Trust Your Eyes… Not Your Map

It happens in Minnesota. It happens in the maze-like city blocks of Manhattan. It happens in the deserts of Southern California, and the frozen wastes of Russia, and the mountains of Colorado. It happens everywhere, because we use it everywhere… perhaps, more than we should. I’m talking about instances where your GPS leads you astray. Sometimes by taking you up a road that no longer exists, sometimes by thinking you’re on the freeway instead of the city streets, and sometimes by sending you into the middle of nowhere. At best, these incidents are inconvenient. At their worst, they cause “death by GPS.”  There is a common misconception that these issues are completely due to user error. Occasionally, people point to the responsibility of the map-maker—these days, that’s usually Google. But rarely is it acknowledged that these incidents are a part of a wider group of human error that, while natural, should be monitored and corrected!  Here, we delve into human-GPS error not in the context of specific stories, but as a wider phenomenon. We’ll explore the various kinds of human-GPS errors that are most common, and explain why they occur. Finally, we’ll make an argument for why and how to…

Why (And How) to be Nice to Cyclists

For many drivers—particularly in the US—bicyclists are seen as a nuisance. They take up valuable space on the road, slow down traffic, and seem out of place in our automobile-focused landscape. Some even want to remove bicyclists from roadways altogether, and relegate them to the realm of athletics and children’s playgrounds. But this is short-sighted. Disdain for bicyclists comes from a few select places—none of which have a deep connection to the reality of the situation. The incredibly minor inconvenience of making space for a bicyclist, and the odd mentality that they’re somehow being “uppity” are both petty and stupid reasons to dislike bicyclists. And while jokes about bicyclists do make for good comedy, the fact is that we, as drivers, need to start making room for them. There are several good reasons to do so, too. Some are based mostly in ethics, while others appeal to a degree of self-interested practicality. A few drift into both.  We hope to convince you to rethink your disdain for bicyclists. Below, we’ve compiled a few good reasons to be nice to bicyclists… and some actionable ways to do exactly that. To start with, let’s help you with a common misconception. More Bicyclists…

How to Make the Most of a Long Commute

Over the last year, daily commutes have often changed from long stretches in public transit to long stretches in a cramped car. Sometimes this happened because the pandemic forced people to move or change jobs, sometimes because it made public transit unsafe. In other cases, people moved to a region where trains and buses weren’t available. Whatever the reason, many people are now stuck in their cars for an hour or two every day, and it’s making them crazy. After all, some people just aren’t used to long drives. They may have grown up with public transit or may have thought they’d never be able to afford a ride of their own. Now they’re trying to figure out how to stay sane—and healthy, given how a long car ride can strain one’s back and neck. Things to Do Fortunately, there are many things you can do to take the edge off a long commute, and even make it fun and something to look forward to. Listen to Podcasts There’s more to the world of podcasts than The Joe Rogan Experience and NPR. The variety of podcasts has surged enormously over the last decade, and these days you can find a…

What You Need To Know About Driver Assistance Technologies

Driver assistance technologies can help you focus on the road and reduce your chances of a crash. In 2020, 38,824 Americans died in motor vehicle crashes—many of these crashes were tied to human error. Learn more about driver assistance technologies, how they can help you, and what you should know about these technologies when buying your next vehicle. Lane Departure Warning (LDW) This feature helps you stay in your lane and can be used in combination with adaptive cruise control. It uses laser technology to monitor whether you are staying within the lane, warning you when you drift out of it. The LDW system is often combined with collision warning and blind spot detection systems, but this isn’t always the case — some cars have LDW but no other driver assistance features! After just three years in operation, VinFast has managed to bring to market a midsize SUV/C-segment with basic self-driving and steering assistance features such as lane departure warning, blind spot warning, and rear cross traffic alert. These cutting-edge technologies help reduce collisions common in urban traffic, particularly in densely populated cities. Blind Spot Detection (BSD) Blind Spot Detection (BSD) is a feature that alerts the driver if there…

What To Do After An Accident

So, you just got into an accident. For starters, don’t panic. I know that’s about as helpful as saying “don’t be depressed,” but listen for a moment. Take a long, slow breath. It’s okay if it takes a while to slow down enough. Focus on the feeling of your breath as you breathe in, long and slow. Breathe out, focusing on how it feels against your nostrils. Rub your forearms and hands, focusing on the physical sensation of your body being there, and being present. Hopefully, this has helped you to calm down and think for a little bit. Getting into an accident can be a rough ordeal. While a fender-bender can merely be an unpleasant interruption to your day, more serious crashes can put a hamper on your whole month.  To that end, we’ve compiled a few tips for anyone who finds themselves in that situation. Please note that none of these suggestions are legal or medical advice. Everyone’s situation is different, and it would be impossible for a generalized article to give you useful medical or legal advice. Instead, we want to give you some general tips for ways to make sure your accident is as easily handled…

How to Make Your Ride More Comfortable

For something that costs so much money to buy and maintain, cars can be incredibly uncomfortable. Not just physically, but in terms of convenience and “creature comforts.” This isn’t always the case—manufacturers do invest a lot of money into ergonomics, fancy extras, and quality materials. But, they also have to balance those concerns with safety, economics, and varying tastes across their markets. As a result, the driving experience can sometimes feel lacking for the individual. But what if you could fix that? What if you could amp up your driving experience, tailor it to your individual needs, and make your car as comfortable as your apartment or bedroom? Well, there’s good news: you can! It just takes knowing what to look for. Creating a comfortable driving experience means different things to different people. And, courtesy of the unholy union of a car gadget market stacked with useless junk, the lack of readily available advice on enhancing the comfort of your vehicle, and the fact that some just view their car as a way to get from point A to point B, many people can’t figure out where to start making their car comfortable.  That’s why we’ve created this. It’s a…

Why VinFast Uses Li-ion Batteries In Its EVs

Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are one of the most popular types of battery for use in EVs. They’re also used in consumer electronics, laptops and other portable devices. The key advantages to Li-ion batteries include their high energy density, low self-discharge rate and long cycle life. Below we’ll discuss each of these characteristics and why they make Li-ion batteries so desirable for use in consumer electronics products.  The ability to store large amounts of electricity at a low weight is especially useful for EVs since it allows them to travel further between charges than combustion engines do on gasoline or diesel fuel alone. Battery Cost Li-ion batteries have a high initial cost, but they’re cheaper than nickel cadmium batteries. The cost of Li-ion batteries is expected to decrease as technology improves. Energy Density One of the most important things to consider when choosing a battery is its energy density. Energy density, or power density, is the amount of stored energy in a battery. It’s measured in watt-hours per liter (Wh/L) or watt-hours per kilogram (Wh/kg). Li-ion batteries provide exceptional capacity with the highest energy density in the rechargeable-battery market (100–265 Wh/kg). This makes charging a Li-ion battery simpler, faster, and more…

VinFast To Launch Scalable Advanced Driver Assistance Systems

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are designed to eliminate human error when operating vehicles of all types. ADAS uses advanced technologies to assist drivers, thereby improving their performance. But what exactly are these systems and why do we need them? While the answer to that question is complicated, it starts with the basics—ADAS help prevent accidents and save lives. Why Do We Need ADAS? While you may have heard of ADAS, you might not know why we need these assistance systems. There are several good reasons why ADAS should be incorporated into your new ride: They reduce accidents. Autonomous vehicles can eliminate many of the common causes of collisions—from distracted driving to drunk driving—which will help reduce accidents. They reduce traffic congestion. As autonomous vehicles become more common, they’ll start replacing cars that are driven by humans, especially in urban areas where traffic is most congested.. They save you money. Without needing gas or insurance payments (and with fewer accidents), self-driving cars could save their owners money on transportation costs over time.  Introduction to ADAS ADAS is a collection of technologies that help drivers avoid collisions and stay in their lanes. These systems are designed to be as unobtrusive as…

Ten Must-Have Tech Options For Your Next Car

In the early 2000s, most advanced tech and convenience features were limited to ultra-luxury and high-performance vehicles with price tags upwards of $75,000. As technology has become a much larger part of our everyday lives, nearly all automakers have begun adding a significant number of these features to all their vehicles. These days, you can get a slew of modern convenience options on new cars for much less! When it comes to vehicle tech and electronics, you really don’t know what you’re missing until you have them and are able to use them on a regular basis. They make driving immensely more entertaining and can often take the boredom out of driving long distances on road trips or even just your daily commute. In this blog, we’ll detail the top 10 tech features you must have in your next vehicle and why they’re so vital. Heated Seats and Steering Heated seats and steering are essential for North American drivers in the winter. Those who have driven with leather seats understand the struggle of driving for several minutes in a freezing cold seat while holding onto an equally frigid steering wheel. Although the heater may increase the temperature of the vehicle’s…

VinFast Is First All-Electric Carmaker To Integrate What3words

VinFast has announced the integration of innovative global addressing technology what3words into its full lineup of electric vehicles (EVs). Testament to their market leading approach to innovation, VinFast is the first all-electric carmaker to integrate what3words into their systems. what3words is a simple and effective location technology that can identify any location around the globe and is capable of operating in offline conditions. The system divides the planet into a grid of 10ft x 10ft (3m x 3m) squares and labels each square with a unique combination of three random words—known as a what3words address.  Users need only open the what3words app to find their current location on the map and the data processing system will automatically convert those coordinates into 3 words in their mother tongue that are easy to pronounce and memorize. With what3words geolocation technology, users can drive with peace of mind knowing exactly where they are going—whether it is a charging station, a pop-up coffee shop or the ideal sightseeing point for a picnic. what3words addresses are now being added to contact pages, e-commerce checkouts, travel guides and booking confirmations around the world, which saves costs, delivers operational efficiency, and provides a better customer experience for…