Nissan Leaf Crashes - Is There Hope for Google and Tesla? - http://clapway.com/2016/01/24/nissan-leaf-crashes-on-self-driving-mode-will-the-same-happen-to-google-and-tesla-123/

The California Department of Motor Vehicles has reported a car crash from a Nissan Leaf while it was in self-driving mode. What does this mean for Google and Tesla?

Nissan Leaf Crashes While On Cruise Automation on January 8

The car was in self-driving mode while on the roads of San Francisco, but it started waning sideways. The driver took control of the car again, but did not deactivate Cruise Automation and the car hit a parked Toyota Prius nearby. Both cars were damaged, but the driver was not injured.

Is Self-Driving Technology Not Good Enough?

This Nissan Leaf accident brought a lot of spotlight on the reality of self-driving technology. Right now, it looks like it’s too soon to input the technology on existing cars. The technology is much more complex than anticipated, and it definitely still has room for error. Tesla has brought in a lot of innovation with electric vehicles, but it may be too soon for them to announce autonomous models of their cars. Google isn’t planning on commercializing the Google self-driving car officially, but it could also be in the works.

Google Has Been on the Self-Driving Car for Years

Google doesn’t play around, at least not in an unprofessional way. The Google self-driving car has logged more than one million miles on California roads, so if anyone’s got the recipe for perfection, it’s them. Tesla might give them contestable competition, but if Google makes a commercial autonomous car, they will definitely be raking in profits. The Google self-driving car has only been in accidents when a human driver is behind the wheel, and if that’s not convincing enough, the company recently teamed up with Ford to do research and development on artificial intelligence and autonomous driving technology.

Tesla is the hottest ticket in the automotive industry lately, and they recently brought in an Autopilot feature in one of their car models. It can even switch lanes by itself with just the hit of the blinkers. They have openly acknowledged that the technology exists, but that it’s still very young. It still needs to be regulated by government authorities and tested extensively before the need for a driver is completely eliminated from a car – and can be openly sold to the masses.

Nissan Leaf Crashes - Is There Hope for Google and Tesla?

Audi R8 and Tesla: Being Badass vs Going Green - http://clapway.com/2016/01/22/going-green-vs-being-badass-audi-r8-and-tesla-edition-123/

The new 2017 Audi R8 is coming in V-10 only, jam packed with badassery. The new Tesla Model S is still breaking ground in green vehicles. At the end of the day, is it better to go green than to be badass?

The New 2017 Audi R8 Is Not For the Faint of Heart

This new model won’t be affordable, but it’s packed with amazing features. The starting price for the coupe is $164,150, which is a significant increase from the 2015 model. The car sports an amazing 540 horsepower and 398 pounds per feet of torque. This is a huge upgrade from its predecessor, which featured 525 hp and 391 pounds per feet of torque.

The new 2017 Audi R8 is 143 pounds lighter than the 2015 model, and according to stats, it is also 40% more rigid. It goes from 0 to 60 in 3.5 seconds, which is slower than the previous model. To make up for it, the car’s maximum speed is 199 mph and not 195.

The standard model of the race car offers the car maker’s own 12.3″ ‘Virtual Cockpit’. This display screen includes 4G LTE connectivity, supports Wi-Fi hotspots and also has Google Earth for use with navigation. It also features the signature Audi Connect Apps.

Bring Out the Badass In You With the V10 Version

The 2017 Audi R8 V10 Plus version has carbon ceramic disc brakes, a carbon-fiber spoiler, special 19″ wheels with titanium finish and a sports exhaust system. It has shorter gear ratios to bring out the racer within all of us and has a fixed rate sports suspension. Naturally, it features racing-shell seats to complete the racer look.

Meanwhile, Tesla Causes Some Drama

Notorious for offering the greenest cars in the market, Tesla is suing a Swiss parts vendor for defects on the falcon wing doors on the Tesla Model X. The doors, which were supposed to vertically open, were found to have a malfunctioning hydraulic system. Tesla is claiming that they had to redesign the entire car in order to find a makeshift solution to the problem.

The lawsuit was filed this week at a federal court of San Francisco. The documents declare that after many warnings, Hoerbiger failed to fix the reported issues with the falcon wing doors. The parts they manufactured were botchy on the car and clearly were not ready for production. The doors leaked oil and had poor performance.

Instead of switching to another oil consuming system, Tesla stayed true to their schtick and went with electromechanical parts. The car maker has thus proved that it’s fully possible to be badass while going green.

Audi R8 and Tesla: Being Badass vs Going Green

Top Seven Reasons Why Tesla is Better Than Ford and BMW - http://clapway.com/2016/01/16/top-seven-reasons-why-tesla-is-better-than-ford-and-bmw/

Everyone seems to always have a favorite car developer. Whether it is Tesla, or Ford, or BMW, all opinions are usually different.

However, here are several reasons why Tesla is better than Ford and BMW:

REASON ONE

Tesla offers free over-the-air software updates for their car. This makes it super convenient for the consumer because they do not even need to go to the service center to update it.

REASON TWO

This next reason may be the greatest reason, and that is the lack of needing gas. With Tesla, you can pass gas stations and wave at the unfortunate people who still need to pay for gas. Chances are those people will be driving a Ford or BMW model!

REASON THREE

Going back to the lack of gas, the fact that the Tesla is an all-electric vehicle will make you more cautious about the environment. This could also even lead some people to make their house only solar.

REASON FOUR

Above all else, the design of this vehicle is just masterful. Now, the design of Ford vehicles and BMW vehicles is not bad, but they are just not as good.

REASON FIVE

When it comes to the actual driving of the car, it is almost unmatched. The handling of this vehicle is so smooth and incredibly relaxing. Every time you get behind the wheel, you will be excited to drive it.

REASON SIX

The service offered for the Tesla is also top-notch. The employees make sure that your are always 100 percent satisfied with your vehicle. If you are not, they will fix you up right away.

REASON SEVEN

For whatever reason, maybe it is the lack of carbon emissions, but owning a Tesla makes you feel good. You feel like you are helping the environment, and that is something you won’t feel in a Ford or BMW.

Top Seven Reasons Why Tesla is Better Than Ford and BMW

Rules for Google and Apple Self-Driving Cars To Be Regulated - http://clapway.com/2016/01/15/rules-for-google-and-apple-self-driving-cars-can-be-regulated-123/

Veganism has officially hit Silicon Valley, and it proves that any self-driving car out of Tesla, Apple and Google can be regulated by organizations like PETA. In June of 2015, PETA requested that Tesla offer a vegan leather version for the interior of the Model X car. As a stakeholder of the company, Tesla had to heed.

Tesla Brings in Vegan Model X

Tesla is launching the Model X this January. After working alongside Tesla, it is now official that the highly anticipated car will feature a fully vegan interior. This includes the car’s seats, gear shift and steering wheel.

By using vegan leather, Tesla is reducing the car’s carbon footprint. This makes the Model X plenty greener. Making animal skin into leather requires the use of cyanide among over 100 other chemicals. Exposure to these chemicals is also harmful to people living nearby leather manufacturers. Every ton of hides uses up 15,000 gallons of water, not to mention a lot of animal cruelty.

It’s Not Like Tesla Was Pro-Cruelty

In the past, Tesla had offered a synthetic cloth interior for their customers. Faux leather is more high-level, so people looking for vegan interior options don’t have to sacrifice glamor for their beliefs. The highly anticipated car was first revealed in September of 2015, for the pretty price of $132,000. The Model X can go from 0 to 60 in 3.8 seconds. It features a lot of strange but exciting gimmicks, like the Ludicrous mode option, which enables the car to go from 0 to 60 in 3.2 seconds. This mode adds $10,000 to the price of the car.

The electric SUV can drive 250 miles on a single charge, and has a top speed of 155 mph. One of the more eccentric features of this car is that it features falcon wing doors, and also has an invisible chauffeur system that opens them automatically when it senses the car keys. The car also features an HEPA filter.

Will Apple and Google Also Go Vegan?

Appealing to the general public is indispensable for technology. Green is obviously the new black, so we may see Apple and Google implement similar measures on their self-driving cars. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it also gives people a healthier option when going car shopping.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsaES–OTzM

Rules for Google and Apple Self-Driving Cars To Be Regulated

Elon Musk Tesla Already Ahead of Mercedes Self-Driving Cars - http://clapway.com/2016/01/11/elon-musk-tesla-already-ahead-of-mercedes-benz-and-google-self-driving-cars-123/

Elon Musk is at it again, claiming that the series of Tesla self-driving cars can now even drive better than a human, and better than the Google or Mercedes automated cars. According to Tesla, the carmaker is bringing in new features to the cars. Among these are new limits on highway speeds and a way for people to summon their cars.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk Is All Talk and All Play

The California-based company only brought in autonomous driving technology onto their cars last year. Even then, not one of their models is fully and completely self-driving cars.

Even so, Elon Musk does great lip work of upstaging his product. He claimed the cars are better at driving than humans right now. He also added that the company is expecting exciting and quick enhancements to their cars over the next year and a half. By then, he claims, Tesla self-driving cars will drive more safely than any human.

The truth is most of their fully autonomous programs are still in beta. They are constantly being updated with data they get from the mileage carried by current semi-autonomous and autonomous car owners. So far, there have been no accidents reported. However, Musk did disclose that there were some near-incidents when drivers thought they were on auto-pilot mode when they weren’t.

Tesla Will Introduce ‘Summon’ Feature

According to Elon Musk, this new feature will allow drivers to call out to their cars from a parking space or a garage. The driver has to be standing near the car for it to work right now, but this is getting steadily upgraded with time. In two years, Elon Musk hopes to be able to summon cars from across the US.

Meanwhile, The Mercedes F015 Drives Itself to CES 2016

The new Mercedes F015 doesn’t need to say much, unlike Elon Musk. The car had a fantastic entrance to the Consumer Electronics Show on January 6, where it drove itself to the very entrance in a super cool, 100% autonomous fashion. The car is sleek, with a look that is signature Mercedes. The S-Class vehicle already has a summoning feature, though drivers must be close to the car to manage it. Needless to say, Mercedes-Benz is more into show, rather than tell.

Google Goes Without Saying

The Google self-driving car has millions of miles on its belt. There are big things coming from them, as their partnership with Ford moves forward. We could be seeing a commercial Google car from this partnership. This will definitely put Google on the carmaker map.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYTV4d-Gn0s

 

Elon Musk Tesla Already Ahead of Mercedes Self-Driving Cars

Tesla May Soon Become Self-Driving just like Google Car - http://clapway.com/2016/01/10/tesla-may-soon-become-self-driving-just-like-google-car/

Tesla Motors released an update for its Model S. It improves the already existing autopilot feature and allows the car to park by itself. This software update will allow owners to instruct their car to drive in and out parking spaces. They can do so by using the provided fob. The new features indicate that Tesla’s product is getting closer to Google’s Self-Driving car.

OPENS GARAGE DOORS AUTOMATICALLY

The car will use its standard hardware. This includes cameras and the bumpers’ sensors, which came with every model built since October 2014. The vehicle will also be able to auto open garage doors if needed!

If the Model S includes a garage door opener connected through a “HomeLink” connection. If it is linked to the garage door the car is capable of opening it on its own. The car can also park in reverse! The company suggested however that users should use the auto-parking feature only in private areas and not on public roads yet. This featur is still in Beta and testing.

BMW ALSO TESTING SIMILAR FEATURES

Car manufacturer giant BMW introduced a similar feature in its newest 7-series. However it requires the owner to guide the car into the parking spot manually. The machine will not take care of it on its own.

TESLA’S CAR IS GETTING CLOSER TO GOOGLE

This interesting update from Tesla brings the company’s project one step closer to Google. The company has been working for months on the “Self-Driving Car Project” and its aim is to introduce a car which drives autonomously. In May 2014, Google introduced its concept of driverless car which did not include steering wheel and pedals. It unveiled a functioning stereotype of it last December. Google’s product was recently tested in California and the company plans on making it available to the public from 2020.

Google’s product is 100 percent autonomous. This means that the functions recently introduced by Tesla were already included in the company’s Self-Driving Project. Car manufacturers are slowly adding features to their existing products (through a software update in this case). This is increasing the chances of competition with Google in the near future.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHLqjdAfDUQ

Tesla May Soon Become Self-Driving just like Google Car

The 2017 Chevy Bolt Joins the Ranks of Nissan LEAF, Tesla and BMW - http://clapway.com/2016/01/08/the-2017-chevy-bolt-jons-the-ranks-of-nissan-leaf-tesla-and-bmw-123/

General Motors has officially unveiled the 2017 Chevy Bolt, which had only been seen as an all-electric concept car, at the Consumer Electrics Show in Las Vegas. The all-electric long-range car was first announced in January 2015, and General Motors claims that it will start production by the end of 2016. This will come as a great addition to the electric cars currently on the market, like the Nissan LEAF and the Tesla Model S, as well as upcoming all-electric cars like the VW electric car.

General Motors Hits the All-Electric Market

The 2017 Chevy Bolt will be coming with the best of the best and the newest of the new. It will even feature an app that will bring in car sharing and what they call ‘advanced GPS routing’. According to the official statement, the app will be able to predict driving range through the weather. It will also be able to monitor and predict driving habits, even how many hills the car will climb on the way to its destination.

2017 Chevy Bolt vs Tesla Model S and Nissan LEAF

General Motors executives called the initial 2017 Chevy Bolt concept ‘a game changer’. The car is set to run 200 miles on a single charge. The current Chevy Volt only runs about 53 miles and features a gas engine for extra range. The Bolt will not have the extra gas engine.

The new car’s price is also quite pretty. After tax incentives, it stands at a proud $30,000. This makes it cheaper than other electric cars with similar range. The Tesla Model S, for example, runs 230 miles on a single charge, but it costs $70,000. The new Tesla Model 3 is set to come out sometime in 2017 which will allegedly be cheaper. The Nissan LEAF is another tough competitor in terms of quality and price. Although it is runs half the range, Nissan is a valuable brand.

Chevy Bolt Will Be An Exciting Car for GM

The 2017 Chevy Bolt wil probably make a significant mark on the mid-priced plug-in vehicle market, and it has even received positive responses from competing car makers. Tesla was reported as having a hopeful outlook on all zero-emission vehicles on the road, though it didn’t make the statement without making a reference to itself. Efforts from General Motoros further ‘advance Tesla’s mission to accelerate the advent of sustainable transportation.’ Now there’s a representative Elon Musk would be proud of.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erVHuXJLR3c

The 2017 Chevy Bolt Joins the Ranks of Nissan LEAF, Tesla and BMW

Kia Tackles Self-Driving to Go Against Google and Mercedes-Benz - http://clapway.com/2016/01/06/kia-tackles-self-driving-to-go-against-google-and-mercedes-benz-123/

Kia is looking to introduce self-driving cars to their lineup of cars by 2030. The South Korean car maker joins the ranks Google and Mercedez-Benz to build smart cars. This was revealed as part of the car maker’s participation at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show.

Kia Long Term Goal: Self-Driving Cars for the Masses by 2030

The company will be actively taking action to build the kind of self-driving car that can be distributed to the masses. For now, Kia will be making an effort to introduce self-driving technology to its model range. The car maker plans to upgrade their DriveWise technology to feature completely automated parking as well as highway driving assist in the next four years.

South Korean Car Maker Announces 2 Billion Investment on Self-Driving Technology

Kia is not looking to appeal to one group of people. They want to tackle their entire clientele as a whole. The company’s goal is to bring drivers a better quality of life by giving them a smart way to stay safe on the roads. This is unlike Mercedes-Benz and Google. Mercedes-Benz is looking to appeal to the kind of buyers that also want luxury, and Google is planning to change the way public transportation works.

The car maker will be testing their 100% self-driving car in Nevada soon. The prototype is based on the Kia Sol electric vehicle and will be joined by the Kia Novo. This concept model will feature self-driving and even in-vehicle payments. Kia is planning to implement a new kind of smart-button security that only needs a fingerprint for the car to start. The scanned footprint will also pull up the driver’s customized infotainment system and all their other preferences.

This is Only a Long Term Plan

These fancy features won’t be available for another decade or two, but it’s clear already that self-driving will be the next big thing in the car making industry. Tesla, Audi and Mercedez-Benz are no longer the only ones in the game. As companies like Kia get into the self-driving industry, the technology will be available to a wider range of people. The combination of luxury and technology is accessible to many, but the price tag also matters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6fX2fCK264

2016 will be a year filled with these kinds of announcements. A fully self-driving car is no longer a far off dream. For the sake of safety, innovation and accessibility, the technology will become a part of daily life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WDfQbrIf_E

Kia Tackles Self-Driving to Go Against Google and Mercedes-Benz

SuperCharger Destroyed Tesla, Nissan LEAF could be The Next - http://clapway.com/2016/01/02/supercharger-destroyed-tesla-nissan-leaf-could-be-the-next/

Someone just had a very bad New Years Day. An owner of a Tesla car plugged in their model S into a Supercharger Station to re-charge the battery. Then, disaster struck their model S as it caught on fire mere minutes later. Could this end up being a problem for other electric cars such as the Nissan Leaf?

A TESLA OWNER’S CAR BLOWS UP AT A SUPERCHARGER STATION

All the Tesla owner was doing was recharging their battery, and then their world got rocked. The owner of the vehicle left his car at the SuperCharger station and went to do some shopping. When they came back, their car was completely engulfed in flames. One of the duty officers that was notified about the incident stated that the police got their too late. By the time the police arrived, the car was already burned out. There is one major positive, though, and that is nobody got injured during this incident.

POLICE INVESTIGATING WHAT MADE THE TESLA VEHICLE CATCH ON FIRE

As of right now, the police are not giving any word on how exactly this fire got started. However, they are going to find out soon as they are currently conducting an investigation. This investigation will be primarily for the vehicle and the SuperCharger station. Also, as of right now, the SuperCharger station is closed. A police officer reported and said that it not possible to fast-charge the Tesla until further notice.

AFTER THIS, THE NISSAN LEAF COULD BE NEXT

The Nissan Leaf is another model that uses a battery to power itself. Well, after this horrible incident with the Tesla Model S, could the Nissan Leaf be next in line? There is no doubt that with all-electric cars, fires are going to be possible. Now, this is no different than with gas, but electric fires are a little harder to put out than gas fires.

THIS FIRE WAS MORE DIFFICULT TO PUT OUT THAN A NORMAL FIRE

One of the members of the fire brigade center, known as Anders, notified the public that EV fires are not possible to extinguish with water. This led to the department closing down the station as they extinguished the fire with a special foam. The lithium is what makes the EV fires so hard to put out, but the good thing is that they are rare.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uv4emfKlG0E

SuperCharger Destroyed Tesla, Nissan LEAF could be The Next

New Audi Q7 is Another Tesla, but in An SUV - http://clapway.com/2015/12/30/new-audi-q7-is-another-tesla-but-in-an-suv-123/

The next Audi Q7 is set to combine the power of electric cars with a SUV model. The Q7, first introduced in 2005, was Audi’s first SUV. Today, the car class makes up 44% of all car sales in the United States.

Volkswagen Group Wants in on SUV Profit

The SUV family at Audi, composed of the Q7 and Q5, is seeing some changes. The car maker is investing $3 billion in 2016 to bring out a Q2 compact SUV and a revamped Q5.

The goal is to penetrate and dominate the crossover market in the future. According to analysts, the amount of car sales in the US are expected to surpass the 2000 record of 17.4 million. Most of this new record will be set by SUVs.

Audi Is Still Aiming for an All-Electric SUV with Audi Q7

Monday’s announcement came accompanied by Audi’s reconfirmation on production of a fully electric SUV. This means they are surely not kidding around. The new vehicle will be based on the Audi e-tron Quattro concept, probably fused with the Q7, which was introduced at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt this past September. This SUV will be setting the bar pretty high, as this car will feature a 311-mile range.

Audio Will Expand Car Roster to 60 in 2016

As May 2015, Audi has 52 cars on their roster. The company announced that they plan on expanding to 60 models. These new models will include seven new plug-in electric vehicles. The car maker’s Q2 crossover already has a confirmed launch date for 2016.

Will Audi be the First Subsidiary to Bounce Back from Volkswagen Scandal?

It looks like Audi will be the first company to recover from Volkswagen huge scandal this year. It’s no surprise that the car maker’s new models will be plug-in and electrics. US authorities found software in certain Volkswagen diesel models that cheated emissions tests. Since then, the company has gone through very drastic changes. After some heavy changes of staff and getting fined up to $18 billion, Volkswagen is giving first signs of change.

Can Audi Compete with Tesla?

Tesla’s Model X is another all-electric SUV that is well sought after. With a price tag of $80,000, it’s a pretty buy. There is a chance for Audi to compete. Audi is a well known brand, both for its luxury and efficiency. They might just be able to give Elon Musk a run for his money.

New Audi Q7 is Another Tesla, but in An SUV

Tesla Has No Future in China, BYD Qin Still Reigns - http://clapway.com/2015/12/28/tesla-has-no-future-in-china-byd-qin-still-reigns-123/

Tesla Motors has tried tirelessly to get into China’s EV market to no avail. As of November 2015, the BYD Qin is still the best-selling electric vehicle in the whole country, and there may not be any room for the American car maker in the foreseeable future.

Elon Musk’s company had a tough 2015 in China. It had a lot of tax breaks that went in favor of domestic car makers, complicated local license-plate laws, and it also faced a lot of copycats. This happens to most U.S. startups that try to go into the Chinese market. But it has been particularly rough on Elon Musk’s car company. Tesla only sold 3,500 cars in China last year, and they cut 30% of their staff in the country in March of this year.

Will Tesla Have a Turning Point?

This October, Elon Musk expressed intention to open a manufacturing facility on Chinese soil. This would make Model S cars made in China significantly cheaper and more accessible to Chinese clients. They also announced plans to streamline Beijing’s license plate lottery for Tesla buyers. As such, 2016 could be Tesla’s best year in the country yet.

BYD Is Beating Out Tesla In a Big Way

The Chinese government has set a goal to put 5 million electric cars on Chinese roads by 2020 in their efforts. Tesla, after the title of #1 electric car company in the world, Tesla is getting mighty competitive to help China get there. Its main competition is BYD, and its model, the BYD Qin, has outsold every other electric car on the Chinese market. It’s not going to be an easy feat.

Tesla’s Way into China is Through Charging Stations

Tesla has to adapt to the Chinese way of travel. They may need to install accessible charging stations for their cars, and figure a way around Chinese parking. Owning a parking garage isn’t very common in Chinese cities, which is a great inconvenience to the American carmaker.

There’s also the competition it has to face. BYD has had two of their models ahead of every other electric car maker in the world in China. It doesn’t look like that’s about to change, but knowing Elon Musk, we might be surprised to see what happens in the company within the next few years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmJar7wpJyc

Tesla Has No Future in China, BYD Qin Still Reigns

Elon Musk on SpaceX is Chasing Tesla - http://clapway.com/2015/12/23/elon-musk-on-spacex-is-chasing-tesla/

Clapway

Elon Musk on SpaceX is Chasing Tesla

Elon Musk on SpaceX is Chasing Tesla

Tesla, BMW and Ford Team Up With Spotify - http://clapway.com/2015/12/22/tesla-bmw-and-ford-team-up-with-spotify-123/

Tesla is really going all out for customer satisfaction, as their cars will now feature a unique Spotify Premium account completely and absolutely free of charge. Tesla will be paying for all costs for every Model S and Model X car getting the upgrade. In the past, Tesla had an arrangement with Rdio, but the company recently fell through the cracks. Now Elon Musk’s venture has inked a deal with music streaming giant Spotify.

Spotify Premium is Only Available for Tesla Drivers in Europe, Australia and Hong Kong

All new Tesla owners in these regions will have their own Spotify car account. There’s no need for drivers to upgrade their existing accounts. Spotify Premium can be completely controlled from the Tesla models’ huge touchscreens.

Spotify is Joining Hands with Other Car Makers Like Ford and BMW

It looks like the streaming service is looking to collaborate with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The company has announced partnerships with Ford and BMW/Mini. The deal with Tesla is extra special, though, since it is the only one that includes unlimited Spotify Premium with absolutely no data charges, ever.

Spotify also has a partnership with Uber, and they have plans for car system integration ventures in the near future. The company has shared that they have many exciting announcements in regards to their movements to the automotive industry.

Will Spotify Also Come in the Apple Car?

If and when Apple release their much rumored Apple Car, it will likely come with free Apple Music or with an upgrade to existing user accounts. Apple is not the kind of company to actively neglect exclusivity. The truth is Spotify is the hottest streaming service on the market right now, and there are many companies milking on that success.

As soon as the Apple Car is out, though, it’s probably game over. Apple Music might actually start shipping out to cars that already feature Apple CarPlay to bring in more Apple Music users to the table.

Does this Indicate Next Level Popularity?

With these developments, is it the end of the line for other mobile streaming services like Songza, Pandora, SoundCloud and Hype Machine? It is certainly possible that this upgrade to car integration is what shows that Spotify was destined to become overwhelmingly popular. Apple Music users come half from loyalty and half because of its accessibility, but Spotify has become a great competitor.

Will Other Streaming Services Hit Outside Industries?

Other music streaming services may branch out to other industries, but the automotive world is changing. This is a great time to bring in music streaming services. Most people opt for plugging in their phones to their cars as opposed to listening to the radio, or they have services like SiriusXM to make their car rides musically enjoyable. Radio is pretty much dead unless people are looking for a break from their own music libraries.Radio is pretty much dead unless people are looking for a break from their own music libraries. The truth is there is more demand for AUX cables for cars than there is for better radio stations.

Radio is Dying in America

Radio is pretty much dead unless people are looking for a break from their own music libraries. The truth is there is more demand for AUX cables for cars than there is for better radio stations. Everything that people could possibly be looking for is at the tap of their smartphone screen and that is not about to change. All the radio can do is accommodate. Services like iTunes Radio and Spotify Radio give people the feeling of listening to the radio, so what’s the use of listening to the real thing?

Read: Google Play Music Wins Over Spotify in Africa

Read: Chromecast Audio is Cheaper than Sonos, But Not Better

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MM3uj9zFy6M

Tesla, BMW and Ford Team Up With Spotify

Self-Driving Technology is Cheaper than Google, Tesla, and Volvo Make it Look - http://clapway.com/2015/12/18/tesla-self-driving-cars-are-overpriced-and-outdated-123/

Tesla is getting into a fight with Bloomberg Business to defend that they aren’t overpricing self-driving technology, but the odds aren’t in their favor. George Hotz is Tesla’s prime target. He was the first person to hack the iPhone and PlayStation 3, and he’s coming at Elon Musk for putting a big price tag on something that should not have it.

Geroge ‘Geohot’ Hotz is 26 Years Old, and Made is Own Self-Driving Car

The young entrepreneur developed his own self-driving car kit, and during its release, he threw some shade at other car companies with autonomous driving ventures. He specifically targeted Tesla and Mobileye, saying that their technology is outdated and even he can come up with better gear. He has the proof, too, as he’s released footage of his Honda Acura driving itself on a highway in San Francisco. His next ambitious plan is to outrace a Tesla on Interstate 405 though he didn’t specify a date.

Tesla was quick to shut these claims down, saying that most of Bloomberg Business and Hotz’s statements are completely unfounded. They claim that Tesla’s self-driving efforts have been years in the making, with arduous research and other components having come together to break serious ground in the automobile industry.

Tesla and George Hotz Have A Serious Feud Going On

Tesla went on to declare that there isn’t one person or company that can produce a self-driving car that is production-ready, and that Hotz’s attempt only works on a short stretch of road.

As it turns out, this fight is some time in the making. Elon Musk has had beef with George Hutz for a long time. According to Hotz, he was supposed to join Tesla’s team of self-driving car technology designers. The proposition fell through after three months.

Elon Musk isn’t Very Popular at Silicon Valley

The significance of these two names in the same sentence isn’t great. Elon Musk isn’t seen in a very good light by a lot of people, both for his narcissism and his incredible ability to make something really small sound grand.

However, it’s probably possible that self-driving technology is not as expensive to develop as these companies make it sound. Tesla is notorious for building cars that are six figures and over, so this is no surprise. Do they overprice the technology? Maybe. Does Google overprice the technology? Maybe not.

Google is, At Least, More Reliable than Tesla

Google’s approach to the self-driving car is very different from Tesla’s. Google is looking to provide people with transportation at the cost of any other form of public transport. Tesla is trying to market a product, as is the case with Volvo.

People have a lot of faith in Google, and Google is good at delivering. There’s a chance that thanks to George Hotz, a lot of people will start to question the true cost of self-driving cars. Companies need to make profits somehow, and it’s always at the expense of the client.

Clapway

When Other Car Makers Join the Race, The Truth Will Come Out

Once big car makers like Mercedez-Benz and others join the ranks to make their own self-driving car, the cats will get out of the bag. When the consumer has more options, then sellers are forced to share more information. How else will they compete with Tesla, who has been on the market for years?

We can also expect more flashy statements from Elon Musk. This is another great talent that Tesla has. They will continue to release cars with ridiculous specs and people will continue to buy them, at least until the big boys come around. Then, Elon Musk might have to scramble for attention for once.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTrgRYa2wbI

Self-Driving Technology is Cheaper than Google, Tesla, and Volvo Make it Look

Citroen Creates its own Tesla - http://clapway.com/2015/12/09/citroen-creates-its-own-tesla/

The car company known as Citroen has officially announced that they are releasing a new model. They stated that this car will be an electric model named E-Mehari. They stated that it will be released in France in the spring of next year. It looks like they have created their own version of a Tesla electric car.

THE DETAILS OF CITROEN’S NEW CAR

The company has announced that the battery installed in the car is a 30kWh Lithium Metal Polymer battery. They say that this battery is completely immune to any weather conditions. Meaning that there is no chance of this battery getting damaged when receiving precipitation. The company announced that the time it takes to charge the battery will depend on what kind of socket the consumer has. A 10A socket will take around 13 hours to re-charge. If you have a 16A socket it will only take around 8 hours to fully re-charge.

CITROEN TAKES A PAGE OUT OF TESLA’S PLAYBOOK

Tesla is known and is famous for creating cars that run on electricity. Considering this car is being released in France, this can be thought of as their version if the Tesla. Of course, as time goes on electric powered cars are sure to get more popular. The company has not teased any sort of information that they actually got this idea from Tesla, but Tesla is the standard bearer for electric cars.

CITROEN GIVES CUSTOMIZATION FEATURES

The company has also announced that they will give their customers many different color options for their new model. They are going to be offering blue, orange, yellow, and beige body colors. They also state the choice between a black roof or an orange-red roof. The last color option that the company has announced is the cabin trim colors of either beige or orange-red. There is no doubt that anybody could find a good combination of colors with what Citroen is offering.

Citroen Creates its own Tesla

Tesla Laughs at Toyota Over Fuel-Cell Cars - http://clapway.com/2015/11/22/tesla-laughs-toyota-over-fuel-cell-cars123/

Toyota Motor Corp. is making a huge wager with its Mirai fuel-cell sedan that hydrogen-powered vehicles will be the actual future of clean transport, not battery-electric ones. Toyota sold 34 hydrogen powered cars last month in California, the only state in the US where it is currently available for sale or lease. The carmaker has plans to deliver 100 this year at $58,335.

Hydro vs. Electric: Toyota Calls for Hydrogen Powered Cars

The automobile gets a $5,000 rebate from the state of The golden state and also the coveted, white carpool-lane sticker. Toyota asserts that hydrogen-powered cars have great advantage over battery-electric cars, and are a far better lasting solution to clean-air regulations. The trapezoid-shaped Mirai could go 312 miles on a full tank of hydrogen and takes three to 5 minutes to refuel, which is closer to what customers experience with gasoline-powered automobiles. No plug-in electric car on the market could go that far on a single fee.

The globe’s biggest automaker is making close to 3 Mirais every day at a plant in Toyota City, the company’s headquarters in Japan. It is preparing to produce 2,000 of the automobiles next year and also 3,000 in 2017 before speeding up production.

Toyota Isn’t Alone in These Efforts

Toyota isn’t alone. Honda Motor Co. is fixing a reboot of its fuel-cell design, and Seoul-based Hyundai Electric motor Co. started offering a hydrogen-powered Tucson SUV in 2014. Neither company sells battery-EV in the US.

California is playing a huge part into Toyota’s hydrogen efforts. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger began talking about a hydrogen motorway back in 2004, and this ambition calls for at the very least $1.5 million for hydrogen, electrical and plug-in automobiles to be on the roads by 2025. The state is spending $200 million to build 100 hydrogen refueling stations, a number of them clustered in Los Angeles as well as the Bay Area.

The Toyota Mirai is Step One

Toyota is presenting the Mirai very gradually. Only eight Toyota car dealerships, four in northern California and 4 in southern California, are marked as launch dealers. Owners need to live near one of eight car dealerships and also in good distance to a hydrogen fueling station.

The advantages Toyota is throwing in for initial owners are powerful, including 3 years of complimentary gas and also roadside help, and 7 days with a cost-free leasing car every year. Toyota sees battery-electric automobiles filling a niche for brief commutes, yet thinks that energy cell cars, or FCVs, have the best possibility for long distance driving and for usage in buses and also trucks.

Like electrical energy, hydrogen can be created in numerous ways; most is made from natural gas. Hydrogen energy cells produce electrical power from the chain reaction in between hydrogen as well as oxygen, with water vapor as the only exhaust product. A fuel cell automobile is refueled instead of reenergized.

Japan Sees Hydrogen Cars As the Future

Energy cells like the Mirai, meanings that “future” in Japanese, have actually been asked by competitors. Tesla Motors Inc. President Elon Musk has actually been amongst the loudest, calling them fool cells as well as telling experts in 2013 that the technology is inefficient which success is not one of the feasible outcomes.

Toyota was a very early companion with Tesla, spending $50 million in the Palo Alto, California-based firm as well as working together on the RAV4EV, which made approximately 2,500 vehicles. However Toyota is currently firmly focused on fuel cells, and has actually invested in FirstElement Gas Inc., a start-up that is developing a hydrogen fueling network. The Japanese car manufacturer has sicnce stopped making the RAV4 EV.

Tesla Laughs at Toyota Over Fuel-Cell Cars

Volvo Self-Driving Car to Compete with Tesla - http://clapway.com/2015/11/21/volvo-self-driving-car-to-compete-with-tesla123/

Volvo today released images and specs of a self-driving concept sedan that is a precursor to a “fleet” of 100 automobiles the company said will be cruising the roads of Gothenburg, Sweden, by 2017. Volvo’s new Concept 26, named to reflect the typical everyday commute to work of 26 minutes, integrates a new bucket-style seat design that will come in 3 modes: Drive, Create or Relax.

Volvo Concept 26 / Image Credit: Drew Phillips

No Steering Wheel On Volvo’s Concept 26

‘Relax’ mode is a completely reclined seat position, whereas ‘Create’ is more upright, which according to Volvo, enables work and play. Unlike Volvo, Google, which introduced its self-driving car in 2014, stated its automobile will have no steering wheel. Google’s autonomous two-door compact car is currently being examined on Californian roads and is expected to enter into production by 2020.

Tesla Is Developing Autopilot

In regards to Tesla, more than 1 million vehicles have already have integrated an app  upgrade to the Model S Autopilot feature, which includes a beta version of Autosteer and Automobile Street Change. Both upgrades are driver assist functions and a driver’s hands ought to remain on the steering wheel.

Volvo Concept 26 / Image Credit: Drew Phillips

This is Where Volvo Hopes to Shine

With Volvo’s Concept 26, the steering wheel is fully optional. If drivers choose that they’d like to have control of the car, the steering wheel will roll out and allow them to drive as is customary. If they choose not to, the steering wheel will simply retract, and a display will replace the space where it would go. This will allow drivers to use the time spent driving doing other things, effectively ignoring the stress of the roads completely.

What’ll Happen to the Concept 26 In the Case of A Collision?

Volvo also tackled a debate that has been swirling around the self-driving car market: How will it deal with an accident? Peter Mertens, senior vice president of R&D at Volvo AB responded by saying that Volvo is amongst the very first car makers to deal with the subject of self-driving cars, and the responsibility that comes with them. The company expressed that they strongly believe that car manufacturers should take full responsibility for the actions of the car when it is driving in full self-driving mode, and as the Concept 26 enters production, any and all risks of emergency will be taken very seriously.

Volvo Self-Driving Car to Compete with Tesla

Tesla Made Apple Watch Charging Dock Possible - http://clapway.com/2015/11/18/tesla-made-apple-watch-charging-dock-possible123/

Starting November 20, Apple Watch owners can purchase a charging dock in Apple Stores. The Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Dock is on sale at Apple.com for $79. Just yesterday details about its packaging leaked on the web, and now Apple Watch users can charge their watches either on their side or flatly.

Nightstand Mode Enables Charging / IMAGE: apple.com

Nightstand Mode Enables Charging

The Apple Watch charging dock, which connects to an A/C power adapter via a USB cable, but users will have to connect with the USB adapter that came with their Apple Watch in order for it to work properly. Hopefully this will expand so that iPhone users may be able to charge their phones via the dock.

iPhone 7 Could Come with A Charging Dock

Perhaps this move is the first step in hinting of new gadgets that will come alongside the iPhone 7, which Apple has been very tight lipped about. Like the Samsung Galaxy S6, which gave customers the option to purchase a charging pad with, Apple could be planning for a charging dock for the iPhone series.

It will likely not be available for models prior to the iPhone 7, but it will make for an interesting addition to Apple’s inventory. The charging dock for the Apple Watch currently costs about the same as a charger for Macbook computers, so it makes for a fair price in terms of Apple merchandise.

Technology Brought to Us By Nikola Tesla

Nikola Tesla was actually the first person to put hardware onto the idea of wireless charging as early as 1899. Although it was proven less efficient and practical than other charging modes, it is thanks to his work that we can have charging pads and docks today.

Tesla Made Apple Watch Charging Dock Possible

New Electric Car Faraday to Compete with Tesla - http://clapway.com/2015/11/10/new-electric-car-faraday-to-compete-with-tesla123/

Faraday, a new startup out of Los Angeles is looking to make the next competitive luxury electric car and reimagine the way people interact with their cars. Faraday Future is building a $1 billion manufacturing plant for a brand new line of cars, and the location is soon to be revealed.

Currently headquartered in Los Angeles, Faraday is parented by a Chinese company run by the Steve Jobs counterpart in China. As figures look now, it seems they’re set to become Tesla’s biggest rival. The cars to be built are all-electric and and price tags are to start at the luxurious side of things. Staff has been taken up from Tesla, but they hope to distinguish themselves by marketing their brand as a tool for the connected class. They haven’t specified what this means, but answers are expected to come by 2017, when the first Faraday vehicle is set to roll out.

The company’s main investor is Jia Yueting, and they hope to adapt to the fast changing automobile industry. Speculation suggests that they’re looking to ‘wire’ cars to people, much like cellphones are wired to our brains and glued to our hands as well as tablets and other handheld devices. It’s still to be seen how exactly this will develop.

 

New Electric Car Faraday to Compete with Tesla

Apple Car Could Beat Out Google Self-Driving Car - http://clapway.com/2015/11/05/apple-car-could-beat-out-google-self-driving-car123/

Steve Jobs considered the concept of an Apple Car as early as 2008, and just because it couldn’t happen in his lifetime, it doesn’t mean it won’t. With the release of Google’s self driving car, and rumors of Apple rolling out an electric car as early as 2019, it’s fair to pose the question: If Jobs had started working on the Apple Car project, would it be better than Google’s Self Driving Car, the Tesla, or even Uber today?

flickr.com

Jobs apparently planned the design of an iCar’s dashboard and seats after the release of the first iPhone. The project would make it a fueled car, since electric cars were neither attainable nor a trend, much less self-driving ones. Today, however, Apple is rumored to be working on a secret project at a place called “SG5” in Sunnyvale, CA, under the guise of the shell company SixtyEight Research to develop the very first Apple Car. Apparently, Jobs’s dreams lay in building TV sets and cameras long before his focus rested on the iPhone.

The secret project is rumored to have a ship date of 2019 for its first electric car project, though it’s not expected to be a self-driving vehicle, courtesy of a team of up to 1,800 people. The project is kept strictly under wraps, and only whispers slip out onto the public, but it’s certain that Apple is working on something to compete against Google’s Self Driving Cars and Tesla at least, if not all related competitors.

Apple Car Could Beat Out Google Self-Driving Car