Automotive Tools & Equipment

While the premise of a vehicle with no steering wheel and no human driver is not something the motoring public is quite ready for, the case for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) is strong. In October, automaker Ford posted a third-quarter loss of $827 million, and said it was largely due to its self-driving tech partner Argo AI going under. That same month, J.D. Power and Associates released a study that showed consumer understanding of automated vehicles is rife with misinformation. On paper, one can make a pretty practical case for autonomous driving – the most obvious benefit being that it could potentially increase road safety and eliminate traffic deaths. Additional justification lies in the ability to reduce collision insurance claims and increase independence for certain populations who are currently limited in their options for safe and reliable transportation – such as the elderly and disabled. However, as real-world testing begins, the technology is encountering some pretty significant roadbumps, and consumer understanding of the technology isn’t belying the confidence to make the mass adoption of fully automated vehicles a realistic possibility any time soon. The recent J.D. Power study found 65% of consumers surveyed were unable to accurately define fully automated, self-driving vehicles. Plus, 56% of respondents incorrectly classified the driver-assist technologies available today as fully automated, self-driving technologies. The survey hints that consumers are lagging in understanding as well as preparation for higher levels of automation. The current system for classifying levels of automated driving was established by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). Ranging from 0-5, the SAE levels run the gamut from Level 0 where the driver is fully responsible for the vehicle’s operation and supervision of the technology on the car at all times, to Level 5, which gives complete control of the vehicle to the operating system itself and requires no human supervision at all. At this time, there are no Level 3-5 autonomous vehicles on the road today, according to J.D. Power. Today, the most widely used safety technology on vehicles on roads today would be considered Level 2 – which would include such things as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) – automatic emergency braking (AEB), and Electronic Stability Control (ESC), lane assist, parking assist, driver drowsiness detection, gaze detection, etc. These technologies provide partial automation by taking over control in specific situations – such as turning a corner too fast, or coming to close to a vehicle in front of you. In 2008, ESC systems became mandated by NHTSA on all new vehicles by 2011. All automakers are currently participating in a voluntary commitment to make AEB standard on all vehicles as well. In a recent webinar hosted by Reason Foundation, Brookings Institution and Princeton Autonomous Vehicle Engineering, several experts on AVs shared their thoughts on the subject, hoping to correct some of the common misconceptions and inject a dose of realism into the public debates surrounding autonomous vehicle technology. One of the three speakers, Alan Kornhauser, professor, Operations Research and Financial Engineering, and faculty chair of Autonomous Vehicle Engineering at Princeton University, said he believes ADAS should be mandated. “ADAS is focused purely on safety,” said Kornhauser. “It’s on all the time, and it overrides drivers only to avoid getting into a crash situation. We’ve had a number of these systems in our vehicles for a long time. As long as we’re not using the brakes inappropriately, they just work the way we want. Otherwise, the system takes over and doesn’t allow you to lock your wheels. Same thing with electronic stability control. You can go around corners just fine. You go around too fast, all of a sudden, the system takes over and makes sure that you don’t lose your rear end. And maybe one of the most successful of these systems is reverse automated braking systems so that if you back up and there happens to be a child behind your car, the car stops. “This has enormous implication on insurance because in fact, if there is no crash, then there’s no insurance that needs to be paid out. There’s no lawyer, there’s no ambulance, there’s no medical payments that have to be paid,” Kornhauser added. When it comes to seeing federal or state regulations that could pave the way for more fully autonomous (i.e., driverless) cars on the road, Marc Scribner, senior transportation policy analyst at Reason Foundation, believes we aren’t quite there yet. Having consistent, published technical standards may be one of the bigger roadblocks, he said. “Automated vehicle regulation is not going to occur in the near term,” said Scribner. “I think the delay is, in part, due to the lack of published voluntary consensus standards that may be ripe for regulatory incorporation. But, there also seems to be generally, at least so far [in] this administration, perhaps less enthusiasm for automated driving systems than the previous two administrations. But, I do think the lack of published technical standards that could be incorporated into regulation is a hurdle. Where federal regulators are silent, states may act instead. States and locals have primary authority over vehicle operations and infrastructure management. They own the roads; they manage the roads. They license drivers, they register vehicles. All of that kind of thing goes in with the vehicles actually out there in the real world,” said Scribner. The post link hidden, please login to view appeared first on link hidden, please login to view. link hidden, please login to view

Lumileds is launching a new line of powerful LED-upgrade retrofits for fog light and powersports headlights. With automotive-grade LEDs that produce a cool-color temperature of up to 6,000 K, Philips UltinonSport LEDs provide “incredibly bright white light” and durable, long-lasting performance for snowmobiles, ATVs, UTVs and other off-road vehicles, according to the company.   These LED solutions allow users to better illuminate the path ahead, detect obstacles faster and deliver a safer driving and riding experience. The new Philips UltinonSport LED line includes 12 SKUs and is compatible with both 12-volt and 24-volt electrical systems. “Our new UltinonSport LED line helps drivers and riders find their next adventure,” said Aubry Baugh, Lumileds product manager. “These bulbs feature the latest in LED technology and are backed by the quality, safety, and reliability that Philips bulbs have been built on for over 100 years. They deliver brilliant illumination for roadways, trails, beaches, and backroads. Their advanced technology provides exceptional service lifetime, and their extremely compact size allows for an easy installation.” To ensure long lifetime and optimal performance, the UltinonSport LED bulbs feature Philips “AirCool” technology with two types of heat dissipation. A built-in fan helps to actively cool the LED and electronics, while an aluminum heat sink further dissipates heat and maximizes airflow around the components. The durable construction and improved heat transfer means that UltinonSport LED bulbs deliver a lifetime of up to 2000 hours. The Philips UltinonSport LED-upgrade retrofit bulbs are available for 9003, 9005/9006, 9007, 9008, 9145, H1, H3, H7, H8/H16, H11 and PS24W for off-road and fog-light applications. Each Philips UltinonSport LED package contains two bulbs. For more information, email [email protected] The post link hidden, please login to view appeared first on link hidden, please login to view. link hidden, please login to view

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Counterman’s “ link hidden, please login to view” contest challenges our readers to solve an automotive riddle, for a chance to win $100. And each month, we receive hundreds of responses from aftermarket professionals trying to guess the model of the vehicle depicted. The correct answer for the October/November contest is the AMC Javelin. The winner is George Widmer IV, an ASE P2-certified parts pro at Parts Authority in Norcross, Georgia. Now, let’s get to know the “Guess the Car” champion. CM: How long have you been working in the auto parts business? GW: Since 2001. I started off as a stock clerk my junior year of high school and I worked my way up from there. CM: What do you like most about your job? GW: The interaction with customers. Building a relationship with our regular customers and dealing with the general public. CM: What’s the strangest question a customer has asked you? GW: I had a customer asking for the Firebird emblem for a ‘77 Trans Am. He was restoring it, and [the emblem] was old and it was peeling off. He just happened to call us up. I told him we didn’t have anything like that here, but I’ll see if I can get one. I outsourced one and got it for him. He’s been a customer ever since for the last three years. CM: What’s the coolest car you’ve ever owned or worked on? GW: My dad was a technician for a Pontiac dealer for 30 years. I would say the coolest car I’ve ever owned was my first vehicle, which was a 1986 Chevy S-10 pickup that we customized. We lowered it, painted it, put 18-inch wheels on it, added a custom stereo, and it was all done by me and him. It was a father-son bonding kind of thing that was really special. CM: Do you have any interesting hobbies? What do you do for fun? GW: I’m a big video gamer, and I collect model cars and model trains. I’m a devoted fan of NHRA; I’ve been to eight different tracks and I’m looking forward to attending a ninth track in 2023. I’m also a world history and football/soccer reader. CM: What’s your dream car? GW: We’ll go with my top two. The first one would be a 1971 Pontiac Trans Am in cameo white. The second one would be a 1956 Porsche Speedster in polyantha red; that’s an extremely rare color. The Pontiac was because my dad worked at a Pontiac dealership, and I’ve always had an interest in air-cooled Porches and Volkswagens. The post link hidden, please login to view appeared first on link hidden, please login to view. link hidden, please login to view

How To: Change the Air Filter in a 2010 to 2014 Subaru Outback