Friday 25 November 2016


Jaguar Land Rover patents facial recognition technology


Motorists could soon unlock the doors of their cars simply by walking up to it and taking a selfie (stock image) 

Motorists could soon unlock the doors of their car simply by walking up to it and taking a selfie.
Jaguar Land Rover is developing technology that uses facial recognition and gait analysis to detect when owners of its vehicles approach, to open the doors for them. 
Details have been revealed in a recently published patent application by Jaguar Land Rover, but it is unclear when the technology might become available.

HOW WOULD IT WORK? 

Two cameras on each side of the vehicle would be angled so the car could spot someone approaching from the front or from behind.
The user of the vehicle must carry out a registration process which requires them to record a still image of their face and a moving image such as a hand gesture or their gait as they approach the vehicle.
The video of a person walking towards the car would then be compared to these original images using gait or movement recognition technology. 
A second picture would be taken when the user was standing next to the car and facial recognition software would compare this to images stored on the car's computer. 
If they match the car would then unlock the doors. 
Cameras mounted under the windows of the doors would capture both video and still images of someone walking and standing by the car, comparing them with those saved on its computer. 
If they match the car will unlock its doors and open them. 
It could save drivers the hassle of having to dig out their key when approaching their car and even make it easier if they are laden down with bags of shopping.
Details of the technology were revealed in a recently published patent application by Jaguar Land Rover. 
It describes how the two cameras on each side of the vehicle would be angled so the car could spot someone approaching from the front or from behind, like if they were walking along a pavement, for example. 
The patent states: 'The user of the vehicle must carry out a registration process which requires them to record a still image of their face and a moving image such as a hand gesture or their gait as they approach the vehicle.'
The video of a person walking towards the car would then be compared to these original images using gait or movement recognition technology. 
A second picture would be taken when the user was standing next to the car and facial recognition software would compare this to images stored on the car's computer. 
If they match the car would then unlock the doors. 
Jaguar Land Rover's patent also describes how the system could work with wireless key fobs to add extra security.

by: dailymail.co.uk
Jaguar Land Rover Patents Facial Recognition Technology................... www.redlineautosales.ca/jaguar-land-rover-patents-facial-recognition-technology.htm

Friday 18 November 2016


Human drivers will bully robot cars, says CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA


Dietmar Exler, chief executive of Mercedes-Benz USA, is often asked why it's taking so long to develop self-driving cars.
It's not technology, he tells them. That's advancing fast.
It's not insurance and liability issues. "I do believe in lawyers," he said. "I'm a lawyer myself. We will solve these issues out."
It's not customer acceptance. As soon as someone rides in a car that can drive itself in bumper-to-bumper traffic, a convert is created, he said. "Who would argue that it's fun to be out on the 10 between 5 and 6 p.m. on a weekday?
"The real issue," he said, "is humans."
The coexistence of human drivers and robot cars, to be precise. It's not clear yet how well that will go.
Speaking at AutoConference LA, an event that runs at the same time as the L.A. Auto Show and that is co-hosted by J.D. Power and the National Automobile Dealers Assn., Exler said even if completely driverless cars were available now, they'd be sharing the road with traditional cars for 20 to 25 years.
Some people are afraid of robots taking over. Exler is worried that humans will "bully" driverless cars.
Human drivers already speed, drive erratically and cut in line.  Driverless cars will be programmed to be polite and follow the law.
When someone tries to cut in line at a traffic merge, humans won't let them in. But a driverless car will be programmed to stop when it sees an obstruction - like a line cutter. "They'll look for the autonomous car and that's where they'll cut in," he said.
Theoretically, robot cars could be programmed to be more aggressive, but he doubts regulators would allow that to happen.
Still, Mercedes-Benz is moving full speed ahead on semi-autonomous and driverless cars. The company was worried that its customers, who tend to love driving nice cars, would resist.
Market testing showed otherwise. Exler talked about a 72-year-old SLS AMG owner. He said he'd never use driverless technology because it would be "boring."
But when he got a ride in a driverless S500 Mercedes in a Silicon Valley test zone, his response, according to Exler: "I will buy this car right now. How much do you want for it?"

by: latimes.com


Human Drivers Will Bully Robot Cars............................. www.redlineautosales.ca/human-drivers-will-bully-robot-cars--says-ceo-of-mercedes-benz-usa.htm

Monday 14 November 2016

What Does The Election Mean For The Auto Industry

Donald Trump
The results are in, and we can now say that starting in January, Donald Trump will be the President of the United States.
While there were many issues that were debated and disputed during this election, the auto industry has many challenges ahead, and how Trump handles them will widely affect the industry.
General Motors CEO Mary Barra said that the auto industry is facing "more change in the next five to 20 years than it has in the last 50."
David Cole, director-emeritus of the Center for Automotive Research said that the election is "really, really important" for the industry.
But why?
Economic growth, trade, technology, and regulations are all challenges that Donald Trump will face while he is the President. And the outcomes of each of these areas will have a major affect on the state of the industry.
Economic Growth
The auto industry plays a large part in the US economy, which unfortunately is growing at a snail's pace, according to experts. There are discussions about companies like Ford who have moved production out of the United States, something Donald Trump has been adamantly against. Perhaps having him in office would entice manufacturers to localize production, creating jobs and improving cost position.
Trade
For the auto industry in particular, economic health goes hand in hand with trade. While localizing production may be helpful for the economy, experts like Professor Marina Whitman from the University of Michigan, warn that limiting free trade could potentially hurt the industry. How will Donald handle trade negotiations, and would taxing manufacturers who have moved production outside of the US have a negative impact on trade?
Regulations
With a win for Donald Trump, automotive leaders are now expecting rollbacks on strict regulations set up in previous years. Trump senior policy advisor John Mashburn released a statement earlier in the election saying "The Trump Administration will complete a comprehensive review of all federal regulations. This includes a review of the fuel economy and emissions standards to make sure they are not harming consumers or American workers."
Technology
President Obama was particularly interested in industry safety lapses, and promoted a shift towards higher-tech safety systems. Will these types of high-tech requirements continue, or will there be a shift towards other types of technology? With continuing tech changes, Trump will have to consider infrastructure, roads, and mass transit. There will also be the discussion of unskilled laborers versus automation, and the need for both in coming months and years.
One thing is certain however, with the election over and the next 4 years ahead, only time will tell exactly what will happen to the auto industry.

by:drivingsales.com


What Does The Election Mean for The Auto Industry................................. www.redlineautosales.ca/what-does-the-election-mean-for-the-auto-industry.htm

Friday 4 November 2016

Volkswagen And Toyota In Neck-And-Neck Race For Global Top Spot



Usually, when the leaves turn golden outside, the World's Largest Automaker title is a foregone conclusion. This time, it's dramatically different. Toyota and Volkswagen have produced nearly exactly the same number of vehicles this year so far, and the race remains wide open.
January through September, Volkswagen Group and Toyota Motor Co. produced 7.609 million units across all their brands, data released by the companies show. Officially, Toyota is ahead of VW by a mere 336 units, a fraction of a rounding error for companies that are used to making 10 million cars per year, each.
worldslargest916
Who might nose ahead in the final spurt? The stats are on Volkswagen's side. VW is looking at a year-on-year growth of 2.4%, while Toyota added only 1.2% to last year's January-September results. But then, Toyota was behind Volkswagen in the first part of the year, and only edged ahead in August.
Would Volkswagen grab the title this year, it would reach a target set by former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn who wanted VW to become world's largest automaker by 2018. Winterkorn is gone, his Strategy 2018 has been scrapped and replaced by a more mallable Strategy 2025.
Number 3 General Motors is far behind the dueling giants.

by: forbes.com



VW and Toyota are in Neck and Neck Race for Global Top Spot............. www.redlineautosales.ca/volkswagen-and-toyota-in-neck-and-neck-race-for-global-top-spot.htm