Daily Archives: October 20, 2016
Tesla Will Equip All Its Cars With Self-Driving Tech
Electric vehicle maker Tesla announced on October 19 that all the cars it will produce—including Model 3—will be equipped with technology that will allow them to go on auto-pilot.
Last year, the company co-founded by Elon Musk introduced the Autopilot system. Although it is far from offering fully-autonomous driving to its cars, the technology already has the elements that will pave way for that goal.
So far, the system allows auto-braking. It will also offer several features that will heighten the safety levels of the car, which is far more than the capability of a human driver.
To achieve such, Tesla equipped its cars with twelve updated ultrasonic sensors. The sensors double the capability of the old system in detecting hard and soft objects within the vicinity of the vehicle. The tech increases the awareness of the driver on the road too especially during heavy rain, dust, fog and in detecting incoming cars using its forward-oriented radar with enhanced processing.
Tesla said the new onboard computer in its cars provides 40 more computing capacity than the previous generation. The upgrade gives Tesla cars a new neural net enhancing their vision, sonar and radar. With that, every direction is seen by system simultaneously, which is far more than what the human senses are capable of.
Tesla reminded that customers will not have to wait for the mentioned technology anymore. The Tesla Model S and Model X have it already. The vehicles are being sold now.
For the meantime, Tesla stated that it will have to conduct more tests with their new system. The calibration would require millions of miles in real-world driving to ensure optimum safety and convenience. As a result, some features of the Autopilot will have to be disabled for the moment like the emergency braking, collision warning, lane assist and active cruise control. Over the air updates will be released to enable the blocked features once Tesla is confident in their new system.
Sport Package for Chevrolet Malibu Announced for 2017 Model
The Chevrolet Malibu boasts a decent design, good crash test ratings, high reliability, average comfort features, and satisfying performance. Those are reasons why it has garnered above average reviews. Recently, the Sport Package for the 2017 model of the car was announced.
According to source, the new Sport Package only offers aesthetic updates to the LT trim of the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. Inside, the steering wheel and shift knob are wrapped in leather. Outside, the Chevy Malibu receives a new rear spoiler and 18-inch 10-spoke wheels.
The Sport Package costs $875. Despite the subtle upgrade, the package will surely bring in a sporty appearance to the midsize car.
It should be noted that the Chevrolet Malibu already ditched its two sub-trim configuration. Instead, the range streamlined them into the LT trim.
The 2017 Chevrolet Malibu LT carries a 1.5-liter turbo four-cylinder engine. The output of the power unit is 160 hp. All that is distributed via a six-speed automatic transmission gearbox. The Malibu L and the LS also share the same spec.
Buyers who want more power from their car can opt for the Malibu hybrid with 182 hp or the Malibu Premier with 250 hp packed in its 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine. From the eight-speed automatic gearbox of the Malibu Premier, the new Premier model upgrades it to the nine-speed unit.
The other standard updates in the Chevy Malibu LS and LT lineup include the integration of the Apple CarPlay and the Android Auto into the car’s seven-inch touchscreen display. Another inclusion is the Teen Driver system of GM. The system lets parents monitor the driving habits of their teens.
The starting price of the Chevrolet Malibu is $22,555. That is for the L trim. The Premier trim is tagged at $31,850 while the LS and the LT are each worth $105 more than their predecessors.