Important Innovations

  Slovakia's AirCar Takes First Intercity Flight                                                  Source:  KleinVision A Flying Car That Drives and Flies Slovakia's Klein Vision has made flying car history.  Its AirCar, a combination car and aircraft, has completed its first intercity flight in Slovakia.  The flight lasted 35 minutes.  Within two minutes and 15 seconds of landing, it converted into a sportscar and drove to Bratislava, Slovakia -- the destination in its journey from Nitra, Slovakia. Tech Specs The AirCar Prototype 1 is the invention of University of Munster Professor Stefan Klein and has been developed by his company Klein Vision.  Prototype 1 has a 160 horsepower fixed propeller engine and Prototype 2 will have a 300 horsepower engine.  AirCar has a range of 621 miles.  Top air speeds are...

Flying Car Milestone:    Slovakia's AirCar Takes Intercity Flight                                                  Source:  KleinVision A Flying Car That Drives and Flies Slovakia's Klein Vision has made flying car history.  Its AirCar, a combination car and aircraft, has completed its first intercity flight in Slovakia.  The flight lasted 35 minutes.  Within two minutes and 15 seconds of landing, it converted into a sportscar and drove to Bratislava, Slovakia -- the destination in its journey from Nitra, Slovakia. Tech Specs The AirCar Prototype 1 is the invention of Slovakia's University of Munster Professor Stefan Klein and has been developed by his company Klein Vision. Professor Klein flew the vehicle on the intercity flight.  Prototype 1 has a 160 horsepower fixed propeller engine and Prototype 2 will ha...

  Hoga - a Mini Electric Car for $6,500                                            Source:  Do It Yourself Hoga New Travel Concept, Fresh Design Hoga is an intriguing new, electric car design that buyers assemble for themselves. It is the innovative idea of Los Angeles transportation designer Ryan Schlotthauer, inspired by an imagined, hypothetical collaboration between Renault and Ikea.  The designer says it combines Ikea's design philosophy and Renault's mobility program. Hoga is a modular, ultra mini, all-electric sustainable car that is priced at $6,500.  It's designed to be assembled like a piece of furniture from Ikea. It aims to be "clever, low cost and sustainable" with no compromises on passenger safety, easy usage and spacious, usable interior spaces. Ultimate Kit Car Hoga is the ultimate kit car.  It would ship in a box lik...

  Hoga - a Mini Electric Car for $6,500                                            Source:  Do It Yourself Hoga New Travel Concept, Fresh Design Hoga is an intriguing new, electric car design that buyers assemble for themselves. It is the innovative idea of Los Angeles transportation designer Ryan Schlotthauer, inspired by an imagined, hypothetical collaboration between Renault and Ikea.  The designer says it combines Ikea's design philosophy and Renault's mobility program. Hoga is a modular, ultra mini, all-electric sustainable car that is priced at $6,500.  It's designed to be assembled like a piece of furniture from Ikea. It aims to be "clever, low cost and sustainable" with no compromises on passenger safety, easy usage and spacious, usable interior spaces. Ultimate Kit Car Hoga is the ultimate kit car.  It would ship in a box lik...

   MIT Zero Emissions Water Taxis to Be Deployed in Amsterdam Source:  MIT C-SAIL Innovative Water Shuttles for Amsterdam Canals From the world famous MIT C-SAIL a team of engineers and roboticists have created the Roboat, a robotic boat that uses the same autonomous, electric self-driving technology for cars but adapted for the water. Their adaptation is extremely innovative and it is soon to be launched as a water taxi service for Amsterdam commuters, pending governmental approvals. Small autonomous electric boat shuttles, spun off from a larger scale version of this innovative technology, are about to cruise on Amsterdam's famous canals to transport people and goods.  This will be the world's first fleet of autonomous water vessels to service a city.  It is a collaboration between MIT and the Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions that is paving the way for new travel solutions - water transit solutions in congested cities.  MIT Innovati...

   MIT Zero Emissions Water Taxis to Be Deployed in Amsterdam Source:  MIT C-SAIL Innovative Water Shuttles for Amsterdam Canals From the world famous MIT C-SAIL a team of engineers and roboticists have created the Roboat, a robotic boat that uses the same autonomous, electric self-driving technology for cars but adapted for the water. Their adaptation is extremely innovative and it is soon to be launched as a water taxi service for Amsterdam commuters, pending governmental approvals. Small autonomous electric boat shuttles, spun off from a larger scale version of this innovative technology, are about to cruise on Amsterdam's famous canals to transport people and goods.  This will be the world's first fleet of autonomous water vessels to service a city.  It is a collaboration between MIT and the Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions that is paving the way for new travel solutions - water transit solutions in congested cities.  MIT Innovati...

e-VTOL Flying RV: New Travel Concept                                             Source: Polestar Air.V Future of Recreational Vehicles that Can Fly This new travel concept, the Polestar Air.V Flying RV, is a look at the future of travel vehicles for personal use involving a flying recreational vehicle.  The Polestar Air.V is part RV and part helicopter.  It's an e-VTOL that is unique in that it lifts into the air an RV, which, of course, is much heavier than a car.  Polestar Air.V takes off and lands like a helicopter.  For many, in this time of pandemics, this would be the ultimate way to travel in order to avoid planes, trains and hotels and potential exposure to COVID. Unique Automotive Design Consider the possibilities of this unique concept vehicle which is the creation of automotive design expert Marcelo Aguiar, who calls it a desig...

  Flying Recreational Vehicle: Polestar Air.V                                             Source: Polestar Air.V Future of Recreational Vehicles that Can Fly This new travel concept, the Polestar Air.V Flying RV, is a look at the future of travel vehicles for personal use involving a flying recreational vehicle.  The Polestar Air.V is part RV and part helicopter.  It's an e-VTOL that is unique in that it lifts into the air an RV, which, of course, is much heavier than a car.  Polestar Air.V takes off and lands like a helicopter.  For many, in this time of pandemics, this would be the ultimate way to travel in order to avoid planes, trains and hotels and potential exposure to COVID. Unique Automotive Design Consider the possibilities of this unique concept vehicle which is the creation of automotive design expert Marcelo Aguiar, who ca...

  LIDAR Standard Equipment in Electric XC90 SUV in 2022                              Source:  Volvo & Luminar Technologies                    Volvo's Long Standing Commitment to Life Saving Technologies Sweden based Volvo, now owned by China's Geeley, has a long history of being the first with life saving automotive technologies.  It was the first automaker to make side impact airbags standard equipment.  It was also the first to make 3 point seatbelts standard.  Now, it is the first to make LIDAR sensors standard, no extra cost equipment, starting with its next generation electric XC90 SUV in 2022.  This is a major commitment by Volvo to automated and autonomous driving.  LIDAR uses laser light pulses to provide precise images of the environment surrounding the car to avoid obstacles, pedestrians, other v...

  LIDAR Standard Equipment in Electric XC90 SUV in 2022                              Source:  Volvo & Luminar Technologies                    Volvo's Long Standing Commitment to Life Saving Technologies Sweden based Volvo, now owned by China's Geeley, has a long history of being the first with life saving automotive technologies.  It was the first automaker to make side impact airbags standard equipment.  It was also the first to make 3 point seatbelts standard.  Now, it is the first to make LIDAR sensors standard, no extra cost equipment, starting with its next generation electric XC90 SUV in 2022.  This is a major commitment by Volvo to automated and autonomous driving.  LIDAR uses laser light pulses to provide precise images of the environment surrounding the car to avoid obstacles, pedestrians, other v...

  Project Dojo                                             Source:  Tesla World's 5th Most Powerful Supercomputer  Many automotive experts consider Tesla to be the global leader in autonomous driving. Tesla is now using the world's 5th most powerful supercomputer to help train its vehicles to drive autonomously.  The AI supercomputer system is called Dojo.  Right now, humans and computers at Tesla are training its self driving neural network and Dojo is crunching the driving data that Tesla is getting from its network of customers on the road.  Dojo is automating the process.  Tesla plans to replace the radar, LIDAR sensors and camera combination it has used to navigate its self-driving vehicles with a vision-only system using cameras and Dojo hosting a neural network.  CEO Elon Musk says vision is more precise and far ...

  Project Dojo                                             Source:  Tesla World's 5th Most Powerful Supercomputer  Many automotive experts consider Tesla to be the global leader in autonomous driving. Tesla is now using the world's 5th most powerful supercomputer to help train its vehicles to drive autonomously.  The AI supercomputer system is called Dojo.  Right now, humans and computers at Tesla are training its self driving neural network and Dojo is crunching the driving data that Tesla is getting from its network of customers on the road.  Dojo is automating the process.  Tesla plans to replace the radar, LIDAR sensors and camera combination it has used to navigate its self-driving vehicles with a vision-only system using cameras and Dojo hosting a neural network.  CEO Elon Musk says vision is more precise and far ...

  Space Balloons For a Leisurely Space Visit Source:  Space Perspective Space Trip With No Rockets & No Rocket Fuel Space Perspective, a human space flight company based in Cape Canaveral, Florida, is offering a unique space adventure.  Luxury balloon trips to 20 miles above the Earth into the stratosphere. There are no rockets and no rocket fuel involved.  The company says it is a safer and smoother way to experience the edges of space.  In fact, the approach is completely different from a rocket flight.  The space craft takes off at a leisurely pace of 12 mph.  A huge hot air balloon gently carries the passenger capsule aloft into the upper atmosphere and then gently returns it for a splashdown in the ocean, according to the company. Passenger Tickets to Space Space Perspective has started selling tickets for the first trip in late 2024 aboard the Spaceship Neptune.  It's a hot air balloon type space vehicle that gets lift from hydrogen....

  Space Balloons For a Leisurely Space Visit Source:  Space Perspective Space Trip With No Rockets & No Rocket Fuel Space Perspective, a human space flight company based in Cape Canaveral, Florida, is offering a unique space adventure.  Luxury balloon trips to 20 miles above the Earth into the stratosphere. There are no rockets and no rocket fuel involved.  The company says it is a safer and smoother way to experience the edges of space.  In fact, the approach is completely different from a rocket flight.  The space craft takes off at a leisurely pace of 12 mph.  A huge hot air balloon gently carries the passenger capsule aloft into the upper atmosphere and then gently returns it for a splashdown in the ocean, according to the company. Passenger Tickets to Space Space Perspective has started selling tickets for the first trip in late 2024 aboard the Spaceship Neptune.  It's a hot air balloon type space vehicle that gets lift from hydrogen....

Vision Mercedes Maybach 6 Stars in New Warner Brothers Movie "The Flash" `                                                  Source:  Mercedes It's Batman's Car A fabulous looking Mercedes 2017 concept car, the Vision Mercedes Maybach 6, has been spotted on a movie set for the upcoming DC Comics superhero movie, "The Flash".  It's Batman's car driven by actor Michael Keaton, who is playing Batman/billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne again after a thirty year hiatus.  Warner Brothers recently was shooting scenes for the movie outside of St. Paul's Cathedral in London.  Batman's daily drive is the stunning Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 concept car and it has tremendous star quality. Magnificent Concept Now a Movie Reality The Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 is an outstanding piece of automotive vision and technological expertise.  The ve...

Vision Mercedes Maybach 6 Stars in New Warner Brothers Movie "The Flash" `                                                                                                                                                       Source:  Mercedes It's Batman's Car A fabulous looking Mercedes 2017 concept car, the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6, has been spotted on a movie set for the upcoming DC Comics superhero movie, "The Flash".  It's Batman's car driven by actor Michael Keaton, who is playing Batman/billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne again after a thirt...

Hyundai Completes Acquisition of Leading Robot Developer Boston Dynamics                                Source:  Hyundai & Boston Dynamics Synergies of Robotics and Automakers Hyundai Motor Group has completed its acquisition of Boston Dynamics, a world leader in developing agile, mobile robots such as Spot the robodog.  Boston Dynamics was valued at $1.1 billion with Hyundai having an 80% stake and SoftBank owning 20%.  The question is why would a global automaker buy a robotics company?  The answer:  Hyundai is going into robotics in multidimensional ways, including autonomous cars, urban air mobility vehicles and robots. Robotic Value Chain Hyundai says that it and Boston Dynamics will create a robotic value chain for everything from robot component manufacturing to smart logistics solutions.  Hyundai already has significant internal robotic expertise inclu...

Hyundai Completes Acquisition of Leading Robot Developer Boston Dynamics                                Source:  Hyundai & Boston Dynamics Synergies of Robotics and Automakers Hyundai Motor Group has completed its acquisition of Boston Dynamics, a world leader in developing agile, mobile robots such as Spot the robodog.  Boston Dynamics was valued at $1.1 billion with Hyundai having an 80% stake and SoftBank owning 20%.  The question is why would a global automaker buy a robotics company?  The answer:  Hyundai is going into robotics in multidimensional ways, including autonomous cars, urban air mobility vehicles and robots. Robotic Value Chain Hyundai says that it and Boston Dynamics will create a robotic value chain for everything from robot component manufacturing to smart logistics solutions.  Hyundai already has significant internal robotic expertise inclu...

  Seagliders at 180 mph Skimming the Waves                    Source:  Brittany Ferries Seaglider Artist Rendering Crossing the English Channel in 40 minutes UK ferry operator Brittany Ferries is collaborating with Boston startup Regent Craft to develop a zero emissions, electric, super fast ferry that skims above the waves like a hydrofoil.  The Seaglider electric ferry is a battery powered craft that is part plane and part ship.  It's a regional, electric, ground effect, nautical transport (Regent) vehicle.  It could reduce the time it takes to cross the English Channel between Portsmouth, England and Cherbourg, France from 8 hours by conventional ferry to 40 minutes.  The Seaglider is being developed to reach speeds of 180 mph, carry up to 150 passengers and is expected to launch in 2028.  Smaller versions will launch as soon as 2025. Awesome New Travel Technology Seaglider technology is si...