Transportation is innovating more quickly than it has in a long time thanks to cleaner powertrains and autonomous driving technology, but our roads have yet to keep up with the pace. Now, a startup company is beginning to change that reality by bringing sustainable roads to certain parts of the U.K.
There are 24.8 million miles of roads in the world today. Traditionally, they consist of limestone, rocks, and sand that are bound together with the help of bitumen, a component extracted from crude oil and sold by the likes of Shell and Total. Enter MacRebur, which has developed plastic pellets that can replace much of the bitumen in an asphalt mix.
The material, dubbed MR6, is made with 100-percent recycled materials and can reduce the amount of plastic waste that ends up in landfills. Not only is it considered a greener alternative, but it’s also 60 percent stronger and last 10 times longer than standard asphalt. It’s more resistant to cracks and potholes and is cheaper than traditional solutions, the company says.
The special roads can now be found in parts of Cumbria in the U.K., reports Inhabitat. A new “plastic” road was recently added in Gloucester, England.
MacRebur isn’t the first company to experiment with more sustainable roads. Back in 2015, a road construction firm in the Netherlands revealed a PlasticRoad prototype.
Watch the video below from BBC News to see how it all works.
Source: BBC News via YouTube, Inhabitat, MacRebur via Facebook
California has approved a bill that will increase gas taxes and vehicle fees to fund transportation projects across the state.
On Friday, California Governor Jerry Brown signed off on a bill that will raise $5.2 billion a year for mass transit initiatives as well as road and bridge repairs. The bill ushers in the first gas tax increase the state has seen in 23 years.
The base excise tax will increase 12 cents per gallon on gasoline and 20 cents per gallon on diesel fuel. A variable excise tax is set at 17 cents. The gas and diesel taxes take effect November 1, but it won’t be until 2020 that electric car owners will pay $100 in lieu of a gas tax every year.
Annual vehicle fees will increase anywhere from $25 to $175 depending on the value of the car. This measure goes into effect January 1, 2018. According to Brown, the new taxes and fees should set most drivers back less than $10 per month.
Over the next 10 years, California expects to raise $52 billion, of which $34 million will go toward repairing roads, bridges, highways, and culverts, while $7 billion is earmarked for mass transit. Expect improvements along the 14 freeway in Santa Clarita, the 170 freeway in the San Fernando Valley, and the 605 between the 10 and 210, reports the Los Angeles Times. Bridges along the 5, 710, and 210 will also receive repairs.
“Safe and smooth roads make California a better place to live and strengthen our economy,” Brown said. “This legislation will put thousands of people to work.”
Meanwhile, Republicans aren’t having it. “Gov. Brown and Capitol Democrats just gave us the largest gas tax increase in state history—a deal so bad they needed $1 billion in pork to buy the votes to pass it. California deserves better,” Assembly Republican leader Chad Mayes said in a statement.
Redesigned for the 2017 model year, the Cadenza earned “Good” scores in all five crash categories, including the difficult small overlap test. IIHS never ran the previous Cadenza through the small overlap evaluation, which replicates what happens when the corner of a car hits a tree or pole at 40 mph.
The Cadenza also gains front crash prevention technology rated “Superior” by IIHS. Along with a forward collision warning feature, the model offers autonomous emergency braking, which helped the car avoid collisions during 12 mph and 25 mph tests. The feature is standard on Technology and Limited trims.
The Cadenza’s one weakest spot is its headlights, which were rated merely “Acceptable” at best. The LED lights that come with the Limited and Technology models offer fair to good visibility in all scenarios, IIHS says, but the halogen lights that are on the base Premium trim performed worse and earned a score of “Poor.” To qualify for a Top Safety Pick+ award, vehicles need to earn a minimum of “Acceptable” in the headlight evaluation.
The 2017 Kia Cadenza has not yet been rated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
After coming up with the Hyperloop concept, an idea which a few different companies are currently testing, Elon Musk is now sharing his vision for another alternative way to transport people. His new venture, called The Boring Company, has released a video previewing a future of underground tunnels that can help reduce traffic congestion.
In the video, a Tesla Model S pulls over to the side of the road and drives onto a pod. Like an elevator, the pod drops down to an underground tunnel and then moves the car along a track at speeds of up to 124 mph.
Musk informally announced his plans to start the new company last December. “Traffic is driving me nuts,” he wrote on his Twitter page. “Am going to build a tunnel boring machine and just start digging.” He then announced it would be called The Boring Company and wrote, “I am actually going to do this.”
Traffic is driving me nuts. Am going to build a tunnel boring machine and just start digging…
Just a few months later, the company is slowly growing into its own, and a “boring” machine has even been spotted around SpaceX recently. At the TED2017 conference, Musk spoke a little bit more about the company. “We bought some secondhand machinery,” Musk announced, reports MarketWatch. “It’s kind of puttering along but making good progress.”
Watch the video below to see what The Boring Company has dreamed up to fight traffic.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has teased the automaker’s upcoming semi-truck ahead of its debut in September. The teaser, revealed during a TED Talk featuring Musk, shows the front end of a very upright-looking truck with a striking set of headlights.
According to Electrek, Musk confirmed at the talk that a working prototype is already operational and that he’s had the opportunity to test drive one, saying it “feels like a sports car.” He also said the truck will be capable of long hauls, though he didn’t elaborate on its estimated range. Some have speculated that the truck will use solar panels on the trailer to help extend its range. There’s not much we can tell from this one shadowy photo except that the truck has no side mirrors.
Musk has said in the past that Tesla’s electric semi will reduce the cost of cargo transport and increase safety. Two of the biggest costs associated with heavy-duty trucks are fuel and the driver, so Tesla’s design will more than likely incorporate some form of Autopilot autonomous technology to maximize efficiency.
We’ll have to wait until September to find out more about what Tesla has planned, but for now this is our best look at the upcoming electric semi.
The 2017 Honda Civic Si offers a host of improvements over the previous model, including a new turbo engine with more torque and a lighter and more rigid body with an upgraded suspension. But in terms of looks, does the Civic Si live up to its legacy? Compare for yourself below and tell us if it’s refreshing or revolting compared to the previous-gen model.
Up front, the Civic Si looks like an entirely new vehicle. Honda reshaped the front end, making it look broader and more squared-off. While the old model features silver garnish on the grille, the new model receives a completely blacked-out face. These black bits extend to the headlights and act as a sort of eyeliner, giving the new model a more alluring stare compared to the old version. The lower grille is also much more prominent than before.
From the side, the new Civic Si looks strikingly similar to the old model, especially when comparing the coupe versions. But the hood appears longer on the new model, providing a long and lean silhouette. The new sedan is noticeably more sculpted than the old model. In the rear, the biggest change you’ll notice is the taillights. Just like on the standard Civic, the 2017 Civic Si features C-shaped lighting units, while the Si coupe receives a light bar spanning the entire rear. There’s no longer a silver garnish bar connecting the taillights on the sedan. Meanwhile, Honda ditched the clunky spoiler on the old model for a much sleeker one. The spoiler on the coupe is particularly striking considering how high and thin it is.
Inside the cabin, the Civic Si retains the same black-red-carbon-fiber theme as before. Instead of a speedometer that sits high on top of the dash, the new model keeps all the pertinent information drivers need in front of the steering wheel. The placement of the buttons and air vents has also changed.
Is the 2017 Honda Civic Si refreshing or revolting? Let us know in the comments below.
Last week, we asked for your thoughts on the 2018 Lincoln Navigator. Unsurprisingly, the brash vehicle elicited some strong responses.
Patrick McNelis said, “Everything about it is hideous. Wheels. That horrid color…”
“After seeing it in person at the NY Auto Show, I am officially a Navigator fan,” noted gacman. “This was far and away my favorite new model shown. The lighting features on the exterior are classy and unique and I loved the shade of light blue they used.”
“It looks like a big box with four wheels,” according to Joe Panuccio.
Mitsubishi is resurrecting its first-ever car with the help of West Coast Customs. The unusual pairing will recreate a 1917 Mitsubishi Model A using the platform from a Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid.
Mitsubishi says this project represents an overview of its history as an automaker as it merges a design that reaches back 100 years with modern technology, including rally-derived four-wheel drive and a fuel-efficient hybrid powertrain.
“The Mitsubishi Model A is the vehicle that paved the way for many other unique and exciting models over the years and we’re excited to re-design it with West Coast Customs,” said Francine Harsini, senior director, marketing at Mitsubishi Motors, in a release. “The Mitsubishi Model A will feature all the distinctive aspects of the 1917 vehicle, but will be built on the PHEV platform, and offer the latest in automotive technology.”
The three-diamond logo was first featured on the Model A, which was the first series production of cars produced in Japan. Only 22 examples were built from 1917 until 1921. It was based on the Fiat Tipo 3 and was powered by a 35-hp 2.8-liter I-4. The Outlander’s hybrid drivetrain features a 119-hp 2.0-liter I-4 and two 60-hp electric motors.
West Coast Customs will complete the vehicle this summer in its facility in Burbank, Calif., and feature the build on an episode of their show, “Inside West Coast Customs.” The 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is not yet available in the United States.
Mary Barra will keep her job as GM CEO, thank you. She has no interest in joining the Trump Administration. And she made the point eminently clear when asked on an investor call to discuss the automaker’s stellar first-quarter earnings.
Barra sits on a panel of outside experts to advise President Donald Trump on economic issues, and in photo opps when the group meets, she is usually seated right beside the president. There has been speculation that she would be tapped by the White House—potentially to run the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration—but she quickly shut that down today.
“I am 150 percent committed to General Motors,” Barra said, calling this the most exciting time she has seen for GM in her 37 years with the company. The future is bright as GM aims to be on the forefront of electric vehicles, autonomous vehicles, and connectivity in general. And the automaker is tooling up to launch more crossovers, redesigned full-size pickups and SUVs, and a new Corvette.
The Chevrolet Bolt, named Motor Trend’s 2017 Car of the Year, continues to roll out across the country. It is currently sold in eight states: California, Oregon, Virginia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Washington. More northeastern states will be added in May, and the model will be available across the U.S. later in the year, Barra said, as well as some global launches.
Built at the Lake Orion plant in Michigan, the Bolt rides on an architecture that will continue to evolve and expand to more vehicles over the next few years. And volume for the BEV architecture used by the Bolt will be leveraged in China which Barra said will be the first and probably largest EV market.
“We are the first OEM that is profitable on electric vehicles from a technology, from a performance, and from an affordability perspective. We have a steady ramp of products that you’re going to see over the next couple of years in electrification,” Barra said.
In addition to reducing cost through scale, GM has been working to reduce the cost of the lithium-ion battery cells. “We are ahead of the curve on our cell costs. A couple of years ago we were at $145 (per kW-h when the Bolt was preparing for production). Now we’re below our curve as we get to our goal of being under $100. That is progressing very well.” Once the target is met, a new one will be set.
GM also continues its advances in self-driving cars. The automaker recently announced a $14 million investment in a new R&D facility in San Francisco for subsidiary Cruise Automation and plans to hire 1,100 people to work on automated vehicles. Barra said work is proceeding quickly, and there will be more news later this year on their progress.
Autonomous vehicle development is occurring in San Francisco, Scottsdale, Arizona, and Michigan. So far there have been zero incidents while testing “which gives me confidence that we are on a good path,” Barra said. As for timing, autonomous vehicles will be available “sooner than you think.”
And Super Cruise, GM’s hands-free, semi-automated driving technology, is coming this fall on the 2018 Cadillac CT6 sedan using precision LiDAR map data, cameras, sensors, and GPS to gather real-time data to determine when to accelerate or brake and how to steer.
In terms of connectivity, last month GM announced it would be first to offer an unlimited data plan for $20 a month for vehicles that have a 4G LTE system that enables them to serve as hot spots.
The updates came in a call to discuss first-quarter earnings. Net income was up 34 percent to $2.61 billion, a new record start to the year. Profitable trucks and SUVs contributed to the results, including $3.4 billion in pretax profits in North America. And with a slew of new crossovers hitting the market—including the Chevrolet Equinox and Traverse, GMC Terrain, and Buick Enclave—the pricing outlook is strong even as the industry becomes more competitive and the temptation is to increase incentives to move metal.
Last month GM announced the $2.3 billion sale of Opel/Vauxhall to PSA, part of ongoing efforts to transform the company, Barra said. The transaction will close later this year, and while GM will take a charge of about $4.5 billion, GM expects significant cost savings from shedding the brands.
Chief Financial Officer Chuck Stevens warned earnings will be impacted later in the year as GM has scheduled about 13 weeks of downtime in the third quarter for a number of plants to retool. The automaker is making way for some key vehicles including a redesigned Chevrolet Silverado pickup and crossovers such as the next-generation Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Traverse. And the Bowling Green plant will also go down for several months to prepare for the 2018 Corvette line that is expected to include a new ZR1.
As for general fears of a downturn, officials note that this is the eighth year of expansion in a cyclical industry. But GM is prepared for a downturn. Immediate ways to reduce costs include marketing where costs are significantly variable and GM could remove more than $1 billion if needed, Stevens said. Additionally, manufacturing costs are more variable now that 30 percent of the workforce is short term and could be let go without having to supplement unemployment benefits. That figure will increase to 50 percent of the workforce in a few years.
Hyundai Motorsport has begun testing its next-gen i30 TCR, the new race car designed to compete in the TCR International touring car series. The race car, which began its first tests this week in Spain, will be ready for action by the end of this year.
Engineers spent three days at the Motorland Aragon circuit in Spain to gauge the performance of the car and its 2.0-liter turbo engine. With ex-Formula 1 driver Gabriele Tarquini behind the wheel, the team was able to test out different engine map settings and refine the car’s handling through corners. Hyundai says it will continue testing the i30 TCR through the summer and fall at different venues across Europe.
Built by Hyundai Motorsport’s Customer Racing department, the i30 TCR has been built according to TCR regulations first used in 2015. The model is based on the road-going i30 that launched last year.
“The first test of a new car is always a very exciting moment in a project, and to have come through three days without a major problem makes it even better,” said Andrea Adamo, Customer Racing department manager, in a recent press release.
The first cars are expected to be delivered to customers in early December.
