Monday, August 06, 2007

Small car from Toyota could be Yaris makeover

One things for sure, this one need to be the cheapest and the most fuel consicious car toyota might ever have produced. Target customers being the Indian car buyers(Indian four wheeler segment being one of the fasted growing markets in the world)

Competetion:

1. Nissan building a 3000$ car, one of the cheapest cars in the world
2. Skoda with plans to enter small car segment
3. Honda plans to customize Fit/Jaaz for indian market

EcomomicTimes quotes

When contacted, KK Swamy, deputy MD, TKM, “As part of our policy, we do not comment on our future projects or products.” Fellow Japanese carmaker Honda is using its Fit/Jazz platform to churn out a next-gen product for India.

Auto industry sources say Toyota may follow the Innova model for its small car sourcing from specific low-cost centres and selling the model in Asia and the BRIC markets. The small car may also come with both petrol and diesel powertrains, say sources.

Toyota’s Indian subsidiary, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, is likely to announce its small car project before the end of this year, say sources. The car is being built on a new platform in Toyota’s second plant. This plant is likely to come up in Bangalore with an investment of around Rs 2,000 crore.

“We plan to make an announcement regarding the small car in the next two months,” sources said. Toyota’s global small car is being designed in Japan. “The new car is being built on a new platform and that is the reason we have taken more time than was expected,” said Toyota Kirloskar Motor MD Atsushi Toyoshima.

Saturday, August 04, 2007

Nissan's car that stops you drink and driving

ITWorld quotes
The first attempts to detect alcohol in the driver's sweat. After drinking, a certain amount of alcohol escapes the body in perspiration and this can be picked up by sensitive detectors if they are in proximity with the driver.

One of the four sensors in the car is on the gear shift lever. As this has to be touched in order to start driving, the system can stop the car from being started if alcohol is detected.

A second system in the car uses a camera mounted in front of the driver to monitor eye movement. If the driver is drowsy it triggers the seat belt to tighten and this movement will hopefully snap the driver out of their drowsiness or prompt them to take a rest. A voice alert also sounds and a message pops up on the navigation screen.

In the prototype the system quickly administered a few jerks to the seat belt when the driver simulated tiredness.

A third system monitors the path of the vehicle to ensure it's traveling in a straight line and not weaving about the road, as is common with a drunken driver. This also triggers the voice and visual alerts and pulls the seat belt when signs of drunk driving or drowsiness are detected.




When the detected alcohol level is above a preset threshold - which can be at or below the legal limit - the system locks the transmission, immobilising the car.

A “drink-driving” voice alert is sounded via the car’s satellite navigation system.

The technology would be attractive to drivers with a drink problem, and could bring benefits to others in the form of low insurance premiums.

More from Nissan

Nissan to build 3000$ car
Nissans indian ally - Mahindra
Worlds Cheapest Cars!