Overdrive

America is proud of its big sporting events.

In traditional sports like US Opens in golf and tennis

Their unique approach to football in the Super bowl

And in motor racing the Indianapolis 500 on a banked circuit a style of competition that is at the heart of their racing.

But it is not just American good old boys who have been inspired by this event.

John Smailes, journalist and author on motor racing in Australia, has written a book on the Indy 500 from the perspective of the Australian and New Zealanders who have ventured there.

And Antipodeans have made an impact including at the very beginning.

John’s book is titled “Speed kings: Australia and New Zealand's quest to win the world's greatest motor race”

If you can’t beat them, join them

According to a survey by the Bosch company, nearly 90% of motorcycle riders use their smartphone to prepare for or follow-up on trips. A third of those polled admitted to using their smartphone while riding.

Motor cycle riders have to look at their dials for safety reasons such as keeping within the speed limits but also they need other information such as navigational directions.

Distraction and frustration can build up if you have to keep swapping between screens for different information.

Bosch has developed a split screen display that, they say, will allow riders to keep relevant information in constant view.

The device has a 10.25-inch screen that links to your phone systems and will debut on a 2021 BMW sport-tourer, the first production bike to display a full-color navigation map in the instrument cluster.

Testing car design or trying to train drivers with computer simulation, has not had the real feel of driving a car.

Volvo test drivers are now getting behind the virtual wheel, wearing a full-body haptic suit and a mixed-reality headset

Haptic means relates to a sense of feel and haptic feedback creates the illusion of feeling an object of a force within the virtual world. “Feeling” the steering wheel or a seat that simulates the sideways force when driving around a corner for example.

Volvo has real images of roads, road signs and nature, that they can then add in virtual objects such as other cars, wild animals, or pedestrians, to test driver reactions.

The full-body suit has 10 inertial sensors and bio-sensing which can measure user’s stress levels, heartbeat and eye movement, to give a good understanding of how the user is feeling in a certain traffic or safety situation.

If a chief executive has to get out into the real world it can often bring about significant changes in their products

Elon Musk, entrepreneur and CEO of Tesla, recently tried to find a parking spot for his Model X in Berlin. The model X is a large SUV with phenomenal acceleration but this was no help to him in finding a space he could fit into.

He subsequentially hinted that Telsa may develop a smaller, compact car for European markets.

Musk is also hoping to develop a better battery to overcome the more traditional concerns with electric vehicles – their range.

Telsa claim that their current vehicles with the best performance range can travel 600 kms between charges but he said they are aiming for a 1,000 kilomtre range.

Musk has previously lamented the high cost of raw battery materials which is another hurdle to be faced.

With Holden leaving the market, Australia police forces have chosen a range of different alternatives.

Now NZ police have taken a direction similar to Europe more than Australia.

They will be replacing their Holden fleet with Skodas built in the Czech Republic.

The specific model is the Skoda Superb station wagon in either the 162KW 2WD or 206KW all wheel drive layout.

NZ has some 2000 primary response vehicles currently and they saw Holden’s withdrawal as an opportunity to reduce carbon emissions and ensure value for money across their fleet.

When frontline staff tested the Skodas they liked the large, wide-opening doors, easy-to-read instruments, front and rear visibility, and the space for rear passengers

Electric and hybrid vehicles were tested, but limitations including power efficiency and the total cost of ownership meant they were not the preferred option.

When autonomous vehicles began to look more promising, many companies started to consider how this could revolutionise taxi and ride sharing industries.

But COVID-19 has totally disrupted this concept because of a fear of getting into a vehicle that others might have contaminated.

Gentex engineers are now tackling this public-health issue of vehicle-cabin cleanliness.

Dr Lydia Bourouiba, an associate professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, specialising in fluid dynamics has reported that COVID-19, can be disbursed through laughing, yelling, sneezing and simply talking. A sneeze can unleash a turbulent cloud of micron-sized droplets at velocities of 100 ft/sec and travel up to 8m.

Possible solutions including smoke-detection devices that use optical electronics to look for particulates; Gentex-designed-and-built cameras; light sensors; nanomaterials capable of sensing health threats to driver and/or passengers and, all of which can be analysed with the help of artificial intelligence.

Hello and welcome to Overdrive, a program that luxuriates in the realm of cars and transport.

I’m David Brown

News

1. New solutions for sanitizing autonomous vehicles (1:39)

2. NZ police select Skoda to supply new cop cars as Holden rolls into sunset (2:41)

3. Elon Musk says Tesla is working on a battery at drives more than 600 miles — and hints at a new compact car for Europe (3:43)

4. Volvo Cars mixes virtual with real-world testing (4:40)

5. Bosch debuts first motorcycle split-screen display (5:41)

Interview

• We begin the first of a series of chats with motoring journalist and author John Smailes on his latest book Speed Kings Austria and New Zealand’s quest to win the Indy 500. This week about the Australian who was there at the beginning in 1911. (6:43)

Feedback

• Dean Oliver reminisces about seeing just how great an international rally driver was. (17:14)

Quirky News

Brian Smith and I talk about creating a brand image for a car (23:55)

You can find more information at Driven Media or previous programs are available as podcasts on

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0ah6JZN8LTYURIfNs1IIBs

iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/overdrive-cars-transport-and-culture/id1001084679

Go to

Our Facebook page OverdriveCity https://www.facebook.com/OverdriveCityDrivenMedia/?modal=admin_todo_tour

or

Our YouTube site https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKyx5sv6cgF4URRmNq2JiXg/videos

So, let’s start with the news

Originally broadcast 28th November 2020

Hello and welcome to Overdrive a program that considers all aspects of cars and transport.

I’m David Brown

News

1. Next-generation Toyota Mirai confirmed for Australia (1:40)

2. NSW looks to tax electric cars (2:45)

3. Mini creates the Urbanaut (3:41)

4. New contract rules to reduce stress on truck drivers (4:41)

5. Voi e-scooters to include pedestrian detection and satellite positioning (5:43)

Interview

• We talk to Howard Collins the Director of Operations for Transport for NSW after the opening of the latest major tunnel in Sydney. (6:53)

Interview

An interview with Richard Calver from the National Road Transport Association about governments strengthening protections for consumers and small business from unfair contract terms. He tells us why it is so necessary and why it doesn’t go far enough. (21:07)

You can find more information at Driven Media or previous programs are available as podcasts on

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0ah6JZN8LTYURIfNs1IIBs

iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/overdrive-cars-transport-and-culture/id1001084679

Go to

Our Facebook page OverdriveCity https://www.facebook.com/OverdriveCityDrivenMedia/?modal=admin_todo_tour

or

Our YouTube site https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKyx5sv6cgF4URRmNq2JiXg/videos

So, let’s start with the news

Originally broadcast 21th November 2020

Hello and welcome to Overdrive a program that plays with cars and transport.

I’m David Brown

News

• SA government to tax electric vehicles (1:25)

• Hyundai’s ‘Connected Car’ Infotainment And Ai Platform (2:19)

• TV campaign on the value of safety features (3:14)

• A decade of evolution of electric vehicles (4:14)

• Intelligent systems (5:19)

Interview

• Rob Fraser drives a new car of old design and he loves it (6:30)

Feedback

• Including a positive approach to us from government.

• In the feedback section there are a few things that are actually looking forward

• Chatting to the NSW government transport department (12:21)

• Problems with operating a truck (12:54)

Interview

• Alan Zurvas gives us an overview of another MG but his times it is all electric (13:33)

Quirky

• Brian Smith and I takes an off-the wall look at car companies sponsoring sporting teams (19:01)

You can find more information at Driven Media or previous programs are available as podcasts on

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0ah6JZN8LTYURIfNs1IIBs

iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/overdrive-cars-transport-and-culture/id1001084679

Go to

Our Facebook page OverdriveCity https://www.facebook.com/OverdriveCityDrivenMedia/?modal=admin_todo_tour

or

Our YouTube site https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKyx5sv6cgF4URRmNq2JiXg/videos

Originally broadcast 14th November 2020

Hello and welcome to Overdrive a program that ponders the purpose of cars and transport

I’m David Brown

News

• October 2020 vehicles sales gives a glimmer of hope (1:39)

• The new Nissan Navara overview (2:44)

• Key stumbling blocks for electric vehicle adoption (3:43)

• California gives automakers until end of year to come clean on emissions cheats (4:56)

• 1967 Toyota 2000GT sells for $912,500, - A roofless version of this model of car was used in the James Bond Movie “You Only Live Twice” (6:02)

Interview

• Alan Zurvas gives us an overview of a new MG (7:09)

Feedback

• A pricey Monaro (12:53)

• GM goes for the Electric pack for old vehicles (13:21)

• Traffic lights and how we could do better. I have some feedback from my attempts to get some information out of government (14:05)

Interview

• Brian Smith has accepted the role of political adviser to the Make Monaros Great Again (MMGA) campaign – we hear his thoughts (18:51)

You can find more information at Driven Media or previous programs are available as podcasts on

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0ah6JZN8LTYURIfNs1IIBs

iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/overdrive-cars-transport-and-culture/id1001084679

Go to

Our Facebook page OverdriveCity https://www.facebook.com/OverdriveCityDrivenMedia/?modal=admin_todo_tour

or

Our YouTube site https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKyx5sv6cgF4URRmNq2JiXg/videos

So, let’s start with the news

Originally broadcast 7th November 2020