Connectivity - Auto

There is also the new car that drives itself. There are lasers all around the car that help give the car a 360 degree view of the road.


"The vehicle is equipped with a hidden system of lasers, radars, and cameras that give the car a 360-degree view of the road. All the information is fed to a computer network underneath the trunk, which makes 100 decisions per second."

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/a-car-that-drives-itself/



photo from: ATT Drive


Most everyone appreciates a sleek looking automobile. Once you get over the physical beauty of the car, the next question is "what is under the hood".



https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8933531311267973541#editor/target=post;postID=68288933160279845;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=2;src=postname
Photo from: ATT Drive


Now the question is, "how does it connect"?
ATT Drive: See the future of connected cars

Pandora launched their radio in cars about 2010. Car companies paired with Pandora to start putting their app in the car so the driver could listen to what they wanted. Pandora now started having ads to boost their revenue from their auto services.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-pandora-launches-ads-in-cars-20140106,0,6670276.story#axzz2tkgiLAkb

The Nissan LEAF will be the new model for cars. The car is powered 100% by electric and is super compatible with your smartphone. The app for the smartphone is described on the website

"Stay connected to your Nissan LEAF® with an active CARWINGS® [*]subscription. Use the app to check on your battery charge, start a charging session, see your estimated driving range, and even activate the climate control systems."

This furthers the idea of connectivity because we can now basically control our cars from our smartphone without the need to be anywhere near our cars.





Zipcar has introduced an app that can help people unlock their Zipcar cars from their iPhone apps or their Andriod powered app. Zipcar is an app that connects people to Zipcars that can be reserved for use in different parts of the country.



http://www.zipcar.com/iphone

Glympse: groundbreaking new way to share your location with anyone for a specified period of time

Planetizen: Full article by Jennifer Evans-Cowley, 2014
Here are a few that relate driving or transportation:
Parker: Shows real-time parking availability and prices (Android and iOS)

Traffic Duco: Collects traffic data, such as turning movements, pedestrian counts, trips generated. Can be used by multiple people on the same project (Android and iOS) (Note a free 30 day trial is available)

RideScout: Provides real time transportation options on getting from one place to another (Android and iOS)

Sidecar: Lets car owners rent their car out to others or find a car available for rent in their neighborhood (Android and iOS)

Co-Cities: Shares your driving data with European cities and gives the user information on transportation routes (Android and iOS)

Planetizen: Full article by Jennifer Evans-Cowley,2013
More from her 2013 list:
StreetBump: Collects data on potholes in the City of Boston while you are driving. Available for iPhone.

Inrix: Never Be Late Again: Uses real time and historic data to provide alternative routes, estimated arrival times and locations of accidents and construction. Available for Android, iPhone and iPad.

ParkPGH: Users can find information about the location and availability of spaces in parking garages in Pittsburgh. Available for iPhone.

ParkCirca: Allows users to find private parking spaces available for a fee in major cities. Available for iPhone, Android, and Windows.

Car2Go: Find where you can share a car. Available for iPhone and

Two interesting ways that we can connect and network with others:

SeeClickFix
Connects communities, media and government to take care of and improve neighborhoods.

"In Dallas, a thoughtful citizen reported a traffic light timing problem on SeeClickFix, and saw an immediate improvement in traffic flow after government officials watching the area took quick action."

In Philadelphia, an engaged citywide advocacy group used SeeClickFix to mobilize citizens to document instances of vehicle idling, leading to new initiatives to help clean the air.


Snow Removal Case Study:
The Challenge: Facing snowy winters and citizens in need of passable roads, Hamilton Township sought a way to more efficiently clear more than 600 lane miles of snow-covered roadways, while also keeping citizens and public officials informed of their progress.

The Solution: GPS tracking devices installed in public works vehicles constantly transmit raw data about their location and activities to a centralized server, where it is organized and stored. Specific information on plowing operations can then be accessed through an online portal.

The Results: Individual residents can access the online tracking portal — dubbed "Snow Pal Sal" by local administrators — directly through the government's website.