Cars that drive themselves

Many of us have dreamed of automated cars since watching Knight Rider in the 1980s.  But the thirst for such technology goes further back than that when a ‘drive-by-wire’ system was being tested by the UK government back in the 1960s.  See here the man reading his book at the wheel of an elegant Citroen DS19!

Look no hands!!

Now we’re well into the 21^st century and it seems that cars that drive themselves are not too far away.  Last year Mercedes-Benz and Nissan announced they will be selling a self-driven or ‘autonomous’ car by 2020. And the race to be the first is clearly on with Audi, BMW, Ford, General Motors and Toyota also developing technology that would allow cars to steer, brake and accelerate with little or no input from the driver. 

Nissan is reportedly working with universities around the world to develop the technology, and has invested in a test track in Japan that will replicate real life conditions for the self-driven cars being worked on. 

Meanwhile Mercedez-Benz stole the show at the Frankfurt (Germany) Auto Show in September last year with its S500 Intelligent Drive research vehicle. This vehicle had just retraced the first road trip of 103kms taken by the first passenger car (also a Benz) in 1888.

Watch a couple of videos here:

But it’s not just the automakers involved, as of course the need for advanced technology is a large part of the progress. Companies such as Nokia, IBM,  Continental and needless to say Google are just some of the players involved in the push for autonomous driving.

Many cars already have short and long range radars front and rear, and front-facing stereoscopic cameras to detect objects and distances.  The Mercedes vehicle seen at Frankfurt has added colour to the front facing cameras to deted traffic lights, a backwards facing camera to recognize and verify landmarks for more precise vehicle location and lane positioning, and additional front facing radars to better track oncoming traffic.

So while cars get increasingly more computer controlled and technology is advancing at a rapid pace it may just be the nervousness of authorities and insurance companies that are the largest hurdle to self driven cars.

Commuters can dream of being able to legally be on the phone or laptop while travelling to work in their own car. But will the roads be safe with no hands on the wheel?  Or will there be less accidents? What do you think?

Seven Things to Consider Before Buying a New Car

Buying a new car is obviously a complex decision  for most people to make - it can lead to an expensive mistake! There is an enormously diverse range of cars on the market at any given time and our buying decisions are heavily influenced by the marketers who bombard our brains with carefully tailored advertisements and offers in the hope of directing us towards the car they're trying to sell.

In order to make a wise buying decision, it helps to define the type of car that you want to buy based on several factors: price, efficiency, capacity, engine type, power, style and drivelines. Knowing a bit about these factors in advance can go a long way in helping you make a decision. Let’s look at these factors one by one.

1. Price: Of course price should be at the top of your list. Go for the car you can afford to buy and maintain. There's no point buying a Monaro HRT if you can’t afford to get it serviced. Remember that insurance costs go up with a more expensive car as well - and if you're buying in the higher range, you'll definitely want insurance! Get some good advice about insurance here.
2. Fuel efficiency: Your car’s mileage is very important - the price of petrol is constantly increasing. Efficiency can range from 15 Km/litre up to 45 Km/litre. When you've narrowed your choices down by price, do some research online and compare the mileage figures for the models you're interested in.
3. Seating capacity: Your choice of seating capacity will probably be based on your families needs - or perhaps your circle of friends. This will be a simple decision to make, but shouldn't be overlooked - the last thing you want to do is get a car your family won't fit in (and don't forget the dog!)
4. Engine type: Engines vary from one car to another for many reasons, including performance, efficiency and adaptability. Petrol engines are still the most common by far. Diesel engines are known to have more torque- the grunt that gets your car moving, but if you're interested in making an low-emission choice, look at hybrid and electric engines. 
5. Horsepower: While torque gets you moving, horsepower keeps you moving. Horsepower in cars ranges from 100HP to well above 500HP. High-speed, high-end cars such as the German made Bugatti Veyron produces 1001 metric horsepower with 1,250 Nm of torque reaching 350 Km/hr.
6. Body style: Another relatively easy decision that depends on your personal preferences. Body styles you might come across include: Convertible, Coupe, Sedan, SUV, Ute, Hatchback, Liftback, Crossover, Track and Wagon. 
7. Drivelines: You have four types of driveline to choose from: 4WD or 4x4 (Four wheel drive), RWD (Rear Wheel Drive), FWD (Front Wheel Drive) and last but not the least, AWD (All Wheel Drive). AWD is a full-time 4-wheel-drive system (all four wheels receive torque from the engine simultaneously) that employs a center differential that allows each tire to rotate at different speeds improving handling and stability.

Compare your insurance and save!

Would you stick with your auto-insurance provider if you knew there might be a better one out there? 

These days we are spoiled for choice when it comes to insurance providers, and it's a lot easier to research their products and policies online, but changing providers can still be a bit daunting to anyone who has always stayed loyal to single insurer as we tend to in Tasmania. Today we will look at the nuances of migrating to a new insurance policy, perhaps one that suits your needs better, has more flexible options, or just saves you money!

A good insurance policy limits your damages and protects you from undue financial stress when something goes wrong with your car. The cost of the premium should be within your budget while providing the best cover for your vehicle.

So what do you do when you find a new policy or provider that you would like to switch to? It’s quite simple really. Some insurers will let you cancel your policy (if you give them proper notice) without a charge, while others will levy a cancellation fee in order to forfeit your policy. If you’re switching to a different policy offered by the same insurer, your cancellation fee may be waived depending on the company rules. You can sometimes avoid paying a cancellation fee if you cancel your policy during the ‘cooling off’ period. The cooling off period occurs just after you've purchased the policy, or when the policy is due for renewal.

If you decide to cancel your current policy, let your insurer know well in advance in order to make the transition a smooth experience. Cancelling your policy when it is up for renewal makes sense, as you will be able to avoid a cancellation fee, and the administrative process following your cancellation will be much simpler.

Most importantly, before you make the final switch make sure you read through the policies available to you. Read the fine print prior to signing up - make sure that you know exactly what you are getting into and what the insurer promises to provide in the case of a claim.

A good way to start looking at alternative insurance providers is to get a general overview of what other companies might charge you for insuring your car. This website might be helpful in getting an idea of what you can expect to pay from a range of car insurance providers.

Demystifying Your Car Insurance

Car insurance is something that most experienced drivers are familiar with, but it can be pretty confusing to young drivers and new car owners. The type of cover you take out will affect the ongoing cost of your vehicle, so you should always shop around for car insurance and find a price and level of coverage that suits your situation. 

To get you started, we've put together a quick list of the four types of general insurance that relate to owning and operating a private motor vehicle in Australia:

• Compulsory Third Party Insurance
• Comprehensive Insurance
• Fire & Theft Only
• Third Party Property Only

Compulsory Third Party

All drivers should be aware of Compulsory Third Party Insurance as it is illegal to drive a vehicle that does not have this coverage. This insurance protects individuals who you may injure whilst driving a vehicle. In Tasmania this insurance is provided as part of your vehicle registration fee (called MAIB Premium). This insurance covers injuries sustained to others and yourself in case of an accident and this is why it is so important to ensure that your vehicle is registered at any time when taken on public roads!

Comprehensive Cover
This can cover repair or replacement of your vehicle for events  including theft, collision, malicious damage and weather related damage. It can also cover repair and replacement of other vehicles that are damaged by your vehicle. Comprehensive insurance is usually chosen to cover vehicles that are in good condition. Your insurer may choose to not provide cover to vehicles that are over a certain age, in a poor state of repair or have issues such as rust.

Fire & Theft Only
This type of cover will not help if you are involved in an accident, but it may repair or replace your vehicle in the case that it is stolen and damaged by fire.

Third Party Property Only
This can provide cover for damage caused by your vehicle to other vehicles or property, but does not provide cover for your vehicle. This type of cover is typically taken out by someone with a relatively low value vehicle, primarily to protect them from having to pay for the damage their car might do to a more valuable vehicle or other property belonging to a third party.

Here is a handy graph provided by the Australian Government's MoneySmart website that illustrates the different types of vehicle insurance you should consider.

Type	Damage to your car	Damage to other people's property (e.g. other cars)	Damage or loss caused by theft of your car	Injuries or death to other people in an accident
Compulsory third party
Third party property
Third party property, fire and theft
Comprehensive

Please note that the information above is generic and Insurance policies will vary from company to company so make sure you understand the cover before purchasing.