If it"s not green, GM...
If it"s not green, GM isn"t interested. That seems to be the message at the American maker"s stand this morning. Heading the line-up at this year"s show is the firm"s Opel Flexstreme concept. A fat-faced diesel hybrid with crescent shaped lamps at the front and rear-hinged doors in the back for easier access. The shape might not be to everyone"s taste. But the car"s green credentials will be. It can run for 55km on pure electricity, making it an emission free city car. The batteries are charged by the diesel engine. A nifty compartment in the back also stores Segway scooters - which might explain why I was forced to dodge two as I clamboured for the stand.
New mapping software...
New mapping software is set to make finding your way around unfamiliar areas easier.
Computing giant Microsoft is plotting a rival to Googleò€™s Street View software ò€“ and the new set-up presents your pre-planned route in the form of a video, giving a firm idea of landmarks and how to negotiate key junctions.
Google Maps has quickly become a popular choice for drivers planning short journeys on unfamiliar routes when sat-nav isnò€™t available. However, the maps have an abstract nature, while Street Viewò€™s manual plotting is sluggish ò€“ so junctions can often be confusing when you come to them in real-life. The Microsoft version, trialled recently in Graz, Austria, by a team of researchers from the University of Konstanz in Germany, provides a video run-through of the route.
The camera view speeds up through the simple parts, before slowing down and expanding to reveal memorable features on turns to help you remember them.
The mapping software is likely to form part of Microsoftò€™s recently launched Bing search engine.