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German companies team up with telecom to spur development of talking cars

With connectivity and communications becoming an ever larger part of the automotive world, German automakers Audi, BMW, and Daimler formed the 5G Automotive Association with Intel, Nokia, Ericsson, Qualcomm, and Huawei. The goal is to develop new technologies to take advantage of LTE and 5G advancements, create standards, and overcome regulatory issues. If they succeed, it will be easier for them companies to develop and implement new technologies. For instance, we could see smarter traffic management, and maybe platooning, advance further in the autonomous sector. By acting as a group, they will also be able to address regulatory issues more easily. All of these companies are capable of developing advanced vehicle communication systems on their own. Audi, in fact, has been pursuing vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) technology and launched a stoplight timer in models in some cities. Still, the alliance offers the potential to save time and develop new ideas. Related Video: Image Credit: Audi Auto News Audi BMW Mercedes-Benz Technology Emerging Technologies Infotainment Autonomous Vehicles 5g Connectivity v2v intel vehicle to vehicle communications vehicle to infrastructure technology v2i

2015 Dinan M235i First Drive

The first rule you learn about playing hide-and-seek is to wait until the seeker is out of sight before you move on to your next position. That feeling comes back to us as we're sitting in the Dinan-tuned 2015 BMW M235i on the twisty stretch of Route 152 near Gilroy, CA. Construction restricts the road to one lane before opening up to five miles of uninterrupted switchbacks. A local tipped us off to pull over and wait for traffic to clear, guaranteeing an open road and no risk of law enforcement seeking us out. Our first turn behind the wheel of the Dinan M235i started just a few miles north at the tuner's engineering and development center, located in an unassuming office park south of San Jose. Dinan conversions are known for being simultaneously subtle and awesome; an enhancement of products that already stand out in their respective classes. Dinan obtains its R&D cars through consumer channels, unlike some tuners that get early access to BMW's engineering for their own development projects. The development process is "reverse engineering," as technical director Casper van der Schoot describes it. Some development cars also come to Dinan through the generosity of its owner fan base. Customers hand over personal vehicles in exchange for discounted products. An M2 is already on order, and the Dinan engineers are on the edge of their seats waiting to take it apart. The Dinan treatment of the M235i increases performance without reinventing the dynamically sound package. As with other Dinan cars, the treatment on the M235i increases performance without reinventing the dynamically sound package. Approved dealers can install the Dinan parts, as can "anyone with a modest amount of technical aptitude," according to van de Schoot. Dinan's approach is to extract more of the best aspects of BMW products before supplanting stock parts with its own. That's why the M235i, like all Dinan products, comes with the eponymous Dinantronics engine control unit that remaps and finds more power from the stock inline-six-cylinder engine. A bespoke carbon-fiber cold air intake and stainless steel free-flow exhaust system add at least 15 more horsepower. The most significant alterations in the M235i's engine bay are a Dinan-rebuilt turbocharger and larger intercooler, which help increase total output beyond 440 horsepower. At this point you might wonder if all this untapped capacity is at BMW's disposal from the start, why does it take Dinan to release it?

Watch the trailer for Locke, a movie that takes place entirely in BMW's X5

It's no surprise that driving can be incredibly stressful. You're basically trapped in a metal box, and until fairly recently, your ability to communicate with the outside world beyond the toot of a horn or a rolled-down window was all but nonexistent. Locke, a new film starring actor Tom Hardy (best known for his role as Bane in the Batman movie Dark Knight Rises), capitalizes on that feeling of isolation and stress by setting the entire movie in a BMW X5.
Locke is written and directed by Steven Knight, author of Eastern Promises, and the trailer shows Hardy's character being put under increasingly intense emotional stress as he drives along in his Bimmer. We don't know much more than that, as the 90-second trailer really doesn't give away much.
The film premiered at last year's Venice Film Festival, and reviews are available that tell more about the story, but we don't believe in spoilers. It's poised to hit theaters in the UK on April 18 and the US on April 25. The trailer reminds us of a far more artistic take on Steven Spielberg's 1971 movie, Duel and has our interest piqued. Scroll down to watch the trailer, but consider yourself warned, there's a brief moment of profanity.