54 posts tagged with car and cars.
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Claw and Order
So Thieves Nabbed Your Catalytic Converter. Here’s Where It Ended Up. The NYTimes takes a look at the underground platinum group metals market, from thieves who steal catalytic converters or "cats", to refiners that buy up stolen cats and retrieve the rare metals, to the banks that financially underwrite the illicit trade.
How Paris Kicked Out the Cars
A city once remade for voitures has transformed itself into an unlikely utopia for cyclists and pedestrians. What can it teach us? [Slate longread, via Kottke]
Relatedly, Paris held a referendum on shared e-scooters this weekend, with very low turnout 7.5% of Paris residents voted 89% against keeping shared e-scooters in the city. [TechCrunch]
How much does the median American ride public transportation each year?
How to save America's public transit systems from a doom spiral - "The only realistic way for transit officials to garner public support for the funding they desperately need is to demonstrate an ability to replace car trips, not just serve economically disadvantaged people who lack other means to get around their city. Otherwise, they forfeit the pro-transit arguments that resonate most with the public: curtailing congestion, reducing auto emissions, and boosting economic growth. And to replace cars, transit agencies must offer fast, frequent, and reliable trips. This should be the core mission of any functional public transportation system..." [more inside]
Just Rolled In
Just Rolled In is a short-form YouTube show in which mechanics submit clips of customers' unusual cars and complaints. Clips include bizarre manufacturing defects, unhinged homebrew wiring jobs, embarrassing customer misunderstandings of basic car functions, and nightmarishly unsafe vehicles that somehow drove to the shop (and occasionally decline repairs and drive away). Each episode is around 3 minutes of gentle comedy tinged with occasional horror.
tips on changing a car's tire
Parks replace downtown freeways
The U.S. city of the future - "What does the city of the future look like in the USA? Let's take a trip to Any City, USA of the mid 21st century. With a look at the existing situation, current trends, and recent government policy, let's take a look at where we'll work, how we'll get around, and where and who we'll live with in the coming decades." [more inside]
No intimidating square-grilled hunks of petro-masculinity here
Cities and Cities
Why Tokyo Works - "A developed country is not a place where the poor have cars. It's where the rich use public transportation."[1,2,3] (via) [more inside]
Paris is taking space back from cars. Here's how.
The Liberation of Paris From Cars Is Working - "The French capital is quickly cutting automobiles out of daily life. David Belliard is the deputy mayor behind it."[1,2] (previously) [more inside]
A New Vision of Urban Living: The 15-Minute City
How the '15-Minute City' Could Help Post-Pandemic Recovery - "A new C40 Cities report touts Paris's model for putting essentials within close walking or biking distance as an economic boost for coronavirus-ravaged municipal budgets." [more inside]
Why we the people must "dominate the streets."
I've Seen a Future Without Cars, and It's Amazing - "Why do American cities waste so much space on cars?" (previously: 1, 2) [more inside]
Everyone has to decide if it's only a game or if it's a real sport.
Indycar's Virtual Race Crashes Sparked Real-World Controversy Among Drivers [Vice Gaming] “With about three laps to go in the First Responders 175, the final race of the virtual, quarantine-inspired sim racing series featuring pro Indycar drivers, it was shaping up to be a classic finale at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. F1 driver Lando Norris was in a battle for the lead with Oliver Askew, Patricio O’Ward, and Marcus Ericsson, and caution was going out the window as the drivers went three-cars wide through corners, completely filling the width of the track with no margin for error. [...] Then, as the lead pack of cars whipped through a corner onto a straight, Norris’s car piled into the back of the slow-moving, highlighter-yellow car of 2019 Indy 500 winner Simon Pagenaud. [...] Pagenaud’s deliberate wrecking is an annoying troll within the context of a video game, but it’s a betrayal of the highest order in the context of real-world, professional racing. An inherent tension in F1 and Indy racing is that drivers are in ruthless competition at the same time that they are all trying to prevent crashes that can easily turn deadly. Now that these same drivers are competing in a space where the deadly physical consequences are no longer an issue, the sport is changing fast, and in ways that can carry over to real-world tracks when drivers are able to race on them again.” [Explainer][Simon Pagenaud Full Incident][Santino Ferrucci Crash with Oliver Askew]
the built environment: seize the means of recreation
How cities are reshaping streets to prepare for life after lockdown - "Milan is beginning to transform 22 miles of local streets, adding temporary bike lanes and wider sidewalks, and lowering the speed limit. In Berlin, some parking spots have also become pop-up bike lanes. Paris is fast-tracking long-distance bike lanes that connect suburbs to the city center. And in Brussels, on May 4, the city center will become a priority zone for people on bikes and on foot." (previously) [more inside]
(o\_!_/o)
The VW Beetle in computer & video games: this gallery shows the famous VW Beetle in different games on different computers and video games.
dissuaded demand?
15 major cities around the world that are starting to ban cars[BI] in an effort to reduce emissions[Bloomberg], speed transit[Vox] and remove deadly vehicles from city streets[Guardian].
Cities Worldwide Are Reimagining Their Relationship With Cars[NYTimes]
City Killers
“The automobile is the paradoxical example of a luxury object that has been devalued by its own spread. But this practical devaluation has not yet been followed by an ideological devaluation. The myth of the pleasure and benefit of the car persists, though if mass transportation were widespread its superiority would be striking. The persistence of this myth is easily explained. The spread of the private car has displaced mass transportation and altered city planning and housing in such a way that it transfers to the car functions which its own spread has made necessary. An ideological (“cultural”) revolution would be needed to break this circle. Obviously this is not to be expected from the ruling class (either right or left).” The social ideology of the motorcar - André Gorez, 1973. (Uneven Earth)
normal operation
Why the hell any sane person would take a picture of a Dodge Journey
Culture is a very complicated and hard thing to understand and get right
A father and a daughter driving after baseball practice. A momentary glimpse of a peacock. An ignored phone call from Mom. The Queen song “Don’t Stop Me Now.” All of these are part of Toyota’s marketing campaign for its new Camry. But which commercial you get to see may depend, in part, on what ethnicity you are.Different Ads, Different Ethnicities, Same Car
Recreational Activity Vehicle 4-wheel drive
Because it's stupid to throw away that kind of brand recognition, the modern Toyota RAV4 is a bloated, anonymous, mall-going crossover. Things weren't always that way. The Original Toyota RAV4 Was Better And More Important Than You Think [more inside]
End of an era, start of another: Volvo out of full ICE market in 2019
"We are convinced that the future of Volvo is electric" -- Håkan Samuelsson, CEO of Volvo Cars Corporation AB, in a short promotional video from Volvo. The company has recently announced that "the cars that [they produce] from 2019 onwards will range from battery-only to plug-in hybrid – which can run for a significant distance before switching to petrol or diesel – and mild hybrids, where a battery helps a conventional engine achieve greater fuel economy." While this serves customers who have asked for more electric and hybrid car options, Adam Vaughan, writing for The Guardian, also points out "the move will also help the Swedish firm meet legally-binding carbon targets for new cars sold in the EU from 2020." [more inside]
Hissing, knocking, clunking, squealing, screeching, rattling and more
A library of car noises. A new automotive diagnostic app, called ClingClanger, When Your Car Makes Noise, uses a library of failing car noises to help car owners diagnose mechanical problems.
The Next Financial Crisis Might Be in Your Driveway
[U.S.] auto debt hit a record in the fourth quarter of 2016, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, when a rush of year-end car shopping pushed vehicle loans to a dubious peak of $1.16 trillion. ... It’s an alarming number, big enough to incite talk of a bubble.
Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan, Inc.
The members of the Automotive Legacy and Collections Board studied a total of 2234 episodes in the history of Japanese automotive technology...
We are honoured to present the results here:
the 240 Landmarks of Japanese Automotive Technology
We are honoured to present the results here:
the 240 Landmarks of Japanese Automotive Technology
Hackers Remotely Control Jeep Cherokee
Security researchers Charlie Miller (@0xcharlie) and Christopher Valasek (@nudehaberdasher) have found an exploit for Chrysler's Uconnect infotainment system allowing for remote control of many vehicle functions including climate control, audio, braking, and under certain conditions, steering. They plan to release details during a talk at next month's DEFCON 23 hacking conference. Chrysler has already issued a patch for the vulnerability, but it requires a manual update.
A hundred eighty-six thousand miles!
It wasn’t easy to buy a car in the Soviet Union. Usually, the first thing to do was to sign up on a decade-long waiting list to register your interest in owning a vehicle. Secondly, you needed to save what was then a huge sum of money; a new Zaphorozhets cost the equivalent of about 30 times the average monthly salary. A few people found a different way, however – assembling cars with their own hands. [more inside]
In pleasanter anniversary news...
Hey, remember when Oprah gave everyone in her audience a new car (previously)? It was ten years ago tomorrow.
Metropolis II
Plan A to Z
"I felt the only way to make any progress with the project was to make a clay model to show Katayama-san, gain his support, and ask him, as the President of Nissan USA, to push for the model's development."
The Datsun 240-Z In The Styling Studio
Concept To Reality 1965 to 1968
The Datsun 240-Z In The Styling Studio
Concept To Reality 1965 to 1968
Please Feed The Meters
You would download your car data
"You probably don't think of your car as a developer platform, but Mike Rosack did."
Junkyard Silver.
Chromeography is a tumblr devoted to images of chrome: the lettering, logos, and ornaments adorning old automobiles (and bicycles and cameras and appliances).
THE HOLLYWOOD MEGAMERCIAL
Yay! Free Candy!
Talking with a mouthfull of motor.
The Economist: The World in 2010
In 2010, Obama will have a miserable year, NATO may lose in Afghanistan, the UK gets a regime change, China needs to chill, India's factories will overtake its farms, Europe risks becoming an irrelevant museum, the stimulus will need an exit strategy, the G20 will see a challenge from the "G2", African football will unite Korea, conflict over natural resources will grow, Sarkozy will be unloved and unrivalled, the kids will come together to solve the world's problems (because their elders are unable), technology will grow ever more ubiquitous, we'll all charge our phones via USB, MBAs will be uncool, the Space Shuttle will be put to rest, and Somalia will be the worst country in the world. And so the Tens begin.
The Economist: The World in 2010. [more inside]
The Economist: The World in 2010. [more inside]
Cartype - gives a whole new meaning to E-type
Lee press-on car
The Tata Nano (pic) is a car that costs less new than the amount I've spent on gas during single car trips, recently announced to the auto market in India. The Chery QQ ^, successful , widely exported, and recognized as the Hostage Taker's Vehicle of Choice by China Car Times, is the runner-up for the world's cheapest car but is still approximately twice as expensive.
Yes indeed, the price of gas is not going to come back down. So much for my coast-to-coast road trips. [more inside]
East German (DDR) RC cars
DDR-Modell Autos.info meticulously catalogs radio controlled and flywheel powered cars made by East German (DDR) toy makers such as Presu, Elmes, MSW, Anker, Piko, Gevo, Plasticart and Sommermeyer.
What. The. F*ck. Clean Air Act (2005)?
The US Clean Air Act makes it illegal to sell highly environmentally-friendly cars in 42 states. Apparently.
May those who curse days curse that day, those who are ready to rouse Leviathan
SUV sales are up. In spite of higher gas prices and concern about global warming, Americans still want bigger cars. It might not be enough to save the Hummer H2, though.
AcceleRacers: Track Mod
AcceleRacers: Track Mod is a fun little Pipe-Dream-esque Flash game in which your object is to manipulate sections of track in order to get each of your six racecars to the finish line inside the time limit. Gets a lot harder as you go up in levels and more obstacles are added. Yes, it is a HotWheels game.
Carthedral
"Q: Is that another car on top?
A: Yes, it's a VW bug." -- Carthedral. A few more (clearer, daylight) photos here.
A: Yes, it's a VW bug." -- Carthedral. A few more (clearer, daylight) photos here.
Bugatti Veyron: Concorde of cars?
The Bugatti Veyron, according to Jeremy Clarkson on last night's Top Gear, may well be the Concorde of cars. So Clarkson is a man prone to hyperbole, but this time the facts might just back him up. A throw-away remark from VW boss Ferdinand Piëch became the informal design brief. A 1000 horsepower car capable of the north side of 400kph/250mph. It looks futuristic, but has the stats to match. 0-60mph in 2.5 seconds. In an acceleration race with a McLaren F1 (the previous fastest supercar), the Veyron can give the F1 a head-start to 120mph, but will still beat it to 200mph. At 250mph, the 100 litre fuel tank will empty in 12 minutes, and you can brake to stand-still in just ten seconds (albeit covering the length of four football pitches in the process). The car will set you back most of UK £1,000,000 but that's barely an indicator: the few that exist are being sold at loss because they "just wanted to see if they could". With an industry facing shifting priorities, there may never be another super-car quite like this.
bon voyage mon petit coupe
Car Traditions
Show Me Your Motor! "Some guy once said he had an awesome car he imported from Japan. No one believed him so we said "take a picture of a carton of milk, bread, and a sign that says "Initial D World" or "IDW" in your passenger seat". He responded saying "Ok, when I get milk tomorrow". We never heard from him again but it has evolved into doing it on the hood instead." Tradition! Tradition! Car traditions! [Via AlexChat]
autoxray
Hack your car. AutoXRAY scans internal vehicle computers and gives detailed diagnostics and real-time graphing output.
How Not To Buy A Lemon
Pssst! Wanna Buy A Reliable, Second-Hand Car? You could do worse than start with Honest John, a plain-speaking, fiercely independent Cockney motor car wonk who'll see you right, no problem. If you're obsessive about reliability, i.e. don't have the time or inclination to look after your wheels and just want the damn thing to get you from A to B and back again, check out the often surprising Reliability Index for the most and least trustworthy automobiles. [Eurocentric warning! Btw, what are the most reliable independent car guides - preferably free and online - in the U.S, Canada, etc?]
Do cars force us to give up the outdoors?
Do Cars force us to give up the outdoors? In jail, prisoners are stuck indoors and aren't allowed to go outside except for an hour at most. But are the car-driving residents of the average American suburb consigned to the same fate? "You go from the box garage in the house to the box car, driving down the street, not touching anything or being part of your environment" says Jessica Denevan. [More Inside]
Beetle days come to end
VW Beetle days coming to end. I had a '68 as my college car in the 70's. Girls loved it. Got me where I wanted to go (most of the time). The cute car of the 50's and 60's. Have one? Had one?
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