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A first-time CES entrepreneur, age 82
On the first official morning of CES, Carol Staninger stopped and started her motorized wheelchair through the cavernous Sands Expo and Convention Center, trying -- sometimes failing -- not to clip the herd of eager attendees who overlooked the octogenarian at chest height.
Toyota's upgraded safety system detects pedestrians at night
Toyota is among the swarm of automakers promising a safer driving future in the shape of autonomous vehicles. But, seeing as we're still stuck in the present, it's adding another notch to its safety advancement belt with its next-gen SafetySense (TSS) tech for regular cars. The upgraded suite -- a mix of tweaks to existing safety systems and brand-spanking new functions -- will roll out on "select vehicles" in mid-2018. Toyota is not explicitly stating the models that will get it first. But, if its near-standard automatic braking is anything to go by, the tech should spread rapidly.
Transportation Department to propose mandatory black boxes in passenger vehicles?
A few years back, the Department of Transportation recommended that auto makers give car owners a heads up when they slip event data recorders -- also known as "black boxes" -- into new models. Now, it looks like the department is considering taking its policy a step (or several) further: a memo reveals that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration plans to propose later this year that all new passenger vehicles have EDRs. So far, heavy-duty vehicles appear to be excluded, and either way, it's unclear how many years auto makers might have to work black boxes into their future models. Interestingly, when we asked a DoT staffer for clarification, he reminded us that the agency hasn't issued a press release and said he wasn't sure where Wired and other outlets were getting their information. Indeed, the Transportation Department hasn't proposed such a law yet, though it's pretty safe to say it's at least pondering it. Hit the source link to pore over the 197-page doc for yourselves (tip: we suggesting paying particular attention to page 54). [Warning: PDF source link]
BMW left turn assistant uses lasers to help you avoid running people over
BMW continues to fight the good fight: making sure you hit fewer people with its luxury vehicles. The German automaker is developing a vehicle warning system aimed at curbing collisions caused by drivers making left turns -- a leading cause of accidents and motorcycle fatalities. The system, which can be enabled for vehicles making left or U-turns while traveling under 10mph, detects movements using the vehicle's navigation system and a single camera. Once a left turn is recognized, three lasers are used to scan for hazards up to 328-feet away -- if one is detected, the car will automatically brake and throw up corresponding alerts for the driver. The company is set to show off the system as part of INTERSAFE 2, this week in Wolfsburg, Germany. In the meantime, the rest of us will have to rely on things like mirrors and looking over our shoulders.
Continental readies stereo camera system for 'seeing' cars
The idea of cars preventing accidents before they happen isn't novel, but at the end of the day, collision detection systems are only as smart as the information being fed to them. That's the ethos behind Continental's new stereo camera system, which spots people, pets, and other objects in a vehicle's path, and measures their height, distance from the vehicle, and how they might be moving. This rig, which will be just another part of Continental's ContiGuard safety system, uses the difference in the lenses' optical paths to make these calculations -- so long as those obstacles are 20 to 30 meters (66 to 98 feet) away. The company also says the cameras are sharp enough to detect partially obscured objects, and claims accuracy within 20 to 30 centimeters (8 to 12 inches). No word on when it will be ready to ship seeing cars, though if the press release is any indication, German drivers are likely to get their test drive first.
Video: Dorel Air Protect keeps your blow-up children safe
It might look like your run-of-the-mill car seat, but Dorel's Air Protect comes with an extra dose of parental paranoia, or as they call it, side impact protection. Sure, you could protect your child by not driving like a reckless maniac, but where's the techno-loving fun in that? You're far better off strapping junior into a pre-inflated airbag, while disregarding the fact your giant SUV is killing the world he is supposed to grow, live and love in. Now that we've guilt-tripped you into recycling your soda cans, how about a self-serving video of the crash test after the break?
