van
Latest
Ford's 'Dynamic Shuttle' tests out a competitor for Uber
While Uber just announced that it's testing out some very familiar-looking group transportation options, its next competition could come from Ford. Today at an event in Dearborn, the carmaker showed off the Dynamic Shuttle service it's testing for employees, that it says could make Ford a "mobility service provider." On its campus, the Dynamic Shuttle people request a ride via the app, which determines an optimally located van to complete the trip. Reuters quotes VP of Research Ken Washington as saying "We see this as a business we want to be in," especially in a future where people who previously needed cars could potentially opt for ride sharing service instead.
Apple is driving camera-equipped minivans around California
Apple technology doesn't normally venture on to the open road outside of CarPlay, but the company is clearly ready to hit the street with something new. Claycord, CBS and others have spotted unmarked, Apple-registered minivans driving around California (and possibly New York) sporting an abundance of cameras and (maybe) sensors. Neither the drivers nor Apple are willing to say what the vans are up to. Some are quick to speculate that these are autonomous vehicle prototypes meant to take on Google's self-driving car, but it's not certain that this is the case. Apple may just as easily be using these vans to add Street View-style panoramas to Maps, improve the accuracy of its existing map data or something else altogether. One thing's for certain: between this and talk of an Apple search platform, the crew in Cupertino is ready to explore unfamiliar territory. [Image credit: Claycord]
Ford's Skyliner concept is like a private jet for the road
If you had $40 million to spend on a ultra-lux vehicle, you might opt for a (pre-owned) Gulfstream V. VIPs on a tighter budget could instead pick up this decked-out Ford van, which comes complete with incredibly comfy leather seats, a Crestron home (or van) automation system, a 52-inch drop-down projection screen with Kaleidescape media server, and plenty of other goodies like maple flooring, a bar with fridge, multi-color LEDs around the roof, individual reading lights (like you'd get on that private jet) and integrated WiFi. You can even add a set of matching luggage.
Honda Odyssey rolls out with a built-in vacuum, almost makes a minivan sound appealing
It's not quite a minivan fit for a technophile, despite the standard lineup of 2014 in-vehicle gadgets, such as HondaLink with a smartphone interface, HD Radio and an updated center stack. But Honda's 2014 Odyssey does ship with one very practical addition: a built-in HondaVAC, designed with assistance from the good folks at Shop-Vac. The integrated vacuum cleaner lets you tidy up around the van and outside as well, and with integrated power, it doesn't need to be plugged in for use. It can suck indefinitely when the engine's running, or for up to eight minutes with the car turned off. It's integrated within the rear cargo area, and includes a replaceable filter and a canister bag, for easy rubbish disposal. The Odyssey just made its debut at the New York Auto Show, and pricing and availability have yet to be announced. You can check it out for yourself this week in NYC, however, or take a closer look in the promo video embedded just past the break.
Nissan announces e-NV200 all-electric van, production slated for 2013
So, Chrysler's electric postal van never really took off -- perhaps a few too many mailmen refused to give up those roomy Grumman LLVs -- but now Nissan is giving the electric van concept a go. Yesterday the company announced the e-NV200 compact van (previously teased as a concept), which will go into production in 2013. The van will be Nissan's second all-electric vehicle, following the 2010 Leaf. The e-NV200's design is quite similar to that of the NV200 van, but it swaps taxi-cab yellow for the Leaf's shade of robin's egg blue. Nissan says it's putting $126 million into producing the new model, but so far it's keeping mum on other details. Head past the break for the full press release
Suzuki unveils Every electric van, bead curtains sold separately
Just when you thought the electric van couldn't get any more stylish, Suzuki went out and raised the bar even higher, with its Every van -- a prototype plug-in that has state felony written all over it. Following in the wake of Mitsubishi's Minicab i-MiEV, this love bus is powered by a lithium-ion battery that can be fully juiced in about five hours, with a cruising range of up to 62 miles. It's also a good 400 pounds heavier than its gas-powered predecessor, though, as Integrity Exports explains, its cargo capacity remains fixed at around 550 pounds. For now, Suzuki is sending out just 13 vehicles to a handful of Japanese dealerships, in the hopes of testing the market before a potential widespread launch. No word yet on when that could happen, but Japan's soccer moms and airport shuttle drivers must be licking their chops.
TomTom working on its own Street View-like service?
TomTom's already seen Google muscle in on its turf in a big way, and it looks like it might now be trying to return the favor. If camera-toting vans like the one above are any indication, it would appear that the company is currently working to bolster its navigation options with its own Street View-like service. So far, all of the van sightings seem to be confined to Europe (France and Belgium, specifically), and they of course don't necessarily confirm that TomTom is indeed working on a Street View competitor -- although we have to wonder what the vans are for if it's not. It's also worth noting that TomTom did acquire TeleAtlas, which uses vans equipped with cameras, lasers and GPS in the actual creation of its maps, but the higher, 360-degree camera used on these vans seems much closer to those used on Google's Street View cars. Seen one yourself? Feel free to let us know in the comments below.
Visualized: Planters gifts Mr. Peanut with a new biodiesel-fueled ride
While you may not realize it, Mr. Peanut's been cruising around in the same ride for decades. Maybe even centuries. Regardless of the specifics, one thing has become abundantly clear to the higher-ups at Planters -- dude needs a new ride, STAT. As the story goes, 2011 will be the year that the Nutmobile sees a much-needed revamp, with the refreshed model to be based around a 2011 Isuzu NPR diesel truck. Inside of the crunchy shell, it's been outfitted with five percent biodiesel, a smattering of solar panels and a wind turbine, not to mention a bank of batteries. Sickening as it may seem, Mr. Peanut will be murdering a few of his own just to get down the street, with "a small amount" of peanut oil being mixed in with a number of other vegetable and cooking oils. So much for that happy-go-lucky front, huh?
Bright delivers hybrid van for U.S. Army testing, won't be hitting a battlefield soon -- or ever
Usually when we cover military gadgets it's things like super-strong robots or skateboard tanks. But, even the U.S. Army needs practical, sensible transportation (apparently), and heaven forbid it buys some standard car from a standard dealership. Instead in this case it went to Bright Automotive, who whipped up a custom version of its Idea plug-in hybrid van, a 10kWh battery pack offering 30 miles of purely electric driving before spinning the internal combustion engine under the hood. On top of that, the Idea can actually act as a generator, exporting 3.3kW of power continuously at either 110 or 220v. What can't it do? Well, look cool on a battlefield for one, or intimidate our enemies, for another -- nothing a roof-mounted ball turret and a coat of olive drab can't solve.
Swiss van driver gets stuck up a 'glorified goat track,' blames GPS
It's reassuring to know that while some things may change dramatically, others will and do stay the same. Overreliance on GPS is one of those highly consistent trends, as exhibited most recently by one Robert Ziegler, a full-time van driver and part-time goat track explorer. The unfortunate gent found himself growing increasingly uncomfortable with the directional instructions his satnav unit was handing out, but his hope was that "each little turn would get [him] back to the main road." Eventually, after having its fun, the GPS guide told Robert to turn around, but by that point he wasn't in a position to do anything other than call the local rescue services, who kindly airlifted him and his van back to more hospitable terrain. See a picture of the van's delivery to ground level after the break. [Thanks, r3loaded]
Driverless vans set off on intercontinental trek from Italy to China (video)
You might not have expected the future to look like your granddad's groovy camper van, but take a closer look here and you'll find that this is indeed nothing like your forefather's people carrier. The VisLab team from the University of Parma have taken a fleet of Piaggio Porter Electric vehicles, strapped them with an array of cameras, lasers and other sensors, and topped them off with solar panels to keep the electronics powered. Oh, and lest we forgot to mention: the vans are (mostly) autonomous. VIAC (or VisLab Intercontinental Autonomous Challenge) is the grand name given to their big demonstration: an 8,000-mile, 3-month tour that will ultimately find them arriving in Shanghai, China, having set off from Milan this Tuesday. You can follow the day-by-day development on the blog below, though we're still being told that practical driverless road cars are a measure of decades, not years, away.
Caption contest: Bing bus goes searching for search results
Bus. Ice cream truck. Personal space invader. Vessel of illicit speaker transport. It's all semantics, anyway. Darren: "Man, this smoke is great, but damn if I'm not suddenly craving an orange Push Up." Joe: "Unlike the Street View car, the Bing truck is equally at home on the street or at a rave." Chris: "In the event the authorities get too close for comfort, Bing is prepared to take its entire operation mobile for weeks at a time, stopping only to refuel." Don: "At last, the real decision engine is revealed." Richard Lawler: "Ok, so the plot is, we pick up "models" off the street... and find low cost plane tickets, product reviews or a nice restaurant for them. That's it." Ross: "Creative Picture Framing" indeed, Microsoft. Creative picture framing, indeed. Joanna: "Didn't we just do a sketchy tech van caption contest!?" Richard Lai: "For the last time: we don't sell froyo here." Tim: "Creative Picture Framing was a front for GHOST: Google Hating Operatives with better Search Technology. Jeeves had already arrived in his blacked out Benz, but the Altavista boys were nowhere to be found." Myriam: "Oh, I see! It's an art car for Burning Man... Right." [Thanks, Hosain]
Tesla Model S platform to be used for electric vans and other vehicles, airbrushing optional
Tesla Motors may now be banking on its Model S to help it snag a bigger piece of the electric car market, but it looks like the car's platform may be the real key to the company's near-term success. As just revealed in an official blog post by VP of Business Development Diarmuid O'Connell, Tesla will also be using the platform for a range of other "derivatives," including a minivan, a cross-over utility vehicle and, yes, a full-fledged utility van for both industrial and civic use. Unfortunately, O'Connell didn't have much to say about anything like a launch timeframe or any other details, for that matter, but we wouldn't let that stop you from your starting to plan out some van art. Trust us. It's coming back.[Via Autoblog Green, image courtesy dcdan]
Chrysler aims to produce all-electric USPS pimpmobiles... er, minivans
Have a look at that sweet piece up above and just imagine your mail being carted around inside. Go ahead, we'll wait. If Chrysler has its druthers (and stays afloat long enough to make good on its good intentions), it'll soon be producing a fleet of all-electric Town and Country minivans for the United States Postal Service. The automaker has voiced its plans to apply for a federal grant in order to get things moving, though it will be looking to utility companies Duke Energy and ConEd to make it all come together. If all goes well, the vans produced will have a range of around 40 miles, though it's expected that they will have a gasoline-powered motor on board in case that last overnight package requires just a few more miles. 'Course, there's no guarantee that the application will result in a grant, but for all those who appreciate comedy, we can only hope it flies though in record time.
Play Chinatown Wars early during promo van tour
Rockstar currently has GTA: Chinatown Wars on a pre-launch (post-launch, in some cases) sampling tour across the United States. The locales will allow people to play the game before its March 17 release, plus "limited-edition Rockstar apparel" will be given away. Check our the full list of dates and locations after break.Of course, the real fun comes if and when somebody manages to carjack one of these promotional vans. (Seriously, don't do that.)[Via RockstarWatch]
Honda bringing 360-degree multi-view camera system to Odyssey
Honda's been trying for months now to convince you that "the van is back in style," and while we're still not entirely sure that line isn't just marketing hoopla (okay, it is), at least the company is working to make the thing more technologically advanced. Starting next month in Japan, the automaker will debut a multi-view camera system for its Odyssey minivan, which will utilize the same 360-degree overhead cam tech that Nissan picked up last year. The system will give drivers the ability to see more as they prepare to back out, and the biggest boon is the ability to view ninjas adhered to parking garage ceilings prior to opening the sunroof and facing The Reaper. Unfortunately, there's no word on when it'll be available in other corners of the globe, but we'd guess 2009 if we had a Katana put to our throat.[Thanks, JagsLive]
Van-sized StreetWriter prints messages, burns rubber
Concocting zany printers seems to be all the rage these days, and if the sugar, 3D, and film renditions weren't sophisticated enough for you, this creation is giving new meaning to taking your word to the street. In a DIY endeavor that eerily resembles one we recall from years back, the StreetWriter project stuffs a computer-controlled industrial spray painting unit into an extended-body cargo van, where it can then roll up to unsuspecting sections of pavement and drop all sorts of textual delight. Granted, the prints can really only be deciphered from tall buildings or low-flying crafts, but we're sure it needs all eight of those cylinders to skedaddle if caught printing on public property. No word on how long this bad boy's been rolling about, but be sure and click through to get a closeup of the innards.[Via CNET]
Ruh Roh Shaggy: Art Army Van weds iPod dock, Mystery Machine
We've seen our fair share of far-out iPod docks, but Mike Leavitt's latest go at creating a piece of functional art makes us yearn to bust out the tie-dyed bandannas and throw a Scooby-Doo marathon bash. The Art Army Van is a modified plastic Mystery Machine toy, which now includes a modernized paint scheme, removable rear CD rack, passenger seat-mounted speaker, and the obligatory iPod jack in the captain's chair. The wheeled machine comes in at 10- x 6- x 6-inches in size, and while we're not entirely confident that such a masterpiece is worthy of a whole $200, we can't deny the temptation to snap one up. Click through to see this groove rider in action.
Scoop brings glam to the ice cream truck biz
Yeah, we know, we all scream for ice cream, but the Scoop startup is looking to add a dash of glitz, glamor, and flashing lights to the traditional ice cream truck biz, which is admittedly overdue for a refresh. The UK-based endeavor will be hitting the streets with Mystery Machine-esque vans that sport a bright flashing spoon atop the roof, chalk-written phrases on the paneling, and hot orange rims to boot. The idea, which took home the gold in CPB's "Blue Sky" competition, stands out from the trucks of yesteryear by handing out branded spoons and delivering delightful flavors in Chinese take-out boxes (pictured after the jump), somewhat catering to adults as well as sugar-craving kiddos. Sure, this may not be a 100 miles-per-hour thrill wagon, nor a Xbox 360-packed rental bus, but it definitely holds it own in the (flashy) "meals on wheels" category.[Via CNET]
Up close with the Ford Airstream's 360-degree TV
We had an opportunity this week to spend a few minutes mesmerized by the tube (literally) television mounted prominently to the floor of the passenger compartment in Ford's Airstream concept van. Granted, the big news here is that brick-like aerodynamics and hydrogen power make for strange bedfellows, but the bizarre display comes in a close second. Inhabitants of the van's quarters are theoretically able to use it to watch movies, but the thought of kiddies scrambling around a pole to catch the action on the other side of the picture is going to be a nightmare come true for parents of the distant future hauling down the highways and bi-ways in this thing. For what it's worth, the images looked extraordinarily bright (perhaps disturbingly so for the interior of a vehicle) and plenty crisp, but we'll ditch the movies -- we think could stare at that faux lava lamp for hours.
