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Jaguar tests autonomous vehicle technology with 100-car fleet

Jaguar Land Rover is exploring how to take autonomous vehicle technology off the paved path. But the company has plans for technology on tarmac, too. The company announced that the Jaguar division will have a fleet of 100 cars testing autonomous technologies on public roads. The testing process will cover a period of four years and begin with vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication systems, along with a stereo camera system and autonomous vehicle software. These systems will work together to provide a variety of features that could make their way into future Jaguars and Land Rovers. The first feature in development is called "Roadwork Assist." The system relies on the stereo camera to create a 3D image the car's software can analyze. The software can identify road cones and other barriers associated with construction sites. The car will then alert the driver about entering the construction zone and provide some steering assistance to keep the car centered in its lane. Tony Harper, Jaguar's head of research, said that this system can reduce stress on the driver, and the technology could eventually be used to allow the car to pilot itself through construction zones. Another of Jaguar's proposed features is "Safe Pullaway," which also relies on cameras and software. The Safe Pullaway feature is designed to prevent close-proximity collisions in traffic jams and even in the garage. To do this, the car watches the area immediately ahead of it for obstacles. If the car detects something nearby while the driver adds throttle or shifts into gear, it will apply the brakes to prevent driving into the object. The final project on Jaguar's plate is its "Over the Horizon Warning" system. This will be one of the first features to rely on Jaguar's vehicle-to-vehicle communication technology. The idea is that connected cars in constant communication will give drivers additional warning of upcoming hazards, such as out-of-sight animals and slowed or stopped cars. In Jaguar's example of a stopped car, the stationary vehicle would send a signal alerting approaching cars of the situation. In turn, the approaching vehicles would trigger audible and visual warnings to drivers about the hidden car. Jaguar says that the system could also be applied to emergency vehicles. Emergency vehicles would broadcast a signal to alert drivers well before the lights and sirens get their attention. This would give emergency vehicles a faster, safer path through traffic.

Weekly Recap: Chrysler forges ahead with new name, same mission

Chrysler is history. Sort of. The 89-year-old automaker was absorbed into the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles conglomerate that officially launched this fall, and now the local operations will no longer use the Chrysler Group name. Instead, it's FCA US LLC. Catchy, eh? Here's what it means: The sign outside Chrysler's Auburn Hills, MI, headquarters says FCA (which it already did) and obviously, all official documents use the new name, rather than Chrysler. That's about it. The executives, brands and location of the headquarters aren't changing. You'll still be able to buy a Chrysler 200. It's just made by FCA US LLC. This reinforces that FCA is one company going forward – the seventh largest automaker in the world – not a Fiat-Chrysler dual kingdom. While the move is symbolic, it is a conflicting moment for Detroiters, though nothing is really changing. Chrysler has been owned by someone else (Daimler, Cerberus) for the better part of two decades, but it still seemed like it was Chrysler in the traditional sense: A Big 3 automaker in Detroit. Now, it's clearly the US division of a multinational industrial empire; that's good thing for its future stability, but bittersweet nonetheless. Undoubtedly, it's an emotion that's also being felt at Fiat's Turin, Italy, headquarters as the company will no longer officially be called Fiat there. Digest that for a moment. What began in 1899 as the Societa Anonima Fabbrica Italiana di Automobili Torino – or FIAT – is now FCA Italy SpA. In a statement, FCA said the move "is intended to emphasize the fact that all group companies worldwide are part of a single organization." The new names are the latest changes orchestrated by CEO Sergio Marchionne, who continues to makeover FCA as an international automaker that has ties to its heritage – but isn't tied down by it. Everything from the planned spinoff of Ferrari, a new FCA headquarters in London and the pending demise of the Dodge Grand Caravan in 2016 has shown that the company is willing to move quickly, even if it's controversial. While renaming the United States and Italian divisions were the moves most likely to spur controversy, FCA said other regions across the globe will undergo similar name changes this year. Despite the mixed emotions, it's worth noting: The name of the merged company that oversees all of these far-flung units is Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Obviously the Chrysler corporate name isn't completely history.

These are the top luxury cars bought by people entering the segment for the first time

Let's say you just got a big promotion at work or the kids are moving out of the house, and you finally have some extra money. You decide to blow it all at once and treat yourself by upgrading your ride. Naturally, you look to a luxury automaker. What do you choose?
Models like the Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class may be tailor-made to introduce buyers to the premium segment, but a new study finds that they don't garner the highest rates of non-luxury customer conquests. It turns out that a Volvo leads among folks moving up to a premium brand, and it isn't even one that's made anymore, at that.
A recent study by Polk and IHS Automotive looked at what models had the highest rates of buyers upgrading from a non-luxury segment. The information comes from its new vehicle registration data through April 2014. All ten top models boasted conquest rates of over 50 percent, but the Volvo C70 led the field with 68.01 percent of its customers coming from non-premium brands.