GM & LYFT Company To Launch Self Driving Taxis By 2017

Self-driving taxis may soon be a reality. Within a year Lyft Inc. and General Motors Co. are reported to be testing the futuristic transportation system and that could include electric vehicles too.

The two auto giant entered into a milestone partnership earlier this year in January with a $500 million investment by GM. Later in March they launched a program in Chicago under which the drivers of Lyft were allowed to lease GM cars and it started with the Chevrolet Equinox crossovers.
The program will be expanded to other cities and models too. Chevrolet Bolt is also learned to be released later this year.

Last month GM announced to be acquiring San Francisco startup Cruise Automation Inc. for $1 billion.

The company specializes in adding autonomous driving software to cars.
About the driverless electric taxi the company has not yet disclosed which city will witness trial run of the service.

Without disclosing any further details about the program a GM spokesperson said the company will make progress in its earlier announced plans partnered with Lyft.

Driver less car is the latest sensation of research for tech and auto giants. Google is already testing on public roads in California and Uber has a related research center in Pittsburg.

Mercedes-Benz Launched New GLS

Mercedes-Benz India today launched its new range-topping seven-seat SUV, the GLS, at Rs 80.38 lakh. An update to the GL, the GLS sports cosmetic tweaks, mechanical improvements, as well as changes to the feature list. The GLS follows Mercedes’ new naming system where the SUV line-up bears the last letter of the corresponding sedan.

Design tweaks to the exterior bring the styling more in line with the other new models from the Stuttgart-based luxury car maker. The interiors, on the other hand, aren’t too much of a departure from the old car, with the only changes being the steering, instrument cluster and new 8.0-inch free-standing infotainment display.

Under the hood, the GLS 350 d is powered by the same 258hp, 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine as its predecessor, but is now paired to the company’s new nine-speed automatic gearbox instead of the seven-speed unit. Mercedes claims that the new gearbox has improved the performance of the large luxury SUV with a 0-100kph sprint time of 8.2 seconds, 0.7 seconds faster than the GL.

Upping the luxury quotient of the large luxury SUV is an updated feature list. Mercedes has equipped the SUV with its latest Command Online infotainment system with Apple Car Play and internet access via a mobile data plan. Other features include an adjustable air-suspension, five drive modes, a 360-degree camera, a panoramic sunroof, a park assist function and an electric folding third row to name a few.

Mercedes-Benz India today launched its new range-topping seven-seat SUV, the GLS, at Rs 80.38 lakh (ex-showroom, Pune). An update to the GL, the GLS sports cosmetic tweaks, mechanical improvements, as well as changes to the feature list. The GLS follows Mercedes’ new naming system where the SUV line-up bears the last letter of the corresponding sedan - See more at: http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mercedes-benz-gls-launched-rs-8038-lakh-19859#sthash.ZXXzlGfI.dpuf

Mercedes-Benz India today launched its new range-topping seven-seat SUV, the GLS, at Rs 80.38 lakh (ex-showroom, Pune). An update to the GL, the GLS sports cosmetic tweaks, mechanical improvements, as well as changes to the feature list. The GLS follows Mercedes’ new naming system where the SUV line-up bears the last letter of the corresponding sedan - See more at: http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mercedes-benz-gls-launched-rs-8038-lakh-19859#sthash.ZXXzlGfI.dpuf

Mercedes-Benz India today launched its new range-topping seven-seat SUV, the GLS, at Rs 80.38 lakh (ex-showroom, Pune). An update to the GL, the GLS sports cosmetic tweaks, mechanical improvements, as well as changes to the feature list. The GLS follows Mercedes’ new naming system where the SUV line-up bears the last letter of the corresponding sedan - See more at: http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mercedes-benz-gls-launched-rs-8038-lakh-19859#sthash.ZXXzlGfI.dpuf

"GOOGLE"-Offering A New Job For Job Seekers

Are you looking for a new job?......Google is offering a new job for job seekers to test their self-driving cars.

The company is looking for drivers in Chandler for its self-driving cars, who will be tasked with collecting data in its specially-equipped SUVs.

You’ll need a clean driving record and the ability to type at a speed of 40 WPM. If you make the cut and are up for a 12-24 month contract, you’ll have to drive 6-8 hours a day, monitor Google’s autonomous driving software and report its performance to the company’s engineers.

Brian Torcellini, head of operations for Google’s Self-Driving Car testing program, told the Arizona Republic, “Test drivers play an important role in developing our self-driving technology. They give our engineers feedback about how our cars are driving and interacting with others on the road, and can take control of the vehicle if needed.”

Describing the ideal candidate for the job, he added, “In general, they need to be excellent drivers who pay really close attention to the road and can predict the social aspects of driving. Local drivers will be great for testing in the Phoenix area because they know the roads and local driving norms better.”

The company announced last month that it would begin testing its self-driving vehicles in Arizona, having previously expanded its trials across Mountain View in California, the Texan capital of Austin and Kirkland in Washington.

BMW Planning To Launch Its First Self-Driving Car In 2021

At BMW’s shareholder meeting yesterday, CEO Harald Krueger revealed that the company is gearing up to launch its first autonomous vehicle five years.

    "In 2018, we will launch a BMW i8 Roadster. This will be followed in 2021 by the BMW i NEXT, our new innovation driver, with autonomous driving, digital connectivity, intelligent lightweight design, a totally new interior and ultimately bringing the next generation of electro-mobility to the road."

It combines athletic styling with innovative ideas such as the use of recycled carbon for the body, reflective side windows to reduce heat from the sun within the vehicle and closed wheel arches for increased aerodynamics.

The company seems well on its way towards getting into the self-driving car business. In August 2015, BMW teamed up with Audi and Mercedes to acquire Nokia’s HERE Maps in a $3 billion group deal to develop mapping tech for autonomous driving.

Last December, HERE said it was developing high-resolution maps for self-driving cars and planned to collect anonymized data from these automakers’ vehicles to enhance its real-time maps.

Nissan's New 2016 GT-R Superb Golden Edition Car

2016 Nissan GT-R 45th Anniversary Gold Edition isn't any faster — but it's definitely more exclusive. Limited to just 30 examples stateside, it arrives in a special "Silica Brass" color, with a gold-tone VIN plate and a special commemorative plaque inside. Other features are the same as its stablemates, and include a 3.8-liter twin turbo V6 engine producing 550hp, all-wheel drive, an on-board driving recorder, and an 11-speaker Bose sound system with active noise cancellation.

Nissan announced pricing for the 2016 "Nissan GT-R" supercar, which is on sale now at select Nissan dealers in the United States. Prices for the three 2016 GT-R models remains unchanged from last year, despite several enhancements, including:

• All-new 20-spoke wheels for the GT-R Premium
• New 45th Anniversary Gold Edition, featuring a special exterior paint color

The 45th Anniversary Gold Edition, built off of the GT-R Premium model, commemorates the GT-R's long heritage of world-class high performance. Featuring a special gold paint color, the limited edition model also includes a special gold-tone VIN plate located inside the engine compartment and a special commemorative plaque on the interior center console. The paint color itself is the same "Silica Brass" color that marked the 2001 Skyline GT-R M-Spec (R34 Type). Fewer than 30 of these special GT-Rs are slated for the United States market at an MSRP of $102,770 USD.

The GT-R Premium and GT-R Black Edition's advanced VR38DETT 3.8-liter twin turbo is rated at 545 horsepower, while the exclusive GT-R NISMO delivers 600 horsepower. Along with the 55 additional horsepower and 18 additional lb-ft of torque, the GT-R NISMO features enhanced aerodynamic features, body reinforcement and ultra-precise handling (versus the Premium and Black Edition models).

Suggested Retail Prices (MSRP) for the 2016 Nissan GT-R:

GT-R Premium	$101,770 USD
GT-R 45th Anniversary Gold Edition	$102,770 USD
GT-R Black Edition	$111,510 USD
GT-R NISMO	$149,990 USD