2001 Red Bmw Z3, 3.2l, 5 Speed Roadster Convertible, 46,900 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

BMW may show off autonomous concept at 100th anniversary

BMW celebrates its 100th birthday in 2016, and the brand might mark the occasion by showing a concept with a nearly production-ready autonomous system, according to Autocar. Company sales and marketing boss Ian Robertson hinted that the automaker could be close to introducing the next-gen tech. "We've reached the 'feet off' phase of autonomy, and now we're in the 'hands off' and 'eyes off' phase, but only for brief periods," Robertson told Autocar. He thinks fully autonomous driving could be possible in 15 years because the company needs to work out how to make it safe. In addition to talking about autonomous tech, Robertson said the company's March 7th centenary would focus the future. "There will be some products we will share," he told Autocar. "Maybe what I've been alluding to will be the direction of that." BMW has tested autonomous technology for years and already impressively showed an M235i that could drift by itself. An i3 (pictured above) was even able to park without driver assistance in a multi-story garage at CES last year. Recent rumors about Google's piloted ridesharing service suggest this could be the perfect time for the German automaker to take the next step. BMW's bigger challenge could be determining how much autonomous ability to give drivers. Tesla might soon reduce features from its Autopilot system because a few owners aren't responsible enough to use the tech safely. California also proposed regulations that could limit the capabilities of driverless vehicles. Related Video:

Economy-car buyers increasingly get the best deal on technology

One of the great things about technology is – with the exception of Apple products – consumers get more for their money every year. For example, the first 1GB USB drive I bought in 2005 cost me $30. Today you can get 10 for that price, delivered to your door thanks to Amazon. The same goes for car tech. Features such as navigation and Bluetooth started out on high-end vehicles before trickling down to entry-level cars. Same with driver assist features ranging from rearview cameras to forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking — so now it's not only rich people who are protected in car crashes. I've found that this democratization of tech has reached a point where amenities on low-cost cars can be as good — and sometimes even better — than those on vehicles costing tens of thousands of dollars more. While attending a media event for the launch of the all-new 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback, I was impressed by the car's cool styling and go-kart performance. Equally noteworthy is the amount of standard tech on the low-cost hot hatch. (Pricing will be announced later this month, but expect it to come in a bit higher that the current Corolla iM's roughly $19,000 base.) Even the base SE CVT trim of the 2019 Corolla Hatchback comes with an 8-inch touchscreen and Toyota's Entune 3.0 infotainment system. Among other features, Entune 3.0 provides Wi-Fi capability, Amazon Alexa connectivity, the Entune App Suite for integration of smartphone apps such as Pandora and Yelp and, for the first time in a Toyota, Apple CarPlay (but no Android Auto). The 2019 Corolla Hatchback is also the first North American vehicle to get the second-generation Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) suite of driver assists that's also standard on the base model. TSS 2.0 includes Toyota's Pre-Collision System (forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking) with new daytime and low-light pedestrian detection and daytime cyclist detection features, lane keeping and lane departure alert with steering assist, auto high beams, adaptive cruise control, and road sign detection. While the 2019 Corolla Hatchback sets a new benchmark in standard tech on a budget-mobile, competing cars aren't far behind. The 2018 Honda Fit LX, for example, includes forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and assist and adaptive cruise, while the automaker's Lane Departure Mitigation and Lane Watch camera system is added the two top trims.

Recharge Wrap-up: Derailing Malaysia's B10 plans, Tesla and Solyndra

Tesla Motors will lease the Solyndra building near its Fremont, California factory. The manufacturing facility is more than 500,000 square feet, but the cost of the lease and the production capacity remain undisclosed. The lease of the building, "located conveniently down the road from the Tesla Factory, gives us the space to expand our manufacturing and build more engineering labs as we build up production," says a Tesla spokesperson. The added manufacturing space will help Tesla meet its production goals for the upcoming Model X electric SUV. Trip Chowdhry, senior analyst at Global Research Equities, says that shifting some engineering duties from the Deer Creek facility to the new one could help solve current parking shortages, as well. Read more at Business Finance News. BMW has expressed concerns over Malaysia's planned B10 biodiesel mandate. Malaysia recently announced that it would use crude palm oil to make the B10 blend that would be required to be sold beginning in October, up from the current B7 mandate. "In our tests with B10 biodiesel worldwide, we have found technical challenges," says BMW Group Malaysia Managing Director and CEO Alan Harris, such as the fatty acid methyl ester in palm oil thinning motor oil. Mercedes-Benz also urges reconsideration of B10. The Malaysia Automotive Institute says it will include representatives from the auto industry in talks with the Malaysian Palm Oil Board. Read more from The Star. Pacific Ethanol's acquisition of a competitor, Aventine Energy Holdings, has been approved by shareholders. Pacific is buying Aventine for $192 million in stock. In 2009, ethanol suffered a price drop that forced Pacific Ethanol to decrease production and declare bankruptcy for four of its plants. Now its base extends from the West Coast to the Midwest, as Aventine Energy Holdings has four plants in Illinois and Nebraska. The merger more than doubles Pacific Ethanol's production capacity, making it the fifth-largest ethanol producer in the US. Read more from The Sacramento Bee. Related Gallery Tesla Model X View 15 Photos News Source: Business Finance News, The Star Online, The Sacramento BeeImage Credit: Tesla Green Plants/Manufacturing BMW Tesla Alternative Fuels Biodiesel Ethanol Electric recharge wrapup