Cars have been pretty stupid in the past, even with all of the computerization and automation that has come in recent model cars. They still can’t diagnose and fix themselves. Most cannot drive without a person controlling them. And, worst of all, they offer pretty complex features that many drivers can’t understand, and thus can’t use.

Over the last several years, cars have been more and more software-defined; Tesla is the best-kown example. We now have automobile capabilities that can be downloaded and installed, such as to provide added range or self-driving capabilities. You just have to look at who is entering the auto game—technology companies such as Apple and Google. We’ll be driving tech, not just vehicles.

As cars become more software-defined, they are becoming more and more cloud-connected. Although they run software from the car’s core computer, they will increasingly communicate with a cloud-based mothership that typically provides the following capabilities:

• Data patterns supporting accurate diagnostics based on thousands of other cars having the same problem, as well as recommended solutions.
• Safety data, such as self-reporting of breakdown and accidents.
• Automatic scheduling of proactive maintenance, including cars driving themselves to the repair shop in the wee hours of the night while you sleep.
• Performance enhancements based on driving habits, location, altitude, and even local laws and regulations.

In short, we’ll be driving 3,000-pound cloud-connected internet of things (IoT) devices that can move at 100 miles per hour, adjust themselves, and operate without us. Cars will be software platforms, not just engines, transmissions, and steering.

You might think this shift will make something that is now simple into something complex. That’s true at one level, but it’s false at a different level. Those old simple cars of my youth required constant care. Today’s much more complex vehicles require just a minimum level, with 10,000-mile oil changes and 100,000-mile tune-ups. We’re moving to close to zero maintenance, and the maintenance you do need will be largely automated.

Cloud-based systems will control much of this, if not all of this. Are you ready for cloud cars?

Aluminum is a tremendously valuable material. It is strong, lightweight, and relatively inexpensive. Applications include everything from airplanes to soda cans and the foil in which we bake potatoes. Automakers have recently begun making vehicles out of it in order to reduce weight and improve fuel economy. But, it turns out, there’s another, more direct way that aluminum can help address our energy challenges. Few people have looked at aluminum as a fuel. Yes, that’s right, a fuel—and a renewable one at that. Aluminum contains a great deal of energy, which is why it has been used as a rocket propellant dating back to the 1950s. In fact, according to Josiah Nelson, CEO and co-founder of Trolysis, “Aluminum is one of the most energy-dense fuels on the planet.” The problem is, as everyday experience tells us, you can’t simply strike a match and expect aluminum to burn. It’s not as simple as that.

When fuels burn, they oxidize rapidly—usually in air, giving off energy in a flame that produces heat and light. Nelson’s company has figured out a way to burn aluminum in water with a very interesting result. When pure aluminum is placed in contact with water, it aggressively combines with oxygen to form aluminum oxide (alumina), giving off hydrogen and heat in the process. That hydrogen can then be fed into a fuel cell to produce clean electricity. This represents an alternative to producing hydrogen through traditional electrolysis, hence the company name. You’ve never seen this happen when placing an aluminum pot in the sink because once pure aluminum comes into contact with air, it immediately forms a protective oxide layer. Scientists have known about this potential use of aluminum for a long time. But the problems of removing that oxide layer, as well as sustaining the oxidation reaction, have thwarted any attempts to successfully harness this potential—until now.

After working on this problem for nearly four years, Nelson and his team at Trolysis are at the point where they are finally moving the technology into their first product. It should, according to Nelson, hit the market in 12-18 months. An on-board chemical process involving an undisclosed catalyst removes the oxide layer. The large amount of heat given off—and the fact that the aluminum is never in contact with air during the reaction-—prevents a new oxide layer from establishing itself. The first products will be energy sources aimed at mission-critical applications. The aluminum oxidation process is paired with an internal fuel cell that converts the hydrogen into electricity. Water vapor is the only emission, though the aluminum oxide powder must also be removed periodically and returned for recycling. Ultimately, the company has its eyes on three commercial areas: utilities, homes, and electric vehicles. Says Nelson, “We've been able to overcome a tremendous number of engineering challenges to the point where we can now compete, on a cost basis, with any of the current methods for producing hydrogen or electricity.”

The energy produced can be considered renewable, as that aluminum oxide can be turned back into aluminum at 99.9% purity with the addition of energy. It lends itself well as a supplement to solar or wind systems because it can produce power on demand in less than a minute. Water is also required, though approximately half the water is recycled. In the household power system, a small amount of hydrogen is maintained in the tank to provide electricity during the process ramp-up. The result is virtually instantaneous response. Utilities can use it for load-leveling and frequency regulation, where it is far faster and less expensive than traditional fossil fuel “peaker plants.” The ultimate goal is to power an electric car. The fill-up would involve adding a number of small aluminum rods and topping up the water level. According to Nelson, roughly $5 worth of aluminum would take a car from Seattle to San Francisco. From a cost standpoint—given the efficiency of electric propulsion and assuming $3/gallon—that would be equivalent to gasoline at nearly 500 miles per gallon. Says Nelson, “This is renewable power that, unlike solar or wind, can be turned on with the flip of a switch.”

Many of the technological challenges have been solved, while a number of additional challenges remain. One of these is establishing a supply chain to bring the aluminum to the point of use as well as recycling it, which, in itself, can provide an excellent way to store renewable energy from solar or wind. Still, this technology—if it can reach scale—has the potential to be a game-changer in the energy business.

Increasingly, concept cars are popping up without mirrors. For example, Kia is expected to roll out a sleek station wagon with no side mirrors. Similarly, Tesla earlier this year provided a glimpse of its Model Y crossover concept, which featured no rear-view mirrors. And BMW unveiled a mirrorless design on an i8 concept car in 2016.

Engineers recently studied automotive mirrors using computational fluid dynamics software and concluded that mirrorless designs would improve the average vehicle’s aerodynamics by about 6%. If spread across all US vehicles, that improvement would save a stunning 145 million gallons of fuel every year.

In 2016 BMW showed off its i8 Mirrorless concept, which uses two small cameras in aerodynamic holders, and a third mounted on the rear windshield. Images from the cameras are projected on a high-res display suspended from the front windshield. In a press release, BMW declared, “Dangerous blindspots have been consigned to the past.”

Still, government approval is needed in order for automakers to take the concepts to production. In 2016, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) approved the Cadillac CT6’s “hybrid” display, which combines a mirror and camera, but it has yet to bless a complete mirrorless design. Some engineers hope the agency will follow the lead of Japan, which last year approved rules to allow automakers to replace vehicle mirrors with cameras. Government approval, however, is just one of the hurdles facing the technology.

One problem with electronic displays is that they present a two-dimensional image. More important, however, is the human eye’s need to readjust to an electronic display. That constant re-focusing becomes a problem for many drivers. Software glitches also present a potential dilemma. If an electronic display fails on a mirrorless car, drivers could potentially be left without rearward vision. Moreover, display cost is an issue, too, especially in entry-level cars.

If replacement happens, many believe the side mirrors will be the first to go. The protuberances are ugly, create aerodynamic drag, and their associated blind spots are the bane of parking-challenged drivers everywhere and for those reasons, mirrors are increasingly being considered for extinction.

Everyone has a dream:

- 0-62mpg 3.2 seconds
- Top speed 245 mph
- 806 bhp

Price: only $695,000.00

Details: http://www.koenigsegg.se