Car FYI

Photo Credit: Chris Nagy While automotive technology has been opening the door to a both amazing and concerning motoring future where cars will be self-driving through sophisticated algorithms as well as electronic sensors, a more immediate driving reality seems to depend solidly on hands on a steering wheel and a foot on a pedal. However, the common practice of human drivers operating automobiles is by no means a "business as usual" experience. In the last decades, many cars have introduced electronically-based driving aids meant to provide a driver with more information in making smarter driving decisions. Blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning as well as enhanced hands-free operations for audio and navigation controls can be found in many modern vehicles. On certain 2017 model year Audi models, a new source of information will be relayed to motorists related to the changes in traffic lights. With the advanced notification of traffic light changes, attentiv...

Photo Credit: Jack Webster Trois-Rivieres (or sometimes translated to 'Three Rivers' in the United States) has been a rich and beloved French-Canadian contribution to motorsports for almost five decades. Often depending upon smaller racing series, the event has provided the opportunity for rising stars of motorsports to claim limelight. Races within the  Grand Prix Trois-Rivieres have been contested by many auto racing legends in the making with past victors including Michael Andretti, Helio Castroneves, Tony Kanaan, Ron Fellows and Patrick Tambay. A great deal of other drivers have been deprived a win at the tricky, street race  In recent years, racing has taken place during two weeks as the FIA World Rallycross and Formula Drift Canada compete on a paved/dirt track on the first weekend while a more traditional event on the all-paved street course takes place on the second weekend. Fact #1: The Grand Prix Trois-Rivieres was first held on September 8th and 9th of 196...

Photo Credit: Nissan Not even five years since being revealed to the public, one of the most profoundly distinct designs to have emerged for modern auto racing has become the subject of innovation, envy and contention. This month, Don Panoz, CEO of DeltaWing Technology Group and Japanese automaker Nissan have reignited a dispute over the ownership of a breakthrough engineering philosophy for modern automobiles on the race track as well as on the street. When the IndyCar Series welcomed proposals to visions of American open wheel racing for the 2012 season, a jet plane-like concept premiered generating an instant sensation. The radical DeltaWing presented an ultra-aerodynamic shape and lightweight construction boasting high-speed potential with less horsepower. A narrow front wheel track and the lack of downforce enhancing devices such as the conventional rear wing found on most modern race cars created a thought-provoking possibility to IndyCar competition that resulted in b...

This summer, thanks to the popular blending of the real world and virtual world, there has been a new method of captivation for many smartphone-enabled individuals. Called Pokemon GO, the popular augmented reality app turns the surrounding world into a scavenger hunting ground for characters based on a 20-year-old Japanese franchise co-managed by Nintendo. Since its release on July 6th in North America and Australia (before being offered in Europe and Japan at later dates), the app has been downloaded 4.2 million times on just Android devices and is also available on Apple iOS. In total, more than 80 million people are now engaged in the technological phenomenon of Pokemon GO worldwide. Since the runaway success of the Pokemon GO app, a number of recorded incidents have occurred where virtual hunters have been operating in ways that functioned outside of courtesy and even in a dangerous manner. In some of the more dangerous cases, some mobile users has chosen to combine automobil...