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By Counterman
Every year the Counterman PARTS
link hidden, please login to view tells us important information about which brands you, the counter professional, recommend and why. We will use the data from this survey to develop content for Counterman that will help you do your job. The survey should take about 10 minutes. If you can’t finish it at once, your work is saved, and if you follow the link back to the survey, you will be taken to where you left off. Your answers will be completely anonymous, and responses will only be reported in the aggregate.
At the end of the survey, you can enter for a chance to win a $150 gift card, or one of twenty $25 gift cards, which you can choose from a variety of retailers. Any questions? Contact Babcox Media’s Audience Insights Analyst David Ramos at [email protected]
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By GreenGears Auto Limited
The automotive industry is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the synergistic forces of connectivity and autonomous driving. These technological advancements are poised to reshape the transportation landscape, promising safer, more efficient, and more accessible mobility solutions for individuals and societies alike.
Connectivity, the ability of vehicles to communicate with each other and their surroundings, is laying the foundation for intelligent transportation systems that can revolutionize the way we navigate our roads. Autonomous driving, on the other hand, envisions a future where vehicles can operate without human intervention, offering the potential for unprecedented levels of safety and convenience.
This in-depth exploration delves into the complexities of connectivity and autonomous driving, examining their underlying technologies, current progress, challenges, and the transformative impact they are expected to have on our world.
The Evolution of Connectivity: From Isolated Vehicles to Interconnected Networks
Historically, vehicles have been isolated entities on the road, relying solely on the driver's perception and decision-making. However, the advent of connectivity has transformed cars into sophisticated communication hubs, capable of gathering and exchanging vast amounts of data in real-time.
This transformation has been made possible by a convergence of technological advancements, including:
Sensor Technology: Vehicles are now equipped with a wide range of sensors, including cameras, radars, lidars, and ultrasonic sensors, that enable them to perceive their surroundings in detail. These sensors collect data about the vehicle's position, speed, proximity to other objects, and road conditions. Wireless Communication: Technologies like Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC) and Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) allow vehicles to communicate wirelessly with each other and with infrastructure elements like traffic lights and road signs. Cloud Computing and Data Analytics: The vast amounts of data generated by connected vehicles are processed and analyzed in the cloud, enabling real-time decision-making and the development of intelligent transportation systems. Types of Connectivity:
Connectivity in the automotive realm manifests in various forms, each with its own distinct benefits:
Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) Communication: Enables direct communication between vehicles, allowing them to share information about their speed, location, and intended maneuvers. This creates a virtual awareness network, enhancing safety by alerting drivers to potential hazards and enabling cooperative driving behaviors.
Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) Communication: Facilitates communication between vehicles and roadside infrastructure, such as traffic lights, road signs, and toll booths. This allows for optimized traffic flow, reduced congestion, and improved safety through real-time information sharing.
Vehicle-to-Network (V2N) Communication: Connects vehicles to cloud-based services and applications, providing access to real-time traffic updates, navigation assistance, and other infotainment features.
Vehicle-to-Pedestrian (V2P) Communication: Enables vehicles to communicate with pedestrians and cyclists, particularly in urban environments. This can enhance safety for vulnerable road users by alerting them to the presence of vehicles and potential dangers.
Benefits of Connectivity:
The widespread adoption of connectivity has the potential to unlock numerous benefits for individuals, society, and the environment:
Enhanced Safety: By facilitating real-time data exchange and situational awareness, connectivity can help prevent accidents and reduce fatalities on the roads. Features like collision avoidance systems, lane departure warnings, and blind spot monitoring leverage connectivity to provide drivers with timely alerts and assistance.
Improved Traffic Flow: Connectivity enables intelligent transportation systems to optimize traffic flow by adjusting signal timings, providing real-time traffic information, and recommending alternative routes. This can lead to reduced congestion, shorter travel times, and improved fuel efficiency.
Enhanced Convenience and Comfort: Connected vehicles offer a plethora of features that enhance the driving experience, including:
Remote vehicle access and control In-car entertainment and infotainment systems Personalized navigation and route optimization Real-time vehicle diagnostics and maintenance alerts Over-the-air software updates Environmental Sustainability: By optimizing traffic flow and promoting fuel-efficient driving behaviors, connectivity can contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality.
The Path to Autonomous Driving: From Assisted to Fully Autonomous
Autonomous driving, often referred to as self-driving technology, aims to automate the driving experience entirely, freeing drivers from the need to control the vehicle. This technology is being developed in stages, with increasing levels of autonomy, as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE):
Levels of Autonomous Driving
Level Description 0 No automation. The driver is fully in control of the vehicle at all times. 1 Driver assistance. The vehicle provides limited assistance with tasks such as steering or accelerating, but the driver remains primarily in control. 2 Partial automation. The vehicle can control both steering and acceleration/deceleration under certain conditions, but the driver must remain alert and ready to take control at any time. 3 Conditional automation. The vehicle can perform all driving tasks under specific conditions, but the driver may still need to intervene in certain situations. 4 High automation. The vehicle can perform all driving tasks under most conditions, and the driver may be able to disengage completely. 5 Full automation. The vehicle can perform all driving tasks under all conditions, and there is no need for a human driver. Key Technologies Enabling Autonomous Driving
The development of autonomous vehicles relies on a complex interplay of various technologies:
Sensor Fusion: Combines data from multiple sensors like cameras, radars, and lidars to create a comprehensive and accurate picture of the vehicle's surroundings. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning: Enables the vehicle to perceive, interpret, and respond to its environment in real-time, making decisions based on complex algorithms and learned patterns. High-Definition Mapping: Provides detailed maps of the environment, including road layouts, lane markings, traffic signs, and other relevant information. Vehicle Control Systems: Actuators and control systems enable the vehicle to execute commands from the autonomous driving system, such as steering, accelerating, braking, and changing lanes. Current State of Autonomous Driving
While fully autonomous vehicles (Level 5) remain a long-term goal, significant progress has been made in developing and deploying lower levels of autonomy.
Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS): Features like adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, and automatic emergency braking 1 are becoming increasingly common in new vehicles, representing Level 1 and Level 2 autonomy. Robotaxis and Autonomous Shuttles: Several companies are testing and deploying autonomous vehicles in controlled environments, such as designated areas within cities or university campuses. These vehicles often operate at Level 4 autonomy, with limited human supervision. Commercial Applications: Autonomous trucks and delivery vehicles are being developed and tested for logistics and transportation applications, offering the potential for increased efficiency and reduced costs. Challenges and Concerns
Despite the significant progress, several challenges and concerns remain on the road to fully autonomous driving:
Technological Limitations: Current sensor technologies and AI algorithms still struggle to handle complex and unpredictable scenarios, such as adverse weather conditions, construction zones, or interactions with pedestrians and cyclists. Safety and Liability: Ensuring the safety of autonomous vehicles and determining liability in the event of accidents are critical concerns that need to be addressed through robust testing, validation, and regulatory frameworks. Public Acceptance: Gaining public trust and acceptance of autonomous vehicles will require addressing concerns about safety, job displacement, and the potential for misuse of the technology. Infrastructure: Widespread adoption of autonomous vehicles will necessitate significant investments in infrastructure, including intelligent transportation systems, high-definition maps, and communication networks. The Transformative Impact of Connectivity and Autonomous Driving
The convergence of connectivity and autonomous driving has the potential to revolutionize the transportation sector and society as a whole:
Improved Safety: By eliminating human error, which is a leading cause of accidents, autonomous vehicles have the potential to significantly reduce fatalities and injuries on the roads. Studies suggest that autonomous vehicles could reduce traffic fatalities by up to 90%.
Increased Efficiency: Connected and autonomous vehicles can optimize traffic flow, reduce congestion, and improve fuel efficiency. This can lead to significant time and cost savings for individuals and businesses, as well as a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
Enhanced Accessibility: Autonomous vehicles can provide mobility solutions for individuals who are unable to drive, such as the elderly or those with disabilities, enhancing their independence and quality of life.
New Business Models: The advent of autonomous vehicles could give rise to new business models and services, such as ride-hailing, car-sharing, and delivery fleets. These models could transform the way we think about transportation, making it more accessible and affordable for everyone.
Urban Transformation: Autonomous vehicles could lead to a redesign of urban spaces, with less need for parking lots and potentially more space for green areas and pedestrian zones.
The Road Ahead: Navigating the Challenges and Opportunities
The path to a fully connected and autonomous transportation future is filled with both challenges and opportunities. As technology continues to advance and regulatory frameworks evolve, we can expect to see a gradual but steady shift towards a more automated and interconnected transportation landscape.
The automotive industry, along with governments, technology companies, and other stakeholders, will need to collaborate to address the challenges and ensure the safe and responsible deployment of these technologies. Public education and engagement will also be crucial in building trust.
www.GreenGearsAuto.com
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By Counterman
The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) said more than 8,400 automotive service professionals participated in its gasoline engine survey. ASE has been commissioned to conduct a series of studies to identify and understand which repair tasks automotive service technicians perform most frequently.
The initial survey focused on gasoline engine repair tasks and showed that 57% of those who completed the survey are currently A1 certified or were in the past, and 76% hold one or more ASE A2-A8 automotive certifications. A majority of those respondents hold each of those respective certifications.
Regarding training, technicians receive training from a variety of sources including on the job (79%), OEM training (69%), college (57%), high school (53%) and aftermarket (47%). Among those who completed the survey, 82% said they have 10 or more years of experience and 57 percent said ASE certifications factored into their pay plans.
As a thank you to those who participated in the survey, five automotive service professionals were randomly selected to be awarded Snap-on gift cards. The winners are Andrew Cronin Sr., David Kaplanis, Jeramy Peterson, David Phillips and Calen Sober-Throop.
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By shelitaauto
Source: Gasgoo
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link hidden, please login to view Cathie Wood of Ark Investment Management said Tesla’s move into the more profitable business of self-driving taxi platforms would boost its share price by about 10 times. That echoes years of optimism about Tesla’s self-driving business.
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Wood believes the self-driving taxi ecosystem will be worth $8 trillion to $10 trillion globally, with platform providers such as Tesla taking half of that. Speaking on the Tiger Money podcast, Wood revealed that investors are shifting the way they value Tesla, not just as an electric car maker, but also the potential of its self-driving taxis. Wood said: “The autonomous taxi platform is the fastest growing AI project today, and Ark is primarily valuing it based on Tesla’s autonomous driving potential. If we’re right, there’s plenty of room for Tesla’s stock price to grow.” Optimism over Tesla’s efforts to bring self-driving taxis to market has helped its shares recover a 43 per cent fall in the year to April 22. Wood said the self-driving taxi network will provide A “winner-takes-all” opportunity, with providers that can get passengers from point A to point B in the safest and fastest way winning the lion’s share of business. She added that autonomous taxi network providers will be able to capture 30 to 50 percent of the revenue generated by fleet owners on the platform, resulting in “growing explosive cash flows” and profit margins of more than 50 percent. This is different from the “make and sell” or “one-off” business model of traditional car manufacturing. “We think people are missing that: the size of the opportunity, the speed of expansion, and how profitable it will be,” Wood said. She expects Tesla to dominate the U.S. self-driving taxi market. Last week, Tesla had a weighting of more than 15% in the $6.5 billion Ark Innovation ETF. Wood said the fund has taken some profits off Tesla, allowing the stock to trade above its normal cap because they believe Tesla is about to reveal more information about its self-driving taxi project. According to a Bloomberg report on July 18, Tesla has delayed the launch of its self-driving taxi by two months to October, originally scheduled for August, to give the team more time to produce more prototypes. The news sent Tesla shares down 8.4%, their biggest one-day drop since January. But Wood doesn’t mind. “We may be closer to the self-driving taxi opportunity than we are further away, and Musk may want to do better and think it is possible by October,” Wood said. Fang’s valuation model does not yet take into account Tesla’s potential in China or in humanoid robotics and energy storage. In April, Tesla, which reached a mapping and navigation deal with Chinese tech giant Baidu Inc and met data security and privacy protection requirements, has already received approval in principle from Chinese officials to deploy its self-driving assistance system to China, the world’s largest auto market. -
By Counterman
In his chairman’s message to the industry, Tom Trisdale, the new chairman of ASE and vice president, quality for Toyota, says 2024 is a year of “action and change” for the The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence. It is the responsibility of ASE’s Board of Directors, he says, to help ASE advance to meet the realities of today’s market, support a pipeline for future technicians and elevate the value of professional certification for all.
link hidden, please login to viewTom Trisdale, 2024 chairman of The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence. “For more than 50 years, ASE has been a unifying force to improve the quality of repair and service in the transportation industry through testing and certification. With ASE, every professional technician can demonstrate their technical capability to the standards and tasks defined by their peers and experts in all areas of service, repair and diagnosis — across automotive, truck/heavy equipment and collision repair disciplines.
I am incredibly excited and honored to serve as the chair for the ASE board of directors in 2024. Through ASE, technicians, shop owners, dealers, parts makers, manufacturers of tools and equipment, service information providers and vehicle manufacturers all come together with one aim — elevate our profession and the results we all deliver to the motoring public.
This is a year of action and change at ASE. The challenges of repairing and servicing across all forms of vehicles have never been greater. The pressures facing working technicians have also never been higher. Now more than ever, the standards and structure that ASE and the ASE Education Foundation provide for our profession are needed to support our trade and provide confidence to the consumer. It is our responsibility, as a board and with industry partners, to help ASE advance to meet the realities of today’s market, support a pipeline for future technicians and elevate the value of professional certification for all. Working with and through the ASE leadership team, we are committed to:
Confirm and update the alignment of ASE education standards and professional testing with the technologies on the road and in your shops Streamline access and availability of testing Elevate the understanding and visibility of professional technician development and certification by service professionals, consumers, service providers and other stakeholders Nearly a quarter million service professionals, and more than 72,000 students, are currently certified by ASE. My challenge to all of us involved in the service or repair of motor vehicles, trucks and heavy equipment is to get engaged with ASE. Participate in the industry surveys of current work, join the technical webinars, promote our profession and importantly, get certified if you are not and if you are certified, promote the value of an industry standard measure of knowledge and capability. ASE is an organization that serves technicians and the entire motoring public, so let us work together and deliver on the mission of professional service and quality repair.
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