Communications - Featured articles:
Tracking your cell phone - mobility and privacy
It's not just GPS that can track your location, your mobile phone can do it too, and that can be a good thing More »
Location Based services are hot
Location based services (LBS) may be the driving force to bring new wireless technologies into your car More »
Bermuda cab drivers still fighting GPS
Mandatory GPS in Bermuda taxis meets resistance. Some cabbies won't turn them on More »
More Americans want out of commuting
A new study indicates that a third of Americans would take less pay if they could work at home. More »
What is Automotive Telematics and why is it sick?
For the initiated, the term "telematics" conveys a vision of a super-connected car with a dazzling array of communications technology on board. Problem is, making the vision a practical reality could be more complex than space travel. More »
Ford may let drivers download a better car!
Ford's SYNC system is at the cutting edge of what is becoming an increasingly important and competitive area for the automotive industry. SYNC is built on the Windows Embedded Automotive platform and is described as '... a factory-installed, fully integrated in-car communications and entertainment system that allows drivers to combine their digital lifestyles with their life on the road.' More »
Teenage drivers restricted by GPS curfew
For more than 20 years now, drivers.com has published an online and hard copy booklet - 'Learning to Drive: A Guide for Parents'. Amongst other things, this guide addresses the issue of heightened risks that teenagers face when driving after daylight hours 'some of the worst accidents occur at night and with a group of young people in the car. If alcohol or any other kind of impairment is involved the risk in this situation is magnified several times' More »
Driving efficiency with telematics
Wireless communication is saving oil and making traffic safer. Now a fleet tracking company is making the oil industry more efficient More »
Mobile social networking - the end of isolation
You're driving towards your distant destination and decide to take a break. You glance at your cell phone to check if any of your social networking group happen to be in the vicinity. This is location-based social networking and it's predicted to become a $3.3 billion business by 2013 More »
Bluetooth and the driver
It's becoming a 'wireless world' and Bluetooth is at the heart of it. For drivers it looks like being a key technology. More »
eCall - the S.O.S. for drivers
The eCall system works by using a black box device which, when sensors are triggered in a collision, initiates a 112 call to the nearest emergency centre. If the caller is unable to speak the data connection will ensure that the necessary information (in terms of GPS location and car description) is transmitted. More »
Windows phone 7 keeping track of drivers
October 11th 2010 will see Microsoft's official launch of Windows Phone 7. The launch of this phone will be accompanied by the release of an array of associated apps, a significant number of which will be aimed at the driver. More »
Car-jacking at your fingertips!
This week Computer Scientists at the University of Washington and the University of California, San Diego have presented a research paper which highlights the possible threats of hacking into in-car computer systems. The researchers claim they were able to remotely control braking and other functions in the cars they used in their tests, and argue that the car industry is at risk of making the same security mistakes as the PC industry. More »
Release of iPhone 4.0 to signal in-car integration?
Rumors have abounded over recent months regarding the possibilities of new developments with iphone in-car integration. It seems that this possibility may become a reality with the release of iPhone 4.0 this Summer. More »
Mobile phones - why green is the new black
LG Mobile Phones and Sprint Telecoms this week announced the launch of the LG Remarq cellphone, touted as being both eco-friendly and affordable so it won't cost you the earth - in any sense of the word. More »
Top 5 iPhone apps for the driver
There are now more than 150,000 apps available in the iTunes Store, so whether you want to download a virtual pet or turn your iphone into a zippo lighter for a rock concert - there will be an app out there for you! There are many apps aimed at drivers and car users generally, some of these are very practical and some, like the iphone shotgun for a virtual drive-by, are possibly less so! More »
Car infotainment systems - are we finally on the right road?
Today's vehicle is expected to go a lot further than transport it's owner from A to B. We expect our cars to provide the same connectivity as our home or work environment - internet browsing, multimedia playback and speech recognition capabilities to enable in-car calls to mention but a few! More »
Apple and BMW - Web radio dream team
If you like the idea of Satellite radio in your car you may love Web radio with its estimated 10,000 plus global stations. iPhone and BMW may be the style leader dream team to give it to you. More »
Can mobile phone apps fix potholes?
An organisation based in New Haven, Connecticut has designed a mobile app which enables users to connect to city officials by tagging locations of problems such as potholes using their mobile phones. "SeeClickFix encourages residents to become citizens by participating in taking care of and improving their neighborhoods". More »
Windows on the move
Mobile connectivity gets better with the launch of Garmin-Asus smartphone with windows Mobile operating system More »
Free mobile in-car TV gets closer
Those who worry about distractive gadgets in the car are fearful of TV on cell phones and other mobile devices, but Washington D.C., Seattle, and Atlanta are scheduled for tests this year More »
Built-in automatic toll collection for every vehicle
President Obama may put big money into improving roads but in the long run, it's going to be tracking your car with GPS and charging you per mile More »
Speeding drivers and social networking
Flashing your headlights to warn your fellow drivers about a speed trap may be a thing of the past. Electronic social networking is taking over More »
What is Car to X communication?
It's futuristic - very futuristic - but it's now being called the next big wave in vehicle technology More »
IKEA-style low-cost mobile phone access
VNL, a Swedish-Indian telecom company says it has developed cell phone base stations that rural villagers can "put on their ox-cart, travel for two days and install it themselves" More »
11 'War Drivers' indicted
An inexpensive WiFi card, a custom built car antenna, and the urge to find exposed computers - a hobby for some, but now international wardriving ring indicted by U.S. DOJ More »
Vehicle quality up, but in-car technology baffling
An annual survey shows strong improvements in vehicle quality over the first 90 days, including some US-built car winners, but many find stereos and navigation devices confusing. More »
Hi-speed Web on the move
Commercial mobile version of WiMax launched in Europe will bring broadband to laptops in moving vehicles More »
35 years of cell phones
April 3, 1973 - the first mobile cell-phone call. The man who made it has more ideas More »
Your car can email you its problems
A new device that you can plug into your car's dataport yourself can keep track of your vehicle's whereabouts, and email or phone you when something goes wrong mechanically. More »
Convergence is driving mobile device change
Information mobility is beginning to take precedence over automobility amongst young corporate professionals, and they want it all - personal and business phone, music, video, navigation and internet in their hand More »
Cars talking to cars
Cars that sense other cars? This may seem like science fiction, but many of the technologies that will be implemented in vehicles in the next 10 years already exist in cars in simpler forms. More »
The web in your car
Cars are about mobility, and so is mobile internet access. When will the two come together? More »
Telematics and your car - the future
The word 'telematics' probably wasn't mentioned at the last auto show you attended, but it IS the buzzword for the new wave in automobile development More »
Tracking technologies booming
The need to locate cell phones in an emergency is pushing a boom in all kinds of location-based services More »
How smart is your car?
Stuffing cars with technical wizardry has led to a similar problem home computer users face: poor communication between devices. More »
Update on the black box
Black boxes are undoubtedly a part of the future of cars. Their impact on privacy is a hot issue but many vehicle owners didn't know they had them. Now a new U.S. federal law will change that More »
SatNav leads to Crackpot cliff
Satellite navigation and traffic routing company says its technology will systematically eliminate incidents such as the Crackpot cliff embarrassment More »
Navigation mystery tours
In-vehicle navigation systems can help drivers avoid congestion, but their alternative routes may be a problem More »
In a wireless world, truck dispatchers could get lonely
Going wireless with your fleet can pay big dividends, but drivers have to have fun and dispatchers won't get phone calls More »
Hard driving hard drives
It's not hype anymore. A new breed of hard disk drive is about to transform the automobile into a communications and infotainment center More »
The map revolution
Want to stroll down LA's Sunset Blvd, check out the stores? With A9.com's maps and images database you can do just that--but there's much more! More »
The hi-tech super-connected car
The technologies are there, but the super-connected car is a marketing nightmare and a massive challenge for potential partners. More »
Traffic data on satellite radio
Feeling congested? A new traffic information provider promises relief with its linking of satellite radio and navigation systems to keep you moving. More »
Trusting drivers with hi-tech stuff
Every new technology runs a gauntlet of resistance for various reasons. New telematics technologies for automobiles is a case in point. Slow acceptance is delaying the envisioned bonanza of benefits. More »
A technological ride from A to B
Mobility is taking on a new meaning in the 21st century, and the ride from A to B will be a different experience. More »
Auto black box standard set
Airplanes have had "black box" data recorders for decades, but universal standards for their use in cars have just been announced. More »
Navigate by phone
Need driving directions? How about on your cell phone? New navigation and traffic info in the USA may draw consumers away from built-in systems. More »
Pay for parking via cell phone
Drivers in Denver and Montreal can now pay for parking by phone or Internet. Once enrolled, the system recognizes callers' cell phone numbers, and allows them to easily extend their parking time if they are delayed. More »
Stay in your lane
If you've ever let your attention lapse while driving, a new technology might help. The Lane Departure Warning system alerts drivers of any unintended movement out of a designated traffic lane. More »
Infrared traffic light changers pose safety problem
Police, safety groups concerned about Infrared traffic light changers becoming available to the general public. More »
Drivers protected from black boxes
On September 22, California adopted the United States' first law intended to protect the privacy of drivers whose cars are equipped with "black boxes." More »
Cell phones that give you directions
New cell-phone navigation services revealed at a wireless trade show on Monday offer wireless navigation services in your pocket. More »
From wireless car to wireless world
"Wireless" is the new communications buzzword. The technology is here and we're not accepting it yet. But "wireless cars" may be leading the way to the future. More »
Big Rigs: technology riding shotgun
A lone driver could be all that stands between a potential evildoer and a weapon of mass destruction--a truckload of hazardous materials. Technology could come to the rescue, but is it happening? More »
Billboards that get to know you: coming soon
In California, some billboards are being equipped to check what's on your car radio, and then pitch ads at you based on your choice. More »
The wireless car will have to wait
It seems just a matter of months ago that car makers and wireless service providers were telling us we were on the verge of cars with wireless connections to the Internet, email, GPS navigation, and more. They forgot about the consumer. More »
Black boxes: soon in every car
"Black boxes" are edging their way into our cars, and our lives. This is probably good news, but there are concerns about who owns the information they generate. More »
Black boxes in buses to slow drivers
Black box recording devices are being installed on buses in Shanghai, China, in an effort to thwart speeding bus drivers. More »
Black boxes will ultimately save lives
Information about drivers' choices and vehicles' activities prior to crashes will soon be transferred using telematics systems to a new data vault run by IBM, ISO, and SIS. More »
Car rental GPS speeding fines targeted by NY Senate
Last year a Connecticut man sued a car rental company after it used the GPS tracking system in one of its cars to catch him speeding. Now the New York state senate is trying to pass a bill outlawing such practices. More »
Pay for parking by phone
New technology will allow drivers to pay for parking on cell phones, and extend the meter time if delayed. More »
GPS in rental cars criticized
Connecticut has filed a complaint alleging that a rental company's use of GPS tracking to fine customers is wrong. More »
Tracking trucks and tolls
New electronic toll tags should speed freight truck inspections and enforcement, but the industry is wary. More »
Laptops in firetrucks
The Chicago Fire Department has been using laptop computers in its firetrucks for accessing info about the victim, the building, and hazardous materials. More »
Telematics: boon or bust?
Mobile navigation and information systems will soon enter the mainstream, says a new survey--if they improve ergonomically. More »
Cameras and microphones in Aussie taxis questioned
A plan to place security cameras and microphones in taxis in Melbourne, Australia has been questioned by Victoria's Privacy Commissioner. More »
Is junk mail coming to your car?
With onboard wireless information services rapidly gaining ground in the auto world, will you be getting junk mail in your car, or ... ads you can use? More »
PRIVACY: is Onstar going too far?
An article in Motor Magazine is critical of new plans being floated by GM's Onstar to feed information it gathers about your driving habits to insurance companies. More »
GPS gets car renter a speeding ticket
A Connecticut man is suing ACME Rent-a-Car, a local rental company, after it used the GPS (Global Positioning System) in one of its cars to catch him speeding and then fined him $450 for speeding three times. More »
The telematics crunch: regulation, laws, and education
Computer communications devices are showing up in cars, and this article discusses the issues surrounding this development, and argues for increased enforcement and education. More »
Older drivers slower while using telematics
In-car technologies may require more time for older drivers to use, raising their risk levels when driving. More »
Cars that call for help
Automatic Collision Notification is a system in which sensors in the vehicle send a wireless alert signal and accident location information to response centers, which in turn send the information to emergency authorities. More »
Auto show about vehicles or information technology?
At the 2000 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, visitors saw more information technology than ever before, including "the perfect in-car office, opera house, and stock exchange." More »
How private is the private car?
Article raises questions about the ease with which conversations in a car can be tracked and the vehicle's position monitored - and the ethics of doing so. More »
Black boxes are already in automobiles, and your car may have one!
Black boxes have been used in the trucking and airline industries for years. But few people realize that, to a degree, some of today's cars do have them. More »
Ford, Microsoft team up in Internet car deal
Microsoft is teaming up with auto manufacturers to enable consumers to order custom automobiles over the Internet. More »
High-tech cars cruising on radar
Describes the adaptive cruise control technologies being offered or developed by various manufacturers. More »
Coming to your car: the Internet
Discusses the features of an in-car Internet service planned by GM. More »
Daytime running lights: a warning
The effectiveness of daytime lights in reducing accidents has been proven, but cars without lights may suffer from being "masked." More »