GM Unveils Networked Electric Mini Cars 206
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by
samzenpus
from the many-small-accidents-waiting-to-happen dept.
from the many-small-accidents-waiting-to-happen dept.
suraj.sun writes "GM introduced its Electric Networked Vehicle prototypes, one third the size of a typical car, as a way to reduce big urban auto emissions and traffic congestion. The EN-V relies on dynamic stabilization technology similar to that of the one-person Segway scooter to keep its balance, and can be operated autonomously or under manual control. In autonomous mode the EN-V is designed to use high-speed wireless connectivity and GPS navigation to automatically select the fastest route, based on real-time traffic conditions gleaned from the Web or some other networked source of traffic information."
Re:Why? (Score:3, Informative)
Even if the parts are individually cheaper, it still costs to handle and install them. So a lower parts count can really matter.
And while there are fewer things to go wrong, a dynamic stabilization system is pretty simple as such things go and don't require any sophisticated tools to troubleshoot or repair.