Car Computers - Making the Driving Experience Easier

By Zach Jacobs

Cars have come a very long way since they were invented. Owning a car was once considered a luxury. For other car brands, it still. Yet, for most car owners, they opted to get a car for practical reasons.

Nowadays, even luxury cars have to concede with the manufacturing demands brought by political and environmental reasons. These scenarios resulted to the cars? environmental friendly and fuel efficiency nature to address these areas.

Once conceptualized by science fiction, electric cars became a reality. However, there are problem areas such as the mileage in which manufacturers resorted to go on with a combustion engine which runs in fuel with a different mix. The end result is the hybrid ? a mixture of both electrically and engine-driven cars which are controlled by car computers to get the right combination of electricity and other fuel products to make the engine efficient.

All the new cars released in the market today are considered hybrids in either parallel or series configuration. In some instances, both are utilized. There are cars which yield fuel efficiency and at the same time, comply with the standards required by the environmental laws.

New car models released yearly are becoming more and more complex in terms of their operations. Most of them come with car computers which control the electro-mechanical functions. The car gauges that can be seen on the dashboard tell the car?s overall wellness which includes the tire condition, cabin and cruise control. These computers are also present even on models at lower costs.

The engine control unit (ECU) is a type of computer which uses 32-bit microprocessors which deals with the gathering of data from different car sensors to monitor the general performance of the car engine. It does calculations to determine operations such as the correct fuel mix and the best spark timing. Aside from engine optimization, the ECU also makes sure that you will get the best mileage and with the very least emission possible.

For SUVs, the operation can be more complex than other cars. What you can see on the dashboard is a computer panel that shows the data through LCD screens instead of the mechanical gauges. The sensors are also more complicated as they will tell you what doors are unlocked, the entertainment and the air cooling/heating system. The computers will also serve as a guide in which gear shifts and cruise controls should be used.

Basing on the fast trend of development in cars, we are expecting to see the intelligent car. These cars are very strict when it comes to security which includes keyless access, driver identification, as well as GPS monitoring and total shutdown once the car gets stolen. - 21396

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The car is the most used type of transportation for most people today, but often the driver of a car is not well educated on the instrument cluster. Today's car computers have made the cluster very advanced and full of helpful knowledge that could be helpful to the driver if they knew more about the instrument panel.

Cheap GPS Systems-How To Find A Cheap System

By Daniel Faust

There are so many GPS systems out developed by the top manufacturers, so it is possible to find Cheap GPS systems. When looking for a cheap one you want to find one that is aimed toward your typical every day driver and not someone who needs to travel a lot for business and what not.

The good news for you is that competition is getting very heavy right now for the top companies so in order to be able to keep up they need to lower their prices. As of right now, there is no company out there that dominates over all the other companies so it doesn't matter what brand you get. Below we will go over some of the companies cheapest systems.

Garmin

One thing that makes the Garmin so popular is it's interface. It is super simple to use and navigate. The Garmin Nuvi 250 series is currently the cheapest system but are starting to become a bit old and out dated. But we have heard a few rumors saying that they will be creating a new series to replace the 250 series and offer it for the same price. The best thing about Garmins is they have a lot of POI's (Points of Interest)

Lowrance

If the Lowrance brand has been known for anything, it is the fact that they offer extremely cheap GPS systems that offer a good quality. This system of GPS is easy to set up and has a very user friendly interface. The bad part about these systems is the fact that they have a very short battery life.

Magellan

Magellan's have always been known to produce incredible systems. They offer great, cheap GPS systems. However, if you are going to get a Magellan it is highly recommended that you get the Roadmap series. This series has a very cool built in text to speech ability. - 21396

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Each company has great Cheap GPS Systems. If you are interested in learning more tips about finding a system for cheap then Click Here

Driving Sense Can Put Real Dollars In Your Pockets

By John Robertson

Nowadays with the price of fuel and the cost of everything else, people are talking about how to cut down and save. Gas consumption is also coming under the spotlight and the easiest ways to save gas is learning to drive slower, at a constant speed and avoid any stop start traffic where you can. How much can this really help though?

You might think that this is impossible, but in actual fact you can save money by what is known as hypermiling. This kind of driving is done by taking it easy and not being aggressive when you drive. Speeding up to much or slowing down too quickly can all take more gas than is necessary. The best way to save money when are driving is to keep your speed constant and to also drive easily.

If you also avoid accelerating rapidly and breaking rapidly you will further reduce your gas mileage by 33 percent if you are on the highway. An aggressive driver will pay the penalties, so learning to calm down on the road, will allow you to save more than 80 gallons of gas per year or about $260.

When you begin to look into the different ways you can save money by driving carefully you will notice that they actually work. Aside from driving more calmly you can also save money by checking your car. If you are driving around on worn tires you will actually be using more gas. You should always follow the manufacturer's recommended PSI for tires.

Another way to extend the mileage on your car is to use the correct oil that is made for your car. This will prevent wear and tear on the parts of your car and help you to save money. In fact this will help you save between 1 and 3 percent of your gas usage.

Don't own a car lease a car, which means that you do not need to pay for the maintenance of the car, you can get a new car every week, or every month and who does not want to drive a new car all the time? If you do not want to lease a car, you could buy a car, but be smart as to how you buy a car.

If you are looking to get your car financed, that is fine, but you will have to do it and relook at it every few months. It is called consolidating your debt, but only with your car. Which will then just make it refinancing your car? The way it works, is that if you get a new loan, you will get the offer that looks best, no interest for the first six months, or the lowest interest rate for 12 months, these deals are great, and they can work to your advantage.

Take the deal that will save you money at the beginning, then when the beginning is done, refinance you old loan, by taking out a new loan to pay balance of the old loan, and the new loan will have a twelve months low interest rate too, which will see you paying a low interest rate until you have paid off your loan. - 21396

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Relieve the Stress of Driving in the Dark with Expert Motoring Advice

By Ethan Melandri

Night driving can be demanding, even exhausting, due to the reduction in sight and the possible dangers that can be found on the road. Other drivers may also have difficulty seeing, which can become a problem for you. The roads during the night hours do tend to be less travelled, though, thus you might enjoy more autonomy.

Before setting out for a night drive it is a good idea to check that your headlights are clean and function correctly. This is also true, and a legal requirement, for your sidelights as well as your number plate lights. Headlight alignment is very important as incorrectly aligned headlights can irritate or dazzle other road users. If you suspect your headlights are misaligned arrange for them to be tested and reset by a qualified auto mechanic.

A factor in the alignment of your headlamps can be a weighty freight in the rear or boot of your vehicle. It could cause the headlamps to be higher than normal. This can be disturbing to other road users; however, you can slightly re-align the bulbs with the adjustment switch in your vehicle.

Headlights should normally be switched on when street lamps have illuminated. However on dull days, during adverse weather conditions or periods of low ambient light it is also a good idea to switch on your headlights so you can see and be seen more clearly. This is particularly important if you have a dull coloured car that does not stand out very well.

Only when you encounter unlit streets should you use your high beam headlights. At all other times you should use the lower setting. Your main beam headlights can be a problem for other drivers, pedestrians, or cyclists, so if you are using them you will need to turn them off as you approach them.

Anytime you follow another vehicle the dipped beam head lights need to be used. When you feel you need to pass another vehicle be aware that your sight can be reduced and illusions can be created by shadows. Dips or curves in the road can be particularly difficult as you pass another vehicle.

Oncoming lights can be dangerous, as they affect how you can see. There are things you can do to avoid this experience. Rather than looking directly at the light as you are wont to do you should instead look to the left of the lights.

Dirt, road grime, or grease on your windscreen may create an optical illusion that is both dangerous and annoying. Chips and cracks can change the refraction of the light as well. It is best to change your rear view mirror to night driving setting, in order to lessen the impact of other vehicles behind you. You also need to consider when you might need to slow down on a bend or at a junction as lights may affect you.

Driving at night is an activity that should not be feared or worried about, but instead viewed as an enjoyable challenge and a chance to enjoy your vehicle when the roads are not as congested. - 21396

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Due to the reduced visibility when night driving it is important that you always fit the best upgrade car bulbs that you can afford. Because bulb development has advanced considerably you can now install new H7 xenon bulbs that ensure that you can see much further into the darkness.

What are Data Loggers?

By Adriana Noton

Technological advancements have made collecting and storing data much faster, easier, and more efficient. One such advancement is the use of Data Loggers. A data logger is a device that is used to store data.

These devices read a number of different types of electronic signals to collect the data and then they store the data in internal memory that can be downloaded to a computer when needed. Data loggers are available in a number of different sizes and shapes.

A data logger is used for monitoring and recording information when a person is not in that location. A great advantage of utilizing data loggers is that they can collect data 24 hours a day. When activated, one can leave the data logger unattended to accurately collect information. Information collected can be water depth, movement such as vibrations, temperature, air temperature, humidity, etc.

This can include such functions as: soil moisture level recording, road traffic counting, tank level monitoring, environmental monitoring, wildlife research, gas pressure recording, vehicle testing such as railway signals, weather station recording, monitoring applications, automatic deformation monitoring, hydrographic recording, monitoring shipment temperatures, monitoring shipment package vibrations, deformation monitoring, and energy use monitoring.

Examples of data loggers include: flight data recorder, cockpit voice recorder, event data recorder, voyage data recorder, vehicle engine control unit monitor, heating and air conditioning temperature recorder, and water depth recorders.

People like these devices because they can work separate from a computer. Depending on your particular needs, the range of a data logger can be either a single channel fixed function loggers or a multi-channel device that manages hundreds of singles.

One can also choose from a small compact data logger or a larger device. The speed and memory also depends on your needs. The more data that you have coming through, the more memory you will need. The length of the recording will depend on the data logger's memory capacity and the desired sample rate.

Data loggers are the most affordable type of data and collecting devices. With the various input signal types available, they are more flexible than other data collecting devices. You can also use a data logger that collects data in real time on a computer. However, a computer for the data collection process is not needed which makes them portable.

Most data loggers have a maximum data rate of 1 or 2 samples per second; however, there are more advanced devices that can sample over 100 samples per second. Most data loggers are battery powered and the life of the battery depends on the sample rate and specific model. They can also be plugged into a power unit. As a general rule, the faster the sample rate the shorter the battery life. Another benefit of having a data logger is that if there is a power failure, the data will not be lost.

The price of data loggers have gone down in recent years. This is due to technological advancements in data collection and storage. One can get a single channel data logger for about $20.00. For those who require a dependable device for collecting data, a Data Logger is an effective solution. - 21396

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We are your number one source for measuring and controlling instruments. We have been providing a range of data loggers, pressure transducer, humidity sensor products to Canadian industries for over 25 years. In-house calibration services are also provided.