Saturday, March 27, 2010

GM wants drivers to sit back, relax and enjoy the ride behind the wheel of a vehicle that can drive itself.The company will showcase three versions of its pod-like concept vehicle, the EN-V (Electric Networked-Vehicle), at the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai. The international event runs from May to October.The three cars, labeled with Chinese monikers, are the blue Xiao (Laugh), the red Jiao (Pride), and the black Miao (Magic).The electric-powered two-seaters boast speeds of up to 25 miles per hour; are equipped with GPS; and can communicate with other vehicles to allow it to maneuver through busy city traffic.EN-V is "an ideal solution for urban mobility that enables future driving to be free from petroleum and emissions, free from congestion and accidents, and more fun and fashionable than ever before," said Kevin Wale, President of the GM China Group."What we're talking about here is completely redoing the automobile," says Michael Albano, director of product and technology communications at General Motors International Operations.Drivers could opt to switch off the vehicle's auto pilot, which would utilize an elaborate system of GPS systems, digital maps, roadway and vehicle sensors, cameras and other devices.The idea of allowing the car to take over may sound alarming to some, especially given the recalls due to unintended acceleration and other problems with some Toyota vehicles. But GM's experts say there would be fail-safe backups to prevent problems.

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