The road to safe and reliable semi- and fully autonomous cars is littered with technological hurdles but, in Australia, kangaroos are further causing manufacturers problems. Volvo’s technical manager, David Pickett, speaking to ABC News regarding the problem, said: “We’ve noticed it with the kangaroo being in mid-flight – when it’s in the air it actually … Continue reading KANGAROO CONFUSION BLIGHTS SELF-DRIVING CARS
IT ISN’T obvious, but keeping vehicle windscreens clean while on the move consumes vast quantities of water. In Europe, for example, an estimated six billion litres of screenwash is used every year. And consumption is expected to increase due to the rising number of sensors and cameras that need to be kept clean. As a … Continue reading SCREENWASH RE-CYC
CSIRO-backed organisation Data61 has partnered with Shanghai-based ZongMu Technology to develop more effective “computer vision” systems for self-driving vehicles. Dr Nick Barnes, leader of Data61’s Smart Vision Systems Group, said: “Computer vision is the technology that allows autonomous vehicles to determine the difference between what is pavement and what is a drivable road. “Unlike laser … Continue reading BETTER “SIGHT” FOR AUTONOMOUS CARS
TRANSPORT refrigeration specialist Carrier Transicold has upgraded its Naturaline refrigeration units to deliver a sustainable -40°C climate using R744 (CO2) refrigerant. Jim Taeckens, senior product manager of Carrier Transicold’s global container refrigeration division, said: “The -40°C capability can help shipping lines – especially those seeking environmentally responsible solutions – to provide enhanced offerings for customers … Continue reading CARRIER HITS -40°C WITH R744
THE new three-year refrigerant handling licence and trading authorisation permits from the Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) have been welcomed by the industry, according to recently published figures. ARC states that since the option was made available on 1 January, more than 90 per cent of applicants have opted for the new three-year renewals – instead … Continue reading LICENSING UPDATE
THE European Union’s pioneering HFC phasedown is experiencing unintended consequences, with reports circulating of a surge in illegal HFC sales and imports. According to a story published by UK-based news outlet Cooling Post, an increasing quantity of illegal high-GWP refrigerant is being offered online. More often than not, these disreputable sellers simply ignore any regulations … Continue reading EURO HFC PHASEDOWN SPARKS ILLEGAL SALES
THE advocate general of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has declared that Germany failed to meet legal obligations regarding HFC use in vehicles. In late 2015, the ECJ’s attention was drawn to the fact that German company Daimler AG had been using R134a in new cars. Under the European Mobile Air Conditioning (MAC) directive, … Continue reading GERMANY UNDER FIRE FOR DAIMLER’S ILLEGAL USE OF R134A
ALTHOUGH the big German luxury brands have been beaten to the punch by Jaguar in the all-electric SUV stakes, all are currently readying I-Pace competitors. Mercedes-Benz will launch the EQC next year, with the Audi e-tron also confirmed for 2019. Both have been previewed by concept cars, but the production versions remain under wraps – … Continue reading GERMANY’S ELECTRIC SUV BLITZ
JAGUAR is the first established premium car manufacturer to launch an all-electric vehicle with the I-Pace, and has made a point of talking up the battery-powered SUV’s thermal management tech. Arriving in Australasian showrooms from around October this year, with an Australian price starting from $119,000 plus on-road costs, the I-Pace beats the likes of … Continue reading PACE OF PROGRESS
AUSTRALIAN farmers are also putting up a fight for fair and equal access to service and repair information. Due to the distances involved, Australian farmers often find themselves facing considerable and costly downtime while they wait for technicians to arrive, only for a problem to take just moments to fix with a software update. Speaking … Continue reading FARMERS’ REPAIR DATA FIGHT
