Audi and MIT develop first-ever index to quantify driver frustration

Driving in chaotic urban traffic can be as nearly as stressful as jumping out of an airplane, according to new findings from an Audi and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) study. To better understand the impact road frustrations have on motorists today, Audi joined forces with the MIT SENSEable City Laboratory to explore a wide range of measurements aimed at quantifying driver stress on the road today. For Audi, the research helps validate how the latest driver assistance and connectivity technologies found in most Audi models can help ease the stress of daily driving.

The research initiative, Road Frustration Index (RFI), seeks to narrow in on the individual factors that lead to driver frustration, providing Audi with insight toward finding solutions that make driving safer and more enjoyable. This new methodology quantifies and contextualizes driver stress and frustration using skin conductance sensors, facial/body tracking, and environmental recordings. Findings were compared with a variety of other activities – such as taking a test or engaging in adventure sports – to make the overall methodology and results more relatable.

"In addition to daily driving conditions, we are measuring stress levels under a variety of daily activities: at home, in the office, while having breakfast or attending a lecture at MIT. We found that certain driving situations can be one of the most stressful activities in our lives," said Kael Greco, project leader, MIT SENSEable City Laboratory.

“The data we received is fascinating. One study showed that getting side swiped by an oncoming car can be almost as stressful as jumping out of a plane,” said Filip Brabec, Director of Product Management, Audi of America. “By working with MIT to identify stress points for drivers, Audi is able to anticipate the needs for future mobility. Audi has worked with MIT on other projects as part of a strategy to develop new technology and approaches with leading universities to better understand the conditions that lead to driver stress, and subsequently, to driver enjoyment.”

To calibrate the frustration algorithm, MIT designed a series of experiments that measure stress and frustration during real-world driving tasks using physiological sensors and an array of face/body tracking technologies, including: GPS to track the subject’s location and speed; cameras to monitor both the subject’s facial response and external driving environment; a modified Microsoft Kinect sensor to track the subject’s body movements; and skin conductance sensors to monitor the subject’s stress responses.

Preliminary trials have taken place in the Boston metropolitan area over a 12-month period. Trials cover a variety of roadway types, ranging from bustling highways to quiet suburban side streets, and variety of road conditions, from stop-and-go traffic patterns to confusing roadway navigation. Observations were validated both by a driver questionnaire administered after the trial and a score determined by observable events from the recorded video.

"Cities, blanketed with networks and digital devices, are developing new forms of intelligence. The same is happening inside our cars, which are increasingly filled with different kinds of connected sensors. From the intersection of these two trends will emerge tomorrow's mobility systems - starting from the next generation of autonomous vehicles," said Professor Carlo Ratti, director, MIT SENSEable City Laboratory.

The experiment is catalogued on http://senseable.mit.edu/rfi/. The website allows for visitors to view the video documentation and explore some interactive maps and stress charts to get a better understanding of how stress and frustration are quantified.

MIT will conclude its research by publishing the RFI methodology and findings in a peer-reviewed journal later this year.

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Porsche and Mini share the Forever Young - cult status

In September 2013 the flag-bearer of the German sports car fraternity, the Porsche 911, will celebrate its 50th birthday. And among the hoards of well-wishers will be MINI, not least because its model history also includes - in the classic Mini - a similarly compelling work of art characterised by a similar reluctance to abandon the exuberance of youth.

It may be the fundamental differences between the two cars (e.g. the Mini has its engine in the front, the 911 at the rear) that dominate at first glance. But there are also a number of factors - over and above their shared cult status - that lend particular empathy to MINI's birthday greetings.

Both models made their name with an eye-catching turn of speed. At the end of the austere 1950s Mini was the ground-breaking new kid on the block, generating sales figures that mimicked the upward curve of its acceleration. The 911, as the successor to the Porsche 356, was born with speed in its blood.

Only a handful of cars can claim to have endured over such lengthy time spans, retaining their unmistakable identities despite all the nips, tucks and updates along the way.

When major landmarks like a 50th come into view, it's traditional to look back over the birthday boy's childhood. Although the Mini and Porsche 911 may not be cars you would instinctively compare, there are one or two striking aspects of their history that have brought them together over time - a less than straightforward christening, for example. The 911 came into the world in 1963 initially as the Porsche 901. However, the rights to using a zero in the middle of a three-digit car designation had already been snapped up by French manufacturer Peugeot. Which meant that when this legendary-sports car-to-be eventually arrived on the scene a year later, it was as the Porsche 911. It is unlikely the use of the number one to fill the gap was a coincidence. Fittingly, it remains the no. 1 in its class to this day; now in its seventh generation, the 911 has sold over 800,000 units - a figure beyond the reach of any segment rival.

The Mini, by contrast, saw the light of day as twins. On 26 August 1959 the British Motor Corporation (BMC) unveiled the fruits of its endeavours to develop a revolutionary new small car - introducing the public to not one but two new models: the Morris Mini-Minor and Austin Seven. Everyone now knows which name ultimately made the cut. As for the classic Mini's sales figures: by 2000, when the curtain came down on production, 5.3 million units of Britain's best-selling car had found homes.

It's tempting to wonder how different history would have been without the creators of these two successful cars. Neither Sir Alec Issigonis nor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche had any inkling that their designs would come to be considered immortal icons of modern times. Indeed, you would have needed a very clear crystal ball to see that Porsche had just dreamt up the most successful sports car of all time and Issigonis the "world's only cool small car".

The parallels don't end there, either, the classic Mini and Porsche 911 displaying a similar aversion to resting on their laurels. Both cars made a point of keeping their finger on the pulse and appealing to the imagination more effectively than any rivals. Not that every modification enjoyed universal praise - take the switch from air cooling to water cooling at Porsche or the extra focus on comfort and luxury of the first MINI built by BMW. Ultimately, though, these two pillars of the automotive community have continued to thrive, their sound genes underpinning looks that remain remarkably true to their respective originals. The two companies have also demonstrated an open mind to adding new models to their ranges - and a successful approach to executing those plans. In many respects, the Panamera and Cayenne broke through similarly symbolic boundaries as the Countryman and Paceman.

What hasn't changed is the "regal" sense of driving pleasure on offer in both brand's cars. In 1960 Lord Snowdon, then husband to Princess Margaret, used his influence to arrange an opportunity for his friend Issigonis to demonstrate the small car's talents to Queen Elizabeth. Settling in next to Issigonis, Her Majesty allowed the Mini's creator to chauffeur her around the grounds of Windsor Castle. There is also a quasi-royal element to Porsche's heritage, albeit in the spelling of a famous surname rather than the person of the British monarch; the slate grey 911 driven by Steve McQueen in the film "Le Mans" - and later owned by the Hollywood star - has earned a deserved place in automotive eternity.

Motorsport occupies a key chapter in the histories of both Porsche and Mini. The 911 in its track-tuned permutations is the most successful racing car ever built. Practically every race of any note has been won by a 911 on one occasion or other. And no memory of the 1960s can be complete without images of the MINI Cooper S roaring into view. The darling of the sixties avant-garde was not only something of a phenomenon on the road, its class victory in the 1963 Monte Carlo Rally in the hands of Finnish driver Rauno Aaltonen kicked off a peerless run of success on the motor sport scene that reached its pinnacle with three overall wins in the Monte in 1964, 1965 and 1967.

Several decades later - in 2010 - David and Goliath were to go head-to-head "for real" when Jim McDowell, then MINI's top man in the USA, challenged Porsche to a race-off at the Road Atlanta circuit. The proposition would see a 184 hp MINI Cooper S lining up against a 345 hp Porsche 911 Carrera. So to make it a worthwhile match-up there had to be a twist; instead of using the full circuit for the race, the two cars would do battle over the smaller infield track.

Extremely tight and twisty and lacking any long straights, it offered a chink of light to the MINI with its insatiable appetite for corners. The 911 still managed to maintain an advantage of around two seconds over its plucky challenger, but trackside boffins calculated that each of those seconds would cost a Porsche driver 38,000 US dollars given the disparity in purchase prices. And, for MINI fans that took some of the sting out of its defeat in this not entirely serious race.

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Celebrities in action at Goodwood Revival

One of the most popular spectacles at the annual Goodwood Revival – being held this year from 13-15 September – is the lively celebrity two-driver St Mary’s Trophy race for saloon cars.

This September’s St Mary’s Trophy will feature two races for saloon cars of a type that raced between 1960 and 1966.  Expect to see a thrilling and close-fought battle between such diverse and classic cars as Alfa Romeo Giulia GT Coupe, Mini Cooper S and Lotus Cortina (all three celebrating their 50^th anniversaries this year) as well as Jaguar Mk2, BMW 1800 TiSA and Ford Galaxie 500, plus many rarely-seen period racing saloons, including a Fiat 1500, Vauxhall VX4/90, and ultra-scarce Isuzu Bellett.

As ever, the format of the St Mary’s Trophy will be a celebrity race on the Saturday, with the car owners taking their turn on Sunday, and the result declared on aggregate. 

A whole host of famous faces are set to race door handle-to-door handle in these 1960s tin tops, including Touring Car legend Steve Soper, who will be returning to do battle at the Revival this year for the first time in 12 years.  Ex Formula 1 racer turned TV pundit Mark Blundell will be making his Revival debut in a Ford-Lotus Cortina, and other headline names already confirmed for the race include reigning World Touring Car Champion Rob Huff, Le Mans legends Tom Kristensen and Derek Bell, plus Kenny Brack, James Martin, Jackie Oliver, Anthony Reid, Stuart Graham and ex-BMC Mini Works rallying hero Rauno Aaltonen.

September’s Revival will offer an action-packed weekend of historic motor racing and period theatre for all the family, with much more besides, including mouth-watering grids, scintillating on-track action, and a number of significant anniversaries being celebrated.

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Safety recall for 87,000 Prius and Lexus 250h

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., today announced that it will conduct a voluntary safety recall involving approximately 87,000 model year 2010 Toyota Prius and Lexus HS 250h vehicles.

The involved vehicles are equipped with a brake pressure accumulator that may develop a fatigue crack on an internal part due to vibration. Toyota has had no reports of any accidents or injuries associated with this condition.

Owners of vehicles subject to this recall will receive a notification by first class mail. The recall remedy will involve inspection of the brake booster pump assembly to see if it is equipped with an involved accumulator. If so, the dealer will replace the brake booster pump assembly with an improved one at no cost to the customer.

Detailed information is available to customers at www.toyota.com/recall, the Toyota Customer Experience at 1-800-331-4331, www.lexus.com/recall and Lexus Customer Satisfaction at 1-800-255-3987.

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Gatsby era cars showcased on Hilton Head Island

1931 Duesenberg Model J Tourster

The Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival & Concours d’Elegance, one of the U.S.'s largest and fastest-growing automotive and motorsports enthusiast event weeks, will showcase an exhibit of cars that could have been a part of Jay Gatsby’s very own collection during the festivities on Hilton Head Island November 2-3, 2013.  Inspired by the opulence portrayed in The Great Gatsby, the exhibit will feature one of the major ingredients of the larger than life Gatsby lifestyle – spectacular luxury automobiles.

Among those vehicles are two examples that could be right out of the pages of The Great Gatsby:

The first, a 1931 Duesenberg Model J Tourster, is similar to the ’29 used for the latest film adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel.  The Model J, introduced in 1929, halted trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange when initially announced.  The car stands as a high water mark of Classic Era design and engineering and originally sold for nearly $20,000, a staggering amount in comparison to the price tag on the average new family car at that time of $500.  This particular car, one of the few retaining the original body, chassis, engine and other major components, was sold new in 1931 at the Philadelphia, Pa. dealership to a Mr. William Odom.  Since Mr. Odom, the car has seen a number of owners including Dana Bullock, owner of Bullock's department stores, Clifford Heinz, a member of the H.J. Heinz family, noted racing-team owner and STP automotive entrepreneur Andy Granatelli, and its current owner, Judge Joseph Cassini III, who has owned the vehicle since 2002.

The second car, a 1928 Packard 443 Roadster, could be right off the pages of the American classic.  The book’s narrator, Nick Carraway, describes Gatsby’s car as “a rich cream color, bright with nickel…and terraced with a labyrinth of wind-shields that mirrored a dozen suns. Sitting down behind many layers of glass in a sort of green leather conservatory, we started to town.” The Packard to be featured at this year’s Concours d’Elegance, owned by Charles and Diane Mistele, is cream with green interior.

Other vehicles scheduled to be on display in the The Great Gatsby exhibit include:

1930 Locke bodied Lincoln Sport Roadster
1931 Rolls-Royce P1 transformable sedan
1931 Pierce-Arrow Model 42 Convertible Coupe
1932 Auburn 12 , 12-160 Speedster

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Ferrari wins Best Performance Engine and Above 4-litre Engine awards

For the third year running a Ferrari engine has triumphed in the prestigious International Engine of the Year Awards, this time with the company’s naturally-aspirated 6262cc V12. The 740 HP engine, which equips the critically-acclaimed F12berlietta, took the two categories - Best Performance Engine and Above 4-litre Engine - which were won in 2011 and 2012 by Ferrari’s 4.5-litre V8.

The awards, recognised as the industry’s top accolade for the world’s best powertrain technology, have seen the international judging panel increase to 86 motoring journalists from 35 nations. In the face of stiff competition, the Ferrari V12 was lauded as a masterpiece of engineering, combining blistering performance with surprising efficiency.

Jean Jacques His, head of Ferrari’s powertrain department, attended the award ceremony and commented, “Winning both these categories for the third year running is a fantastic result for everyone at Ferrari. It is testimony to the efforts of a relatively small group of engineers who constantly strive to achieve ambitious technical objectives. Three figures suffice to demonstrate the results of development: 120 HP more and 30 percent lower emissions than the previous V12 that equipped the 599 GTB Fiorano, along with a 30 percent increase in longitudinal acceleration.”

The co-chairman of the International Engine of the Year Awards, Dean Slavnich, commented: "The V12 takes over from the V8 to make it six International Engine of the Year Award wins for Ferrari in three years, a brilliant feat.”

The fastest, most powerful Ferrari production car of all time, the F12berlinetta strikes a perfect balance between maximum aerodynamic efficiency and the elegant proportions typical of Ferrari’s front-engined V12 cars. Since its launch, the car has been the object of universal acclaim from the press and public alike, with the International Engine of the Year titles following several other recent awards, from BBC Top Gear Magazine’s Supercar of the Year, Auto Bild’s “Design Award”, The Sunday Times Driving’s “Best Supercar and Luxury Car” award and the Golden Steering Wheel award from Auto Bild and Bild Am Sonntag, the first time a Ferrari has ever taken this leading German industry prize.

F12berlinetta technical specifications

Engine
Type	65° V12
Total displacement	6262 cc
Bore/stroke	94 x 75.2 mm
Maximum power	545 kW (740 CV) at 8250 rpm
Maximum torque	690 Nm at 6000 rpm
Specific output	118 CV/litre
Maximum revs per minute	8700 rpm
Compression ratio	13.5:1
Performance
Maximum speed	>340 km/h
0-100km/h (0-62mph)	3.1s
0-200km/h (0-124mph)	8.5s
Dry weight/power ratio	2.06 kg/CV
Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions*
Fuel consumption (European market version)	11.8 l/100km
CO2 Emission (European market version)	275g CO2/km
* ECE+EUDC combined cycle with HELE system

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This got to be one of the coolest (excuse the pun) fridges ever

The ‘SMEG 500’ fridge, produced by Smeg and Fiat with the stylistic collaboration of Italia Independent, had its world preview in Paris last week. The event took place at the Colette concept store in Rue Saint-Honorè.

Enticing the eye, raising a smile, applying the passion of creativity to the use of technology: these are the design concepts that have always inspired  Fiat and Smeg. This special chemistry has resulted in the exclusive ‘SMEG 500’, a fridge which fulfils its function while showing off a new look, becoming an object which captures, intrigues and attracts the eye.

An authentic icon of Italian manufacturing, the Fiat 500 thus expands its appeal into the bars and living rooms all over the world.  The ‘SMEG 500’ fridge extends the ‘Fiat 500 Design Collection’ of exclusive products – a sofa, a table and a console table – all inspired by the car which, more than any other, has marked the collective imagination of Italy.

Technical details of SMEG 500 (who cares since it looks fabulous?)

• Energy class A+
• total net capacity 100 l
• opening/closing with 2 sliding doors
• 3 removable bottle holders
• 1 dedicated shelf for cans
• adjustable thermostat
• automatic defrosting
• energy consumption 115 kWh/year
• climate class ST
• sound level 42 dB
• rated power 70 W
• dimensions: H83×W125×D80 cm (max. height bonnet open: 150 cm)
• Colours available: white, green and red.

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