If you were skeptical about #SelfDrivingCars before, maybe one with a #cockpit would tempt you well enough... - http://clapway.com/2015/08/16/is-apple-building-a-cockpit-for-project-titan-245/

Apple has been in the news a lot lately, but the latest rumors say the company is likely working on a heads-up display (HUD) similar to what you’d find in the cockpit of a jet.

Apple’s Rumored Heads-Up Display

This latest batch of rumors comes from Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdhry. According to Chowdhry, Apple is working on a heads-up display that will cover between 27 to 50 inches of screen real estate, which will undoubtedly span across a vehicle’s entire windshield.

This HUD will give drivers pertinent information while they are driving through the use of “vivid” icons. Chowdhry also indicated that the system will be gesture controlled. This will allow users to maintain their attention on the road since their eyes will never leave the windshield.

Reusing Technology

Apple hasn’t commented on the rumors, which isn’t surprising. According to Chowdhry, the HUD still has quite some time before it will see mass-production. Although rumors of Apple’s self-driving cars means that the company can’t be too far off either.

The technology being developed in this project can also be used for several other projects as well. The curved-screen technology is equipped with sensors and could be used in TVs or a number of other devices the company could be working on. Chowdhry says that this is the “early stage of something that could be a lot bigger.”

Credibility

Rumors are rumors though, and so far Chowdhry is the only analyst reporting that Apple is working on a HUD, so all of this should be taken with a grain of salt.

Apple executive Jeff Williams has called cars the “ultimate mobile device,” so the idea that they are developing a HUD isn’t entirely farfetched. Many auto manufacturers are working on self-driving cars along with bigger and better technology to put inside them.

Project Titan is what Apple is calling its own self-driving car project that is currently being tested at an old navy base. Apple’s new HUD could very well be an important part of Project Titan and could help give it an edge over companies like Google, Tesla, BMW, Honda, and other automotive manufacturers who are also working on self-driving cars.

Is Apple Building a Cockpit for Project Titan?

This Special Edition BMW M4 Coupe Is What Fans Have Been Waiting For - http://clapway.com/2015/08/15/this-special-edition-bmw-m4-coupe-is-what-fans-have-been-waiting-for123/

On Friday, BMW decided it couldn’t wait any longer to announce to fans that the BMW M4 would finally be hitting the shores here in the US, in the form of a limited run model called the BMW Concept M4 GTS.

The Long Awaited Return of the King

The BMW M4 is a natural progression from the M3, and has already been out in Europe since last year. There have been seven iterations of the best spanning all the way back to 1988, but none of them have touched American soil until now. For many car enthusiasts, this really shouldn’t come as much surprise. After all, there are many European cars that never make it across the pond. In BMW’s case, the BMW M4 needs to pass emissions and safety tests–along with many other requirements–necessary to bring the car over.

The BMW M4 GTS Brings Its Unique Water Injection System With It

In concept, the BMW M4 is a complete powerhouse. No, it’s not the fastest car on the road, or even the fastest car in its price bracket, but with 425 hp, a top speed of 163 mph, and its unique water injection system, it’s one sweet ride. The water injection system, introduced by BMW M GmbH, injects water into the intake manifold in a spray form. The water evaporates and begins to significantly cool the air intake by absorbing the heat. This creates higher boost pressure, and allows for earlier injection timing. In other words, it gives the car a significant amount of horsepower and torque while reducing the engine’s “knock.” “While the BMW M4 Coupe embodies the ideal combination of motor sport genes and unrestricted everyday usability, the BMW Concept M4 GTS previews an emotionally powerful and exclusive special model conceived with an eye for trailblazing technology and a keen focus on the race track,” said Frank van Meel, Chairman of the Board of Management at BMW M GmbH. Of course, while the car might be a workhorse on the track, it’s still perfectly street legal.

Availability

The BMW Concept M4 GTS will also sport BMW’s new OLED (organic light-emitting diodes) rear lights; a new light source that produces full-surface and homogenous illumination. The technology that allow the vehicle to illuminate individual points with precision. Enthusiasts can look forward to the BMW M4 GTS hitting shore sometime next year, though the exact date and price are still unknown.

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This Special Edition BMW M4 Coupe Is What Fans Have Been Waiting For

Hackers Can Use a $32 Device to Break Into Your Car and Garage Undetected - http://clapway.com/2015/08/10/hackers-can-use-a-32-device-to-break-into-your-car-and-garage-undetected123/

For most consumers, the DEF CON hacker convention is a place to hear about how vulnerable every single electronic device in your home is, but it serves a very useful purpose: it educates developers on how to code smarter. One of the latest scare stories to come from the conference was presented by a hacker named Samy Kamkar. Kamkar has developed a device that allows him to hack into any modern car or garage.

Taking a Look at the RollJam

During the hacker conference, Kamkar introduced a relatively cheap device he called the “RollJam.” It’s a $32 radio jamming device that is incredibly small, and designed to exploit the “rolling codes” that are so prevalent in the keyless entry systems of most vehicles. Worse yet, this same device can also be used to deactivate car alarms outright, making them largely useless.

How Does It Work?

The concept behind RollJam is incredibly simple. Kamkar said that a would-be hacker would simply plant the device near the target vehicle and wait. The victim would come out to the vehicle and press the key fob in an attempt to unlock it, but it will not work the first time. The second attempt will be successful, and while the victim may think it strange for a few minutes, they’ll likely continue about their day without giving it a second thought. The hacker would then return to the vehicle, replay the recorded code, and viola, they then have access to the car.

Rolling codes are a security measure that automakers have been using in an attempt to throw off “code grabbers” that hackers have been using for years. Vehicles that use rolling codes never reuse the same code twice, so each code should technically be unique, but RollJam has a clever way around this.

The first time the victim attempts to unlock the car, the RollJam jams the signal using two radios that emit noise onto the most common radio frequencies used by auto manufacturers. A third radio then intercepts the code needed to gain access to the car. In the second attempt the RollJam blocks the signal again, but signals the first code it picked up so the car will unlock for the victim. Meanwhile, the device retains the second code it picked up so it can be used again when the hacker retrieves the device. Scary, huh?

RollJam has Successfully Hacked a Wide Range of Vehicles from Manufacturers like Volkswagen, Toyota, and Cadillac

In the presentation, Kamkar has said he has already tested the device on multiple vehicles and had success with a decent amount of major auto manufacturers, and a few garage door openers. Kamkar believes that there are millions of automobiles out on the road today that are susceptible to hackers using this vulnerability, but many auto manufacturers are already working on alternatives to rolling codes.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qu3Z6AbM2D0

 

Hackers Can Use a $32 Device to Break Into Your Car and Garage Undetected