Goodbye, page flip: automakers push for cameras

When Volkswagen begins, delivers the first its ultra-efficient XL1 Coupés by mid-year, must be because motorists get used to, the idea looking at a series of three video screens, instead of back and sideview mirror, to see what is happening around them.

Replace the traditional mirrors with micro-compact cameras integrated into the body, designers could VW aerodynamics of the vehicle significantly improve a data set to achieve fuel consumption - a crucial factor in the.

But while VW plans, only 250 cars build, none in the United States are delivered. The U.S. rules that require, is partly due to the Federal Republic of all vehicles with right and left side mirrors be equipped.

But that could change soon - at least the auto industry hopes it will.

The Alliance of automobile manufacturers - a consortium that engine includes VW, Toyota, and General - as well as Tesla Motors, has asked the national highway traffic safety to replace to allow administration, manufacturer, mirror with digital cameras.

The request comes on the heels of a NHTSA announcement last week, with backup cameras may 2018 need a long-delayed mandate, which outlines all vehicles.

The concept of using more aerodynamic cameras was something automotive designers and engineers have studied for decades. But automotive regulators hesitant to take, introduced new rules.

"Actually, you get these things changed, but it takes time," Tesla CEO Elon Musk complained during a Conference last year. The manufacturer wants to transfer the lateral cameras on their model 9-4 x concept SUV shown and use on a production version.

Car manufacturers hope that the time finally is ready to adopt a high-tech alternative to the basic outside mirror - especially since the integration of advanced security systems such as dead-angle warning can enable with digital cameras.

Move last month, set a timetable for the installation of backup cameras the signal could be, which the industry is waiting. Automakers have taken also preliminary steps, which hope to ease lingering concerns on the part of NHTSA rule maker.

Honda 2013 started as his LaneWatch system with the debut of the accord model. The car still has the necessary sideview mirror but is equipped with a camera, usually to miss out the in the passenger-side blind spot of peers, the car driver. The image is the same center console mounted displayed on screen, the normally navigation and infotainment handles tasks.

Nissan, used a network cameras mounted to the vehicle in the meantime motorists from the bird's eye view of the surrounding pavement and obstacles through its around view monitor type.

In future, a smart digital mirror could mark a Nissan driver attention on objects in a vehicle blind spot, by switching between a normal rear view mirror and a camera on the driver's command.

How quickly the NHTSA might respond to the Alliance's petition remains to be seen, but industry planners hope that will move the Government with more haste.

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NHTSA: rear view camera requires vehicles by 2018 to have

Automakers now rearview cameras on all cars under 10,000 pounds must contain, the U.S. Department of transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) decided Monday.

"Safety is our highest priority, and we are committed to the protection of the most vulnerable victims of backover accidents-our children and seniors,", said US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx in a press release.

The decision requires all vehicles manufactured on or after May 1, 2018, rear cameras have.

According to NHTSA there are every year an average 210 dead and 150,000 injuries due to backover accidents. Children are under 5 years of age, 21 per cent of deaths and adults are over 70 years old or older account for 26 percent.

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Mercedes S-class wows 3D cameras with night vision

Paul A. Eisenstein Detroit Bureau 19 may 2013 at 11:22 AM ET
The Detroit Bureau of MercedesThe Mercedes S-class to start in 2014 is packed with blow-your-mind information: LED lights, a perfumer, radar, 3D cameras.

There was a time when luxury cars were by their sheer size and dimensions, their power, performance defined and, of course, exclusive details such as leather seats and wood trim.

These factors distinguish the 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-class, but there is more to the newly defined German flagship, which correspond to the change in the nature of the automotive industry. Of its LED lamps, the 3D cameras, radar and night vision systems, with which the new sedan practically, is to drive the new S-class a technical tour de force, make up the likely competitors race will have.

The long-awaited remake of the classic full-size luxury sedan was an Airbus plant in Hamburg, Germany – no wonder, because parent Mercedes-Benz holds also a French airline manufacturer on the staged. But the place was decided to clearly underline the technical complexity of the new S-class.

Mercedes officials noted that it waive the first automobile with conventional light bulbs will choose lighting in between instead for more modern LED technology for everything from the head and taillights and the small reading lights and mood indicators. All in all there are 300 LEDs inside only 56 in each headlight and another 25 in each taillight. Oh, and you can choose from seven different colours for the interior lighting with dimmer in five stages and four different lighting zones.

The mammoth, 104-page press release about the details of the new car is overwhelming. The section on sensors runs longer than the most new car announcements.

It is the latest version of Mercedes Distronic technology, with cameras and radar to monitor the vehicle's surroundings. It allows the new S-class with the traffic keep up, come to a halt in a tie-up and then start the rollers again. It releases the brakes if a collision appears likely and turns even the flasher, if it occurs.

The latest lane departure warning systems will even check when a sleepy driver begins to drive in an adjacent alley.

Behind the close to desktop size displays on the Tesla model S will have the new Mercedes S-class--some of the largest video screen always two of them filled in the instrument panel, 12.3 inches. The primary, reconfigurable display handles traditional tasks such as speed and engine of RPMs, monitors while the right panel Mercedes latest Infotainment technology.

As the manufacturer, during a session, that halfway around the world to the annual Google i/o Developer Conference reveals there are more apps. Developed in the middle of the urban action through even a so-called "heat map" system to a motorist Mercedes, the visualization of the areas with high concentrations of nightclubs, restaurants and shopping malls.

Oh, Yes: Even an automatic perfume atomizer option removed the Maybach brand, which abandoned last year.

Among the many firsts, the Mercedes for the 2014 S-class is claimed, the large sedan will introduce the magic body control system. Instead of waiting until the sensors detect a bump or a pothole, it use the stereo camera system looking for uneven road surface and automatic adjustment of the standard issue air suspension.

As always, Mercedes plans to offer the car different versions of the new S-class, including diesel and gasoline mechanics and a plug-in hybrid due a year after its launch.

S550, could leave planned for the U.S. market, potential buyers, the is wondering why she would need something else. The Twin-Turbo 4, 5.7 liter V8 will start more than the direct competitors from BMW, Audi or Lexus - and enough, an impressive 455 HP and 516 pound-feet of torque - to the great Germanic sedan from 0 to 60 in just 4.8 seconds to pump out. This is almost a full second faster than the outgoing model.

Mercedes is not EPA mileage reviews but notes still discussing who should do it better than the outgoing S-class. This is partly due to lightweighting and extensive improvements in the areas of aerodynamics - and Mercedes says that wind drag a wee is now slightly better than a Toyota Prius.

Expect a significant share of the S600 Pullman model, a stretch version, after China, which sent world's fastest-growing luxury market, where the rich would rather be chauffeured.

The Pullman model layouts, similar to the old Maybach S63, including a business-jet style two people configuration, which will introduce a new hot-stone-style massage function have two rear-seat.

The new model looks could some controversy, in particular produce much larger grille and the distinctive LED lamps.

Don't expect see final prices until closer to the 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-class launch in the autumn of this year, but expect $100,000, a moderate increase over the current $93,000 about-base.

Slipping into the luxury market has found the Stuttgart-based car manufacturer itself in recent years and is now in an unknown third place behind BMW and Audi. The relatively exclusive nature of the S-class Mercedes lead - at least not directly it means - to win back does not help, but when click the new design and features, puts the manufacturer, that it also brings much less affluent buyers for C, E, and other models that could give a needed boost brand.

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