Archive for 2015
The Biofuel Dilemma
The push for more sustainable sources of energy for our cars is intensifying. Biodiesel and ethanol are getting more and more common. Slurping through large amounts of fossil fuel is considered irresponsible, as is belching out a lot of greenhouse gases. In this sort of climate (both the metaphorical climate of opinion and the actual one, which is supposed to be changing), biofuels are looking like a very sexy option.
However, there is a bit of a problem when it comes to biofuels. You see, while it seems like a great idea to grow a crop that can be turned into fuel, there are a few snags. All commercially grown crops take up land, and they require nutrients and water. This means that they’re competing with other crops – like the ones that you and I eat. And this is where the problem lies: if we’re going to do away with world hunger, the people who are currently starving are going to have to eat something. And that something will have to grow somewhere.
They tell us that it’s going to become more difficult to find enough land and other resources to feed the world. This means that even if biofuels don’t increase, there’s going to be issues with growing enough food to feed us all. On the one hand, we want to get from A to B more sustainably. On the other hand, we don’t want people to die from malnutrition. So what’s the answer? Biofuel or not biofuel? Should corn go to feeding people or to making oil to power vehicles? (Let’s not even start on the feeding people versus feeding cattle debate.) Which is the best option for the thinking person who cares for the planet and other human beings?
The answer is to keep on thinking and to look at the wider issue. First of all, the food problem. It might not be as difficult to produce enough food to feed everybody on the planet as you think. For a start off, a large chunk of us (especially in the Western world) could probably eat less and be better off for it. Secondly, an awful lot of the food grown in the world today ends up going to waste. Some is damaged by pests and rotten weather while it’s in the field. Some doesn’t make it onto the market courtesy of bureaucracy, food regulations and other rhubarb like that – things like the European Union’s standards that state the colour, shape and size of vegetables that are permitted on the market, even though wonky carrots and cucumbers with more than a certain amount of curvature. A lot of perfectly edible gets dumped along the food pathway – things that are still good but are past their sell-by date, for example. Thirdly, we can all have a go at growing our own fruit and veg. We can feed a hungry world, people, if we really try!
One has to wonder why all this dumped and wasted food doesn’t end up being turned into biofuels. It certainly is possible. One wonders why this hasn’t been tried yet. Which brings me neatly to the next part of tackling the food vs biofuel dilemma. Often, biofuels such as ethanol can be made from waste products of the food industry. Take sugarcane – which is where most of Australia’s ethanol comes from. The juice gets extracted and taken to the refinery to be turned into what goes into our morning coffee, plus other goodies such as golden syrup and molasses (used as a dietary supplement for dairy cows). The leftover bits of cane are broken down to make ethanol. The only snag here is that the leftovers are often quite woody, which means that it’s harder to break down and turn into ethanol. In the world of biofuels, finding bacteria that are capable of breaking down tough woody stuff is a very hot topic. We might snigger at research papers that rave about the potential of some bacteria strain found in panda poop (actual example) but these bacteria might be the best way of turning, say, sawdust into what you put in your Toyota Corolla.
The third option for solving the dilemma is to find sources of biofuel that don’t compete with food crops for resources. Things that grow on bad soil or on bad water are particularly popular. This is where things like jatropha comes in. Jatropha grows like a weed on bad soil… and it produces oil-bearing seeds that make great biodiesel. To give you an idea of how well it can grow on marginal land, a close relative of the species that produces the best oil has been banned in Western Australia as an invasive weed. The other biggie is algae. Algae can be grown on sewage (something we’re not exactly going to run out of) and some strains produce a good dollop of oil that can be turned into biodiesel. The hunt is on to find the best types of algae that produce the most bang for the buck. Again, it doesn’t pay to snigger about research papers that rave about things that grow on sewage.
So what is the average Aussie driver to do in the attempt to “think globally and act locally” when it comes to the biofuel dilemma?
- As always, conserve fuel when driving (better for your wallet, too).
- Avoid wasting food, as this means that there’ll be less chance of fuel crops having to compete with food crops (also better for your wallet).
- Grow your own food. You might not be able to grow your own biodiesel crop but you can grow your own tomatoes and lettuces. Every little bit helps. If we all grew our own, a few more farmers could concentrate on growing biofuel instead.
- Use biofuels in your vehicle as often as possible – if we keep up the demand, the producers will know to keep up the supply.
A Fast Education: Should 'Car-Culture' Be Taught In Schools?
The modern world has become dominated by the transport culture, most specifically the culture of ‘the car’. Our society rests on a solid foundation of communication, trade and distribution. The global transport system therefore is one of the most fundamental aspects that ties together every ‘sector’ of our world, whether this be business or personal. Of all methods of transportation, arguably the most comprehensive is the road network which accommodates everything from our cars, buses, vans, coaches and lorries to name a few. In our daily lives, most of us will interact with either the road network or the vehicles that use it. Cars especially are becoming increasingly vital for success in our lifetime. However, the auto-verse does not feature in the education of many young people, how can this be right? With so many applications, should ‘car culture’ not be an indispensible part of the education system?
The Global Road Network. Image and Data Credit: CIESIN Columbia University, March 2013
For any regular readers of my posts, I am not often one to use scientific reasoning and hard data to illustrate my arguments, but this is an issue that I do feel passionate about. Firstly, I would like to draw your attention to the image you see above; you may be wondering why the world is covered in various shades of yellow. The dark yellow that covers most of the map is a representation of the extent of the global road network, based on the research conducted at Columbia University. To therefore argue that cars, transport systems and road safety is not relevant to the education of young people is somewhat silly.
The definition of ‘school’ is an institution for educating children; it gives them the key skills they need to go out into the world and forge their own paths, both in terms of career and personal development. If schools are in fact there to teach the young generation about the ways of the world, it would be almost misguided to leave out essential skills like road safety and traffic education from the national curriculum.
It is not just me that shares such an opinion; the Institute of Advance Motorists (UK) believes that road safety should become a mandatory part of the curriculum, so as to reduce the number of incidents on the road involving young people. If they are aware of how traffic systems operate, it will reduce the risk to themselves and drivers on the road. Furthermore, a recent survey has shown that only 8/15 European countries have mandatory traffic education courses as opposed to voluntary ones.
As a child, I do remember various adverts on television about how to safely cross the road (STOP, LOOK, LISTEN and all that) and while being taught how to ride a bike on the main road basic traffic information was given. However, a few adverts and a voluntary riding course may be a good start, but I do not think it is enough. In the future, I would like to see a more comprehensive exploration of how young people interact with the world around them (most specifically roads, considering for many of us the ‘world around us’ is jam packed full of roads with vehicles on them).
While undertaking my research for this article, I also found various quotes I have pulled from people on the topic of cars, driving and education. The first of these is an insinuation that merely teaching young people about road safety alone may not be enough. Relating back to my original point about the dominance of the ‘car culture’, this person believes that the physical act of driving itself should be integrated into education. It would also give each person the knowledge to make an informed decision to then embrace the ‘car culture’ or not:
“I think in a modern world, driving is SUCH an important life skill and SO required for life that it should be formally taught in schools so that, in time no-one would be able “not” to drive…if however they chose to, or used their money differently that would clearly be their choice rather than being hampered by an inability to do it…”
I have to say that I agree with this; learning the rules of the road is important, but I do not think that it goes far enough. In a similar way that we are often taught about how to write a successful CV and how best to act in an interview, I believe that driving falls under the same category. Driving encompasses both the personal and the professional side of someones life, while also providing prominent risks.
I believe that young people deserve to be taught about something we interact with all the time
Across the UK, more and more ‘young drive’ experiences are cropping up all over the place; my first ever driving lesson took place on the ‘Young Drive Experience’ at Brands Hatch race track of all places. As a 12 year old, it was the most exciting thing I had ever done. What made it so good was that it was in essentially a simulated environment with minimized risk, but it was the same sensation as any driving experience. I remember back to my early school years when we would be taken to the local swimming pool to learn how to swim. I was always told that everyone should at least know how to swim and then choose not to do it. If driving isn’t ‘relevant’ to be taught in schools, may I ask one question; how many times do you find yourself having to swim to work? If swimming is taught so the skills are obtained, then it should be the same with driving. After all, people drive a hell of lot of more than they swim.
I have often spent many an hour, writing many a rant on some of the stupidity I encounter on the road. I find myself wondering whether these people have either (not so) common sense or a shred of intelligence. It seems others on the internet take a similar view to me on such issues, and clearly the idea of teaching road safety and driving in schools is nothing but a good plan:
“I can only dream for a time when the skills of the average driver are on a par with the writing, mathematical and analytical skills of the average school leaver!”
Of course not everyone shares the same views on this issue. Some believe that driving is not something that needs to be taught, which means schools can focus on the more important aspects:
“But you don’t need to drive. Far better really if people didn’t, for the environment really. If people are happy enough to take public transport then that’s great. Far better to teach first aid, finance, proper cooking etc”
While naturally I have nothing but respect to opinions such as these, the examples that were provided as things that were ‘far better’ to teach could also be classified under the same banner as driving. Surely not everyone needs to be able to cook, there are other options. Online banking and accountants are making handling our finances easier and not personally necessary. The same could also be said about first aid; it is not (hopefully) a constant need and there are those (paramedics) that are already trained in such things. Where I am not trying to belittle any of these elements; they are all in there own way vital to a healthy and successful lifestyle and I do believe they should be taught. But technically speaking the same argument can be applied to those as driving. Therefore, either none of these should really be taught in schools or (and this is the more likely) they all deserve their rightful place in the education system.
Career in the Dubai police force? I bet you want to learn about cars now..
I believe that this is an important issue that does need some proper discussion and debate. This article serves more as an introduction to what I believe is a much wider issue.
I will be following this up with further posts about how in detail, I think cars (and motorsport) can be integrated into the school system in a way that is not only beneficial to the development of young people, but make education something more engaging.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this.
Follow me on Twitter @lewisglynn69 for more updates
Keep Driving (and learning!) People!
Peace and Love!
Shot with a Silver Arrow: Have Mercedes cracked the future?
Driving us into the darkness. The Mercedes F015 concept.
The recent New Year celebrations not only gave us the chance to wave a fond farewell to 2014, but it has opened our eyes to a whole new chapter. The past has been left behind. It is time to look forward into the abyss. It is the the single unknown that humanity cannot truly understand or predict; it is the future. In the dazzling lights of Las Vegas, surrounded by the vast Nevada desert the world has taken its first glimpse into what lies ahead. Mercedes have released the F015 Luxury In Motion concept that presents a vision of autonomous cars, powered by a hydrogen cell and electric motors. What I want to look into is not the technical specifications of this dream machine, but instead understanding the accessibility and utilization of future technologies. Have Mercedes cracked the future?
Specification Breakdown of the F015
– Development complete by around 2030
– 268 BHP, 0-62 mph in 6.7 seconds, zero emissions
– Theoretical range of 684 miles
– 4 doors
– Completely autonomous operating system that can be used instead of manual control
– Maximise the interior space through creating a lounge interior
– Interior to transform into a digital activity space through multiple monitors, sensors and cameras
– Launch of artificial intelligence to build trust between car and driver
– Control through gesture, touch and eye tracking sensors
– Exterior scanners and communication with pedestrians and other road users
The Digital Activity Space inside the F015 will revolutionise travel. Image Credit: motorauthority.com
In reference to this paradigm shifting concept car, Mercedes Benz boss Dieter Zetsche believes that this car will transcend beyond its role as a mode of transport into a complete mobile living space. The key to this evolution is the rise of artificial intelligence; the car will be able to operate fully by itself with no input from the driver through the use of sophisticated cameras and sensors that connect to the central drive system. If this concept can come to fruition, those childhood fantasies and films may finally become a reality. However, with all these technological advantages, humanity may be forced to put all their trust into a completely autonomous machine. Even though the car can be driven manually, when the car is in self-driving mode the ‘user’ does not have to worry about driving at all.
Speaking as a driver (through both necessity and passion), I believe that an autonomous vehicle will be met with a great deal of skepticism and a severe distrust. My first concern revolves around the reliability of any system, whether this be of the mechanical or computerized type. Online banking for example has eased the day to day stresses of banking, allowing us to check financial statements and make important payments on the move or in the comfort of our own home. However, online banking has opened up the avenues for computer hackers who steal our money right from under our noses without leaving a single finger print. If that example was not enough for you, then let us try this for size.
Have you ever been working away on your computer, Candy Crush-ing your brains out on your tablet or updating your Facebook status on your phone and the whole thing just well, stops? Computer systems are getting ever more elaborate and sophisticated, but every now and again they will still go wrong. I guess it is very similar to how the human body can operate at maximum potential for most of the time and then spontaneously you malfunction and you are hit with the snot-sneeze-snort-laugh-sick in the mouth. Could you honestly say that if you were left in the hands of a computer to drive you around, that you would not be worried about this computer having a snot-sneeze-snort-laugh-sick in the mouth? When a computer freezes, you can restart them, but what if a car froze at 70mph down the motor way?
Most importantly, Zetsche said that this new concept would change the car from just transportation into a mobile living space, but I believe that the F015 is not really needed for that. For anyone who loves driving, the car is already more than just a mode of transport; your car is an extension of your personality. Something magical happens when you get behind the wheel and you do feel a deep surge from within you. There is not much that beats that feeling, of you, the car and the road. Not only that, but one cannot forget the trouser crossing feeling you get when you look at some of the metallic goddesses that have been created; Aston Martins, Alfa Romeos and Morgans to name but a few.
The Google self-driving car is the anti-drivers car, in both look and feel. I will admit that the F015 is definitely an improvement, but despite its futuristic awesome look I would still take something like a Porsche 911 or an Aston Martin DB9 any day of the week.
If we are going to have self driving cars, let us at least get them right
I will never cease to be astounded by the classic German efficiency in dealing with issues before any one else even realizes they exist in the first place. And in the case of the F015 concept it is business as usual; the head of design at Mercedes Gordon Wagener has understood the concerns of the modern motorist and suggested theories to overcome this.
“Car makers will be differentiated by how they use the technology. There are lots of smartphone manufacturers, but only one Apple. At Mercedes we want to define modern luxury, and the technology cannot be overwhelming”
The key is accessibility and relate-ability of the technology to the customer. Wagener has suggested that the key to the future is harnessing the technology in a way that does not overpower or intimidate the passenger. The overall aim of course is to make Mercedes THE brand name you associate with this new technology. You don’t use a vacuum cleaner, you use a hoover. You don’t use a ball point, you use a biro. You don’t use a smartphone, you use Apple. Therefore, you don’t use any autonomous vehicle; you use a Mercedes.
Will we ever have a little car with a heart? Image Credit: herbiemania.com
If there were two key areas central to the development, they are of course design and materials. This may be the basic specifications, but Mercedes have understood that these variables must be linked by a rational constant; simplicity of interaction. The key to the success of this concept is the ease in which passengers can understand and use the car. In many cases, a great leap forward is often presented in a situation that may baffle and intimidate the user; it is an understandable reaction as there is an inbuilt human reaction to fear what we are not familiar with (or do not understand). Therefore, instead of multi-layered majestic complexity, Mercedes are aiming for minimalist simplicity.
“Our concept is about taking things away – having an overly exaggerated face or aggressive headlights won’t send the right message. You don’t want an autonomous car to look like it’s going to chase down the motorway; that doesn’t lend trust or look cool. Cars will need to look trustworthy and use all of the technology in a very useable way”
It is very easy to repeatedly add elements to blind your audience with the bright lights and the loud music; the real skill is being able to take things away in order to create a more finely honed finished product. If Mercedes are to succeed, then trust will be the final frontier they must conquer. Think of this like Iron Man; you can possess all the money and all the latest technology that the world can conjure, but until you receive the trust of those you are serving, you will never truly succeed.
We may be sometime from bringing the stories of Herbie and Knight Rider to life, but the world of artificial intelligence is closer than we think. As it stands the F015 is nothing more than a concept, and will more than likely fall into the invisibility of time like many of these designs do. However, if this truly is the future, it will change the world of motoring forever. And honestly, if there was one car manufacturer from anywhere in the world that may just pull this off, they would be German, and they would be Mercedes (or maybe Audi).
Let me know your views on autonomous vehicles! Follow me on Twitter @lewisglynn69!
Keep Driving People!
Peace and Love!
Talk The Torque: Mitsubishi ASX XLS Diesel
Around a decade or so ago, Mitsubishi released, in Australia, the Lancer based Outlander. It very quickly morphed into a bigger, more stylish vehicle than the compact and edgy original, leaving Mitsubishi without a smallish SUV styled vehicle. Some years later, the Lancer based ASX was released (and shared with Citroen and Peugeot). It started off as a semi harpish angled, petrol engined only machine and in 2015 is a softened slightly, diesel optioned chariot. A Wheel Thing talks to the torquey diesel ASX AWD.
Powersource.
Oddly, that diesel is a 2.2L, rather than a possibly more logical 1.8L. 
The caveat here is simple: it’s only available with the selectable AWD (in Mitsubishi speak, AWC or All Wheel Control) system, in the LS and XLS variant (the XLS does come in 2WD petrol as well). The petrol engines spin 110kW at 6000 revs, the diesel has the same power but 2500 revs lower. Naturally, it talks the torque with a more than handy 360 Newton metres between 1500 to 2750 rpm, shading the petrol’s twist of 197Nm at 4200 rpm. Mitsubishi quotes a combined consumption figure of 5.8L per 100 kilometres driven, from a 60 litre tank. I’d call that a range of 1000 kilometres (under the ideal driving circumstances, of course…). Perhaps Mitsubishi were looking at the economy vs weight, as the ASX XLS is 1530 kilos dry.
The Suit.
As did the Outlander originally, ASX has a resemblance to the host car (Lancer) at the front. The trapezoidal grille stands proud, identifying the 
ASX as a member of the Lancer family. The XLS tested comes with an AWD system, but the height of the car is that of the new breed of small SUVs, in that there’s a little bit of extra clearance but certainly nothing like, say, an Outlander. It’s squat, boxy in basic design, with enough curves to soften the overall impression. There’s been LED driving lights 
added at the front, wrapping the globe lit lights the ASX has had since release (bar the entry level) and, on the XLS, rolls on 215/60 Dunlop licorice wrapping some truly good looking ten spoke alloys. If you stand on a small ladder you’ll then notice a (almost) full length glass roof, with a curtain that rolls back at the touch of a button. Red LED lights add a nightclub style look, especially under dark skies. The test car was clad in Mitsubishi’s deep metallic red.
On The Inside.
You’d be hard pressed to pick it, unsurprisingly, from the donor Lancer car. It seats four comfortably, has a reasonable amount of room, colour LCD display for the driver with variable info displayed, chromed dials for the aircon, the flip out touchscreen with audio 
and satnav and the awkwardly placed (unusual for Mitsubuishi) heated seating switches, planted on the rear inside plastic centre console, right next to the seatbelt lock. It’s black on black for the trim’s lower half with the upper half a shade of beige. The rear seat is the now standard 60/40 split fold but rear cargo space is limited.
Drive selection is via paddle shifts on the steering column or traditional gear shift with sports mode.
Audio wise, the XLS has the Rockford Fosgate system; it’s clear, punchy and will accept Bluetooh, USB and Auxiliary inputs, plus CD behind the fold up LCD navitainment screen. The plastics look ok however the overall ambiance is lacking compared to other vehicles in its class; it’s the standard ripple effect over the dash and doors, with a strip of brushed alloy look just above the chromed dials for the aircon and all housed in piano black. It’s no longer groundbreaking or out of the ordinary.
On The Road.
Turbo lag is and will, more than likely, continue to be the bane of single turbo charged engines. The 2.2L diesel in the XLS has it in spades with 
all throttle applications seeing the ASX waiting before it launches. Being a front wheel drive chariot (with a lockable AWD system in this), a hard launch will have the front tyres scrabbling for grip. It’s a traditional, torque converter style, six speed auto in the XLS, to deal with the mountainous torque available so low down, yet felt as if it was programmed to act like a CVT, with hesitation from Reverse to Drive and acceleration had the same CVT feel. Steering was light and the suspension wasn’t overly confidence inspiring, with the initial softish ride seeming to go into a compressed, hard mode too early on some 
surfaces, making the ride feel skittish and unrefined. Towing is ok for its class, up to 1400 kg (braked).
The AWC system is engaged via a console mounted button, lights up a symbol on the dash but, really, didn’t feel as if there was a noticeable change in handling. Apart from the torque steer, it’s overall a neutral and predictable, if somewhat bland package.
Rolling acceleration is rapid, thanks again to that torque spread, however I’d prefer to see that spread moved up the rev range by 500 or so revs to increase the overall driveability.
The Wrap.
It’s currently, arguably, the second newest design in the Mitsubishi garage, after the Mirage sedan and hatch, yet is somewhat held back by the Lancer underpinnings. The exterior design is unoffensive as is the interior although the full glass roof is a nice luxury touch. The diesel is possibly the highlight, offering around six litres per one hundred kilometres covered; it’s quiet, refined, pulls like a train but is geared to provide torque, in my opinion, a touch too low in the rev range, with torque steer an issue, given the absurdly low starting point for all of that torque through the front driven wheels.
Although it seats four, the compact dimensions (just 4295 mm long with a wheelbase of only 2670 mm) preclude any truly usable rear cargo space when four are seated (just 393L), however that little issue is negated, naturally, if only two people at most intend to be passengers.
Although fitted with a switchable AWD system, the ride height of under 20cm unladen would also limit any off road usage to smooth gravel style roads, although the diesel, with that aforementioned torque, would probably haul the ASX over some mild rocky terrain if driven judiciously.
For my money, the ASX and its French badged brethren are what’s wrong and right with the smaller SUV category: wrong because they’ re really not used as an SUV and at the cost of a sedan’s usage, right because they do provide a cost effective and smaller packaged solution for those that may not need the next step up.
At the time of writing, Mitsubishi Australia had some pricing specials available across the range, with a driveaway price starting from $24990 for the entry level up to $36990 for the diesel XLS.
Head across to http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com.au/vehicles/asx to price up your ASX.
For other pricing options, chat to us at Private Fleet.
The Car: Mitsubishi ASX XLS.
Engine: 2.2L diesel.
Transmission: six speed automatic, non CVT.
Tank: 60L.
Consumption: 5.8L/100 kms (claimed).
Weight: 1530 kg (unladen)
Dimensions: 4295 x 1770 x 1625 (L x W x H in mm).
Wheelbase: 2670 mm.
Cargo: 393L.
Level 2, 9 Help Street