Even the most vigilant driver gets a speeding ticket once in a while, especially in Europe where the rules either change or become more strict depending on which country or even region you happen to be passing through. It’s often hard to keep track of these things, so Ford is introducing a technology that helps with keeping an eye on the speed so drivers can focus on the task at hand.
Debuting in the S-Max, the Intelligent Speed Limiter is more than just setting a fixed velocity on your cruise control. Like the cruise control, through, the driver sets a maximum speed when they activate the system. It then uses cameras and sensors to identify road signs, detecting what the current speed limit is, and adjusts things accordingly as you drive. It alerts you to other road sign warnings as well, like if the area restricts overtaking, for example.
When the car happens to start accelerating beyond the 5 mph tolerance, the system smoothly slows it down by electronically reducing the fuel delivery to the engine, gently reducing the torque. If it’s a decent down a hill that’s causing the speed, it won’t apply the brakes, but it will alert the driver with an alarm and dashboard message. Of course, in the event that something has happened on the road and the best way to avoid an incident is a burst of speed, the speed limiter can be overridden with a firm press of the accelerator.
Cars with navigation will also tie in to the system, which will come into play most prominently on country roads where road signs are much more sparse.
The new tech will be available in Europe this summer when it rolls out in the S-Max. Depending on its effectiveness and popularity, it’s not impossible to see a similar system making its way into Fords on our side of the ocean.
BYD has launched the third-generation Qin Plus DM-i in China, and the first thing that caught my eye is its price. According to CarNewsChina, the plug-in hybrid sedan starts at 79,900 yuan, which is about $11,980. That’s an incredibly low price for a brand-new car, especially by US standards.
What’s even more impressive is the range. The Qin Plus DM-i can drive up to 137 miles on electricity alone, which should cover most people’s daily commutes without using a drop of gas. Once the battery runs out, the 1.5-liter engine takes over. Thanks to its 17-gallon tank and roughly 91 mpg with a drained battery, the combined range reaches up to 1,423 miles.
Apple won the PC market’s worst quarter, but that’s not the entire story. It won the race by stumbling less than everyone else.
PC makers shipped just 57 million computers worldwide in Q3, which might look good, but it’s a 21% year-over-year plunge (via Counterpoint Research). And despite Apple’s Mac shipments falling by 11%, to 5.6 million, its market share rose from 8.7% to 9.8%. How did that happen?
Update (October 22 23:54 PT): In response to our query, GM clarified that offline recording support is already available on eligible vehicles. Like Tesla's Sentry Mode, it requires owners to connect a USB drive to save incident recordings, which can be viewed on the vehicle's infotainment screen. The upcoming Connected Cameras feature will build on this by giving owners remote access to these recordings via the revamped OnStar app, allowing them to check footage without walking out to their car.
General Motors has announced plans to add a new Connected Cameras feature to its OnStar service starting next year, giving drivers a way to monitor parked vehicles remotely and capture footage of certain incidents.