Frank
Friday, September 25, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Whoa. Floor mat causes crash?
A fatal unintended acceleration incident involving a 2009 Lexus ES just over two weeks ago might have been the result of a mismatched floor mat, investigators have announced. The revelation has prompted Toyota to order all 1,400 dealers to ensure all of their vehicles have proper mats.
The accident, which took place on August 28th, left the driver, off-duty California Highway Patrol Officer Mark Saylor, dead, along with his wife, Cleofe, their daughter, Mahala, and Saylor's brother-in-law, Chris Lastrella.
The heartbreaking story began with a call to police about a minute before the crash, with Saylor's passenger indicating the vehicle's brakes were not responding and the accelerator was stuck. The call ends with one of the male occupants directing the others to "hold on and pray," followed by a woman's scream.
Police say the car reached a speed o 120 mph before it clipped an SUV and launched over and embankment, bursting into flames.
Investigators with the NHTSA say the car, which was a loaner from a dealership, had a driver's side rubber all-weather that was too long. It was from a model other than the ES. It is believed the mat interfered with the accelerator and brake pedals.
Toyota spokesman Brian Lyons told the Associated Press the driver could have turned off the car by holding its start button for three seconds. However, this would have resulted in a loss of power steering and power-assist to the brakes. Alternatively, the driver could have shifted the car to neutral when the unintended acceleration began. It's unclear if some other problem prevented this from happening.
Ironically, Toyota recalled Camry and Lexus ES all-weather mats in 2007 after complaints about jammed accelerators. However, the car involved in the crash was not equipped with these mats, but rather mats from another car.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
4 cylinders!
FRANKFURT — BMW plans to offer four-cylinder gasoline engines in the United States in an effort to meet stricter fuel economy rules. Introduction of the powerplants, equipped with the automaker's next-generation twin turbochargers, "is the goal and we will do it," Jim O'Donnell, CEO of BMW of North America, said today on the sidelines of the Frankfurt auto show. O'Donnell said the engines will allow the automaker to reach U.S. targets before 2015. Under federal guidelines proposed today, automakers will have to improve the fuel economy of their fleets by 5 percent annually before a national standard of 35.5 mpg takes effect in the 2016 model year. BMW will add a four-cylinder variant for its next 3 series in the United States by spring 2012, O'Donnell said. The automaker already equips its European 3 series with four-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines. BMW also is considering adding four-cylinder gasoline engines to its X1 and X3 crossovers and 1-series model in the United States. In Europe, the X1 will be available with a four-cylinder, twin-turbo diesel engine when it launches this fall. The X3 and 1 series also are offered with four-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines in Europe. "We see potentially a significant market that could get to 100,000 four-cylinder engines" in the United States, O'Donnell said.
Frank
Monday, September 14, 2009
BMW is way cool...again
Official Release: These days, the success of any mobile phone is determined not least of all by the availability and range of "apps", or applications. It is primarily these numerous little extra programs, which can be subsequently downloaded, that provide the greatest use. BMW is presenting its Concept BMW Application Store at the Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA). It is the world's first carmaker to demonstrate the fundamental possibility of downloading and storing individual applications either from the car at any time on the move or from your PC at home. It means that, as with a mobile phone, the car can be adapted to the needs and interests of its occupants for the first time, thus benefiting from almost limitless personalisation. The Concept BMW Application Store is a further innovative highlight of BMW ConnectedDrive.
At the touch of a navigation system button.
Conceivable examples of this are – as in the showcase –multimedia travel guides from MERIAN, Geowiki, games, web radio, podcasts, Facebook®, XING and Twitter®. In addition to this scope for individualisation, another stand-out feature of the visionary Concept BMW Application Store is the ability to transfer contact data such as addresses or telephone numbers to the navigation system or mobile phone at the touch of a button. The information is displayed in suitable adapted form by the vehicle's HMI (Human Machine Interface), i.e. its operating logic. In practical terms, this means that, via the menu path "BMW Services", "Application Store", "On the road", customers can download digital travel information and tips from MERIAN (as audio guides in audio book quality or in picture and text form) on points of interest, hotels, restaurants and leisure/nightlife options, manage contacts on "social networks", and receive and compose tweets – all without leaving the car. Plus, the menu item "Entertainment" leads the user to options including podcasts and a "guess the origin of the licence plate" quiz.
Applications draw on car-related data.
Applications from the Concept BMW Application Store of BMW ConnectedDrive draw on information from the vehicle. With the BMW applications for XING and Twitter®, for example, the car's position is taken from the navigation system and, if the system is actively guiding the car to a destination, information about the destination time and location are used. Beyond that, the future use of numerous other vehicle data for BMW applications is conceivable, e.g. acceleration or braking data.
Always at the cutting edge of development.
In the future, vehicle occupants could be supplied with a constant stream of new and interesting applications to download from the visionary Concept BMW Application Store. It may also be possible to download software to the car at any time while on the move. In this way the vehicle would be kept up-to-date with the latest developments throughout its service life and costumers would continue to benefit from the BMW Group´s latest technical innovations after buying their car.
FrankSaturday, September 12, 2009
The saga of the double din install
I spent hours researching the interweb, calling BMW Customer Service and BMW Assist, and talking to the service advisor at my local dealer. I picked up the car this afternoon (Saturday, 4 Sept). Wow. It's incredible!
Installed Features: Nav, bluetooth, XM satellite, FM/AM, CD, DVD, backup camera, steering wheel controls, iPod/iPhone controls with video playback, USB.
After three and one half days in the shop (I told them to take their time), it is installed and, so far, is amazing. This particular shop, so far, has been fantastic with customer service and quality (Lombard's Autosounds, Santa Maria, CA). All the features work as their are supposed to. The sound is great! The images on the screen are sharp, bright and easy to read (even with polarized sun glasses!!!). The screen tilts out to a max of about 40 degrees. All features are intuitive, visual and easy to program.
However, I am concerned the unit is mounted too low to be safely read while driving. Unfortunately, there isn't much of a choice, due to the space behind the dash. I'll have to drive a lot more to see how much of a hazard this is.
My BMW Assist still works just fine. I called shortly after the install, using the SOS button on the headliner.
Issues so far: yes, there is a small warning image on my dash-exclamation point inside triangle (see attached pics), the SOS error appears briefly upon starting and when the Check System is activated, the bluetooth answer/hang up button on the steering wheel does not work, the nav does not read street names ("turn left at the next intersection"), but the maps are easy to read.
I've been a Garmin user since their consumer units first came out. I have three now for business travel and for my wife. So far, the nav in the Eclipse is as good, if not better in some ways, than the Garmin dash mount units.
If the unit was installed as I asked it is only connected to a power source and the pre-amp. All the unit features connect only to the unit.
I will post updates if there are any exciting developments....
Sunday, 6 September: UPDATE. After two attempts with the great folks at BMW Assist, via landline, the 'unlock door' function apparently does not work. As you may know BMW sends a signal to the car commanding it to open the driver's door. This leads me to believe the 'stolen car location' feature may not work either. I am able to talk to BMW Assist via the SOS button on the ceiling (?) headliner (?), whatever you call it.
Second Update 6 September: Went for a short drive to In n Out, after setting it as a destination in the nav. Very impressed with the nav. Excellent, easy to read map, loud, clear instructions. I added a couple of via points on the way home and it handled those with no problems. I still think the unit is mounted too low. However, after driving in the city I could glance down and easily see and read the map. I just couldn't linger.
Cranked up the volume to near 19 year-old level for a short time. Wonderful, clear sounds! I raised the bass and played Jimmy Buffet really loud while driving by the twenty-somethings...
Update-Monday, 7 Sept: after driving the vehicle on a variety of roads and in a variety of traffic conditions, I have decided the unit is mounted too low to be safe. I find myself look completely away from the road for far too long. I love this unit: it has a great screen, is easy to use, and has great nav. It is just too dangerous where it is and there is no other place to mount it. I am going back to the install company tomorrow and exchange it for a single din Eclipse NZ 409 and keep all the goodies (rear camera, XM, etc).
Update-Tuesday, 8 Sept: still can't decide what to do. Went to the install company this morning. They were very understanding and willing to make any changes. The issue is the labor involved. The cost of a Kenwood 614 is less than the Eclipse, but Kenwood charges $800 for the nav module.
Before making any further decisions I went to the local Calif Highway Patrol office to ask for an expert opinion. The officer agreed it was low, but not illegal (that I knew). He suggested I give it a few more days of driving.
So, because I hate to give up that great Eclipse unit, I'm driving with it for a few more days. If there are no major collisions because I am looking completely away from the road ahead, I will keep it.
Update-9 Sept: I have decided to ask (for $750) the installers to move the Eclipse unit up to the highest point possible in the opening (where the heating/ac controls are now). This is where I originally asked for the unit to be installed but the guys talked me out of it, saying they would have to slightly modify the air ducts and the unit would stick out too far. The appointment is set for next Tuesday. The Eclipse is just too cool a system to replace with a Kenwood single DIN. Hey, I'm going to have this car for a lonnnnnnnng time...
Update-12 Sept: took the beast to the dealer to show my service advisor the install. He liked it! I also discovered I can no longer do a system check! The only thing that comes up is the SOS warning. I can't check the oil level. Mmmmmm. Now what? I think a longer conversation with the SA is advisable. He didn't say anything at the time.
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