Extension to unlimited free Supercharging for Tesla Model S & X

Credit: Hybrid Cars

In November, Tesla announced an end to free Supercharging for Model S & X vehicles. Cutoff date was 31 December 2016.

Now they have announced an extension until 15 January.

If you couldn’t finalize your purchase by 12/31, you can still order a Model S or X until 1/15 to receive unlimited Supercharging.

— Tesla (@TeslaMotors) January 1, 2017

/ Tesla grows up free charging Supercharger Tesla gorgeous cars ludicrous acceleration Autopilot over the air updates luxury electric vehicle EV free charging automaker international network Supercharger stations Tesla customers plug in chargers add 200 to 300 miles of range per hour top up depleted battery about 30 minutes driver has a bathroom break bite to eat approach convenience pumping gas conventional car free for life new Tesla buyers plug pay up Tesla Tesla electric vehicle industry Supercharging order Tesla 400 kWh free Supercharging credits per year 1,000 miles of driving Tesla how much it will cost limit small fee cheaper than buying gas ordered charge for free for life 373,000 people $1,000 deposit reserve Model 3 order Tesla new income build new Superchargers worldwide 4605 charging points expand the network Tesla owners free lunch all you can eat buffet not unusual queue of Model S and X cars waiting busy locations August 2015 letter Tesla chided owners over-using Superchargers day-to-day charging at home something away for free harder to manage Art Wheaton studies the auto industry Cornell University’s Worker Institute small dollar amount per fill should encourage people to only take what they need help manage the lines Tesla crucial maintaining positive user experience expensive supercharger Paul Mutolo energy storage chemist Cornell University bunch of cars charging at once big spike power demand big bills from utility companies demand charges making money allow Tesla build Superchargers CEO Elon Musk vision sustainable transport solar panels batteries store energy buffer demand cutting costs at the same time more chargers are coming /

Happy new year!

Credit: Happy New Year

All the best to you & yours in the coming year.

Tesla Autopilot predicts an accident before it happens

Just over a second before this collision, the Tesla Model X from which this video frame was taken, sounded a forward collision warning & applied the brakes
Credit: Frank van Hoesel/Electrek

Recent versions of Tesla’s Autopilot are effectively able to see through the vehicle in front by bouncing radar underneath.

Now, a video has appeared, showing a Tesla Model X apparently recognising that the car ahead is about to rear-end the car in front of it, & applying the brakes, a little over a second before the collision.



Video above no longer available – try this:



Another one bites the dust – try this:



Second-by-second – these timings were correct for the first embedded video above – may not apply precisely to later ones

0:04-0:05 Autopilot Forward Collision Warning begins to sound just before the counter moves to “0:05”

0:05-0:06 red car begins to move to the right, revealing the black vehicle ahead for the first time

0:06-0:07 collision – at the 00:06 second mark or just after

Autopilot appears to provide over a second of warning prior to the collision. Plus apply the brakes, according to the Electrek article linked below.

Electrek
https://electrek.co/2016/12/27/tesla-autopilot-radar-technology-predict-accident-dashcam/

Engadget
https://www.engadget.com/2016/12/28/tesla-autopilot-predicts-crash/ / Tesla cars produced now have full self driving hardware Tesla Team self-driving vehicles play crucial role improving transportation safety accelerating world’s world transition sustainable future full autonomy enable Tesla substantially safer human driver lower financial cost transportation own car provide low-cost on-demand mobility low cost on demand mobility excited announce all Tesla vehicles produced factory Model 3 hardware needed full self-driving capability safety level substantially greater human driver eight surround cameras 360 degree visibility around car up to 250 meters range twelve updated ultrasonic sensors complement vision detection both hard soft objects nearly twice distance prior system forward-facing radar enhanced processing provides additional data about the world redundant wavelength seeing through heavy rain fog dust car ahead make sense data new onboard computer more than 40 times computing power previous generation new Tesla-developed Tesla developed neural net vision sonar radar processing software system view of the world driver alone cannot access seeing in every direction simultaneously wavelengths go far beyond the human senses eight surround cameras provide 360 degree visibility Autopilot Forward Collision Warning /

First solar panel road in Normandy village

Two lanes of solar roadway, Tourouvre-au-Perche, Normandy, France
Credit: Christophe Petit Tesson/EPA/The Guardian

Solar panel roads were first introduced to the world on Indiegogo in 2014 – funded to the tune of $US2,275,688 by 50,048 backers on 21 June of that year.

Now, a 1km (0.6-mile) solar road, containing 2,800 m² of solar panels has been opened in France, at a cost of €5m (£UK4.3m, $US5.3 m). Obviously, cost is high compared to other roads, but a realistic comparison would include the cost of installation of the same surface area of solar panels.

Durability & power generation will be evaluated in a two year trial period. Cost reduction will also be a priority.

Solar panels are pitched at an angle to make the most of available sunlight. However, in Normandy, where the solar road has been built, cloud-free days are relatively rare – 44 days per year in Caen, the regional capital. On cloudy days, sunlight comes from all parts of the sky with almost equal strength, so flat-mounted solar panels, as in a solar road, may be an effective orientation.

Ars Technica
http://arstechnica.com/cars/2016/12/worlds-first-solar-road-opens-in-france/

The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/dec/22/solar-panel-road-tourouvre-au-perche-normandy / world's first solar panel road opens Normandy village Tourouvre-au-Perche cost construction €5m two-year test period test phase evaluate solar panel road provide energy power street lighting France world’s first solar panel road Normandy village 1km 0.6-mile route small village Tourouvre-au-Perche covered 2,800 sq m electricity-generating panels inaugurated Thursday ecology minister Ségolène Royal cost €5m £4.2m construct used 2,000 motorists day during two-year test period generate enough energy power street lighting village 3,400 residents 2014 solar-powered cycle path Krommenie the Netherlands teething problems has generated 3,000kWh energy power average family home year cost building cycle path solar-powered road called Wattway opened RD5 road panels tested four car parks across France constructor Colas giant telecoms group Bouygues financed by the state Normandy sunshine Caen region political capital just 44 days strong sunshine year Royal solar panels installed 1,000km French highway France 1m km roads panels laid on flat surfaces less efficient installed sloping areas roofs critics cost-effective use of public money Marc Jedliczka vice-president Network Energetic Transition CLER technical advance develop renewables other priorities very expensive Jean-Louis Bal president renewable energy union SER cost production electricity lifespan Colas panels covered resin containing fine sheets silicon tough enough withstand all traffic reduce costs producing solar panels projects solar-panelled roads /

Tick bites can cause allergies – which may be life threatening

A tick bite is unpleasant, but more importantly, can lead to two different types of allergies – one of which can be life threatening.

● Mammalian Meat Allergy (MMA) – i.e. an allergy to red meat – all red meat, including the obvious ones – beef, lamb, pork – & also meat from virtually any mammal, including kangaroo, deer & bison. Symptoms – gastro-intestinal.

● Allergy to the tick bite itself is also possible, & this one is life threatening. Symptom – anaphylactic shock.

What can you do?

● Avoid ticks – easier said than done, if you live in an area with a high level of tick infestation, such as the east coast of Australia.

● Make sure you remove ticks correctly – if you are bitten, this is essential to ensure you don’t acquire either of the allergies mentioned above – most people's reaction is to scratch it, which is a bad idea, & using tweezers is the worst thing you can do.

More, including how to correctly remove ticks:



If you only want to know how to remove a tick, here it is in just 1 minute & 47 seconds:

/ tick protein meat allergy tick allergy Mammalian Meat Allergy MMA anti-GAL anti GAL ALPHA GAL ALPHA-GAL antibody antigen anti galactose red meat great apes old world monkeys galactose bite mouth inject local anaesthetic gastric gastroenteritis meat allergy tick bite anaphylactic shock anaphylaxis life threatening larvae larva nymph nymphs ether Wart Off scabies /

Best wishes

Credit: Inhabitat

Whatever your beliefs, all the very best from Hitchhiker's Guide 2 Tech!

The Guardian tried every set of wireless earbuds to find some that worked, so you don’t have to

Bragi earbuds
Credit: Bragi/The Guardian

Surprising number were unable to maintain a stable connection between the two earbuds – this review names names.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/dec/16/wireless-bluetooth-earbuds-bragi-jabra-elite-earin-motorola / completely wireless earbuds future of in-ear music freeing us from the shackles of cables between the ears wireless earbuds that work very few actually do Apple AirPods cannot maintain solid connection opposite sides of your head smartphones Bluetooth performance Google Pixel XL Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Apple iPhone 7 earbuds only two worth buying ones to avoid and why Earin buttons controls charge long cylindrical battery case sound pretty good over two hours worked better smartphones could not maintain a stable connection between the two earbuds right slave bud cutting out intermittently walking down the street blast a loud pop when they run out of battery not worth buying if you walk anywhere Motorola VerveOnes+ sweat-proof plus version normal rubber-coated back wedge themselves in your ear stick out further than most comfortable lasting a couple of hours rotating charging case running connected to a smartwatch OK for running Bluetooth headset PK K’asq stick out of your ear deeply uncomfortable in my ear sounded OK failed badly both earbuds cutting out connection between them was lost Rowkin Bit Charge smallest buds on the market sound OK relatively comfortable most discreet two versions with and without a charging case magnets struggled to maintain a connection between themselves pairing routine was downright tedious form function the ones to buy Bragi the Headphone first wireless earbuds new Bragi the Headphone connection reliability light earbuds touch your ears most comfortable wireless earbuds I’ve tried right earbud buttons power button play pause skip-track button buttons adjust volume switch ambient noise on and off microphones built into the earbuds buttons ear canals sound pretty good right fit tips comfortable to wear for extended periods sound good wired earbuds balanced decent separation mids and highs thunderous bass small hiss sound background active charges battery charge your earbuds completely turn off charge rock-solid connectivity smartphones kept their connection call quality stereo mono right earbud simple good-sounding Jabra Elite Sport Bluetooth headphones wireless earbuds Bragi Elite earbuds fill the ear like a canal shell hearing aid /