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By Mike Trudel

 If your fingers itch for a touch screen even during the morning commute, there may be a solution — particularly when you’re carpooling in the passenger seat and have a minute to play. Vehicles are now being released with “carputers” or “carPCs” as an option, not just as a retrofit. A familiar type of “carPC” to most folks is a Global Positioning System (GPS). According to an online encyclopedia, a GPS device is much like a limited laptop running GPS software.

Basic Specs and Tech:

“Carputer” machines consist of a motherboard, processor and memory and data storage method, such as a hard drive or solid state flash memory. Interface hardware depends on non-distracting options to interact with the “carPC,” such as wireless protocols, which are commonly used to connect to GPS devices and mobile phones. Wirelessly connecting and transferring data to and from home computers is also possible.

A well-executed interface is paramount to the machine’s success, and its software runs the computer’s hardware. Good programming allows drivers to use their favorite piece of technology without being distracted. Common operating systems are available and nearly all are customizable.

Making sure “carPCs” keep their juices flowing is a slightly more complicated matter than it is for the average desktop or laptop. The danger lies in the sudden power drain to certain systems that occurs upon start-up or, of course, when the ignition is cut. To suddenly seize a computer’s supply, however, is risky; software can malfunction and data can be lost. To safeguard against this, a DC-DC power supply is often used, which provides a continuous, 12V power stream to the “carputer.” A DC-AC inverter can also be installed, but it tends to use more energy and produce more wasted heat. The right hardware and software combination allows the computer to sense when the main power source has been cut and use what’s left to safely shut down the machine.

Experiments have found that Internet users experience marked levels of frustration when a Web site takes thirty or more seconds to load. Bearing this in mind, imagine how quickly “carputer” popularity would decline without the relay circuits enabling the machine’s devices to start automatically. Without properly relaying circuits, devices such as amplifiers and screens would have to be started manually — something a portion of the general public doesn’t even know how to do anymore.

Before 2000, LCD character displays were the screen of choice for “carPC” builders. Commands were usually sent to the machine through a keyboard with this system. Soon, wireless serial port remotes were made possible, and small television screens became affordable. The majority of first screens were video input only. For over a grand a pop, though, these were hard to justify. Rapidly advancing technology and production increases have recently made touch screens available and affordable.

Lest one thinks these little “carputers” are all business, entertainment features have been added. “CarPCs” now bring nearly all the entertainment comforts of home onto that cross-country trek. Passengers feel like watching a movie? No problem. Playing a video game? Hook ‘er up. Download favorite music, tune in to satellite radio and map the next trip to Europe on advanced GPS software. It’s all there. No more “Maaa-om. Are we there yet?” “Pop in a movie,” says Maaa-om. Or, “do your homework,” which she downloaded from a desktop at home. At last — technology not only brings hope for peace and quiet but also a way to make sure no one gets too lost along the way.

The possibilities are nearly endless. After all, automobiles have already been introduced to the world of high technology. Consider infrared cameras, a variety of hands-free applications, cargo detectors, lane departure and side (blind spot) warning software — these technological offerings are all not only possible but are already being incorporated. Imagine the capabilities modern computers possess. Now imagine that in your car.

Mike Trudel, Freelance Writer.

Delphi Corp. is poised to apply its expertise and know-how to provide vehicle manufacturers and consumers with in-vehicle connectivity. To learn more about Delphi Corp., please visit www.Delphi.com/4Innovation or www.Delphi.com/4Connected.

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Buying a Used Car Online
By Jay Gaulard

 There are a couple of major benefits to buying a used car online. You do not have to spend hours going from one dealership to another. Even better, you will not have to deal with overly pushy salespeople attempting to sell you more than you can logically afford. You can always look through your local newspaper’s online automotive classified website.

Tip #1 - Before Buying a Used Auto

Before buying a used car online, learn everything you can about what it should and could include. Learn about both standard and optional automotive equipment and the fair market value for the used car. Also, consider your budget. Knowing how much you have available before you start looking will help narrow down your choices. You will also be less tempted by an unaffordable auto.

Examine exactly why you want to buy a used car. The way you will use it can have a big impact on what type of auto you purchase. If you need an automotive for family outings or carpooling, a 2-seater sports car will not work.

Tip #2 - Questions to Ask Auto Seller

Ask the seller the following questions before buying an automotive online:

* Why are they selling the car? Beware if their reason seems unreasonable.

* Do you have service records? Having the service records will let you know what required services have and have not been completed. This will help you determine possible costs after you have purchased the auto.

* Is the title in the seller’s name? It can be difficult and time consuming to get the title changed from a previous owner. Another possibility is that you or the seller may be unable to locate the previous owner

* Are there any liens attached?

* Can I have an independent mechanic physically inspect the used car?

* Can I test drive the used car before buying it?

Tip #3 - Pictures of the Used Auto

Whenever possible, check out the used car in person. Otherwise, ask for pictures of the vehicle from every angle possible (inside and out), including the engine. Although not a sure-fire way to verify if the seller is being completely honest, this can help you to avoid some surprises. Even with pictures, you still need to be careful. Read over the original description of the used car and verify that it matches the one in the photo.

Tip #4 - CarFax Automotive Report

Ask the seller for the vehicle identification number, which you will need to run a CarFax report. This is a necessary step to protect you from fraud. A CarFax report will show you most major completed repairs and whether the car has been involved in an accident. If the report shows the vehicle has been in a bad accident, but the seller says the car is in tip-top shape, consider buying a different vehicle.

Tip #5 - Automotive Pricing

Before shelling out money or agreeing to a sales price, visit the Kelly Blue Book or Edmunds website to find the fair market value of the auto. Do this after you have seen pictures of the car so that you can be accurate about the car’s condition. Keep in mind that the sales price listed online probably does not include sales tax, registration, financing fees, or licensing and title fees.

Tip #6 - Where to Buy a Used Auto

You have several options regarding where to buy a used car online. Try looking through online automotive classified ads or on dealer websites. Another possibility is visiting online auto auction sites. Whichever way you choose, always follow the previously provided tips before making a purchase.

For many reasons, buying a car online can be much trickier than buying one in person. This is especially true when you decide to buy a non-local car, as you normally will not be able to see the car in person before you get it. Following the tips above can do away with many of the pitfalls.

Jay Gaulard writes for a wide selection of websites on various topics. He is a veteran of the internet and has come to be respected in his many areas of expertise. This article was written on behalf of AutoLeeg, a popular car classifieds website.

Active Safety - A Little Help from Your Electronic Friends
By Mike Trudel

 It started out simple enough. Historians may argue the chronology, but “Active Safety” likely began with the “horn,” an effective way to alert the guy ahead of you that you might run into him if he doesn’t move. Then someone came up with the idea of something called a “turn signal” to let other drivers know which way you were thinking of going. That led to another great idea, “brake lights” that let the guy behind you know you were slowing down.

Active safety has mushroomed ever since. Much of the safety technology developed over the past 50 years has focused on protecting people in a crash — reacting to an impact with passive safety technology like seat belts and airbags. The future of active safety seeks to help prevent accidents in ways the inventor of the horn never imagined.

One of the most common active safety systems widely used today is anti-lock braking. Anti-lock braking senses impending wheel lock-up and pulses the brakes many times a second — faster than most humans could — allowing drivers to maintain steering control under severe braking conditions. The brake controllers for ABS also enable traction control and dynamic stability systems; the three lie at the heart of most near-term active safety systems.

Among these systems are sensors that monitor the angle of the steering wheel, the front wheels and the vehicle itself; the speed at which each wheel is turning; the engine speed; and, in some cases, how hard the driver is hitting the brakes. The electronic components process this information in milliseconds and take corrective action to assist the driver.

This is where we are today, but the technology that will soon be available to consumers will take active safety to another level. The elements of adaptive cruise control and steer-by-wire will be added, and radar might sense impending collisions and either warn the driver or enable the vehicle to take evasive action itself.

With steer-by-wire and active suspension, the vehicle can correct oversteer or understeer with brakes, the engine, steering and perhaps shocks. This is also referred to as integrated chassis control, which uses not just the brakes but also the steering, engine and other systems within the chassis. In essence, the active suspension system analyzes what the driver is asking the vehicle to do and decides how best to achieve that result. In other words, it would be much harder for a driver to lose control of a vehicle if an active safety system could steer to counteract unwanted turning in a braking maneuver. While the system would take input from the driver’s controls — the steering wheel, brake pedal and accelerator pedal — it could just as easily take commands from outside the vehicle, perhaps from an intelligent highway system.

Suppliers and engineers believe that integrated chassis control could become commonplace in 10 years. The leading edge of this technology is an enhanced handling system called active roll control. The system uses hydraulic input from the steering system to actuate hydraulic cylinders in the front and rear sway bars so they resist leaning when the vehicle turns or follows a curve. Currently, rollover sensors are available to help indicate if a rollover is imminent. The sensor assesses the vehicle’s inclination and in conjunction with other inputs, such as vehicle speed and lateral acceleration, warns of extreme inclination or the potential for vehicle rollover.

Also well along the development cycle is adaptive cruise control, also known as intelligent cruise control or smart cruise control, a system that is already in production. One such system features a single radar unit both mid- and long-range capability. The system’s processor is contained in the same box as the radar, and the entire unit is hidden behind the front grill. The radar looks forward, while the processor interprets the distance to the vehicle ahead. If the car ahead gets too close (a pre-determined limit entered by the driver), the processor sends a command to the engine controller to slow the engine; and if that’s not enough, it sends a command to apply the brakes.

Collision avoidance systems may evolve from adaptive cruise control by adding short-range radar to the front and side. This would work in tandem with a panic brake-assist system currently available. This system measures master-cylinder pressure; if it detects a very rapid application of the brake pedal, it uses the motor pumps from the traction control or dynamic stability control system to build brake pressure at the wheels faster than the driver could manage alone.

Automotive suppliers are looking not only at radar, laser and infrared for collision warning and collision avoidance systems, but also at optical systems - cameras which collect data that is interpreted by a computer rather than driver-displayed. Both optical sensors and angular-rate sensors determine whether there’s an obstacle in a vehicle’s path. That’s the easy part. The challenge becomes understanding the vehicle’s intended path, particularly when that path involves a curve in the road. Once the system recognizes that the vehicle is going around a curve, it would be able to determine whether an object is actually in the vehicle’s path. An intelligent system that can tell the road is curving will know that a car that looks like it’s directly in front is really in another lane.

Increasingly sophisticated advances in active safety will continue to blossom over the next decade, including stop-and-go cruise control, pre-crash sensing, forward collision warning, side and rear blind spot detection and lane change warnings. The more pieces of active safety that are fitted together, the closer the industry comes to being able to turn over control of a car to an on-board or off-board computer in emergency situations, on “smart” high-speed lanes of crowded highways or perhaps even full time during regular driving conditions. Of course, that much automated control could eventually become a “hot potato.” The concern is likely to be whether drivers and buyers are ready for it. The fact is, automakers aren’t going to spring entire active safety systems on the public all at once. As is already the case, the ingredients will be added gradually, piece by piece.

Mike Trudel, Freelance Writer.

Delphi Corp. is a leading innovator of automobile safety equipment and technology. To learn about Delphi’s safety advancements, visit www.Delphi.com/4safe.

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