Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche will be the keynote speaker at the 11th annual CAR-Symposium, which will take place in Bochum, Germany, January 26-27, 2011. The annual conference, which is organized by CAR Center Automotive Research, will focus on “Innovations and profitable growth.” The two-day event will feature an Automotive Career Day on January 26, followed [...]
A new test platform for intelligent driver assistance
December 9, 2010
German researchers are developing an integrated test platform for the next generation of driver assistance systems. FZI,  a non-profit contract research organization specialized in information technologies, is working with virtual test-driving specialists IPG Automotive to create an integration platform that will bring together all data gathered in a virtual test drive. “In this way the [...]
ITI launches 64bit version of SimulationX software
December 8, 2010
Software maker ITI has launched a 64bit version of its SimulationX software. The German specialist in virtual system engineering said release 3.4 of SimulationX will allow designers to use the full potential of computer operating systems and hardware. The 64bit release will improve simulation performance and allow for greater precision in model building, the company [...]
At Mercedes, pedestrians take the spotlight
December 8, 2010
A new Mercedes lighting technology will use a spotlight to warn drivers and pedestrians of imminent danger at night. Mercedes’ spotlight function, which will be included in the luxury carmaker’s Night View Assist Plus pedestrian-detection system, will become a standard feature from the summer of 2011. Mercedes has offered nighttime pedestrian detection since 2009, but [...]
UK’s Quartix gets big insurance order for vehicle tracking
December 8, 2010
UK vehicle-tracking systems maker Quartix has signed a contract to provide 1,200 telematics systems a month to Coverbox, a pay-as-you-drive insurance brand. Coverbox is a so-called “smart insurance product,” which helps insurers monitor driving behavior through the use of telematics and data analysis. The service also lets insurance companies charge policyholders for vehicle insurance based [...]
Geely starts online car sales in China
December 7, 2010
Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, which acquired Sweden’s Volvo Car Corp. earlier this year, began selling cars online Monday in China, according to Xinhua, the country’s national news agency. Geely said it has opened a virtual flagship store on Taobao Mall, one of China’s biggest consumer Web sites. Geely said it would sell Gleagle Panda-branded cars [...]
ADAC: BMW has best traffic-sign recognition
December 7, 2010
BMW has the best traffic-sign recognition systems, according to a test by Germany’s largest auto club, the ADAC. The testers compared systems on a BMW 740d, a Mercedes S 500 CGI, an Audi A8, an Opel Insignia and a VW Phaeton. BMW won the comparison, both in recognizing traffic signs and in projecting them on [...]
