You Probably Drive Worse Than Google’s Self-Driving Cars

Google’s self-driving cars have been involved in a few accidents since the company has started testing them on public roads. But according to Google, not one of those accidents was actually caused by the driverless car. Instead, they were all caused by the biggest hazard on the road: the errors that human drivers make when they’re distracted, impatient, inattentive, or just make poor judgments on distance and speed. And it’s precisely our aptitude for human error that will make the road to better safety — even with the help of driverless cars — a long and difficult one to navigate.

Chris Urmson, director of Google’s self-driving car program, writes on Backchannel that because about 33,000 people die on America’s roads every year, much of the enthusiasm for driverless carshas focused in on their potential to reduce accident rates. And consequently, Google is “thinking a lot about how to measure our progress and our impact on road safety” and finding that it’s not so easy to quantify the safety performance of its self-driving cars.

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In order for Google to figure out how its cars are performing, Urmson writes, it needs to establish a baseline of typical “accident activity” on suburban streets. That baseline is difficult to understand because many incidents never make it into official statistics. The most common accidents involve light damage and no injuries, and while they often aren’t reported to the police, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that they account for 55% of all crashes.

That makes it difficult for Google to determine “how often we can expect to get hit by other drivers.” Urmson writes that with its fleet of more than 20 self-driving cars, which have logged 1.7 million miles, Google has learned that “Even when our software and sensors can detect a sticky situation and take action earlier and faster than an alert human driver, sometimes we won’t be able to overcome the realities of speed and distance; sometimes we’ll get hit just waiting for a light to change.”

Urmson writes that if you spend enough time on the road, accidents will happen whether you’re in a regular car or a self-driving car. Over the six years since Google began its driverless car project, it’s been involved in 11 minor accidents, and Urmson writes that “not once was the self-driving car the cause of the accident.” Rear-end crashes — the most frequent accident type in America — accounted for seven of Google’s accidents, and its cars have also been side-swiped and hit by a car rolling through a stop sign.

Urmson cites NHTSA statistics that driver error causes 94% of crashes, and writes that Google has identified patterns of driver behavior that it considers “leading indicators of significant collisions,” even though these behaviors don’t show up in official statistics. Distracted driving, lane drifting, running red lights, making impatient or distracted or just plain “crazy” turns are a few of the behaviors that Google observed. And while a driverless car — with its 360-degree visibility, full attention, and array of sensors — can plan for and detect these behaviors, it can’t unilaterally eliminate the safety hazards posed by other drivers’ behavior.

Re/Code’s Mark Bergen reports that Urmson’s Backchannel post is part of Google’s defense against an Associated Press report that three of its driverless cars have been involved in accidents since September, when California first allowed self-driving cars on public roads. The report suggests that Google’s driverless cars were involved in property damage incidents at rates higher than the national average.

“The national rate for reported ‘property-damage-only crashes’ is about 0.3 per 100,000 miles driven, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,” AP’s Justin Pritchard writes. “Google’s 11 accidents over 1.7 million miles would work out to 0.6 per 100,000, but as company officials noted, as many as 5 million minor accidents are not reported to authorities each year — so it is hard to gauge how typical this is.”

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Urmson’s post highlights Google’s belief that comparing its accident figures with existing statistics provides an inaccurate picture of how well the driverless cars’ extensive safety features are performing. “Many minor accidents — the dings and fender benders — go unreported when only human-driven cars are involved,” Bergen explains. “Google wants them reported, in part, to prove the need for its autonomous systems. It may be a tricky balancing act for Google to weigh transparency with its self-driving project versus a public image of risky robotics.”

Pritchard notes that a major selling point of driverless cars being developed by Google and others is their safety. “Their cameras, radar and laser sensors provide a far more detailed understanding of their surroundings than humans have. Reaction times should be faster. Cars could be programmed to adjust if they sense a crash coming — move a few feet, tighten seat belts, honk the horn or flash lights at a distracted driver.”

But the top priority at this point in the development of self-driving cars is not to avoid the minor accidents caused by other drivers’ errors or inattention — factors that would be impossible to eliminate unless driverless cars were the only ones on the road — but to avoid causing a serious accident that would severely impact consumers’ estimation of the technology for years to come. Consumers still need to be convinced that self-driving cars will actually keep them safer, and transparency about how the technology is performing along the way is key.

A rare behind-the-scenes look as Mercedes builds its most beautiful sportscar ever

amg-gt

Guy Kawasaki is a name most people in the tech industry are familiar with, thanks largely to his roles with Apple and his subsequent investments in Pandora and other companies with the venture capital firm he co-founded, Garage Technology Ventures. What you might not know is that Kawasaki is also a big car fanatic, and he often gets access to things most car fans will never enjoy.

Case in point: Kawasaki recently toured Mercedes’ AMG facility where the stunning AMG GT and GT S are built.

DON’T MISS: Audi goes to wild lengths to complete its new luxury SUV

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The Mercedes-AMG GT is arguably the most beautiful sportscar Mercedes has ever created, but you’ve likely never seen it quite like this. Kawasaki recently toured the factory where the beastly coupe is assembled, and he snapped plenty of pictures along the way.

If you’re unfamiliar with the AMG GT, you’re looking at a 4.0 L twin-turbocharged monster with 460 hp and 440 lb ft of torque that does 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds. If that’s not impressive enough for you, the GT S model features the same engine but even more impressive tuning that yields 503 hp, 480 lb ft of torque and a 0-60 time of 3.7 seconds.

Interestingly, the GT S starts at $129,900, which is pretty reasonable considering the base prices of other cars in its class.

A few photos from Kawasaki’s factory tour follow below and the rest can be seen on his blog, which is linked down in our source section.

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Audi goes to wild lengths to complete its new luxury SUV

https://www.youtube.com/embed/ddHs7gmi14Q?feature=player_embedded

Audi invited Fortune on the final engineering approval drive in Namibia, Africa, of its new flagship SUV, the Q7—a tech-laden, family-moving tour de force.

When an automaker like Audi puts out a new vehicle, it requires millions of test hours, miles, and dollars. In the case of the all-new Q7 luxury SUV, Audi’s engineers went ever farther—specifically to Namibia, on the southwest coast of Africa and home to the oldest desert on the planet—to put the final dusty, washboard, pre-production test miles on the vehicle. The company invited Fortuneto come play in the sand—one of only two U.S. media outlets hosted.

Audi’s top six engineers were all present for this last approval drive because of the broader corporate significance of the Q7’s MLB Evo platform. The same platform will be used in numerous other important next-gen VW Group vehicles including the Volkswagen Touareg, Porsche Cayenne, Audi A8 flagship and Bentley Bentayga SUV.

From the outside, the Q7’s looks lost all baby fat; the new version is taut and muscular, giving the Q7 a more aggressive, sleeker look. Under that chiseled façade are complex technological solutions that bring many firsts to the large luxury SUV category. At 4,398 lbs, the Q7 is the lightest in its class and is more fuel efficient than its competitors from Mercedes and BMW—and 28% more efficient than the current Q7. Rear-wheel steering tightens the Q7’s turning radius by more than three feet at low speeds. At high speeds, the rear wheels steer with the front to increase stability—above and beyond what the lightened Quattro system already provides.

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Audi has brought myriad active safety systems into the SUV, ever furthering the company’s continued leadership in the autonomous space. Systems include collision avoidance assist, cross-traffic assist, trailer assist (helps you line up to hitch up), traffic-jam assist, night vision and a predictive efficiency assistant. A windshield-mounted camera, paired with two front radar units, allows the Q7 to maintain cruise-control speeds of up to 155 mph (a feature we sadly didn’t get to test in Africa).

Another highlight of the Q7 is the Virtual Cockpit double display system that is readable in any light conditions, refreshes at 60 frames a second and offers an HD instrument panel experience that is highly flexible and customizable. One of the downsides of the Q7 is, in fact, its vast array of competencies—which, I will guess, some owners won’t ever fully appreciate or master.

On our second day of Namibian driving, along with the occasional kudu sighting, Audi’s team let air out of our tires, down to 13 psi, and we drove over and through sand dunes. Throughout it all, the Q7’s ride was comfortable, stable and capable of smoothing out even what looked like rough terrain.

The Q7 isn’t for everyone; if you want a blinged-out mile-high ride, look elsewhere. But if you appreciate cutting-edge engineering and radically refined systems, this could be your ride.

How Rolls-Royce Trains Chauffeurs To Talk, Drive and Smell

Open the rear-hinged “coach door” of the Rolls-Royce Phantom, and you’ll encounter the handle of a full-size umbrella in the edge of the door. You might assume that umbrella is just for foul weather, but as part of Rolls-Royce’s White Glove chauffeur training program, a service now available to customers of the famed marque, you learn what those umbrellas are really for: Paparazzi protection.

Imagine being a chauffeur tasked with extracting or installing a high-profile client. Who happens to be female. In a short skirt. We’ve all seen exeunts gone wrong—hello, Britney—some of which we can’t un-see.

This is but one of many sensitivities we acquired during our day wearing the proverbial (if not actual) White Gloves. Hosted at the decadent, five-star Wynn resort in Las Vegas, Rolls-Royce told us everything from how to dress to how to drive, from how to depart to how to arrive. And even for reasonably good drivers such as ourselves, proper chauffeuring is a lot more involved than simply opening doors and asking, “Where to, madam?”

Our vehicular Professor Higgins was Jamie Clouston, a professional driver and specialist in vehicle dynamics and vehicle risk management. Situational awareness and control is this man’s specialty, but as we found out soon enough, Clouston also had plenty to say about etiquette, grooming, and more. All of which are in the White Glove chauffeur’s job description.

White Glove is not a structured program per se, and there’s no accreditation process, said Clouston. “We don’t have a full curriculum, because whenever these guys go out and do a full training, it’s always specifically tailored to the needs of whoever that owner is. It really is a bespoke option for very particular customers.”

Regardless of the entering skill level of the chauffeurs-to-be, the stated goal is the same: “Ultimately it is your responsibility to make sure that your passengers want for nothing and their journey with you should be effortless and seem to them that they were transported through time on a magic carpet,” says Rolls-Royce. 

To Rolls, a chauffeur’s duties begin long before clients ever see the car. The vehicle is spotless each morning, said Clouston, with no item out of place: seatbelts are pressed against the seats; cupholders are concealed; the two-inch-thick sheepskin rugs are debris-free and brushed. Front seats and headrests are identically set for rake and height. Each organ-style vent pull common is at its middle setting, and the sound system is playing a classical station at low volume. And of course, not a spec of dust is visible on any of the vast swathes of chrome, leather, and wood.

Likewise, you are impeccably dressed. “Always look smart,” says Rolls-Royce. Business attire is the standard: a dark suit and a plain dark tie—full Windsor knot, thank you—with a pocket kerchief if possible. Your jacket remains buttoned unless driving, and should be worn at all times except when expressly permitted by passengers. Metal accessories are discouraged, as they could scratch the car when cleaning between trips, but polished dress shoes are a must, preferably with leather soles. The driver may wear sunglasses, though only when driving. And never are they to be placed on the top of the head.

Whatever it takes, the White Glove chauffeur arrives to the pickup location with plenty of time to spare. “If you are on time, you are late,” Rolls-Royce says. When clients appear, you introduce yourself with a handshake to all in the party, including the children, and address each as “sir” or “madam.” Your attitude: upbeat and positive, but not subservient. Relieve the clients of any burdensome luggage, but note that while pulling wheeled suitcases along sidewalks is permissible, never may they be dragged across the street, lest it collect oil or grease. Once next to the car, it is customary to secure the luggage in the “boot” before granting clients access to the vehicle. Indeed, considering the monetary value of the items inside those suitcases, one must ensure that nothing “goes walkabout” while passengers are climbing inside.

After luggage is stowed, you may install the passengers. First, when opening the “coach doors,” do not grip the handle but rather slip your hand behind it and give a slight tug, preventing fingerprints from accumulating on the chrome. With the Phantom’s rear seat being set rather far back, clients often step inside before sitting down — hence the aforementioned need for occasional umbrella protection — and the “principal” client is generally seated diagonally across from the driver, with the secondary client behind the driver. Stand by and hold the door in case there is a strong gust of wind, and keep your eye on traffic should you be on the traffic side of the street. With all aboard, close the door gently until you hear a slight click, at which point the power door closer silently seals the cabin. Oh yeah, and when walking around the car, always walk around the back: according to Rolls-Royce doctrine, walking in front of the “Spirit of Ecstasy” hood ornament is a cardinal sin.

Offer to familiarize guests with the sundry infotainment features, most of which can be controlled via available integrated iPads in the tray tables. Even so, the chauffeur should offer to adjust climate and audio settings to their liking and connect their personal device through the Bluetooth audio system. 

Finally—and importantly—before pulling away, make eye contact via the rearview mirror, first with the principal, then with the secondary. Then, then tilt the mirror up and do not look back again. Privacy is paramount, even in the absence of a cabin divider.

Any good chauffeur should know exactly where they’re going and how they plan to get there before greeting the client, but if for some reason the navigation system is required, directions should be viewed via the head-up display and not the dashboard display. Chauffeurs should also know the vital statistics of the car itself—its engine size, power, torque and performance figures. A cheat sheet is acceptable, though only at first.

When time comes to drive, grace trumps pace. When accelerating, never hammer the throttle. “Instead of ‘Ooh we’re accelerating,’ it should feel like, ‘Ooh, slightly more caressing from the sumptuous leather,’” said Clouston. Once up to speed, you never exceed the speed limit, which for driving enthusiasts like us is perhaps the toughest part of the job. “Unless you’re client is saying, ‘Let’s push on a little bit here,’ then never ever break a speed limit,” said Clouston. “That takes an awful lot of discipline—to never ever break a speed limit. Ever try to stick it at a 25-mph speed limit all the way through?” With Clouston aboard, we had to do exactly that, and found ourselves constantly fighting our innate impulse to dip into the Phantom’s boundless power reserves. Yet it beats the alternative of getting a ticket with a client aboard, and prematurely ending one’s driving career.

Handling this three-ton chariot is not difficult; still, there’s plenty to bear in mind. Never clutch the huge, thin-rimmed steering wheel, but rather keep a light grip at the nine-and-three position, or even eight-and-four. Always be on alert for possible hazards, including careless drivers, debris, and onramps. White Glove chauffeurs do not use the Rolls’ adaptive cruise control, as the system lacks the proper finesse. Basically, World War III could be starting around the car, but if the driver has enough situational awareness and reaction time, the rear-seater may never look up from his or her Snapchat.

And no chauffeur lessons would be complete without perfecting the “chauffeur stop,” a handy skill for anyone who’s ever tried to stop a car with sleeping babies or a whiny mother-in-law aboard. The two-step process is remarkably simple: simply press the pedal about ¾ of an inch and then just hold it steady as the car naturally and steadily slows. Then, just before coming to a complete stop, lift your foot very gradually, as if it’s mounted on a cam, for an utterly imperceptible cessation of movement. And if you’re stopping behind another vehicle you should see both “tires and tarmac” over the Phantom’s long hood.

Other dos and don’t for the White Glove chauffeur: never eat, smoke, or sleep in the car. Never text or email while driving. Do not receive or make phone calls except on the client’s behalf, and at that, only via personal earpiece versus the vehicle’s Bluetooth connection. Do not belch or—heaven forbid—pass gas. Only stop to use the restroom when the client asks to do the same. And always, always keep fresh breath. If any of this means that you must alter your diet or quit smoking to do this job, them’s the breaks.

The White Glove program is less than a year old, and is offered to businesses with Phantom fleets (such as the Wynn), dealer groups that want to properly present their cars, or patrons that might want their personal drivers trained at the highest level. Cost is “specified” but is “not an issue,” said Clouston.

“At the end of the day what it has to be is the smoothness of the ride for the rear seat passenger,” said Clouston. “It’s that magic carpet ride, regardless of what is going on. You could have had all sorts of incidents up ahead of you, but that rear-seat passenger shouldn’t know anything about that. Whether you’re braking, accelerating, maneuvering, they should still be able to sip their champagne. In comfort.”

Jeremy Clarkson Says Corvette Z06 is ‘Not A Serious Player’

Jeremy Clarkson loves the C7 Corvette Stingray. He’s called it a masterpiece, he named it Top Gear‘s 2014 Car of the Year, and he even went so far as to say that, if it didn’t have left-hand steering, he’d likely buy one. That’s about as high of praise as you can get from one of the most popular auto critics in the world. So when he “took” a Z06recently, it’s only natural that it would blow him away, right? Not so much.

Clarkson reviewed a Z06 with the Z07 Performance Package for the UK’s Sunday Times, and it was … ummm, not as flattering this time around. In short, he mentions that the car sounds like a jet, looks great, and has ridiculous straight speed. But it’s a bit squirrely for his liking.

PHOTOS: The 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Is a Brute American Achievement

“This car was built to look good in a brochure, Clarkson wrote. “The numbers and ingredients are tantalising, but this car is not a serious player in the European theatre of war. It may be able to out-accelerate just about everything, and on a skid pan the size of Texas, where there’s nothing to hit if you overstep the mark, it can generate some extraordinary lateral G. But it’s not nice to drive.

“So if you want a serious car, buy one from the continent that gave the world Shakespeare, Monet and Emerson Lake & Palmer. Europe does serious well. It does substance. It does brilliant. America does Disney. And what we have with the Z06 is Disney trying to do a hard-hitting documentary about Africa’s civil wars. Naturally, it hasn’t really worked.”

For those who don’t remember or aren’t aware, the brochure on the Z06 is indeed truly brutal. It has a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 that produces 650 horsepower and and 650 lb-ft of torque. It comes in either a rev-matching seven-speed manual or an eight-speed paddle-shift automatic, and puts power to the rear wheels with an electronic limited-slip differential. That setup pumps its driver from naught to 60 in just less than three seconds. Still, it didn’t live up to Clarkson’s expectations.

Ford CEO: You Will Always Be Able to Drive Our Cars

The Ford GT. I’ll drive this car any day. 

Mark Fields, the new CEO of Ford, paid a visit to the nerd journalist corps last week. He visited Ford’s Research and Innovation Center in Palo Alto, Calif. While his people were showing off the new Ford GT (quick review: holy wow) and weird plastic springs the company will be using soon to save weight in its cars, I got a chance to spend a few minutes with him one-on-one. 

From my perspective, one interesting threat to the status quo of car companies is autonomous vehicles. Self-driving technologies could rewrite the car business.  

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Fields, of course, says he sees new technology as an opportunity.

For people who want self-driving cars, Ford will eventually offer them. For those who like to drive, that’ll stay an option. “We will offer a full line of autonomy levels,” he told me. He emphasized that, at least in our lifetimes, Ford cars will always offer their owners the capability to drive. If they want it.

Ford CEO Mark Fields at the Ford Research and Innovation Center in Palo Alto, Calif. 

“We don’t see a disconnect,” he said. “We don’t see driving and autonomy as exclusive.” He said Ford will continue to work on making cars that are “both fun to drive and fun to ride,” and that “there will always be a spectrum of autonomy in our lifetime.” (To calibrate that statement: Fields is 54.)

However, during an earlier presentation at the Research Center that day, Ford execs discussed the challenges of building cars that are safe to drive in spite of the advancements in self-driving technology. The problem isn’t just that technology can distract drivers from operating their cars safely. There’s also the reverse problem: If cars are too autonomous and thus too boring to pay attention to while they are driving, the human “driver” might not be paying attention when he or she needs to take over.

For this reason, Google has proposed taking the driver out of the loop completely in its prototype self-driving pod cars. There’s a big red emergency stop button, but no steering wheel or pedals

. There’s no way the driver/passenger can make a bad decision and screw things up, and the car’s programmers don’t have to account for unpredictable humans trying to take control.

Fields also sees electric propulsion gathering steam, as it were. While he wouldn’t predict when (or if) electric cars will become mainstream, he did say that Ford will continue to offer more options. “Our approach is to offer choice,” he said.

The Uberization

Another fundamental threat to the future of the car business is the changing nature of car ownership. Fields sees this. “A certain population wants access more than ownership,” he said. And Ford, ultimately, is not a car company per se. “We’re a mobility company,” said Fields.

Ford is running 25 experiments around the globe, he said, working on things like “usership” instead of ownership, and using social collaboration tools to help people find cars to get them where they are going. “We are trying to solve big societal issues,” he said.

(One cool technology Ford is working on, that sounds like a Silicon Valley fantasy: The ability for cars to recognize open parking spaces they pass by, and then transmit this data to a service that tells other cars, whose drivers are looking for spots, where one is near them.)

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Too much tech?

My big fear, when it comes to automotive technology, especially from a company that’s newly trying to recast itself as a service company, is that its services will know a bit too much about their customers: Where they are, who they may be with, and what they are doing in their mobility devices.

Fields didn’t quite have an answer for this, but he did have a line at the ready. “We are committed to being trusted stewards of customer data,” he told me. “We have to ask the customer whether they want to opt it.”

He told me the customer has to see a benefit of sharing data. For example, a car that knows it needs an oil change could help its owner schedule the service.

But what about insurance companies who give you better rates when you opt in? Won’t they eventually make keeping your driving data private unaffordable? Or overeager courts, or police, who absorb data under arguably legal, but questionable pretense?

Just as it is for online companies and mobile phone companies, stewarding customer data is tricky. Especially when customers seem to be so eager to expose so much data in return for, usually, incremental value.

Call it usership or ownership or whatever you like, but technology is changing our relationship with nearly every facet of mobility. Ford may indeed remain a “Big 3” auto maker for the foreseeable future. But it’s also possible that technology will drive new companies to prominence, just as it has for nearly every other industry on the planet.

Latest self-driving Google car heading to public streets

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (AP) — The latest version of Google’s self-driving car — a pod-like two-seater that needs no gas pedal or steering wheel — will make its debut on public roads this summer, a significant step in the technology giant’s mission to have driverless cars available to consumers in the next five years.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); This prototype is the first vehicle built from scratch for the purpose of self-driving, Google says. It looks like a Smart car with a shiny black bowler hat to hide its sensors, and it can drive, brake and recognize road hazards without human intervention. It has more capabilities than the prototype Google introduced last May, which was so rudimentary it had fake headlights.

In this May 13, 2015 photo, a reporter walks toward Google’s new self-driving prototype car during a demonstration at the Google campus in Mountain View, Calif. The car, which needs no gas pedal or steering wheel, will make its debut on public roads this summer. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

The new pod isn’t designed for a long trip, or a joyride. It lacks air bags and other federally required safety features, so it can’t go more than 25 miles per hour. It’s electric, and has to be recharged after 80 miles. And the pod can only drive in areas that have been thoroughly mapped by Google.

At first, it will likely even have a steering wheel and gas pedal — current California regulations require them. Those regulations also require a driver to be able to take back control of the car at any time. But Google is lobbying for more flexible regulations.

In this May 13, 2015 photo, a reporter walks toward Google’s new self-driving prototype car during a demonstration at the Google campus in Mountain View, Calif. The car, which needs no gas pedal or steering wheel, will make its debut on public roads this summer. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

Google will initially build and test 25 pods, mostly in neighborhoods surrounding its Mountain View headquarters. It will eventually build between 50 and 100, and will broaden testing to sites that are hillier and rainier.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The ultimate goal, says Google co-founder Sergey Brin, is computer-controlled cars that can eliminate human error, which is a factor in an estimated 90 percent of the 1.2 million road deaths that occur worldwide each year. Self-driving cars could also improve traffic congestion and transport the elderly and disabled.

This May 13, 2015 photo shows the front of Google’s new self-driving prototype car during a demonstration at Google campus in Mountain View, Calif. The car, which needs no gas pedal or steering wheel, will make its debut on public roads this summer. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

Google shocked the auto industry in 2010 with its announcement that it was working on a driverless car. Brin insists Google doesn’t aspire to be a car company, but wants its technology to be adopted by automakers.

“We want to partner to bring self-driving to all the vehicles in the world,” Brin told a group of journalists and community members gathered earlier this week to take rides in the prototype.

In this May 13, 2015 photo, Google co-founder Sergey Brin, right, speaks to reporters and guests about the new Google self-driving prototype car during a demonstration at the Google campus in Mountain View, Calif. The car, which needs no gas pedal or steering wheel, will make its debut on public roads this summer. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

For now the traditional automakers are pursuing their own self-driving technology, but with less ambitious timeline of 10 to 15 years for a truly driverless car.

Chris Urmson, who directs Google’s self-driving car project, says the slow-moving, friendly looking prototype — his young son thinks it looks like a koala because of the nose-like black laser on the front — is a good bridge between the company’s current test fleet of 20 specially outfitted Lexus SUVs and the more advanced, higher-speed driverless cars of its future, which might not even look like anything on the road today.

In this May 13, 2015 photo, Jessie Lorenz, of San Francisco, touches the new Google self-driving prototype car during a demonstration at the Google campus in Mountain View, Calif. The car, which needs no gas pedal or steering wheel, will make its debut on public roads this summer. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); “This vehicle is really all about us learning. This vehicle could go on a freeway, but when we think about introducing the technology, we want to do that very thoughtfully and very safely,” Urmson says.

Convincing drivers that driverless technology is safe is one of the hurdles the company must overcome. Earlier this week, in response to questions from The Associated Press, Google acknowledged 11 minor accidents in the six years it has been testing autonomous cars. Urmson says the company is proud of that record, and notes that Google’s vehicles have completed more than 1.7 million miles of testing. He says all but one of the accidents were caused by drivers in other cars; in the only incident caused by a Google car, a staffer was driving in manual mode.

In this May 13, 2015 photo, Google co-founder Sergey Brin, speaks to reporters and guests about the new Google self-driving prototype car during a demonstration at the Google campus in Mountain View, Calif. The car, which needs no gas pedal or steering wheel, will make its debut on public roads this summer. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Consumers question whether they can trust self-driving cars to work all the time, who will be liable if there’s an accident and how self-driving cars will interact with regular cars, says the consulting firm J.D. Power and Associates. In a 2013 survey of U.S. drivers, J.D. Power found only one in five was interested in a fully autonomous car.

Urmson says Google needs to do a better job of educating people about self-driving technology and updating them on Google’s progress. It’s building a Web site to teach people about the technology, and the site will feature a monthly report that will include details of any accidents involving Google cars. The site will also have a section where people can send feedback when they interact with the cars.

In this May 13, 2015 photo, Google’s new self-driving prototype car is presented during a demonstration at the Google campus in Mountain View, Calif. The car, which needs no gas pedal or steering wheel, will make its debut on public roads this summer. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

The prototype cars — assembled in suburban Detroit by Roush Industries — have the same array of radars, lasers and cameras as Google’s fleet of Lexus SUVs, which allows them to share data. If one car’s camera spots orange cones and construction signs, for example, it will alert all the others to slow down in that area or reroute around a lane closure.

Dmitri Dolgov, the head of software for the self-driving car project, says Google’s software has gotten much better over the last year at classifying objects, like trees and mailboxes, and predicting behavior of pedestrians and other cars. For example, Google’s cars will slow down if they sense that a car in the next lane is speeding up to cut in front of them. And in one recent test, a Google car paused when a cyclist ran a red light. Another car, driven by a human, went ahead and nearly hit the cyclist.

The system isn’t perfect. On a test drive, one of Google’s Lexus SUVs seemed momentarily confused when a mail truck partially blocked its path. Later, during a demonstration drive in Google’s parking lot, the prototype — without a wheel or pedal — braked when it spotted a row of folding chairs. It had to figure out that the chairs wouldn’t move before it proceeded.

Dolgov says it’s impossible to predict everything its test cars might see, so they’re programmed to act in the most conservative way when they confront something unusual, like the time a Google SUV stopped and waited while a woman in a wheelchair chased a duck with a broom.

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Google isn’t alone in developing self-driving cars. Mercedes-Benz, Infiniti and other brands already have advanced driver assistance systems, like lane keeping and adaptive cruise control, that can pilot the car on the highway with minimal input from the driver. Unlike Google, automakers think self-driving cars will arrive feature-by-feature instead of all at once, giving people plenty of time to adapt to autonomous driving.

But Urmson says that approach is “fundamentally wrong.”

“We believe that’s like saying, ‘If I work really hard at jumping, one day I’ll just be able to fly,'” he said.

Egil Juliussen, the principal analyst of infotainment and advanced driver assist systems for the consulting firm IHS Automotive, says Google’s “moon shot” strategy is difficult and riskier than just adding features to existing cars. But he thinks it could ultimately be successful. Google could make self-driving urban pods for universities or urban centers, for example, or sell its technology to automakers.

Brin says the company is still refining its plans for self-driving cars, but he’s excited about their potential.

“Our goal is to create something safer than human drivers,” he said.

Tesla is finally making a car you can afford – here’s when it will be released

tesla model s silver grey

During Tesla’s earnings conference call on Wednesday, Elon Muskfinally disclosed when Tesla plans to begin production of the highly anticipated Tesla Model 3, and what it will look like. What’s more, Musk at long last gave us a launch window (read: year) that, we can only hope, won’t be subject to change in the months ahead.

According to Musk, Tesla will take wraps off the Model 3 sometime in March of 2016. Given how sleek the Model S and the upcoming Model X are, there’s going to be a lot of pressure to deliver a stunning design with the Model 3 which, it’s worth noting, will be about 20% smaller than the sizeable Model S.

As for a launch window, Musk said that Tesla will be releasing the car in 2017. He did qualify that statement, however, in saying that a launch window in late 2017 is more likely. Now keep in mind, Tesla has a pesky history of delivering its cars a bit late, so hopefully the Model 3 launch won’t be pushed back into early to mid 2018.

For those unfamiliar with the Model 3, the car represents the linchpin in Musk’s grand plan to bring affordable electric cars to the mainstream. Sure, the Tesla Model S is incredible, but cheap is not a word you’d ever use to describe it. Same thing goes for the upcoming Model X, the Tesla crossover vehicle slated for release later this year, albeit in limited quantities.

Lastly, Tesla will be aiming to price the Model 3 at around $35,000.

Lamborgini Aventador

Founded in 1963, Automobili Lamborghini is headquartered in Sant’Agata Bolognese, in Northeastern Italy. There it manufactures some of the world’s most sought-after super sports cars. With the presentation of the Huracán LP 610-4, Lamborghini offers a new dimension in luxury super sports cars.

With 122 dealerships worldwide, Automobili Lamborghini is building on a succession of dynamic and elegant super sports cars including the 350GT, Miura, Espada, Countach, Diablo, Murciélago, Reventón Coupe, Reventón Roadster, Aventador and Gallardo.

Lamborghini Aventador

Lamborghini Aventador
Overview
Manufacturer	Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A
Production	February 2011–present
Assembly	Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy
Designer	Filippo Perini
Body and chassis
Class	Sports car
Body style	2-door coupé 2-door roadster
Layout	Mid-engine, all wheel drive
Powertrain
Engine	6.5 L L539 V12
Transmission	7-speed ISR Semi-automatic transmission
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,700 mm (106.30 in)
Length	4,780 mm (188.19 in)
Width	2,030 mm (79.92 in) (w/mirrors: 2,265 mm (89.17 in))[1]
Height	1,136 mm (44.72 in)
Curb weight	1,575 kg (3,472 lb) (dry)
Chronology
Predecessor	Lamborghini Murciélago

The Lamborghini Aventador is a mid-engined sports car produced by the Italian manufacturer Automobili Lamborghini.

Launched on 28 February 2011 at the Geneva Motor Show, five months after its initial unveiling in Sant’Agata Bolognese, the vehicle, internally codenamed LB834, was designed to replace the ten-year-old Murciélago as the new flagship model.

Soon after the Aventador unveiling, Lamborghini announced that it had already sold over 12 of the production vehicles, with deliveries starting in the second half of 2011.

Background

The Aventador was designed by Italian designer Filippo Perini. Similar to the earlier limited-editionLamborghini Reventon, its heavy use of sharp creases and planar surfaces are indicative of Lamborghini’s contemporary styling direction which were directly inspired by the aircraft of the United States Military’s Stealth Fighter Program, namely the F-117A Nighthawk and the F-22 Raptor.

In keeping with Lamborghini tradition, the Aventador is also named after a fighting bull. Aventador was a bull that fought particularly valiantly in the bull ring of Saragossa, Spain in 1993.

Aventador LP 700-4

Production will be limited to 4,000 units (4,099 Murciélagos were built). The molds used to make the carbon-fibre monocoque are expected to last 500 units each and only 8 have been made. The base price of the Aventador is $393,695.

The car’s shape also borrows heavily from Lamborghini’s limited-edition Reventón and their Estoque concept car.

The vehicle was unveiled at Lummus Park, Miami, followed by Miami International Airport, followed by Auto China 2014 (with Nazionale configuration via Lamborghini Ad Personam personalization program).

Specifications

Lamborghini Aventador 6.5 litre 60°V12 engine

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Lamborghini Aventador start-up and acceleration

Engine

The Aventador LP 700–4 uses Lamborghini’s new 700 PS (510 kW; 690 bhp) 6.5 litre 60° V12 engine weighing 235 kg. Known internally as the L539, the new engine is Lamborghini’s fourth in-house engine and second V12. It is the first all-new V12 since the 3.5 litre powerplant found in the 350GT.

Displacement	6,498 cc (396.5 cu in)
Max. power	700 PS (510 kW; 690 bhp) @ 8,250 rpm
Power to weight	432 PS (318 kW; 426 bhp) per tonne
Max. torque	689 N·m (508 lb·ft) @ 5,500 rpm
CO2 emissions	398 g/km
Combined fuel consumption	17.2 L/100 km (16.4 mpg-imp; 13.7 mpg-US)

Performance

• 0–97 km/h (0–60 mph): 2.9 s
• 400 m (¹⁄₄ mi): 10.6 s @ 220 km/h (137 mph)
• Top speed: Official: 350 km/h (217 mph), measured by Sport Auto magazine: 370 km/h (230 mph)
• 97–0 km/h (60–0 mph): 30 m (100 ft)

Its transmission, a single-clutch seven-speed semi-automatic, is built by
 Graziano Trasmissioni. Despite being single-clutch, gear-shifts are accomplished in 50 milliseconds.

The new, electronically controlled, all-wheel drive system is developed and supplied by the Swedish company Haldex Traction, offering traction and handling capabilities based on their 4th generation technology.

Aventador LP 700-4 Roadster

The 2013 Aventador LP 700-4 Roadster was announced for production on 27 December 2012, equipped with the same V12 engine as the coupé version, Lamborghini claims again that it can reach 100 km/h (62 mph) in 2.9 seconds and a top speed equaling that of the coupe, at 349 km/h (217 mph).

The removable roof consists of two carbon fiber panels, weighing 6 kg (13 lb) each, which required the reinforcement of the rear pillar to compensate for the loss of structural integrity as well as to accommodate the rollover protection and ventilations systems for the engine. The panels are of easy removal and are stored in the front luggage compartment. The Aventador Roadster has a unique engine cover design and an attachable wind deflector to improve cabin airflow at high speed as well as a gloss black finish in the A-pillars, windshield header, roof panels, and rear window area. The car has a US$441,600 base price. With a total weight of 1,625 kg (3,583 lb) it’s only 50 kg (110 lb) heavier than the coupé (the weight of the roof, plus additional stiffening in the sills and A-pillars).

Special editions

Aventador J

Lamborghini Aventador J

Six months after unveiling the Aventador, plans for a roadster version were leaked by the U.S. EPA after it included the model on a data sheet on its website. Lamborghini officially unveiled the Aventador J to the world at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. The roofless and windowless concept car uses the same V12 engine as the standard Aventador, producing 700 hp through a lightweight seven-speed automated transmission. The car does not have air conditioning or radio to save further weight for a total of 3,472 pounds (1,575 kg). The car presented at the Geneva show was the only unit to be produced, and was sold forUS$2.8 million. Another Limited Edition model was made for Shaikh Al Yahyaa and was sold at an unknown price. The car was specially made for a close relation.

The J designation was thought to have come from Appendix J in the FIA rulebook that describes the technical specifications of race cars. However, during an interview with designer Filippo Perini, it was revealed that the ‘J’ actually stands for Jota, in reference to a 1970s one off Lamborghini Miura Jota, which also conformed to the FIA’s Appendix J regulations.

Dreamliner Edition (2012)

It is a version of Aventador LP 700-4 coupé with blue and white body colour scheme from Boeing 787 Dreamliner, pitch-black wheels.

The vehicle was unveiled in 2012 Aerospace & Defense Supplier Summit.

Aventador LP 720-4 50° Anniversario (2013)

The Aventador LP 720-4 50° Anniversario is a limited (200 units – 100 Coupe and 100 Roadster) version of the Aventador LP 700-4 commemorating the 50th anniversary of Automobili Lamborghini. It included increased engine power to 720 PS (530 kW; 710 bhp) via a new specific engine calibration, enlarged and extended front air intakes and the aerodynamic splitter, small flaps set into the sides, new rear end featuring an enlarged diffuser and expansive meshwork that further improves engine-compartment ventilation, model-exclusive Giallo Maggio (Italian for “May yellow”) body colour featuring sparkling yellow paintwork with a layer of transparent and highly reflective particles; front and rear and sills in two-tone (Giallo Maggio and matte black) design, semi-aniline leather interior upholstery in Nero Ade (black) with Terra Emilia (optional Giallo Quercus (yellow)) with Q-Citura stitch diamond pattern, 50th anniversary emblem in forged composite carbon-fiber. The base price of the Aventador LP 720-4 50° is $548,000 which is $106,300 more than the Aventador Roadster.

The coupe was unveiled in 2013 Shanghai Motor Show.

The roadster was unveiled in 2013 Quail Motorsports Gathering.

Aventador airport vehicle (2013)

An Aventador was made for Bologna Airport with white body colour, red and white chequered flag decals on the sides, a light bar on the roof and ‘FOLLOW ME’ written on the hood.

The vehicle was unveiled in Bologna Airport between 6 May 2013 and 19 May 2013 and was used to guide aircraft around the airport. It was also used in Heathrow Airport, London, as an airport vehicle for a single day.

Aventador Pirelli Edition (2014)

The Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 Pirelli Edition was announced in December 2014. Celebrating a 50-year association between Lamborghini and Pirelli it features a design and color scheme that echoes the Pirelli tyre, with a thin red stripe running across the roof.

Aventador LP 750-4 SuperVeloce (2015)

2015 Lamborghini Aventador at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show

Lamborghini Aventador LP 750-4 Superveloce was announced in March 2015 at the Geneva Motor Show. Representing the essence of Lamborghini’s brand it features an upgraded power train, with maximum horsepower increased to 559 kW (750 bhp) from the standard coupé’s 522 kW (700 bhp). Combined with weight reduction of 50 kg (110 lb) from increased usage of carbon fiber both inside and outside the car the LP750-4 SV boasts a power to weight ratio of 1 hp to 2 kg. The car also features increased aerodynamics, with downforce increased by 180% as compared to the standard Aventador coupé. Notable aerodynamic upgrades are a revised front splitter and rear diffuser, and a rear wing. The supercar is available in 34 base colors. The car’s driving dynamics have also been ungraded, featuring new enhanced electronic steering for superior maneuverability at high speeds, magnetic pushrod suspension for superior handling, and chassis improvements to increase rigidity. Overall the LP750-4 SV’s standing 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) time is decreased from 2.9 seconds to 2.8 seconds, with the theoretical top speed still “somewhere in excess” of 349 km/h (217 mph). Delivery of the car is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2015.

Reception

Automotive magazines such as Car and Driver and Motor Trend reviewed the Aventador. Car and Driver titled their article “The best Lamborghini ever.” Motor Trend described it as “the friendliest V-12 supercar in the world.” Praise for Lamborghini’s all-new V-12 powerplant centered on the engine’s responsiveness, torque, and smooth power output. Criticism centered mainly around the Aventador’s unrefined single-disc clutch.

On 31 July 2011, the Aventador was reviewed by the motorsport show Top Gear. Host Richard Hammond was impressed with the performance and handling of the car. His biggest complaint was a nostalgic poke at the Aventador’s accessible temperament, implying that it left him longing for the “danger” associated with driving previous Lamborghini supercars. The Aventador posted the fifth fastest time ever recorded on the Top Gear test track with a time of 1:16.5, beating the $2,000,000 Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, the Ferrari Enzo, the Porsche 911 GT3, and other supercars from around the world. In season 18 of the program, cohost Jeremy Clarkson said that the Aventador is better than the Ferrari 458 Italia (which they had previously called the best super car ever), describing it as being “£200,000 worth of dreams.” The Aventador won the “Supercar of the Year 2011” from Top Gear.

Marketing

Robert Gülpen of RGE Robert Gülpen Engineering GmbH produced a 1/8-scale model Aventador LP 700-4 that was sold through an auction December 2011 with starting bid price of US$4.7 million (€3.5 million). A second model, featuring gold wrapping at body, was set to go for sale at auction with a starting bid price ofUS$7.5 million.

BMC Switzerland produced a limited (50 units) edition of Lamborghini 50th Anniversary Edition impec bicycles inspired by the Lamborghini Aventador. The vehicle was sold for €25,000 (US$32,000) via international BMC or Lamborghini dealer network, with delivery done by the dealer.

Related development

Veneno

Lamborghini Veneno
Overview
Manufacturer	Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A
Production	2013-present
Model years	2013-present
Assembly	Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy
Body and chassis
Class	Supercar
Body style	2-door coupé 2-door roadster
Layout	Mid-engine, all wheel drive
Powertrain
Engine	6.5 L V12
Transmission	7-speed semi-automatic transmission
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,700 mm (106.30 in) (Roadster)
Length	5,020 mm (197.64 in) (Roadster)
Width	2,075 mm (81.69 in) (Roadster)
Height	1,165 mm (45.87 in) (Roadster)
Curb weight	1,490 kg (3,280 lb) (Roadster; dry)

The Lamborghini Veneno is a limited production supercar based on the Lamborghini Aventador and was built to celebrate Lamborghini’s 50th anniversary. The prototype, Car Zero, is finished in grey and includes an Italian flag vinyl on both sides of the car. The engine is a development of the Aventador’s 6.5 L V12 and produces 750 PS (552 kW; 740 bhp).

Only three production cars were produced, a green, white, and red one, each representing a colour of the Italian flag. Car Zero, which was the vehicle on display, will be retained by the factory for the museum. The three production cars cost €3.12 million each, and all three were sold.

The vehicle number 0 was unveiled at the March 2013 Geneva Motor Show, followed by 2013 Quail Motorsports Gathering, Vallelunga circuit near Rome during the World Finals of Lamborghini Super Trofeo 2013 series.

Car Zero
3/4 front 3/4 rear Rear

Veneno Roadster (2014-)

The Veneno Roadster is a limited (maximum 9 units during 2014) version of the Lamborghini Veneno convertible commemorating the 50th anniversary of Automobili Lamborghini. It has exclusive alloy wheels, Rosso Veneno (red) body colour and 2 bucket seats made in forged composite, woven carbon-fibre carbonSkin interior upholstery. The Veneno Roadster has a top speed of 356 km/h (221 mph) and goes from 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) in 2.9 seconds.

The vehicle was unveiled on the Italian naval aircraft carrier Cavour docked in Abu Dhabi’s Mina Zayed port, followed by the 2014 Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show.

The roadster went on sale for €3.3 million (excluding tax).

Production

The first 1,000 Aventadors were built in 15 months.

As of 7 June 2013, the 2000th Aventador, an Aventador LP 700-4 with Nero Nemesis (matte black) body colour, was built and destined for the United States owner Thaddeus Arroyo, Chief Information Officer of AT&T.

Year	Units	Coupé	Roadster
2011	447	447	–
2012	976 (922 deliveries	958	18
2013	1,113 (1,001 deliveries	710	403
2014	1,110 (1,128 deliveries	456	654
Total	3,628	2,571	1075