Archive for the ‘Car Technology’ Category
Posted on: October 7, 2011 | In Car Technology
Taking care of your vehicle is something that you must be on top of at all times. And one of those routine maintenance tasks that the person is going to be addressing is changing the oil. However, when it comes time to change the oil, do you really have a clear understanding of what type of oil that you are using? Or do you simply grab the first thing that you see? One thing that people need to realize with the oil that they use is that there are difference numbers on the oil, and each vehicle out there has a different number that they should be using. For example, 5W30 versus 10W30. The 5 is supposed to be more resistant to weather changes, which is why many people put this into their vehicle during the winter times, while running the 10 during the summer time. But aside from this, there is one big issue that most people do not even realize that they are not understanding and this is the use of synthetic oil.
Synthetic oils are made from natural ingredients that are compounded into an oil. Whereas traditional oil usually does not have these natural ingredients. For many people the natural part of synthetic oil is what draws them into using this particular oil. So why use synthetic oils? The main reason is the fact that the additives in the oil are supposed to make the engine run cleaner and for many people they will notice that they have increase horsepower thanks to the fact that the oil is running cleaner. They will also find that in many circumstances they can go longer in between oil changes since it does run so clean for a longer period of time, which reduces the amount of waste that is put into the environment.
Synthetic oils do have their benefits. However, as a drawback people are going to find that it costs much more even though it is made from ingredients that are found in nature. The reason for this is speculated by most to be the fact that many mechanics are not carrying this and so forth. In order to make sure that you are getting the best, you should make sure that you are considering using this synthetic oil. You will find that even though you have been using traditional oil that you can change with no problem to the synthetic oils, which is something that most people think that they cannot do. However, the key is to sticking with the same suggestions that are given by the manufacturer and just going with the synthetic oil option. The person will find that this is a way that they can give back to the environment since this synthetic oil is not as harmful as regular oil to the world and so forth.
You can find that most mechanics and oil change places will get this oil if you specifically ask for it. They are not going to deny the person the right to use this oil since it could push them to go to the competition to get their oil changed. So ask around and find the synthetic oil that you are needing in order to get the most out of your vehicle.
Posted on: February 12, 2011 | In Car Technology
Car officials are excited about new technology that could appear in future cars in which will determine if a driver is in their right mind to be on the roads, thus cutting down on the number of drunk drivers that cause thousands of accidents each year. Thought people are excited, most are warning that it could be years before we see these devices installed on everyday vehicles. However, when the day does come it will definitely be a day that will go down in automotive history.
The vehicle will measure whether the person is at the legal limit of alcohol consumption and then if they are above, the car will not be able to be started. But how is the car going to be able to tell if someone is drunk or not?
There are two possible ways that designers are leaning towards. The first being one way that is already installed on some cars that are driven by those who have numerous drinking and driving charges on their file. They must blow into a device connected to the car in order to get it to start. The other option that designers are looking at involves putting sensors into the wheel of the car that will measure whether there is an excess of alcohol in the person's skin.
For those that do not drink, it should not delay their getting on the road since it would only take a split second for the device to be used. So that should not be a worry that people are worried about. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has viewed the device and estimates that it could eliminate around 9,000 alcohol related accidents each year. So when can the public expect to start seeing this technology? They shouldn't hold their breath because it could still be another eight or ten years before the technology is safely tested and proven to be worth the expense.
Posted on: January 15, 2011 | In Car Technology
The auto world has always been trying to make the ways that a thief could steal your car harder than ever. However, even with the new technology that allows for your car to be tracked if it is stolen and the thief to be apprehended. Automakers are still saying that people should make sure that they are making their car less of a target by simply following a few rules.
First off, no one should think that their car will not be stolen simply because it is the not the newest on the block. According to statistics, the most stolen car in 2008 was the 1994 Honda Accord. With California being the state in which has the most car thefts. So what can a person do?
Having an alarm system on you car is not always enough. In fact, most cars that are sold today do have these alarm systems and they are still stolen by thieves. Most of the professionals int eh auto industry recommend that you turn your wheels to the hard left or right, put on your emergency brake and turn the ignition off with the car is neutral or some other gear. This will deter thieves because they will not take the time out of their day to see what is wrong with the car, they will automatically think that it is a dud.
Professionals also suggest that you should do all the standards, such as making sure you take your keys with you, park in a close spot that receives a lot of sun and is basically in a very populated area. Many times cars are stolen because the person is simply stepping in a store for a few minutes, thus they leave their keys in the console or the windows down, this is just like inviting the thief to take the car. You should also look to installing the equipment that tracks a car should it be stolen that is becoming standard on man new vehicles that are manufactured today.
Posted on: December 14, 2010 | In Car Technology
For years, GM and Ford have always been competing with one another in order to see who can get the most sales and who could have the biggest fan base. What used to be a battle that consisted of who made the best, most fuel efficient vehicles and best looking vehicles, it has now become a race of who has the better on board technology. GM has OnStar, while the Ford company has Sync, both of which offer about the same services.
OnStar did suffer a bit in the past years, while GM was redesigning their company, this did give Ford an edge with Sync as they were able to sell their idea to the world. However, now both companies are now running head in head to be the best.
The main difference between OnStar and Sync is the primary function of each system. OnStar was designed in order to give peace of mind to those that are driving should they ever get into an accident. The system is designed to work even when you may have lost your cell phone or do not have a cell phone to use in the event of an emergency. On the other hand, Sync was designed to be used as an entertainment tool that controls music and everything else. However, the main flaw that GM is pointing out that Sync suffers from is that it functions too much like a cell phone and it cannot help you in the even that the cell phone quits or the car becomes disabled due to an accident.
The main decision of which technology that a person chooses is really left up to the individual. However, as the technology becomes something that every person wants in their lives, more and more automakers will more than likely develop their own versions of this technology to put into their own cars to encourage consumer consumption.
