It seems like every automaker is jumping on the Apple App-wagon these days and Aston Martin is no exception. The British firm today announced the availability of its new iPhone and iPod Touch app, the Aston Martin Explore, which comes with a variety of goodies including an acoustically accurate accelerometer and real life content, such as sounds from the entire current model line-up being driven to extreme on the track.
The Aston Martin ‘Explore’ app also offers exclusive content such as a virtual tour of the company’s Gaydon headquarters in the UK, including design and manufacturing facilities plus access to never before seen images and sound clips.
The new app is available to download for free from the iTunes App Store, with a version for the iPad to follow early next year. The British company added that it will also launch a premium [sic] Aston Martin ‘Experience’ app in the first quarter of 2011.
If for some reason you find yourself constantly violating the speed limits, then you may want to take a look at this new app for Apple's iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad products. The "Slow Down App" does what it implies; it slows down the music or even shuts off the volume completely to warn drivers that they have exceeded the speed limit. The music resumes when the driver gets back in order. The application makes use of the GPS to work out the car's driving speed. It was created by OVK, an organization in Belgium supporting the Parents of Child Road Victims. Watch the video after the jump.
Driving at night is not the most relaxing thing to do, especially if you're on a side road full of potholes and without markings. But even in the city, you have to be constantly on the lookout for dangers, including pedestrians. So, when Mercedes says that its new Active Night View Assist Plus [ANVAP] system can also direct light towards people on or near the road, we more than welcome the new safety feature.
As with the previous generation, ANVAP uses, among other technologies, infrared headlamps and a night vision camera. The captured image is displayed on the instrument cluster and the object is highlighted. For added safety, the headlamps have a spotlight function that directs light towards pedestrians.
This way, people can become aware that a car is approaching them. To avoid blinding oncoming traffic, the system doesn’t use the spotlight feature if other cars traveling in front or coming from the opposite direction are near the pedestrian.
“The aim of this development was to prevent the particularly serious consequences of collisions with pedestrians at night," explains Dr. Thomas Weber, member of the Board of Management responsible for Group Research and Head of Development at Mercedes-Benz Cars. "With this concept, a Mercedes-Benz fitted with the spotlight function not only protects its occupants, but also makes a significant contribution towards enhancing safety for other road users."
All Mercedes-Benz cars ordered with Active Night View Assist Plus starting from summer 2011 will come with the spotlight feature fitted as standard.
Is your child a fan of driving 1950's Jags while wearing a Herringbone blazer and smoking a bubble pipe? Perhaps with a nice set of driving gloves and goggles? If so, or if you simply deem Power Wheels too plebeian for your progeny, then the Harrington Group and Pocket Classics have something for you (and the kid, should he be home from boarding school in Switzerland).
Both shops have a similar selection of classics such as a Porsche 356, Jaguar E-Type, 300 SL, Willys Jeep, and Bugatti T35 in which your child can stylishly cruise around the country club.
No word on price from the Harrington Group, but keep reading and you'll see how it could probably end up pretty steep. Each car features a composite chassis and body, "can be driven by anyone 6 and up" (hell yes!), is offered with automatic or manual transmissions, and is powered by various engines (from 50-cc up to racing kart engines). Also, the power unit can be upgraded over time.
The rest of the features make these little spoiled bastard-mobiles better than my daily driver (really...REALLY). Said features include: disc brakes, electric start, reverse gear, working lights / horn, rack and pinion steering, an optional leather interior, 6-month warranty, and a damn fitted car cover.
The Jag and Bugatti get some special options, too, other than available racing numbers; personalized plates, national flags, and carpet are on available on the Jaguar, while the Bugatti can get brass knockoffs and a brass brake handle (the basic one is poor-man's turned aluminum), a wood-rim steering wheel, racing exhaust, and white wall tires.
They even make push scooters, but for that info you'll have to click the link. This is a car site, Richy Rich.
The Aston Martin ‘Explore’ app also offers exclusive content such as a virtual tour of the company’s Gaydon headquarters in the UK, including design and manufacturing facilities plus access to never before seen images and sound clips.
