to continue to modernize and enhance its transportation systems through improved intelligence. The new technologies and partnership will allow Siemens and the city to gather new real-world data and insight into the impact of intelligent traffic technologies on congestion and safety.
Swift Navigation raises $11M Series-A round for high-accuracy RTK GPS for autonomous vehicles
December 09, 2015
Swift Navigation, a startup building centimeter-accurate GPS technology for autonomous vehicles, raised an $11-million series-A round led by Lior Susan and Pierre Lamond of Eclipse, with participation from New Enterprise Associates and Promus Ventures.
By moving GPS positioning from custom hardware to a flexible software-based receiver, Swift Navigation delivers Real Time Kinematics (RTK) GPS that is 100 times more accurate than the GPS in a cell phone at a fraction of the price of the competition. With more than 1,200 customers for its first product, Piksi, the company has already experienced high demand for its low-cost, high-performance GPS receiver.
USDOT launches Smart City Challenge; up to $40M award from DOT, $10M from Vulcan
December 08, 2015
US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx launched a Smart City Challenge to create a fully integrated, first-of-its-kind city that uses data, technology and creativity to shape how people and goods move in the future.
The USDOT will make an award of up to $40 million to one mid-sized city that can demonstrate how advanced data and intelligent transportation systems (ITS) technologies and applications can be used to reduce congestion, keep travelers safe, protect the environment, respond to climate change, connect underserved communities, and support economic vitality. Additionally, Paul G. Allen's Vulcan Inc., announced its intent to award up to $10 million to the USDOT winner of the Smart City Challenge. The winning city will need to work with Vulcan to secure this funding.
U-M teams with Argonne, Idaho national labs to study potential energy savings of connected vehicles
November 19, 2015
The University of Michigan is working with two US Department of Energy national laboratories to study whether connected and automated vehicles could help people drive more efficiently. U-M, with Argonne National Laboratory and Idaho National Laboratory, won a three-year, $2.7 million grant from DOE to fund the research.
Reuben Sarkar, DOE deputy assistant secretary for transportation, announced the grant Wednesday during a conference at U-M. He called it an "incubator award" to help DOE learn more about connected and automated vehicles, which are a growing focus for the agency.
Ford first to test autonomous vehicle at U Michigan Mcity
November 13, 2015
Ford is the first automaker to test autonomous vehicles at Mcity—the full-scale simulated real-world urban environment at the University of Michigan. (Earlier post.) The 32-acre facility is part of the university's Mobility Transformation Center.
Ford has been testing autonomous vehicles for more than 10 years and is now expanding testing on the diversity of roads and realistic neighborhoods of Mcity near the North Campus Research Complex to accelerate research of advanced sensing technologies.
HARMAN contributes open source software to Open AVB Project for low-latency, real-time automotive Ethernet
November 03, 2015
HARMAN has made an open source software contribution to the Open AVB project to help drive the adoption of Ethernet AVB/TSN (Audio Video Bridging/Time Sensitive Networking) in automotive, consumer, pro audio/video and industrial markets. In AVB/TSN, the maximum latency is deterministic and thus supports low-latency applications from live A/V to machine control.
Legacy Ethernet uses "best effort delivery"—i.e., data traffic flow is indeterminate, and intervening traffic can delay a data stream. Because of this uncertainty on receiving a stream packet, the receivers in legacy systems typically employ large buffers so as not to underflow, which would result in an audible click on an audio stream or loss of critical control information in a control stream.
OPEN Alliance demonstrating multi-vendor automotive Ethernet interoperability
October 26, 2015
The OPEN Alliance (One-Pair EtherNet) Special Interest Group (SIG), a non-profit industry alliance established to drive wide-scale adoption of Ethernet-based automotive connectivity (earlier post), announced the industry's first multi-vendor interoperability demonstration of single-pair automotive Ethernet technology.
The demonstration highlights Broadcom, NXP and Realtek 100BASE-T1 physical layer transceivers (PHYs) working together in a single platform. The demonstration will take place at the 2015 OPEN all member meeting 26 October and the IEEE Ethernet & IP @ Automotive Tech Day, 27-28 October in Yokohama, Japan.
Qualcomm & Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team partner on racecar data sharing over 5 GHz 802.11ac Wi-Fi; planned migration to 802.11ad (WiGig)
October 24, 2015
Qualcomm Incorporated through its subsidiary, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., and the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team, have collaborated to enable the wireless download of racecar telemetry data via Wi-Fi using 5 GHz spectrum during Formula One practice sessions. This technology implementation marks a significant improvement over previous wired data offloading processes. The telemetry includes data from thermal imaging tire cameras, which is used to improve speed, efficiency and vehicle safety.
The system deployed by the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team and Qualcomm Technologies comprises several Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processors with Qualcomm VIVE 802.11ac Wi-Fi, along with multiple access points, one in the pit lane and one in the garage, to improve the speed of connectivity and data transfer.


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Kindergarten Enrollment and the Intergenerational Transmission of Education
We use Swiss data to test whether intergenerational educational mobility is affected by the age at which children enroll in kindergarten. Taking advantage of heterogeneity across cantons we find that early kindergarten enrollment significantly increases educational mobility.
If you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the proper application to view it first. In case of further problems read the IDEAS help page. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS site. Please be patient as the files may be large.
|11 pages
|Date of creation:
|Oct 2009
|Date of revision:
|Publication status:
|published as 'Institutional Determinants of Intergenerational Education Transmission - Comparing Alternative Mechanisms for Natives and Immigrants' in: Labour Economics, 2013, 25, 110–122
|Contact details of provider:
| Postal: IZA, P.O. Box 7240, D-53072 Bonn, Germany
Phone: +49 228 3894 223
Fax: +49 228 3894 180
Web page: http://www.iza.org
|Order Information:
| Postal: IZA, Margard Ody, P.O. Box 7240, D-53072 Bonn, Germany
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subset: commoncrawl


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'Omar Abdullah's advice was ignored on Afzal Guru hanging'
Top Stories
- Fake degree case: Former Delhi law minister Tomar's police custody extended by two days
- Pakistan army makes veiled attack on India, accuses it of 'creating instability'
- Missing Dornier: Intermittent signals from Coast Guard aircraft, oil spill noticed again
- Rahul Gandhi meets sanitation workers for the second day
- Ludhiana: Ammonia gas leak mishap kills 5, leaves more than 140 injured
UPA ally National Conference on Wednesday criticised the government on the issue of hanging of Afzal Guru, saying the demand of Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah to delay the execution to avoid law and order problem in the state was ignored.
Towing his party's stand on the issue, NC member Mirza Mehboob Beg said the hanging of the assassins of Rajiv Gandhi and former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh was delayed after the Tamil Nadu and the Punjab governments claimed it could lead to law and order problems.
He said the Centre ignored the J&K CM's advice that Guru's hanging could create law and order crisis in the state. "He (Abdullah) finds it difficult to answer questions... He is facing problems," Beg said while participating in the discussion on Motion of Thanks to the President's address.
He said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should ensure that Afzal's body is returned to his family.


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- Report: #968250
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Complaint Review: Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Drain Service
Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Drain Service8501 Dunwoody Place, Suite 324 Atlanta, Georgia United States of America
Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Drain Service Seriously exorbitant overcharge for replacing sewer line Atlanta, Georgia
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using a template that uploaded fine but can't edit this page - can't see where to do it anywhere
on a similar note - on 'pages' I typed a new file for 'About' but it doesn't update anywhere.
I am a novice and would have no earthly idea if u respond with all the code talk.
I'm a mac (dummy) about all that stuff and only know point and click.
can anyone help please


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Manchester United Message Board
you are viewing a single comment's thread.view the rest of the posts
A Yahoo! User Apr 24, 2010 03:04 Flag
Interesting point Devon. Let's analyse it objectively shall we?
£20m Torres @ 50% efficiency = 22 Goals this season
£30m Berbatov @ 100% efficiency = 12 Goals
Cheers & UpyoursSort: Newest | Oldest | Most Replied Expand all replies
A Yahoo! User Apr 24, 2010 05:22 Flag
As usual you are missing the point. Its not about what liverpool paid for Torres but what a club would have to pay to prise him away from anfield. So back to my original question is an injury prone striker, no matter how good he is, worth around £70 million? Oh and if we are going to compare the players:
Torres £20 million - trophies currently zero still in with a chance of the Europa League
Berbatov £30 million - trophies currently 1 premiership title, 1 world club championship, 2 Carling Cups and still in with a chance of winning the premiership title.
- 1 Reply to A Yahoo! User
A Yahoo! User Apr 24, 2010 06:56 Flag
I didn't miss the point, I just chose to ignore it. Torres join Man U??
Keep dreaming old chap.
Cheers & Upyours


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First of all, I love the Mog theme! Clean, beautiful, and readable. So thanks much for creating it.
My problem is that I created a child theme, following the WordPress guidelines, but it doesn't inherit the theme's styles. The main font (div.entry-content) has reverted to ugly Times Roman, and the main navigation menu doesn't roll up -- the sub-menu items are all exposed.
I created a "Mog-child" theme in wp-content/themes, with this style.css:
@import url("../mog/style.css");
Theme Name: Mog Child
Theme URI: http://wordpress.org/themes/mog
Description: Child theme for the Mog theme
Author: (me)
Author URI: http://myurl.com (not my real domain! :) )
Template: mog
Version: 0.01
Am I doing something wrong?


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Tasting Notes
A deep ruby color, this wine offers intense aromas of ripe black berry, cassis, wild strawberry and spices. A full-bodied wine with ripe tannins, pronounced fruit and great length.
Technical Notes
(100% Montepulciano Africa clone). The grapes were hand-harvested, sorted, destemmed and crushed into vertical, stainless steel fermentors. Total maceration time was 35 days. Matured for 15 months in new (50%) and second fill French oak barriques. After a strict selection process, wines from the best barrels were fined using egg whites prior to blending. After aging for 24 months in tank the wine was bottled without filtration.


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Let's see who is clever.
I have 2 backgrounds. 1 is a nice carbon-fiber pattern. The other is a wide picture that takes up the top part of the page. How do I have both backgrounds on!!!!!!???
I know if I had a BG Color of #fff and a picture it would be fine. But I have a background pattern .gif file and would like to also display a nice big background picture on the top part of the page?
Tricky question is it not!!!


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shoppers recently viewed this!
Dexton Kids
6' Flower Teepee
- Color:
- natural
Qty: 1
- 1
- 2
$9.95 Delivery Charge
This item is final sale and non-returnable.
Estimated Date to Schedule Delivery:
Description: 6' Flower Teepee:
- Four panel teepee with embroidered flower designs
- Window on back panel
- Water repellant and fire resistant, durable cotton canvas
- Inside dimensions: 5'D x 4.5'H
- Complies to US Toy Safety Standards
- Ages 3 and Up
Material: Water repellant and fire resistant, durable cotton canvas
Brand: Dexton Kids


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Biobased Economy
The Biobased Economy is an economy driven by efficiency in using crops and biomass for food, feed, chemicals, energy and fuels. Wageningen UR is actively closing the loop by working on all chains of the Biobased Economy, through fundamental research, applied research and education.
Have a look at the previous edition of the Biobased Economy Newsletter
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Related education programmes


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Visit the Wedding Blog of the Main Characters in The Five-Year Engagement
The Five-Year Engagement gets the ol' "blog treatment." You know, that treatment.By Eliot Glazer
The Five-Year Engagement gets the ol' "blog treatment." You know, that treatment.By Eliot Glazer
It's one of the best musical numbers from The Muppets, and now it's online.By Kyle Buchanan
Also starring Chris Pratt and Alison Brie.By Kyle Buchanan
No hard feelings, Emma Stone?
Jason Segel enlists newbie Vanessa Bayer to drum up publicity for this week's show.By Eliot Glazer
Plus: Jane Lynch finally met her first and only male childhood crush, Ron Howard, and more, on our daily late-night roundup.By Caroline Shin
"Just in case there was danger."By Patti Greco
Plus: Julie Bowen impersonates Sofia Vergara, and more, on our daily late-night roundup.By Caroline Shin
It's got Jason Segel in his jammies.By Kyle Buchanan
With Jason Segel.By Kyle Buchanan
Charlie Day, Emma Stone, and Jason Segel are all 'SNL'-bound. Who should be next?By Margaret Lyons
Weird Al included.By Jennifer Vineyard
They are drunk, and it's great.By Amanda Dobbins
It's a clever bait and switch, actually.By Kyle Buchanan
There are feet, which is apparently an issue.By Amanda Dobbins
And Jesse McCartney appeals to the teen set.By Julie Gerstein
Not at all stalker-y.By Amanda Dobbins
Miss Piggy speaks for all of us.By Amanda Dobbins
Let us know who you think needs to have a serious talk with their stylist tomorrow.By Alex Rees
"It is a romantic comedy. Our goal is 'Annie Hall' or 'When Harry Met Sally.'"By Amos Barshad


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California Theatre Center (CTC) is a professional, not-for-profit theatre company that brings theatre training to life in its renowned Education Program for youth!
CTC's educational goal is to offer a positive atmosphere in which young people can gain an appreciation and love of the arts. CTC's Education Programs are process-oriented and allow students to learn that theatre is a collaborative, team-building experience. Students are guided by professional CTC teaching artists to focus their creative energy on a multitude of theatrical exercises and topics. In all of our Education Programs, students will learn and develop skills for expression, thereby building self-confidence and self-esteem.
|•Core Conservatory
|•Junior Conservatory
|•Professional Productions
|•PostShow PlayShop
|•Advanced & Intermediate
|•Saturday Conservatory
|•Saturday Morning FunShops
|•Stage Play
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I wanted to start a thread for those who have a "high needs" little one. If you're not sure, check out:
I thought it would be nice to have a thread where we can chat, comfort each other, exchange tips, etc. Please post and tell us about your LO. Here's my info:
My LO is 5 weeks old tomorrow. He is beautiful and generally good natured but INSISTS on being held pretty much all day long. Now that I've mastered my Moby wrap, life is a little better but I am pretty confined to the house because he screams with such little provocation. He does not "instantly go to sleep" in the car seat and going for walks usually only lasts for about 10 minutes as he is screaming. I have made it as long as about 25 minutes, but it's awfully hard to get in shape via walking when you can't walk because your LO screams when in the stroller, right?
Took him to the grocery about a week ago with my mother and had to leave mid-way through, abandoning my cart, because he was screaming bloody muder. As soon as we got to the car he was fine.
I have only been out of the house by myself once with him and he was pretty good but it was like handling a live grenade, I had to race through the couple of errands I was getting done and the whole time I was paranoid he would wake up and start screaming.
I cut out dairy after he was 2 weeks old which helped a lot with the gas pains he was having. He is not in discomfort, he just wants to be held. I am getting really tired of dealing with the comments from people about how I am "spoiling" him and "how long are you going to keep this up?" A high needs baby cannot just be put down and left to CIO, especially at 5 weeks old and parents of "normal" children just don't get it.
Anyone else exhausted from dealing with their high needs LO?