Since 2008 a consortium of 11 European carmakers, suppliers and research institutes including BMW Group Research and Technology have been working together on a research project to develop interactive driver assistance systems. BMW’s “left turn assistant” aims improve safety at low-visibility intersections. It activates automatically as soon as the car’s sensor detect that it is entering the left-turn lane and the car registers the driver’s wish to turn off. Other car-to-X applications include the Intersection Assistant, Traffic Light Assistant, Local Hazard Warning, and the Emergency Vehicle Warning.
The legendary Audi quattro all-wheel drive system sticks to the road like nothing else. Super-powerful rare-earth magnets were attached to miniature models of Audi vehicles, which were then stuck on metal surfaces in the midst of the crowds attending the Toronto International Film Festival. After people have struggled to pry the cars free, they see a message on the bottom of the car: “Nothing sticks like quattro.” bit.ly
