Ford is working on a technology that will enable cars to talk to each other, helping to reduce crashes as well as potentially fuel consumption. The technology, which Ford’s Director of Electrical and Electronics Systems, Jim Buczkowski, told us won’t be available for at least another 5 years or so, is based on a souped up form of Wi-Fi and GPS.

I participated in a demo of the talking car tech at an event organized by Ford at AT&T Park in San Francisco on Wednesday. Using three Ford cars that have the WiFi/GPS system installed, the Ford drivers showed different scenarios where drivers can be alerted to potential safety hazards using loud noises and red flashing lights. For example, a car driving in a driver’s blindspot when the driver wants to turn into the impacted lane set off the alert system, as did a car suddenly pulling out in front of a driver at an intersection. (Note: It was a pretty fun demo as the three cars had to drive at fast enough speeds to simulate near accidents.)

The idea is that the wireless network and GPS chip in the cars can “see” the other cars connected to the network, even if the driver can’t actually see the other cars for one reason or another (they’re blocked at an intersection or in a blindspot). Ford is using a form of Wi-Fi called 802.11 p, which is Wi-Fi for driving environments, for the vehicle-to-vehicle talking tech and Ford is working with the Department of Transportation on the wireless standard.

The vehicle-to-vehicle technology is another step beyond what Ford is already doing with wireless technology within the car using bluetooth, as well as using wireless connections and mobile apps to provide Ford cars with connected infotainment and navigation systems. In particular for Ford’s upcoming electric vehicle the company is building a mobile app to help EV drivers find the nearest electric vehicle charging station.

Reducing accidents on the roads can lead to less congestion and more fuel efficient driving. The same vehicle to vehicle wireless technology can also be used to reduce overall congestion via other applications and congestion management tools that can use the knowledge of vehicle location and traffic conditions to suggest alternative routes or tweak driving habits. Singapore has a famous high-tech congestion management system.

Ford’s car talking tech is still in a prototype stage, but I think teaching people to respond in a productive manner to the flashing lights and loud noise, might prove a challenge. Another question up for debate, is who will pay for the added cost of the service and network connection to the car? Will the car owner be willing to buy the extra service, or will Ford have to add in the service for free and offset it with other methods of monetization. During a panel of speakers at the Ford event, AT&T’s Vice President for Emerging Devices, Win Williams, said the question of “who will pay for the connectivity,” is the biggest question they think about.

By 2016 consumers will expect all cars to be connected, said Thilo Koslowski, Gartner’s Automotive Practice Leader on the panel: “That’s just around the corner, and will be a new era for the auto industry.” The major factor pushing this trend are sustainability, digital convergence, changing demographics (the next generation expects connectivity) and increased mobility said Koslowski. By 2016, if automakers don’t offer in-car wireless connectivity, it will be a competitive differentiator. Now, when it comes to vehicle to vehicle wireless connectivity — that’s another story.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (subscription req’d):

• Green IT Q1: Cleantech Breaking Out — and Bracing for Hard Times
• Mobile Operators’ Strategies for Connected Devices
• Green IT Overview, Q2 2010

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Being a big golfing cart lover, I find buying new accessories for my golfing cars to be a very fun thing to do. I’ve changed my golf cart top on several occasions and will probably do it again in the future.

In this article I’ll go over some of the different types of golf cart tops. You’ll learn about the benefits as well as the down sides to many of the different tops you can select from.

The basic golf cart tops will not do much more than stop some of the rain and sun from hitting your face. I wouldn’t even recommend these tops for this purpose since an unenclosed cart will still let the sun rays in. You’ll find this is equally true for rain and snow.

The beautiful thing about this is that you can do almost anything to improve your golf cart top. There are many options and what you will do to make your cart better might be completely different from what somebody else might do.

A golf cart top with solar panels on it may be your best green solution. This can either be purchased in full, or you could make one by adding panels to your golf cart. The great thing about this kind of top is that it can help cut down on your electric bills and is a perfect fit for any electric golf cart. Unfortunately, you will have to pay a fair amount of money for this type of top and you will need to leave it in the sun for a very long time if you want a fully charged battery.

Turning your golfing cart top into a storage area is another alternative. This could be done by purchasing one with a compartment built on top of it or by simply making it a storage rack. Many people add racks for their clubs, guns, and many other items that naturally go with golf carts and racks.

You could also get a lot more value out of your golf cart tops simply by adding some accessories. With the addition of a fan, a gps system, or a set of speakers, you may find you love your golf cart even more. Creating an accessorized type of golf cart top is nice but will require some work on your part.

Thanks for reading this write-up on golf cart tops. You may want to check out my internet site on golfing carts.

Car rentals are very useful for travelers and many take for granted that they can rent a car at their destination. However, there can be significant differences between car rental companies, and even the same one may offer different rates depending on the day or the terms you choose. The following tactics can be used to make sure you have a good experience when you rent a car.

When your travel plans include flying, a hotel stay, and renting a car, your best option is to look for a package deal that covers everything. Regardless of why you’re traveling, package deals can be found that will cover all of your major expenses, especially if you’re going to a major city. You’ll need to add up the expenses to make sure you’re really getting a deal as well as plan the details in advance. If you’re going to be buying these services anyway, paying for everything at once makes sense, especially if it will help you save. Check online, in the travel section of your newspaper or go to a travel agent to find travel deals that include a car rental.

There are more and more options being offered to drivers by the car rental companies. But be careful, as these added conveniences can mean paying for services you don’t need. Child seats may be offered for an additional charge for those who are traveling with children. Bringing your own, however, can save you the extra fees. Another common option is a car with a GPS system. If you are traveling in a place you aren’t familiar with, you may want this, but if you know your way around you may not need it. DVD players and ski racks are other features that may be available. Save some money by refusing features that you won’t use but be sure to enjoy the ones that you will.

Airports are one of the most popular places for car rentals, but they are among the worst from a consumer’s point of view. Airports charge extra fees and taxes at their car rental stations. By renting at the airport, you spend more than with a neighborhood car rental agency. In most cases, you would be better off if you take a taxi or shuttle to a car rental agency outside the airport. You can make this easier by planning the steps out in advance. Airports are hoping that people won’t plan out this part of the trip in advance.

Renting a car should not be a stressful experience, and if you make your plans far ahead in advance it usually goes smoothly. By checking out the rates of various companies, getting any discounts you can find, and choosing the best car for your needs you can often save time and money. The car rental suggestions covered above can help to make your travels hassle free.

Jessie Clark has new points on advertising and contemporary car rental van. Acquire further tips on advertising by going to his on-line shop.

If you are shopping for a new GPS system it helps to know what you are doing. You will avoid being taken for a ride if you take the time to shop smart. You ask how to shop smart when looking for a new GPS system? Are there specific decisions you will need to make? What kinds of things do you need to worry about? Are there things you need to look out for to avoid getting a crappy product that doesn’t work like you need it to? We will talk about a few of the things you need to consider before buying a new system. First you need to figure out what kind of GPS system you really need. There are systems that have a variety of choices. Some are best on long distance car trips. Others are designed for walkers. Yet, others are really excellent for driving around the city and navigation. There are even some that work optimally for sea-going boats. So what kind of system do you need? Out of the choices of systems, which one will suit your lifestyle the best? Take a look at what you want to use the system for and then start shopping for a system that caters to that need.~Are you particular about the instructions you are given? Do you prefer to speak to a human being when you are traveling who can follow along with you? Or are you ok with a computerized voice reading the information from a digital map pulled from a satellite? This is a very important decision to make. Those GPS units that give you access to a live person are definately more expensive but also more reliable when you are lost or have missed your turn. You will receive real time instruction from these live people. At the same time, if you don’t mind getting pre-loaded instructions from a computer, that type of unit can save you a lot of money. It really depends on your reaction time and what makes you feel the most comfortable.~Don’t buy the first GPS you spot in the store. Not all systems are created equal, especially in terms of price. You could be amazed at the immense pricing difference on GPS systems. Each system can vary from hundreds of dollars to more reasonable. Take a close look at the different places you can get the unit you want. Shopping around is the best way to ensure you are getting the best deal. You may be able to get a good deal by playing these retailers against one another.} Which attributes seem the most critical to you? Do you desire to have something that will display a detailed map? Do you have a hankering to get something that will speak to you? Are specific language capabilities a requirement for you? Do you yearn to be able to speak to it and have it comprehend what you are saying? Do you want it to be compatible with other systems? Do you fancy street viewing? Every GPS system has a range of different facets to offer. You need to figure out which features are the most important to you and then shop for a system that has those features installed. If you looking for HD 555 headphones to use it with your GPS system – go to my blog. Be sure to look for good return policies, warranties and money back guarantees. You of course want to be ableto fix or replace your unit if something goes wrong. The last thing you need is to have to wade through a bunch of paperwork and red tape to have your system repaired or replaced in a timely manner. It is important to avoid a bad warranty to keep from having to just trash a broken system and buy a new one just because the store you purchased it from didn’t have a good enough return policy. You will want to remember this especially if this is your first attempt at working with GPS units. Finding a GPS system that is suitable for you isn’t very complicated. Once you’ve identified what you need, it’s fairly straightforward. As you become more familiar with the different types of systems on the market, you’ll find it easier to make your choice. This will make shopping for your GPS system a task you enjoy!

Purchasing a contemporary mobile phone isn’t always a simple process as there are countless different variables that make sure you consider. For instance, which kind of cell phone do you want to purchase? Which kind of contract you need to get? Which mobile supplier do you want to purchase from?

There are so many different queries that if you don’t know where to start searching it can be actually tricky to identify which is the best cell phone agreement for you. Fortunately, there are quite a lot of things you can do to make the process a lot simpler and that’s what we will be discussing in this item.

The first thing you should do in order to cut down the quantity of mobile options that you’ve it set you a firm financial plan. Not only will this save you a great deal of time in trying to locate a brand new mobile but it also means that you won’t overspend which can be a genuine difficulty after attempting to find the greatest agreement for you. Also make certain that you look for free Compaq laptops with mobile phones . The next thing you must do is contemplate which features you want to have. For example, do you want to buy a handset comes with an Internet browser? Do you want to pay money for a mobile phone that comes with a GPS system installed? All of these questions that you think about will help you reduce on the number of options that you have and consequently save you time and attempting to find the right handset for you.

The next thing you ought to contemplate is which side the mobile phone deal you want to buy. Again, there are thousands of different options although you can cut down your choices by deciding precisely what you want before you try and buy one. You must never try inspecting for cell phone agreement until you’re confident what you want to purchase or else you will end up wasting a whole lot of time.

As long as you take things slowly and don’t rush into purchasing a brand new mobile you will find that it’s in fact plenty more easy than you might think. There are lots of things to contemplate and it is made less difficult by the fact that there are so countless different deals accessible but this does give you a whole lot of variety so you shouldn’t object!