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Comments
Steve
Cheers!
Paul
Interesting in that navigation is standard, What's really neat about their NAV is the real-time traffic report capability. It will indicate, via icons, where construction, accidents, and heavy traffic is occurring.
The standard navigation system features an eight-inch screen that's very easy to read. Incorporated into that navigation system are real-time traffic updates powered by XM radio. The feature is called XM Nav Traffic and it "talks" to the navigation system and warns the driver of such conditions as slow traffic flow, road construction and accidents. While this feature is not available in all cities, it is offered in major metropolitan areas like Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Washington D.C. The information is communicated to the driver via icons that appear on the nav screen. The marked highways are bordered by certain colors which indicate how fast or slow traffic is moving in that area. For example, a red line next to a highway indicates that traffic is moving slowly in that area — now the driver can use the navigation system to reroute himself around the congestion. The same is true for road construction, weather conditions or reported car accidents. The completeness and the availability varies by city, so the system is only as good as the local reporting infrastructure — as you might expect, Los Angeles has the most comprehensive information on both traffic flow and incidents.
Bob
-mike
As noted in the Acura release: "The completeness and the availability varies by city, so the system is only as good as the local reporting infrastructure..."
I agree, today's traffic reports on the radio, cell phone, and TV are typically old news by the time you hear them. That's a limitation of the medium - it takes time for the information to reach reporters and for it to be transmitted.
The XM system looks interesting because they are partnering with TrafficPulse - http://www.xmradio.com/programming/neighborhood.jsp?hood=traffic
TrafficPulse has installed a system along the highways in greater Boston that measures traffic flow via sensors mounted on poles along the highway. It can sense volume and speed and instantly measures changes. This information is transmitted real time to one TV station using/paying for it in Boston - http://www1.whdh.com/video/trafficcams.html
Imagine getting that real time traffic information on your NAV system which knows where you have to go and routes you around it? True, the info is only on main highways but it could be helpful.
My boss recently returned from Germany and Austria and was blown away by his associate's new Audi A8 with NAV and real time traffic information.
Ed
7 dead at this point...
-Brian
system is only as good as the local reporting infrastructure
Ain't that the truth. Garbage in, garbage out. Traffic reports in DC and worse than useless. I often drive by completely clear roads when the reports tell me to avoid them.
It can't be real-time, by the nature of the reporting, it happens after the fact. Basically you will know what traffic was like 15-20 minutes ago!
TrafficPulse sounds good, but who pays for it?
-juice
TrafficPulse is one product offered by Mobility Technologies. Since only 1 TV station is offering it in Boston at the moment, I presume that station pays Mobility for the information. Mobility is also doing public/private partnerships for traffic management (you just can't go out and install these sensors on any highway) as well as telematics systems for auto manufacturers. Overall it looks like Mobility is working in all sectors of traffic and logistics data.
One of the products they offer is on air talent so perhaps XM is paying them to do traffic reports. Just in case you didn't know, most of the traffic reporters you hear out there don't work for the media outlet. They work for private traffic reporting companies.
What gives?
-Dave
Bob
-juice
I don't think it will be too long before the traffic reporting gets better.
Bob
Here is a pretty good summary of DC traffic, especially the last couple of days, since school is back in session:
"Traffic is bad everywhere, bumper to bumper on all roads you'd even THINK of taking. You didn't actually think that your RL/NAV would help you get to work quicker, did you? HA HA HA HA!"
-juice
I guess we'll know shortly as new RLs start hitting the road. I'm sure owners will be reporting here on Edmunds as to whether it's useful or not.
Bob
Some company here has this little handheld unit that shows the traffic live, it's called 'traffic gauge' which is kinda neat.
Japan has had live traffic reports with their nav systems for some time now. It's about time we get it here.
tom
-Brian
PC is on AntiSpyware and is pretty clean.
BTW , what happen to the
<-- eBay column?
-Dave
Kind of glad the eBay column isn't there. Can't browse Edmunds from work that much now since the eBay ads trigger a corporate policy violation (our proxy blocks eBay).
-Brian
Had to turn off the visual alert as it gotten to be annoying.
-Dave
-Brian
Thanks for the thoughts for my countrymen. However, it appears that the only Australian National who was injured was a five year old child of Australian Indonesian parentage who was collecting her passport with her mum. Her mum was killed along with many other Indonesians. So many Indonesians (particularly from Jakarta) live here that we all have friends and neighhbours who are affected to some extent.
The senselessness of bombings has always amazed me. This one appears targeted at Australia because we are in the midst of our Federal Election campaign and some terrorists believe that terror attacks will alter the country's attitude to overseas troop deployments. Our system of Government relies on the leader of the largest party in the Federal Parliament becoming the Prime Minister. The practical effect has been neutral and bipartisan. Neither political party is keen to score points on a topic that will likely come back to bite them. They both recognize the reality here, as in the USA, that a further bombing, closer to home, is possible, maybe likely.
Perversely, I have one of the few jobs that can benefit from a bombing. (Actually given that I made the same comment for the positive aspects of a Hurrican on my profession, it will make me sound like an undertaker, rubbing his hands at the thought of new business). Because of my experience in Britain in the 1990's, when the IRA were aggressively pursuing their campaign, I am one of the few Loss Adjusters in Australia with direct bombing experience. I have been writing and lecturing on the topic recently. http://www.fleishman.com.au/abr/aug03/terror.html
It is the sort of knowledge that you don't set out to acquire and once gained you hope not to re-use. At least that's my prayer.
On the motoring topic, I'll leave you with the cheerless thought that the damage on this occassion was caused by a one tonne van of explosive, a favourite size and technique for the IRA also. Look around your city office loading dock and you will see maybe a dozen such vehicles at any time. Even a Station wagon (say a Forester or Outback to keep it on topic) can easily pack in half a tonne of destruction.
Not so Cheers
Graham
Sent you an e-mail.
-Dave
p/s I spoke too soon. They're probing again >:\
Only caught the tail end of them packing up.
-mike
On a lighter, automotive note - and one for which I seek your knowledge:
I'm aware that the cars from which I draw my screen name, Studebaker Larks, were used by various Australian state and local governments for police duties. I've also read that the Larks did fairly well for themselves at the races in Bathurst. Beyond a Google search, are there any local resources you may know of that have photos or other information about the Larks at Bathurst?
I'm the editor of my local Studebaker club's newsletter and I'd like to write a little something up in the future for the membership. A couple of years ago I wrote an article about Studebaker successes in the Trans-Canada Rally before that event became part of the FIA World Rally Championship which was well received.
Thanks,
Ed
Bathurst is a bit of an odd story. The 500 mile race started at Phillip Island in, I think 1960. Phillip Island circuit is fast, open and windy and has a reverse camber on one corner nearest the Ocean. It is now the scene of the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix. After a year or two the 500 mile race moved to Bathurst where a street circuit, actually a tourist road to the top of Mount panorama and back down again, provides a pretty special race. 364 days of the year, this is a toursit road with a 60km speed limit and you can see tourists towing there caravans around the scenic route. Then one day in October, it goess mad.
Through the 1960's and 1970's the race was pretty much stock prodcution cars with some unexpected winners. In 1966 Minis took out the first 9 places. Given the main staraight (Conrod) is down hill for about 2 km off Mount Panorama falling by 170m (about 530 feet) the speeds you can achieve are impressive. The end of the straight is a simple left turn with the pit straight followed by another left and a climb at grades up to 1 in 6 back to the top of the mountain.http://www.nzmustang.com/Bathurst/bathurst.htm gives a few clips of the circuit.
More commonly, the successful cars at Bathurst are those with the best endurance. Local Holdens and Fords did very well but all suffered pretty heavily on the brakes front. American cars are ill suited as the suspension and brakes are rarely up to much and they tend to die too early. In the earliest years a few ford Cutomlines were tried.
Winners over the years have included a Vauxhall Cresta, Mercedes 220S and a few years of Ford Cortinas. It is surprising how frequently the winner is a small, well prepared saloon.
Studebakers competed through the early 60's, even coming second in 1961 and 1962. I have seen some photos somewhere. They seemed big cars back then compared to the iottle Morris and Simcas they competed against.
Larks were ued extensively by the Police, particualrly as Radio cars and pursuit vehicles. Here in Victoria, I can remember them being used as local patrol cars painted in the classic Police Powder Blue http://www.acay.com.au/~jbartok/viccar1.jpg
http://www.acay.com.au/~jbartok/viccar2.jpg
You might get some more useful info from the Studebaker Car Club of Australia http://www.tradingpost.com.au/auto/clubinfo.asp?club_id=138
A couple of photos of bathurst Studebakers
http://www.studebakerracing.com/internat.html
http://www.pixelmatic.com.au/cortina/articles/armstrng.htm
Cheers
Graham
Bob
Bob
Perhaps a while from now we MT fans will have to buy used cars to satisfy our driving preferences.
-juice
There were a couple of books on Bathurst on eBay but I thought the cost, including shipping from Australia, a bit prohibitive. Maybe if one comes up for sale in North America I'll bite.
By the way, viccar1 looks very much like my own Studebaker, minus the police gear and in left hand drive, of course.
Noetworthy that several Subaru WRX see police duty as well as the usual Commodores and Falcons.
Cheers,
Ed
-Dave
Manumatic/Sportshift etc, etc will mollify most fence sitters. Heck, probably half of the new EAT's get better gas mileage than their manual counterparts too.
I expect that advances will see CVTs become more common and effective. Wondered a few times what a computer controlled CVT could do for WRX performance. Ultra-low gear to give a fast start and spool, then vary to hold it in the torque speet-spot.
Nicholas
I also taught my wife, she's owned 3 manuals since then.
My kids will definitely learn stick. Got to, even if you don't own one, for emergencies.
-juice
http://money.cnn.com/2004/09/13/pf/autos/monster_truck/index.htm?- cnn=yes
Bob
BTW, it also has AWD! The GVW is 26K, so anyone with a regular drivers license could drive it.
Bob
You just knew that sooner or later some car company would the off-road ATV layout, and translate it into a street screamer. Well, Peugeot (of all companies!) is the first to do it.
Bob
If only it was in an SUV format I'd be all over that
-mike
LOL
That Peugoet concept is SWEEEEEEET! How cool is that? You might say "just get a motorcycle" but that thing would attract more attention than a whole gaggle of bikes.
I'd like to see a passenger compartment of some sort also.
-juice
Thats what aftermarket driving lights are for.
-mike
My 1998 Forester has excellent lights, plain halogen but they're great. Nice, broad pattern focused pretty well on the road.
But Bob's Toaster (2001 Forester IIRC) isn't nearly as good.
Our 2002 Legacy L has lousy lights. I know that the Outback and Legacy GT from the same year had different lights, in fact my dad's Outback has better lights.
Why so much variance? We're talking about the same cars.
-juice
-mike
The FXT has the best lights I've ever driven.
Yeah, the cut-off is way too hard, which is terrible on dark country roads with hills and curves—especially in deer country, which is where I live.
On straight, flat roads, like Interstate highways, the lights are very good. The worst lights I've experienced by far, are the ones on my Explorer.
Bob
Great lights cheap sounds good to me. Who needs HIDs in the US? We don't have Autobahns.
-juice
Ken