The Impact of Data Analytics on the Auto Industry

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carl-turnley-dataThere’s been a big impact in the automotive industry that involves data analytics. As of today, there’s vehicles that are capable of collecting massive amounts of data for their analysis. Vehicles contain around 50 sensors that are used to collect information of the driver’s pattern. For example, it can collect the speed, emissions, distance, resource usage, style of driving, and fuel usage. When this information is combined with predictive analytics, data scientists are able to utilize the information for the private and public sector.

Data Analysis is currently and going to have a major role in the auto industry. The data science is going to be utilized across the board. It will be used to build smarter vehicles for the consumer, auto racing, smart cities, and the insurance industry. For the consumer it means smarter vehicles. The data analysis can be used to predict potential issues before they become problems. This will benefit the consumer for negating the need of a costly repair. In F1 Racing, the team is using the analysis to collect information on the vehicle’s performance.

This technology has its pros and cons. For example, some may view it as big brother because insurance industries will have access to the information as well. The insurance industry point of view is it will lower the driver’s costs based on their safety record and safe driving habits.

Since 5G is right around the corner, big data is going to be able to take advantage of the technology. It’ll have the ability to update the vehicle’s software remotely, monitor and respond to engine performance. When it comes to interconnected highways, the data can inform the driver of incoming construction, accidents and intersections. This lead data will benefit the driver to effectively navigate the vehicle seamlessly through expected traffic congestion. The end result is traffic flow will be efficient and safer.

Data analytics is also sparking the connected cars. Connected cars will be able to provide local information to the driver from gas stations to retail outlets. Essentially, the automobiles will be using localized data to concoct customized suggestions based on the driver’s preference. For example, it’ll suggest a flower shop offering a 20% discount on your nearby route for your upcoming anniversary.

The Best Car Maintenance Apps

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1_OxSMFGm6zxt3hpWhjCFu1ARegular car maintenance can not only avert potentially expensive repairs and unexpected mechanical shutdown but also improve gas mileage and the longevity of the vehicle. Fortunately, there are a huge array of apps designed to make it easier to stay on top of a car maintenance schedule, track fuel efficiency, and more. The following are the best car maintenance apps currently available.

AUTOsist

AUTOsist is an essential maintenance app that offers everything from gas logs and fuel trackers to repair logs and service histories. AUTOsist is designed to be an all-in-one vehicle care app that even allows users to download and share a vehicle’s full service history as a PDF, a useful feature during resale. It also includes custom alerts for upcoming tasks like registration renewal, oil changes, insurance renewals, and tire rotations.

Fuelly

Fuelly is a comprehensive app that focuses on tracking a vehicle’s fuel economy and gas expenses but it’s also helpful for tracking service tasks and expenses. Fuelly keeps an accurate vehicle maintenance record with a home screen that displays average MPG, total fuel cost, and miles driven. Custom reminders can be set up for maintenance tasks like tire rotations and multiple cars are supported.

Garmin Mechanic

For drivers who enjoy tracking everything, Garmin Mechanic offers something unique. The app uses data from a recent Garmin device and a vehicle’s onboard diagnostics port to provide incredibly accurate fuel economy data and engine operating parameters as well as trouble codes. The app has four tabs: Trip with information about current speed, time stopped, and distance; Gauges with up to 10 parameters like engine RPM; Economy with average fuel economy and fuel used for the trip; and Vehicles with profiles for each vehicle.

Mobile Mechanic

The Mobile Mechanic app is designed for drivers who can handle basic car repairs and maintenance tasks. The app is used to diagnose simple issues that can be corrected by the user or for greater insight before going to a mechanic.

OBD Car Doctor

OBD Car Doctor is an advanced maintenance app that works with an OBD-II scanner. When the vehicle experiences an issue, the scanner tool can be used to display an error message by communicating with the car’s On-Board Diagnostic system. The OBD Car Doctor is used to quickly interpret the findings from the scanner tool. The app makes it easy to determine why the check engine light keeps coming on, for example, so the car can be repaired by the user or a qualified mechanic.

 

Avoiding Common F1 Racing Mistakes

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auto-racing

Formula One racing is exciting. Drivers race around the twisting and turning tracks to gain position and obtain a coveted place on the podium. Each year, there are a few new drivers in Formula One as some drivers retire and others realize that they just don’t measure up. It is important for new drivers to learn from the mistakes of others so that they have the potential for a long and successful Formula One career.

In Formula One racing, initial race position is of critical importance. The best racers on the best teams will do everything in their power to hold off drivers trying to come up from the back of the pack. Unless there is an accident or major error by a driver in the front two rows, those in the back of the pack rarely win a Formula One race.

New drivers should make sure to drive to the best of their abilities during the qualifying rounds. Any let down in performance will result in a poor starting position and few race points.

Another key for a new driver is to get the most out of the best tires for the track. Formula One drivers are required to use two different types of tires during the course of the race. One type is usually a hard tire while the other is a soft or super soft tire.

Invariably, one type of tire will perform better on a track on a given day. It is important that the driver make the most of the drive time available on the better performing tire.

A new driver to Formula One needs to make sure that all of the intangibles are working in his favor. Everything in Formula One is calculated by the team. The team engineers know just how much fuel is needed, when to make a pit stop and how the car needs to be set up for the race.

A new driver needs to make sure to listen to the team at all times. It’s vital that a driver get in for pit stops when they’re called by the team. Any mistake can cost position and points.

Finally, a new driver should review as much film as possible of previous races on a track. This is the next best thing to on track experience. Seeing how great drivers of the past raced is an important learning experience.

2 Big Myths About Driverless Cars

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driverless-cars

What was once thought of as an impossible dream, driverless cars are becoming more and more popular in the world of technology, with betas being distributed all over the world. While we are still a number of tests away before safely releasing these automobiles out into the public world, the strides made in such short periods of time are truly remarkable. With this sudden surge in technology, it’s no wonder that there have been several misconceptions floating around regarding what autonomous cars have to offer. Below are just a few.

  1. Driverless cars will be purchasable for the public

I should preface this by saying that selling driverless cars to the public is an eventual goal, but we are far from it. There are a limited number of areas in which autonomous cars can operate at the moment, and it’s safe to assume that those asking if they can purchase one of these vehicles will want them to drive on roads and highways around their respective communities. Extremely complex mapping needs to be done in order to have these cars safely drive where they are intended to, which can take quite some time. Another consideration to factor in is driverless cars’ abilities to operate safely in hazardous weather. Yet another feature that requires the development of complicated algorithms.

For now, the most suitable role driverless cars can fill is that of public transportation. As mentioned before, due to the fact that they rely on previously mapped roads, these cars can hit the market at a much earlier time with their much simpler routes. This would be monumental for the public transportation industry, with companies like Uber and Lyft benefitting greatly from the reduced cost of employment.

  1. Their reliability must be proved through countless miles driven

Obviously, safety is the biggest concern when it comes to cars essentially driven by computers. Without a person behind the wheel, many may consider driverless cars unsafe, as there is no way to account for human error. A popular request to prove their reliability is to drive over and over again to assure that no mistakes can be made. However, there quite a few flaws that come with this argument, the first one being the average of driverless car accidents versus human-driven car accidents.

There is almost no way to predict the statistics of autonomous cars journeying across the country without the interference of human error, thus bringing up the notion that man-driven cars will always account for more accidents based on statistics. As stated by Driverless-Future.com, “These cars – that never tire, never drink, never take their attention off the road – would have to make other grave errors at much higher rates than humans which our societies would never be prepared to forgive.”

 
Driverless cars are inevitably becoming a part of our future. Though many people may feel that it is an unsafe alternative, the technology and dedication being put into perfecting these modern breakthroughs is enough to reassure most. Driverless cars will not be available for the public until their safety is as guaranteed as it can be, but when they are, they could provide significant advancements in the world of self-operated technology.

Long Live Electric

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Could Tesla and its competitors overthrow the reign of gas-powered cars?

Carl Turnley gas powered engines

 

Sometimes we see the end of an era coming from far, far away. New technologies can overtake the old, and after some adjustment periods, the former are slowly phased out. The creation of DVD signaled the slow end of the VHS and cell phones have slowly but surely been taking the place of home phones. Other times, in stark contrast, technologies new and old co-exist. The invention of Blu-Ray discs has yet to destroy the DVD market, and smaller, simple technological upgrades like electric toothbrushes have yet to assert dominance in the teeth cleaning market.

But, then again, electric toothbrushes and DVDs don’t have quite the impact–on an environmental, economic or social level, to name a few–that transportation does.

So which category will the eventual phasing out of gas-powered cars fall into? A complete takeover, relegating gas-powered cars to the likes of VHS that you or your parents own, collecting dust in a garage somewhere, or a coexistence that embodies the “to each his own” mentality?

At this point, the answer is unclear–perhaps masked in the exhaust from the some 260 million vehicles on the road in the US right now.

Fossil fuels are demonstrably harmful to the environment. The fluids and emissions from a traditional gas-powered car directly affects the ozone, air quality and the environment as a whole. With humans taking a stronger stance on environmental issues and sustainability recently, the pressing need to find alternative fuel sources is being investigated more fervently than ever. Electric cars could, in theory, be the answer to the question of how we can continue to power ourselves globally in a more sustainable manner.

They’re also a finite resource. They will, inevitably, run out at some point, forcing the hand of gas-powered vehicle creators to convert to electric or find another means of powering their cars.

The drawbacks to electric cars at this moment are fairly obvious. The price points are out of the range of most moderate spenders, let alone those looking for a car that will get them to and from work every day–a need that can currently be fulfilled for $5,000. A second drawback is not in buying the cars themselves, but in actually charging them. Charging stations, which Tesla has maintained will be free for life, are few and far between. Charging your car at home understandably drives up your electric bill quite a bit.

But, as with almost all new technologies, price inevitably comes down with time. Economy models will, undoubtedly be built, and more competition will mean lower prices for the consumer. Some even claim that Tesla could be beat in the relatively near future, which opens the door for lower costs and more efficient models as the technology progresses.

It’s entirely possible that gas-powered cars could be a marvel–a collectors item of sorts. Something that your grandchildren or great-great-great-grandchildren will pull their friends into the garage to show them that, yes, it’s true, he does have one of those collector’s items. For now, gas-powered cars are here to stay–but before long our reliance on fossil fuels could take a step back, and electric could be the transportation dominating our streets.

Can We Trust Autopilot?

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Carl Turnley Autopilot

 

With a starting price for a new Model S hovering somewhere around $90,000 before taxes and after rebates and discounts, the dream of owning a car with built-in autopilot may only become a reality for some if the dream of hitting the lottery comes to fruition shortly beforehand. Tesla’s line of fully-electric automobiles comes with a hefty price tag and, more recently, some degree of danger, if you’re inclined to believe some reports.

 

In recent months, Tesla and its creator Elon Musk have come under fire for a rash of autopilot-related car accidents that many are quick to blame on the electric car maker.  

 

First came reports out of California that a Tesla Model X set to autopilot accelerated by its own volition, crashing into the side of a building. Luckily, no one suffered serious injuries in the crash. The driver, who was attempting to pull into a parking space at the time, blamed the autopilot feature for accelerating as she pulled into the spot, sending her SUV hurtling forward. Upon examining the autopilot logs, Tesla claimed that the feedback was consistent with user error–ie. The driver accelerated on her own behalf, not the autopilot. As of last update, neither party acknowledged fault for the accident, with Tesla maintaining its findings that the autopilot was not the cause of the crash.

 

In March, Google’s self-driving cars suffered their first accident that was not blamed on other drivers by the tech giant. Though no one was hurt, the collision between the self-driving car and a bus did mark a historic first, as Google admitted that its car was at fault for the small roadside collision.

 

More recently, results of autopilot being engaged during car accidents took a grim turn, as a driver was killed when his Tesla Model S hit collided with the side of a tractor trailer. Initial reports indicate that the breaks did not engage, nor did the driver attempt to engage them himself, before the wreck.

 

Unfortunately, these likely won’t be the last instances of autopilot-related car accidents. The fact remains that even with autopilot, no car is perfect. Quite a large amount of time and an equally unimaginable budget goes into developing the technology that is still imperfect and, according to Musk and Tesla Motors, is still in its beta stage.

 

The use of the phrase beta stage points to an incomplete and imperfect piece of software, according to Musk. Drivers are asked that, while autopilot is engaged, they remain fully aware and with their hands on the wheel, prepared to take control at any time. These precautions are put into place during the beta test to ensure drivers’ safety on the roads while the autopilot feature continues to improve its ability.

 

Some have called for a ban on the testing of autopilot driving during Tesla’s beta stage, claiming that it’s dangerous to both drivers and others on the road. However, the only way the beta testing will truly improve is from regular use. The issue of autopilot causing accidents shouldn’t be an issue if the proper precautions are taken and rules are followed to ensure safety.

Roborace, Where Intelligence Meets Technology

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Sports constantly evolve with technology. Instant replay, for instance, has been introduced to sports to review close plays. In tennis, line judges have the technology to review hotly contested calls in the most intense moments of the match. Even as medicine and sports science advance, the events become safer as the rules change to protect players— for instance, the NFL banning all chop blocks.

But what happens when technology changes the game so dramatically that it creates what amounts to a new sport altogether? Just look at RoboRace.

RoboRace, which is a partnership between investment fund Kinetic and electric racing organization Formula-E, hopes to bring autonomous vehicles to the race track The races would transfer the skill of the individual driver and pit crew to a team of engineers. Those teams would get the same vehicle machinery, but they would have to create their own algorithm to dictate how it behaves in a race.

With the organic human element taken out of the sport, would hundreds of fans pack raceways to see a race autonomous vehicles that only respond to a unique algorithm?

Ars Technica’s Jonathan M. Gitlin raises the point that this non-human element provides a unique opportunity. With essentially no need to be tethered to safety regulations— remember, there are no humans in these cars— the tracks themselves could be more experimental; the speeds could reach new highs. Or, as Gitlin puts it, the races could resemble the “wackier end of the Hot Wheels spectrum.”

The reaction is sure to be mixed, but what a conversation to have.