VW – Page 3177 – I wish I had more to offer

Carsharing: We Share is expanding in Germany and Europe

We Share plans to rent electric cars in other cities in the future. In addition to Hamburg and Munich, the VW subsidiary plans to offer car sharing in five major cities across Europe. (car sharing. electric car) Go to source

Moving (on) mountains: Driving a Jeep Gladiator in New Zealand

That there are faux imprints of a dirt bike tyre moulded into the head of the load bay and that the Jeep factory’s zipcode (in Toledo, Ohio) is stamped just inside the tailgate might seem twee. But don’t be in doubt about how senior Jeep people use these vehicles. The tailgate opening hatch measures 1270mm… Continue reading Moving (on) mountains: Driving a Jeep Gladiator in New Zealand

Poor Man’s Autopilot: Where Is The Outrage?

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Published on January 24th, 2020 |

by Johnna Crider

Poor Man’s Autopilot: Where Is The Outrage?

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January 24th, 2020 by Johnna Crider

In a video titled “Poor Man’s Autopilot,” the owner of an i3 with the ability to do self-parking and adaptive cruise control explains how to mimic Tesla’s Autopilot. To be honest, anyone who can afford an i3 isn’t really poor. The 2020 BMW i3 starts at $44,450 — you could have an actual Tesla for that price with real Autopilot.

The video shows you exactly how to rig an i3 up to drive on “autopilot,” and the user points out that, “If you’re not comfortable doing this, find a local BMW shop to do this for you.” This is one of quite a few of these types of videos.

So, how safe is this? First, I don’t think anyone has the advanced technology Tesla has when it comes to semi-autonomous driving abilities. Otherwise, there’d be a lot more enthusiasm about their products.

I mean, if we could make all these vehicles self-driving, that would be great, but I just wanted to ask a question: Where is Senator Markey’s outrage? Where’s the outrage from Tesla haters on Twitter who are always looking for something to be outraged about?

I mean, if they can do this safely, pay attention to their surroundings, and not get into accidents, I’m fine with it personally — but the bias against Tesla whenever a Tesla driver does something like this has to be addressed.

You can’t demand Tesla shut down Autopilot and then look the other away when owners of other car brands have “how-to” videos on hacking their cruise control and their cars turning into “autonomous vehicles.”

Senator Markey probably hasn’t seen this, but he should see it, and then should consider if his position against Tesla Autopilot isn’t biased.

In another “how-to” video, BingH0st, a verified YouTube channel with 150,000 subscribers, shows you how to “trick the active lane assist of an Audi A6” with a bottle of water and adaptive cruise control to get “a self-driving car.” Unlike Tesla’s Autopilot, this will not warn you when it needs you to take over. You’ll just crash if you’re not paying attention.

In a video titled “Self driving car/ life hack active lane assist,” a YouTuber uploads another “how-to” video to trick the active lane assist of a Volkswagen Tiguan with a bottle of water. And in this video, which has had almost 550,000 views, the YouTuber uses what looks like an energy drink to make their 2014 Mercedes S-Class into an “autonomous driving” vehicle. Where is the outrage?

While Senator Markey thinks that Tesla’s Autopilot should be disabled, he has been silent when it comes to these other guys doing the same thing with less advanced tech that wasn’t made for the same level autonomous driving.

Then we have Nissan marketing it’s ProPILOT Assist in a Star Wars–themed ad. Rey closes her eyes and drives through a construction zone.

The idea of a “poor man’s Autopilot” makes it seem like Tesla is the most expensive of these vehicles, yet all of these vehicles in these “how-to” videos are either equal to or higher in price than a Tesla, so the idea of poor man’s Autopilot is highly deceptive.

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About the Author

Johnna Crider Johnna Crider is a Baton Rouge artist, gem and mineral collector, and Tesla shareholder who believes in Elon Musk and Tesla. Elon Musk advised her in 2018 to “Believe in Good.”

Tesla is one of many good things to believe in. You can find Johnna on Twitter

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Manhattan Restauranteur Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion Scheme

Concealed more than $2 Million in Business Income; Used Funds on Luxury Cars, High End Shopping and other Personal Expenses The owner of a former New York City restaurant pleaded guilty to tax evasion today, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman… Continue reading Manhattan Restauranteur Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion Scheme

@VW Group: 170,000 tons of CO2 saved: || Carbon Fund strengthens climate protection

2020 The Volkswagen Group has launched its own Carbon Fund. The CO2 fund, which is endowed with €25 million annually, is available to all twelve Group brands. They use it to finance their own climate protection projects at their locations worldwide. The Carbon Fund was launched by the Group in February 2019. The funds are… Continue reading @VW Group: 170,000 tons of CO2 saved: || Carbon Fund strengthens climate protection

@VW Group: 2019 sees production record for ŠKODA AUTO at its Czech plants

In 2019, ŠKODA AUTO produced a total of around 590,000 vehicles at its main plant in Mladá Boleslav. A whopping 260,000 units of the OCTAVIA alone were made there; production of the bestseller’s fourth generation started at the end of October. In addition, models from the FABIA, SCALA, KAMIQ and KAROQ ranges rolled off the assembly lines… Continue reading @VW Group: 2019 sees production record for ŠKODA AUTO at its Czech plants

Jeep and Suzuki models found to have broken EU emissions rules

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) — Fiat Chrysler’s Jeep Grand Cherokee and Suzuki’s Vitara diesel models both break emissions rules and must be fixed or face a ban on sales across Europe, the Dutch road authority ruled on Thursday. The RDW authority, acting as the reference regulator for the European Union, said Jeep had developed a software fix… Continue reading Jeep and Suzuki models found to have broken EU emissions rules

Sale of Renk, MAN Energy Solutions depends on buyer: Volkswagen labor chief

FILE PHOTO: Head of Volkswagen works council Bernd Osterloh addresses the media after a supervisory board meeting at the Volkswagen plant in Wolfsburg, Germany November 15, 2019. REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer WOLFSBURG, Germany (Reuters) – Workers’ approval of a possible divestment of Volkswagen’s (VOWG_p.DE) transmissions making unit Renk (ZARG.F) and MAN Energy Solutions depends on who the… Continue reading Sale of Renk, MAN Energy Solutions depends on buyer: Volkswagen labor chief

VW Chief Upbeat on Electric-Car Battle With Tesla: Davos Update – swissinfo.ch

VW Chief Upbeat on Electric-Car Battle With Tesla: Davos Update swissinfo.ch Go to Source

Former Ford CEO On Tesla’s “Iconic Brand”

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Published on January 22nd, 2020 |

by Johnna Crider

Former Ford CEO On Tesla’s “Iconic Brand”

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January 22nd, 2020 by Johnna Crider

Former Ford CEO Mark Fields had some things to say about Tesla this week. In what may be a surprise to some, Fields says that EVs are the future of the industry and the questions are: when is the payoff, and what are the adoption rates? He says that, if you look at all that Tesla has done, “they have really created a very — kind of — iconic brand for electrification.”

He also says, “[Elon’s] done a very good job with his organization in creating an aspirational brand for electric vehicles,” Fields also points out that Tesla is beyond “just an automotive maker” and cites that Tesla has solar and energy storage businesses under its wings. He thinks that all of this mixed in with the production in Shanghai and the new factory being built in Germany is something that investors are getting excited about.

“The question is,” Fields says in the video, “will there be natural demand to get mass adoption? And Tesla’s done a really good job on early adopters and creating that brand.” When asked about if people are buying Teslas because of the brand or because they are EVs, Fields says that, “if you talk to the customers, they are buying it because of the brand.” He points out what the majority of Tesla owners love about the vehicles: they are cool, stylish, and they help the environment since they do not emit carbon. Fields also talks about something that isn’t really talked about regarding Tesla, and that’s the software aspect of the vehicles. “They have a big advantage over the traditional OEMs,” he says.

It’s good to see a former Ford CEO pointing out that EVs are the future of the industry and sharing that Tesla has turned itself into an iconic brand leading the industry. What isn’t mentioned is Tesla’s factory-direct business model. There are no dealers or middle men to worry about, and this is a definite pro for those who hate negotiating. If I know something is worth a X dollars, I don’t want to have to argue over the price with someone in the middle who wants to profit off of me. Another thing Tesla has in its favor is the fact that it has limited model lineup options available, which makes the entire process streamlined and more efficient.

Right now, Tesla has seven variations of vehicles. In comparison, the Porsche 911 model has at least 20 variations of one model. Sometimes, when you have too many choices of one thing, it becomes boring. I’ve seen this in my own gem/jewelry business — people love variety but in the right amount.