2. Digital car Digital Car Design is the online resource for automotive designers, engineers and modelers, covering both technical and visual software. Take a look round the site to find information and tutorials on key programs like Autodesk AliasStudio, Rhino, AutoCAD, CATIA and more. Information on the latest versions of these programs can also be found in the software section whilst the directory provides a wide range of resources to assist in the day-to-day needs of the digital car designer.
3. Digital car What exactly makes a digital car digital? Intelligence. New features have transformed the car from a mere vessel that transports you from point A to point B -- now, cars get you there more easily, safely and even keep you entertained along the way. Cars have come to resemble computers on wheels. Cadillac even offers 40 gigabyte hard drives on its 2008 CTS model [source: Detroit New
4. Digital car Digital Car Features Driving can be a lot simpler if you know where you're going. Like K.I.T.T., digital cars have navigation systems -- and these onboard guides are about to get even more sophisticated. Next-generation onboard navigational systems will have 3-D overviews of your route and destination. Soon, you'll be able to get real-time traffic reports from other drivers; ultimately, navigation systems may become a wireless network of cars sending information to one another . As this information database is expanded and updated in real time, your navigation system will even be able to guide you to the gas station with the cheapest fuel. These cars aren't just guiding drivers over long stretches of road. Another high-tech feature, auto valet, uses satellite images to guide you into parking spaces -- even tight parallel spots. Once you enable the electric power steering, just sit back: The car uses sensors to detect objects around it and powers the car to pull smoothly into your chosen space. No hands, literally
5. Digital car BMW created the first a car with an iPod dock, and other manufacturers followed suit. Volvo displays its iPod connection at the 2005 New York City Auto Show.
6. Digital car The digital car is for everybody. Whether you’re a serious gamer, a PC enthusiast or a business traveller, it offers almost unlimited possibilities. For example, in your digital car you can… Transfer music from your home PC to your car Stay connected with rich media emails Download and edit your photos Access your office network while on the move Surf the internet, download files and print pages Play games online Entertain yourself with DVDs and live TV Backup files on your home PC or server
7. Features of smart car ZAP 1. DigitalVitals Performance Handling Spacious Interior for Two Exchangeable Body Panels SMART-Safe Construction Automatic Transmission
8. Digital car Of course, the digital car isn't just about navigation and a parallel parking help. While BMW was the first auto manufacturer to offer an integrated iPod connection in its cars in 2004, 40 percent of today's cars have docks . And it's more than just tunes entertaining drivers -- and passengers. DVD players are common in minivans and SUVs, and some have inputs for video game consoles. But what about surfing the Web from anywhere? That's on the way. Digital cars just over the horizon will feature mobile wireless internet service providers (ISPs) that can keep up at highway speeds, rather than just allowing you connect in hot spots. Automakers may soon add the ISPs to their onboard hard drives. With a mobile ISP, passengers could play World of Warcraft online with remote friends during the drive to Disney World.
9. Digital car The addition of integrated entertainment gadgets in passenger cars has raised some concerns about road safety. After all, if you can access your e-mail while watching a DVD and answering a call on your cell phone, all the while cruising along at 70 mph, how much effort are you putting toward actually driving? According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 80 percent of car crashes are caused by distracted drivers [source: New York Times]. Automakers' challenge is to figure out how to design features in digital cars that allow drivers to use these specialized features with minimal distraction.
10. Digital car Microsoft has proposed the Sync, a multimedia hub designed for cars. The Sync uses wireless technology for drivers to connect to two of the biggest distractions -- mobile mp3 devices and cell phones -- with simple voice commands [source: Ford]. And Ford offers a pickup truck that comes equipped with an in-dash monitor, full-size keyboard and Internet access. But there's a safety precaution: The computer only works when the truck's transmission is in park
11. Digital car Digital Car Safety So what makes an intelligent car intelligent? There's the Smart Car, but that name refers to the buyer's decision to choose a fuel-efficient, low-emissions car rather than any digital aspect. To create a truly intelligent car, auto engineers have focused on ways to manufacture automobiles that use computer-based solutions as answers to problems that have been around since cars were invented -- like danger and boredom. The high-tech gadgetry in today's most digitized cars centers around two main categories: safety and entertainment.
12. Digital car In 2006 in Japan, Toyota demonstrated some of its precrash features, including head rests that adjust to prevent whiplash.
13. Digital car Knowing what you're about to collide with before you even see it is definitely digital. The use of infrared night vision technology was first introduced in cars onboard the 2000 Cadillac DeVille. The night vision looked beyond the headlights, displaying images on a dashboard screen for the driver. The equipment extended reaction time for night driving at 60 miles per hour from 3.5 seconds to a full 15 seconds
14. Digital car With digital cars, the goal is to not only protect a car's occupants in an accident -- like seatbelts and airbags do -- but also to prevent collisions altogether. Some luxury cars use wireless, infrared, and camera technology that keeps an eye on the cars around you while you drive. Called precollision systems, these outfits detect rapidly approaching objects ahead, such as deer or stopped cars, via cameras, lasers or infrared sensors. Warning lights and alarms alert you to an impending collision. The car's onboard computer adjusts the brakes to provide intense stopping power with just a little pressure applied by your foot. Seatbelts may automatically tighten, headrests move forward to protect against whiplash and seats adjust to an upright position. In the highest-end precollision systems -- like the one in the Lexus LS -- cameras look for traffic up ahead, and another camera mounted in the steering wheel analyzes your face for attentiveness to oncoming obstacles. If the integrated computer determines that a collision may occur before you have a chance to respond, the car can actually brake for you
15. Digital car The digital car is an entertaining, exciting, inspirational, even visionary concept. It removes the barriers that restrict your digital world to the home or office, while making your journey more productive. It is the future of travel, but how far into the future? The digital car is already taking shape and Intel with help from BMW and EEPD, is leading the way.
16. Digital car The digital car is an entertaining, exciting, inspirational, even visionary concept. It removes the barriers that restrict your digital world to the home or office, while making your journey more productive. It is the future of travel, but how far into the future? The digital car is already taking shape and Intel with help from BMW and EEPD, is leading the way.
17. Digital car Next-generation infrared sensors in current Lexus models detect heat hundreds of feet ahead of the car-- be it a person, deer or another car -- and digi tally display the images on the windshield . The Future is Digital It’s easy to appreciate how this technology can enhance your lifestyle whether for business, pleasure or both. Soon, you won’t need to leave the benefits of Wi-Fi at home or the office. You can experience your digital world on the road.
