Two months and 4246 miles later

Can't believe it's been two months already since we took delivery of our ActiveE back on January 16th. What a fun time it's been! My East Coast Comrade and Friend Tom Moloughney, the first person to take delivery of the ActiveE, just wrote a very detailed blog posting about his experiences and thoughts over the 5000+ miles he's driven. Be sure to check out his post as I share many of his same feelings on the strengths and weaknesses of the car.

One of my favorite features of the car is the strong regenerative braking. After the most recent software update, I'm in heaven. It couldn't have come at a better time as this past week I drove 500 miles of mostly stop and go traffic. There's no better way to experience just how wonderful regenerative braking is than when your 40+ mile one way commute takes 1 1/2 hours. While I hate driving in traffic like this, the single pedal driving that the regenerative braking allows, makes it bearable and as relaxing as possible. No more moving my foot back and forth between the gas pedal and brake pedal over and over again. I'd find myself worn out once I arrived home simply from the traffic. It's amazing just how more relaxing the ActiveE makes Los Angeles stop and go traffic. I know it sounds crazy but once you drive a car like this, you'll never ever want to go back to a typical gasoline powered car. Another bonus of the ActiveE, despite what some articles may say, when you're driving in traffic like this you actually use less battery power. Rather than using $2.25 worth of electricity to drive 90 or so miles, on days like today I only pay $2.00 or so. Hey, every quarter counts!

Another feature that goes hand in hand with the regenerative braking is the lack of gears. The smooth acceleration and lack of a transmission creates a very quiet cabin. All the better to listen to Pandora or your favorite music. This creates a very relaxing driving experience.

While I could go on and on, Tom did such a great job in his blog, I'll just hit one more plus for me....the instant torque! Despite being such a heavy car, the quick smooth rush off the line is awesome! I love getting the jump on sports car of all types. Sure they catch you eventually but the look on their face as they try to figure out what just happened is priceless.

For those still waiting to get the car and those just taking delivery, you're in for a fantastic 24 months of driving. Enjoy it, the time will fly by before you know it!

What the connected car is really all about (and what we need to do about it)

Recently, I was invited to participate in a webinar that highlighted hits and misses at Mobile World Congress. It occurred to me that some of you might be interested in what I had to say — at the very least, I’d earn points with Paul Leroux, our editor, for spontaneously offering up a blog post. :)  So here's what I said... almost verbatim.

"First, a quick intro on QNX: Many will know us as the wholly owned subsidiary of RIM whose software platform powers the BlackBerry PlayBook. But we also provide the de facto standard platform for all types of in-vehicle infotainment and navigation systems. And it’s from this perspective that I offer these comments. My primary observation is regarding the evolving dialogue surrounding the connected car and what I think it represents. Three years ago we were here with Alcatel-Lucent, showcasing the first LTE connected concept car, based on a Toyota Prius. This car proved so popular that we had to hire a security guard to help manage the traffic. Now, three years later, there are a number of connected production vehicles to be seen, including a QNX-based BMW 7 series in the GSMA’s connected home exhibit. And the announcements this year focused not so much on broadband connectivity per se (it's here, people expect it), but on the integration of the smart phone with the vehicle. At QNX, we talk about the personalization of the in-vehicle experience, as people want to bring in their own devices, their own music, their own contacts and other content — and experience these in the vehicle setting. For instance, Ford not only announced the B-Max vehicle, but used MWC as a platform to launch Ford Sync for Europe. Toyota and Samsung, meanwhile, announced support for Samsung Mobile Car Application for integration of phones to the car's head unit. So if step one was getting a broadband connection to enable a consumer experience in the car, and step two is about personalizing that experience, what’s next? I think that, ultimately, the connected car is all about the consumer, and this is how revenue will be generated in a way that connected telematics on its own could never do. You could be an automaker interested in improving how to service a car and its owner after the car has driven off the dealer's lot. Or you could be a carrier interested in extending your offer beyond connectivity to deliver value-added services. Or perhaps you’re a small business trying to get more people in the door. In each case, the car represents a new frontier. And it offers the added value of context – not only do you know if someone is available and where they are, but you also know that they are driving a vehicle. The next few years are going to be very exciting as the automotive and mobile industries converge to address this opportunity. Think about the brands involved: Companies like Audi, BMW, and GM on one hand and the likes of AT&T, Verizon, and Vodafone on the other. They’re mutually dependent — neither group will be successful without the other. Automotive needs to leverage the investments being made for smart phones, be it device technology, network infrastructure, or developer communities. Meanwhile, the mobile industry has to consider the nature of automotive in terms of safety, security, and liability, not to mention product life cycles. It's safe to say that automotive is just the first example of this type of industry convergence and transformation. All of the carriers are looking at M2M as a huge untapped market opportunity. And within the classic embedded market, there are an almost infinite number of market segments, truly an example of the Long Tail. It will be exciting to watch how mobile transforms those markets and vice versa — what will mobile look like in 5 years from now? I don’t think we can easily predict it; after all, it's not going to be like anything we’ve seen before. But I can’t wait to find out.

So there you have it. If you'd like to hear the entire webinar, you can register here to access the archived version.
 

Essential Vehicle Maintenance: Windshield + Accessories

Your windshield is an extremely important, but often overlooked, part of your vehicle. You can try and drive using your center console screen or car navigation system all you want, but you have to be able to clearly see through your windshield to practice any kind of safe driving. Run through a few checks to make sure your windshield, and the things that keep it clean, are in good shape.

 First of all, examine your windshield for any cracks or injuries in the glass itself. If you notice chips or cracks, have them repaired immediately. Trash, pebbles, and sand particles can fracture the glass and cause dings, which if left unattended, can turn into bigger cracks that affect your visibility. You can buy do-it-yourself products at home, but they are usually inferior to having a professional fix the ding for you, and having the work done professionally is  reasonably priced.

Avoid slamming your doors, as this causes the windshield to vibrate violently and any dings or cracks in your windshield can get worse. Also, try to park your car in the shade whenever possible, especially if it’s going to be sitting for a long time. Direct sunlight does damage the glass over time.

Next, inspect your windshield wipers closely. You can actually scratch the glass by using dirty or debris laden windshield wipers. If they are dirty, or if the rubber is cracked from the sun, it’s best to replace them.  To replace old windshield wipers, carefully lift the entire assembly away from the windshield – it will prop itself in the raised position. With one hand holding the wiper arm, use your other hand to push down on the small tab on the underside of the wiper where it meets the metal arm. With the tab held down you can slide the old wiper off of the metal arm. 

 Prevent the wiper arm from snapping back onto your windshield by carefully resting it against the windshield while you are getting your new wiper ready to install. You can seriously damage your windshield by letting the bare metal snap back onto the glass. Take your new windshield wiper out of the packaging and arrange it how it’s going to lay on your car. Looking at the side of the metal where it attaches to the metal arm, you’ll see that one end of the plastic clip is flat and the other has a curve across the top. Rotate the plastic clip until the curve is pointing toward the wiper blade. Now hold the wiper upside down next to the metal wiper arm, where you’ll see that the curve in the arm matches the curved top of the plastic clip.

Now that you’ve lined everything up, you can slide everything into place. Lower the wiper over the wiper arm, putting the arm between the sides of the wiper and with the open end of the hook facing the plastic clip. Move the hook over the plastic clip, then pull the wiper upward so that the clip’s rounded edge slides into the hook. Pull it tight so that the assembly clicks in place. Carefully lower the wiper back onto the windshield. Repeat the process on the other wiper blade, and you’re finished.

Maintaining your windshield is important not only for your visibility, but making sure your airbag deploys properly in a crash. Hopefully with these tips you’ll be able to maintain a clear, good looking, and safe windshield for years to come.