Ford introduces FordPass, a new application to help users find and prepay for parking w/ video

As strip malls, city centers, and town squares become more crowded, the amount of parking space availability declines in response. To help drivers find a safe garage space during the quick pops to the shops, the Dearborn automaker plans to launch a new smartphone application, allowing spots to be reserved at participating garages.

It’s called FordPass and it’s best to think of it as a Ford-branded application version of the website, BestParking.com. That site allows you to reserve spots at parking garages in the area of your destination and offers up-to-date coupons for discounted rates. You can even inform the garage when you plan to arrive and depart to make sure you get charged the right amount.

There’s also a similar app called ParkMe, which is a prepay service for garages available in over 4,200 cities. ParkMe even keeps tabs on street spots and can even provide directions to your destination spot.

With FordPass, you can pretty much do the same thing with garages partnered up with the automaker in over 160 US cities. And you don’t even have to own a Ford vehicle to reap the benefits.

So why now for Ford? Chances are, the Dearborn automaker wants to continue marketing the brand by introducing the Ford name for some recognition in the realm of innovating and finding practical solutions for car owners. The FordPass app will synchronize with the company’s suite of apps for its SYNC 3 infotainment and connectivity universe.

– By: Chris Chin

 

 

Source: egmCarTech http://bit.ly/2bVYonp

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Report: California lawmakers are leading the way with new climate change mandates

California legislature is once again setting the new laws to help combat climate change. They are, after all, the leading entity that led the first efforts of enforcing America’s Clean Air Act on automobile emissions.

However, these new greenhouse emissions mandates aren’t just focusing on the reduction of car emissions. Now, the new bill is intended to focus on improving California’s infrastructure. In the press conference for the vote, members of the Senate said the new requirements will affect all industries in the state, from agriculture, to oil refining, and even public utilities.

In a recent state Senate voting poll, a 25-13 support was recorded to set a new target for the state’s emissions. The goal is to reduce California’s greenhouse gas emissions to levels equivalent to 40 percent below the recorded amount in 1990, by the year 2030. Through the voting process, California proudly said that they’re on track for meeting their original goal for 2020 of reducing emissions back to levels recorded in the year 1990.

The vote was passed only hours after the state Assembly passed a related bill to increase the amount over administrative oversight in regards to climate change programs run by the California Air Resources Board. That vote passed by with 44-28.

Both bills related to these new mandates are now on the desk of Governor Jerry Brown, who already pledged to sign them.

The new bills also aren’t exempt from their fair share of opposition. Reuters says most of those against the new requirements are in relation to the potential resulting job losses that could happen within the communities they represent.

– By: Chris Chin

Source: Reuters

Photo Source: Google with Creative Commons License

 

Source: egmCarTech http://bit.ly/2bKg05W

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Report: Uber isn’t having the best 2016, posts $1.2 billion loss already

Uber hasn’t been so uber lately as Bloomberg reports the popular ride-sharing company already posted a $1.2 billion loss as we enter the third quarter. The company’s money drain was first reported when a conference call happened between Uber’s executive branch and investors for a company evaluation.

According to the report, Uber posted a loss of $1.27 billion in just the first half of 2016. Now that’s a lot of guap.

The company’s finance chief, Gautam Gupta, stated that Uber’s loss can mainly be attributed to subsidies used to compensate its drivers around the world, mainly China. The compensation however is more severance as the company announced to be pulling out of the Chinese market earlier this month. Their market share was sold to Didi, a Beijing-based ride-hailing program. Losses have amounted to at least $1 billion from subsidies in China alone.

Though Uber’s loss of cash isn’t exactly a first for them.

Last year, Uber lost $2 billion before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. In the entirety of the company’s history, they’ve lost a total of at least $4 billion. Despite these money drains, investors are continuing to pledge in Uber’s interest, dumping more money into the company. Helping to stimulate this is stiff competition from other ride-hailing programs like Lyft.

One top of the heavy competition, Uber continues to fight the long-established taxi unions around the world.

As of this report, it is not know when Uber might have the chance to post a profit. Regardless of the clouded future, investors will continue to pour money into the ride-hailing program.

– By: Chris Chin

Source: Bloomberg

Photo Source: Uber

Source: egmCarTech http://bit.ly/2bm5Mpv

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Report: More interesting rumors surface surrounding Mazda RX-9 possibility

Rumors with Mazda are giving all of us car nuts a headache again with rumors bouncing back and forth. Just recently, Motoring.com in Australia reported that a committee associated to Mazda approved the project of an RX successor. The discovery is sourced to a recent article on a Japanese automobile magazine page.

This conflicts with the last report surrounding the RX, indicating that Mazda officials downplayed the production RX-VISION concept. The production concept would essentially be named the RX-9, as hinted by a patent filing.

Click here for more news on the Mazda RX.

Despite the one conflicting report compromising the RX’s possibility for production, many other recent events imply the car will eventually happen. The introduction of the RX-VISION concept plus a separate patent filing for a 400 horsepower rotary engine proves Mazda is taking the project seriously. That new rotary is supposedly named the SKYACTIV-R concept, displacing 1.6-liters with a twin-rotor setup. Major technical changes include the use of turbocharging, a first since the last RX-7 “FD” from the 1990s, and diesel-style compression ignition, eliminating the use of spark plugs.

A low curb weight of 1,300 kilograms, or 2,866 pounds is expected, allowing for a greater power-to-weight ratio, excellent handling, and fuel economy.

– By: Chris Chin

Source: Holiday Auto Japan via Motoring.com.au

Photo Source: Holiday Auto Japan

Source: egmCarTech http://bit.ly/2bB0qaV

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Report: Jeremy Clarkson shares his worst cars of 2015 and 2016

Whether you like Jeremy Clarkson or not, you cannot deny that he is a significantly influential voice in the automotive media industry. Above all, his critique of automobiles is hugely entertaining, especially when the cars are bad.

Speaking of which, it just so happens Clarkson announced his list of the 10 worst cars he drove in 2015 and 2016 for his latest column in The Sunday Times.

He criticized these cars for simply lacking in imagination and failing to give him “the Fizz,” or the sort of excitement that good cars tend to give. Naturally, Clarkson also responded with his top 10 list of cars he did love in 2015 and 2016.

Check out his hated list after the jump, and his loved list here.

• Vauxhall Astra SRi Nav
• Infiniti Q30 Premium Tech
• Skoda Superb SE L Executive
• Zenos E10 S
• Renault Kadjar Signature Nav
• BMW X1 xDRIVE25d
• SEAT Leon X-Perience SE Technology
• Nissan GT-R Track Edition
• Volkswagen Scirocco 2.0 TDi
• Hyundai i800

– By: Chris Chin

Source: The Sunday Times

Source: egmCarTech http://bit.ly/2bWPEj4

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Official: The next Kia Rio shows up in some new sketches before Paris debut

The Kia Rio is nearly four years old, so it isn’t necessarily old enough to be needing replacement. But that isn’t stopping Kia from moving forward with a next-gen model since the company just released some teaser sketches of one.

Posted on the automaker’s global press site, the new official renderings provide us with a very concrete look as to what to expect visually with the fourth-generation Kia.

The next Rio’s design is described to be a result of a collaboration between Kia’s two satellite design centers in Germany and California, and the main HQ in Namyang, Korea. Both are ultimately led by the one and only Peter Schreyer.

The Kia Rio is the automaker’s best-selling model and to no surprise, it isn’t revolutionary in anyway means. Instead, to keep the formula consistently successful, Kia evolved the fourth-generation model to be as good as the outgoing car, but with all the latest and greatest updates.

Expect the new Rio to berevealed on September 29, at the 2016 Paris Auto Show.

– By: Chris Chin

 

Source: egmCarTech http://bit.ly/2boniLC

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We’re teaming up with Guys Gab to check out the 2017 Volvo S90

Here at egmCarTech, I’m not worried one bit to be experimental and so, some experimenting is going to happen.

Click here for more news on the 2017 Volvo S90.

Tomorrow, at around 8AM Eastern Standard US time, I’ll be boarding a seaplane on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, which will whisk me away to the eastern tip of Long Island, to a small ocean town called Montauk. There, Volvo arranged for yours truly to try out the new 2017 Volvo S90 along the pretty coasts of the Hamptons.

Should all go well, and technology be cooperative like you would hope, I will be live streaming my entire experience periodically on Facebook as well as providing a first-drive review, as part of a collaborative project with Guys Gab, a popular mens’ lifestyle blog.

So stay tuned to our Facebook page, or Guys Gab on Facebook to check in with me, starting at 8AM EST.

As a refresher, the 2017 Volvo S90 was revealed in December of 2015 as a successor to the aging S80 flagship sedan. The S90 will be later accompanied by a wagon V90 version, both of which ride on the same Scalable Product Architecture as the latest XC90. Power is provided by a range of forced-induced gasoline engines for the US-spec car. Full specifications will be revealed at the drive tomorrow.

– By: Chris Chin

Source: egmCarTech http://bit.ly/2bQZnar

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