Riffs on Rides
Riffs on Rides

cars of the future

2011 Chevrolet Cruze

iPhone app to turn the air-conditioning on in your car?

By • Aug 10, 2010

Are key fobs going the way of dinosaurs? Perhaps so. But GM is thinking towards the future. At a press conference for their newest car on the block, the compact Chevy Cruze, they also mentioned their new smartphone apps. Of course, I jumped on that news. But I will also mention that the Cruze, which [...]



Oli Scarf/ Getty Images

Paris to kick-off EV car sharing program!

By • Aug 3, 2010

The wildly popular Velib, Paris’ rental system for bicycles, is expanding. But, I’m not talking about two-wheelers. The city plans to launch the world’s largest electric car access scheme in September of next year. The program, Autolib ( auto liberty), has the goal of cutting down on car ownership, traffic and pollution. With the Veil [...]



Screen shot 2010-07-16 at 4.11.30 PM

Car of Light is driven by the sun

By • Jul 16, 2010

The Car of Light concept from designer Jong Won Lee is driven by the sun. A solar panel on top of the car powers the electric motor. The exterior design takes cues from the motion of waves on a river surface. On the inside it’s lit by a purple haze…



A car for the blind driver– why not?

By • Jul 7, 2010

Here’s another reminder to keep your mind—and vision- open to new possibilities. Next year the National Federation of the Blind and Virginia Tech will reveal a prototype vehicle equipped with technology that will help a blind person drive independently. The technology, called “nonvisual interfaces,” uses sensors that help a blind driver maneuver a car based [...]



Michelin launched Tires for Tomorrow @ Challenge Bibendum - #4

Michelin brings on tires that will change the world

By • Jun 9, 2010

Here’s the facts: With an estimated 900 million vehicles on the road world wide and an expected 1.5 billion on the road worldwide by 2030, In addition road transport accounts for 18% of all carbon emissions, while all forms of transportation account for 24% of the total. To respond to this environmental challenge, MICHELIN employs [...]



Rides of the future

56 Hours in Rio with MICHELIN continued…

By • Jun 5, 2010

My closing line in the other day’s post was, “So, what’s sexy about all of this?” I’ll say it right out…sustainability is sexy…the more we know about the environment and how we can take steps to improve our quality of life, the more intelligent we are. Is that sexy? Yes! Below, some facts about MICHELIN [...]



Rio!

56 hours in Rio with Michelin’s Challenge Bibendum

By • Jun 3, 2010

Rio from the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain-photo by Holly Just returned from Rio for Michelin’s Challenge Bibendum, their 10th worldwide conference centered around sustainable road mobility. The Challenge, started in 1998, brings world players together including auto companies, equipment suppliers, energy providers and research centers with common goals; Reduce energy consumption of vehicles Protect [...]



Quick History of New York International Auto Show

By • Mar 30, 2010

According to “A History of the New York International Auto Show (1900-2000)” by Gregg D. Merksamer, the first step toward an annual New York exhibition devoted exclusively to automobiles of various makes and models, took place in June 1899, when 27 motor-minded gentlemen gathered at the old Waldorf- Astoria to launch the Automobile Club of [...]



Cars, Stars and more at Museum of the City of New York

By • Mar 29, 2010

The New York International Auto Show isn’t the only thing car-wise that’s happening in the Big Apple this week. The first-ever Cars, Culture and the City exhibition at the Museum of the City of New York explores how New York City has played a crucial role in creating American car culture, and how the car [...]



Next BMW Art Car to be created by artist Jeff Koons

By • Feb 3, 2010

One of the other reasons why we like BMW is because of their long-standing involvement in the arts. BMW’s Art Car program, now in its 35th year, has featured such notables as Andy Warhol, David Hockney, Jenny Holzer, Roy Lichtenstein, Frank Stella, Robert Rauschenberg and Alexander Calder. Jeff Koons , known for his wildly colorful [...]



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