Next Generation Cars

Whenever we imagine the future, there's always a car in the picture: the self-driving car, the flying car, the wheel-less elevated car, and what have you.

Perhaps, this fascination we all share for futuristic cars is one reason why, when it comes to the car of the future, the future is here and now. The driverless car, the flying car, and a host of other amazing cars most of us have only dared to dream about are already in existence.

The Flying Car

If you saw it in action, you wouldn't even know it's a car. With those wings and those tiny wheels, the Transition flying through the air looks more like a tiny airplane than anything else.

But it is a car nonetheless. The moment it lands, you can fold up its wings and drive it through suburban streets or city highways. It will turn heads nonetheless because of its very unusual appearance. Its wheels, for one, are much smaller than a regular car's. If they were any bigger, they would make the car too heavy to fly.

The Transition can carry two passengers and can only be driven legally by somebody who has both a driver's license and a pilot's license. Alas, if you get stuck on traffic, you still can't use your flying car to fly away from it all as this baby needs a good, long, empty runway to take off, just like any old plane.

The Driverless Car

The Driverless Car is one of Google Inc.'s lesser known innovations. It uses a combination of sensor and software to know where it is, what is around it, and where it is going. For navigation, it uses - what else? - Google Maps!

To facilitate the eventual public use of their car, Google has been lobbying for driverless car laws, and in 2011, such a law governing the use of driverless cars was passed in the US state of Nevada. In May 2012, Nevada issued its first license for the operation of a driverless car.

Amid concerns as to the safety of such a car, Google has assured the public that none of its driverless cars has ever been involved in an accident - at least, not while it was on driverless mode. The company admits that one of its driverless cars had in fact been involved in a five-car collision in 2011; it asserts, however, that at that time, the car was being operated by a human driver.

The Super-Fast Electric Car

Electric cars are old news, but to date, we have learned to manage our expectations on how fast they can go and how long their batteries will last. The Keio Advanced Zero-Emission Vehicle Eliica, however, is set to challenge those expectations.

This four-seater eight-wheel car can travel up to 125 miles on a single charge and can reach speeds of up to 230 mph. It can go from 0 to 62 mph in just 4.1 seconds. It's so fast, it has broken records set by gasoline-powered cars.

Of course, all that power needs batteries. The car's entire floor area is packed with lithium-ion batteries, which take 10 hours to go from empty to full charge.

Bestop Jeep Tops

It's summer and what better time for an off-road adventure in your jeep. The sun's rays are beaming down on you, and the blast of the air keeps you from overheating. As you move through rocky terrain, there's nothing to separate you from outside. But on the horizon, you see dark clouds coming up, getting closer and closer, absorbing the warmth of the sun and then rain comes pouring down, drenching you to your vehicle. Worst case scenario here is that you have important cargos inside. There is only one way to avoid these incident...and that's to invest into a jeep tops!
Weather is ever changing, which is a great reason why a Jeep Soft Top is well worth the investment. Jeep Tops can be put on and off within minutes and will keep cargo and other precious items safe. At 4WheelOnline.com you'll find the largest selection of styles and colors of Jeep Tops that will fit essentially fit every Jeep make or model. Below are some of the more popular Bestop Jeep Soft Tops.
Bestop Replace-A-Top: Bestop is one of the trusted brands when it comes to jeep tops. Bestop Replace-A-Top consists of fabric and windows. These Jeep Soft Top are held to factory standards to ensure quality, durability, and structural integrity. When you buy a Jeep Replace-A-Top, you can count on getting the best top on the market.
Bestop Replace-a-Top Sailcloth: If you want superior fabric material, the Bestop Replace-a-Top Sailcloth is perfect for you. It provides better insulation and temperature control, and it holds shape better over time. It also has the ability to reduces highway noise by up to 50%. This top is ideal in cold and hot areas for it will be able to keep temperature comfortable and will not shrink under the harsh weather conditions.
Bestop Supertop: The Bestop Supertop is another great choice because it comes with the windows, fabric, and the hardware that will need to be installed. Many other soft jeep tops don't come with the hardware because they assume you already have it from a previous top. It also comes with zip-out replaceable windows and a fabric that helps it retain its shape in all temperatures.
Sunrider: Jeeps are known for the experience behind the wheel; cruising the open roads while the wind is brushing up against your skin. The Sunrider is ideal for those people who like to feel the freedom in their hands. With this Jeep Top, drivers will be able to have the protection from the weather yet enjoy the breeze with the flip-back sunroof. The Sunrider is easy to install and will give meet all your expectations.
Tigertop: If you're really into vintage Jeeps, then the Tigertop is your ideal jeep top for you. It gives you the benefits of today's technological advances while maintaining a classic vintage style, making this jeep top the restorer's dream.
Pavement Ends: This kind of jeep top is inexpensive and is great for those who are looking for a great deal. The replacement top sticks to the basics structure and will provide great coverage. Some other benefits that this Jeep Soft Tops has is the ability to transform it into a sunroof.
Whats sets Bestop apart from other jeep tops is their durable, resilient materials. Bestop Jeep Tops is made from marine grade fabric; they just don't get any harder. As such, it's more resistant to discoloration and stretching, and is less vulnerable to the effects of the weather.

What You Should Know Before Buying Auto Rims

Most people are proud of the car they own, mainly due to the brand it belongs to and the enormous capacity of the car engine. However, a brawny engine and a sleek car body also need to be coupled with auto rims for a fantastic driving experience. For the uninitiated, a wheel rim or an auto rim is nothing but the metal wheel that is used to mount the tire in any car. These rims are intended for fitting the tire on your car for a smooth ride downhill as well as for enduring any kind of unexpected acceleration, turns and braking while driving. Of course, these functions are in addition to lending elegance and character to the car.
Now that we all know about the functionality that auto rims offer, we must exercise caution while selecting them for our car. We usually find auto rims for sale online or with the car dealers. Now the question arises- should you go for aftermarket rims or used car rims? Before coming to any conclusion, we must first get educated about both these options.
While aftermarket rims are intended for improving the car's operation and looks in general, we cannot deny the fact that these oversized rims simply don't serve as "eye-candy". These rims look like they have landed straight out of a superhero movie and moreover, they are known to reduce the vehicle's capability to take a turn, accelerate and primarily to apply brakes. Such car rims weigh much more than the regular ones and slow down the car suspension reaction and accuracy. A lightweight auto rim leads to comfortable rides and lets you install supple shock absorbers that are preferred by car racing professionals.
Regarding used car rims, we must consider the fact that these wheels have been already exploited while they were installed in some car earlier. Though they are low-cost and you might think that you bagged a good deal at the secondhand rim retailer, never forget that what you are paying for does not include any warranty. This also means that in case of any unfortunate incident, you will go through mental trauma with a hole in your pocket.
If you are looking for auto wheels and rims that are cost-effective and perform well at the same time, you can explore the option of re-manufactured rims. These rims are made using old rims and worked upon so that the car owner is satisfied with their functioning. Moreover, they do not cost as much as new auto rims and might come with a warranty too.
While going for new car rims, always consider recycling your old tires and rims. The car rims are made of metal and can be taken to any scrap metal recycling center for processing. So whatever kind of auto rims you opt for, try to do your bit for our environment at the same time.

The author is a freelance article writer with articles on varied subjects.

A Brief History of Seatbelts

The seatbelt is one of the great inventions of the last century. With this simple addition to cars, millions of lives have been saved. It is now the law in Canada and most of the United States that people must "buckle up" while in the car.
When I say that the seatbelt is one of the greatest inventions of the last century, I should clarify that seatbelts in cars and specifically the 3 point seatbelt are the great inventions. The first seatbelt was actually invented in 1885 for people being raised or lowered off the ground. And in 1911, Benjamin Foulois invented a seatbelt to attach to his saddle while riding a horse. It wasn't until the early 1950s, when Dr. Hunter Shelden made significant contributions to the retractable seatbelts and other car safety measures were cars equipped with properly working seatbelts. In 1958, the first car with standard seatbelts was released by the Swedish company Saab. Saab proved to be leaders on this as other car manufacturers soon followed.
The modern seatbelt is made of webbing fabric and has 3 points, one on each side of the lap, and one above the driver's left shoulder. This is proven to be the safest design in seatbelts over several studies. The 3 point was invented in 1955 by Roger Griswold and Hugh DeHaven. Volvo, who have developed and maintained the image of the safest automobile manufacturer in the world, furthered the design and put it into their 1959 vehicles.
Seatbelts still aren't worn by many people in all parts of the world. Why is that? Studies definitively show that seatbelts reduce deaths in car accidents where cars are traveling under 60 miles per hour a huge amount, almost eliminating them. So the science is pretty bulletproof. Is it because cars are seen as a removal of constraints of non-mechanized transportation, so people don't want to have to constrain themselves all over again? Lots of people who grew up without seatbelts find them uncomfortable as well. While younger generations seem to put seatbelts on and accept them as a part of riding in cars. Maybe the problem is the physics behind seatbelts is too abstract for some people, therefore they cannot visualize or perceive properly how much safer wearing a seatbelt makes them while driving.
In any case, seatbelts have greatly improved the safety of people across the world and deserves to be celebrated as innovation in its truest and best sense.

How To Decorate Your Car With Hubcaps

Your car is a work of art. You have poured blood, sweat, tears and thousands of dollars into it so it can always look its best. From a new steering wheel cover to new back seat covers and even seatbelt pads you have given it the full works on the interior. You just sprang for a bright new paint job and all that's left to complete this masterpiece is the perfect choice of hubcaps. The best part is that this is one of the easiest DIY jobs you can do on your car. With these simple shiny almost magical snap-on discs your car can become a new creature in seconds. Poof, shazam!
Most factory vehicles roll off the assembly line with the stock wheel covers and that's a good thing, otherwise people would just end up driving around with ugly naked wheel wells. The stock wheel covers don't really have that personal flair that drivers want and are pretty generic but they do fulfill their temporary purpose which is to cover the wheel well's nakedness until a suitable replacement is found, and today the choices are endless.
Now more than ever online retailers offer a variety of hubcaps to choose from. In terms of decor you can match any sensibility or specific taste from sophisticated to whimsical and playful. The more masculine and edgy modern designs are works of art in themselves featuring intricate patterns that shock the senses.
Even if you had your heart set on rims you can get hubcaps that look just like rims and you can stay ahead of the game by paying a fraction of the price to get the same look. A fraction of the effort to install is, of course, an added bonus where you can still get the quality you want. What's more hubcaps are lightweight so that you can get added fuel efficiency compared to heavier rims. Less fuel consumption means fewer stops at the gas pump so you can stay within your budget.
Hubcaps create drama and give your car added personality. It's not just to keep debris from getting into your wheel well it's a statement to the world that you are here and it puts your unique stamp on your ride. They get you noticed so that both you and your car are taken seriously. Choosing the right wheel covers to complete your customization shows that you have vision, can execute that vision and are a creative force to be reckoned with.