Tesla Robotaxi In August
Following a fall in Tesla EV sales and profits, Tesla boss Elon Musk has announced that he’ll be unveiling a ‘Robotaxi’ on August 8 this year.
May Swap Lower Cost EV For Robotaxi
Reports initially indicated that Mr Musk’s…
UK Cars Now Using Rear HD-Screens Instead of Windows
The new Swedish-made Polestar 4 will be the first car on UK roads to replace a rear window (and traditional rear-view mirror) with a high-definition screen showing a real-time roof-mounted camera feed.
Two Digital Cameras With Feed…
ChatGPT Inside Vehicles Opens Possibilities
Following the news that Volkswagen (VW) is to add ChatGPT to the IDA voice assistant in its cars and SUVs, we look at what this could mean for the direction of technology for cars.
Adding ChatGPT
At the current CET in Las Vegas,…
UK ‘Passportless’ eGates
A recent Times report highlighted how Phil Douglas, director-general of the UK Border Force, aims to replace the UK’s physical passport-based entry system with an upgraded, frictionless, facial recognition-based e-Gates system.
Current…
Driverless Cars On UK Roads By 2026?
UK Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, said in a recent radio interview that driverless cars could be on some UK roads by the end of 2026.
2026
Following the November announcement of the new Automated Vehicles (AV) Bill, in an interview…
New Sub-60cm GPS Accuracy
US Startup Zephyr’s claim that it has solved smartphone GPS positioning problems through a network and software-based solution with sub-60cm accuracy has attracted $3.5 million seed funding.
The Issue
Even though consumers have…
UK Joins Amazon’s Fast Drone Delivery Expansion
Amazon has announced that it will be expanding its ultra-fast Prime Air drone delivery operations to the UK, Italy and also to an as yet unnamed US city by the end of 2024.
Prime Air Drone Delivery
Amazon Prime Air is a service…
Offshore Wind Makes Green Renewable Hydrogen
German company Lhyfe is showing how the challenges of producing green hydrogen can be met by using offshore floating wind-to-hydrogen turbines and electrolysers.
The Advantages of Hydrogen
The great advantages of hydrogen as a…
Cargo Ship Sails Help Reduce Pollution
The recently launched Pyxis Ocean cargo ship uses giant foldaway ‘WindWings’ to help supplement engine power and could cut lifetime carbon emissions by 30 per cent.
The Cargo Ship
A Mitsubishi Corporation cargo ship is currently…
Google Flights Can Show Cheapest Times To Book
With last-minute holidays on people’s minds (as well as current delays and disruption) Google has announced a new money-saving feature for Google Flights which shows users the cheapest time to book.
What Is Google Flights?
Google…
AI-Camera Captures More Motorists
A free-standing AI road safety camera system deployed in Cornwall caught 300 drivers in the first three days.
How It Works
The camera system, on the A30 near Launceston, implemented by road safety tech firm Acusensus in partnership…
Tech Travel Trends
In this article, we take a look at a few examples of nascent travel and delivery options in action.
Many New And Innovative Options
With so many innovative technologically advanced (and green) transport, travel, and delivery products…
Artificial Leaf Makes Petrol Alternative
University of Cambridge researchers have developed an ‘artificial leaf’ that uses sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide into ethanol and propanol that could be used as a low-emissions petrol alternative to power car engines.
Inspired…
Electric Roads Promise 70% Smaller Car Batteries
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden say that if an electric car charges while driving, the size of the battery can be reduced by up to 70 per cent.
Aim Of The Study?
The aim of the Chalmers University study…
Sustainability-in-Tech : Hydrogen Hybrids
Engineers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) say they have modified a conventional diesel engine to run (mostly) on hydrogen which could lead to CO2 emissions being cut by up to 85 per cent.
Engine Converted
The UNSW…
Autonomous Buses Now On UK Roads
22 passengers experienced the UK’s first full-size autonomous bus for the first time as part of a testing process by Stagecoach, the UK’s largest bus and coach operator.
Trial Over The Forth Bridge
The ground-breaking…
Sailing Towards Sustainability
Here we look at the new technologies which could lead to a more environmentally friendly and ‘cleaner’ shipping industry, plus we look briefly at promising clean tech innovations for air freight.
The Challenge
With 90…
Hydrogen Aircraft Fuel & 2050 Net Zero
FlyZero’s and UK Aerospace Technology Institute’s (ATI) study has concluded that green liquid hydrogen powered aircraft could deliver the net-zero 2050 target for aviation.
Two Technologies
The 12-month study results suggests that…
Report Questions Benefits Of Electric Cars
A report which shows huge sales of EVs in the US only resulted in only a 0.54 per cent fall in gasoline consumption in 2021 has led to disappointment and questions about the beneficial impact of EVs so far.
EV Sales
A recent Argonne…
Ultra-Accurate GPS (10 cm)
In this insight, we take a closer look at the new alternative positioning system to GPS that is accurate to within an incredible 10 centimetres.
Issues With Current GPS System
Society heavily relies on Global Navigation Satellite…
Starlink At Sea : Boating Broadband Boost
Cruise company Royal Caribbean Group has announced that it will be using Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Starlink satellite Internet for broadband connections aboard its ships.
What Is Starlink?
Starlink, operated by billionaire Elon…
World-First All-Hydrogen Train Just Emits … Water!
French company Alstom has announced a renewable energy world-first by operating a 100 percent hydrogen train which only emits steam and condensed water while operating with a low level of noise.
Replacing Diesel Trains
The train…
Last-Mile Drone Deliveries Offers Sustainability Benefits
Researchers from US Carnegie Mellon University have concluded that quadcopter drones produce much less greenhouse gas emissions than traditional alternatives for last-mile delivery.
The Problem
The point of the research was to…
Heated Seats ‘as a Service’.
BMW UK is now offering ConnectedDrive owners Front Seat Heating for a £15 per month or £150 per year subscription.
BMW ConnectedDrive Services
BMW ConnectedDrive Services use the smart / Internet connected element of the car…
SWAPPABLE BATTERIES
Rather than EV drivers waiting for 40 minutes to re-charge the car battery at a charging station, could the solution be stations where drivers can quickly swap their battery for a fully charged one?
Swap Battery Rather Than Wait To…
All At Sea For Carbon Capture
With container ships being bigger greenhouse gas producers that aeroplanes, London-based company ‘Seabound’ has developed technology that reduces up to 95 per cent of CO2 emissions per ship.
The Problem
The shipping…
Watching TV To Be Allowed In Automated Vehicles
The UK Government’s Department for Transport (DfT) has announced that following changes to The Highway Code, users of automated vehicles will be allowed to watch TV on built-in screens.
Viewing Content On Built-In Screens
Following…
New Graphene-Based Batteries Could Be Fireproof & Safer
Los Angeles based Nanotech Energy claims to have developed a fireproof, graphene-based lithium-ion battery that could be safer for Electric Vehicles.
What Is Graphene?
Extracted from graphite, graphene is a single layer (monolayer) of…
Charging Electric Vehicles : What You Need to Know
In this article, we look at the different types and locations of EV charging in the UK, plus the challenges and legislation relating to it.
How Many Electric Cars In The UK?
By the end of August 2021, there were more than 600,000 plug-in…
Tech-Insight – What Is A Solid State Battery?
In this tech-insight, we take a brief look at what solid-state batteries are, their benefits and challenges, and how why they hold a great deal of promise for use in electric vehicles in the near future.
Solid State
A solid-state battery…
Tech Insight : Carbon-Free Travel – What Is Hyperloop?
In this tech-insight, we look at what hyperloop technology is, how it has been tested and used to date, and whether it could be a viable form of carbon-free travel for the future.
What Is Hyperloop Technology?
First invented by mechanical…
Jeff Bezos And The Space Race
In this article, we look at some of the lighter aspects of the technological achievement that was the recent Blue Origin rocket flight, and we look at the vision behind it.
Space Passengers
The recent flight of the rocket containing and…
Scotland Shames The Rest of UK for Free Electronic Car Charging
Zap-Map figures show that Scotland has the largest number of free electronic vehicle (EV) charging points in the UK.
More Than A Quarter of the UK’s Free Chargers
The latest figures from EV charging infrastructure trackers Zap-Maps…
Electric Cars Allowed in Bus Lanes Pilot Causes Concern
Cambridgeshire County Council’s pilot scheme to allow electric vehicles to use bus lanes from December 2020 has caused safety concerns among cyclists, who also use the bus lanes.
December Decision
Under an Experimental Traffic Regulation…
Tesla Delivered (Almost) 500,000 Vehicles in 2020
Tesla reached its target of producing 500,000+ vehicles in 2020, although it very narrowly missed its target of delivering that number of vehicles.
Target
Electronic vehicle company Tesla’s own target set five years ago under CEO Elon…
Hyundai Buying Robot Company
South Korean car manufacturer, Hyundai Motor Group, has agreed to buy a controlling stake in robot maker Boston Dynamics.
Boston Dynamics
Boston Dynamics, which is currently owned by Tokyo-based multinational conglomerate holding company…
Which? Reveals Truth About EV Battery Life
A recent (Which?) survey of 1,016 electric vehicle (EV) owners has revealed that worries about battery degradation should not be an issue for potential EV buyers.
The Survey
The survey by consumer champion Which? was conducted from December…
Uber Reclaims London Licence
A year after Transport for London (TfL) stopped ride-hailing service Uber’s London operating licence over safety concerns, an appeal has led to the company being granted a further 18-month licence.
What Happened?
Back in November 2019,…
Zero-Emission, Hydrogen-Powered Commercial Aircraft by 2035 Says Airbus
Airbus has announced that a zero-emission, hydrogen-fuelled commercial aircraft could be a reality by 2035.
Targets
The dramatic drop in air pollution levels during the global pandemic lockdown reminded many people of the pressing need…
Delivery Drones Get Go Ahead
Amazon’s Prime Air drone parcel delivery service has been approved by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to test autonomous delivery drones.
Prime Air
Amazon Prime Air completed its first fully autonomous drone delivery…
Toyota To Upload Driver’s Data To Amazon
Toyota will use Amazon’s (AWS) cloud services for a Mobility Services Platform that will upload data from Toyota cars globally that could be used for monetised services.
Data Gathering From Fleet
Toyota’s platform in Amazon’s cloud…
Electric Vehicles, Batteries & Renewables
7 million electric vehicles are already on the world’s roads and it is predicated that 31 per cent of the overall car fleet will be electric by 2040 (i.e. 58% of all vehicles sold). How these vehicles are powered by (or can store) renewable…
Vertical Take-Off Air Taxi
German vertical take-off air taxi start-up company Lilium has just received a major funding boost from Baillie Gifford, the second-biggest shareholder in Tesla.
Additional Funding
Lilium had already raised $340 million, $240 million…
Fuel Engine Car Sales Fall Faster Than Electric Cars
Fuel engine car sales fall faster then electric cars as Bloomberg NEF (BNEF) forecasts that sales of combustion engine cars will drop 23 per cent in 2020. Compared with worldwide electric car registrations being set to fall by only 18 per…
Robot Food Deliveries in Milton Keynes During Lockdown
Delivery robots from U.S.-based company Starship Technologies have come into their own during the lockdown as a way of delivering food to the residents and workers of Milton Keynes.
First Commercial Deployment in the UK
The autonomous…
Four-Year Lifespan For Self-Driving Cars
As large car manufacturers seek to reinvent themselves as ‘mobility companies’ in an effort to compete for global leadership in the growing autonomous driving sector, a Ford Executive has predicted that self-driving cars will only…