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On Gear Live: Black Friday 2009: Walmart ad leaked: $78 Blu-ray player!

Bleeding Edge TV 314: GM OnStar Remote Ignition Block

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, Features, GPS, Podcasts, Transportation, Videocasts, Videos

‘s service has a few convenient features, along with some nice safety features in place to aid in the recovery of your vehicle if it happens to be stolen. In this episode, we take a look at Remote Ignition Block, a new OnStar feature that stops your car from turning on in the event that it is reported stolen. In conjunction with satellites, this helps law enforcement find your car much faster than they’d likely be able to otherwise.


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Bleeding Edge TV 189: Driving Tips from GM’s Milford Proving Grounds

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, Design, Features, Podcasts, Transportation, Videocasts


When General Motors contacted us about bringing us up to their Proving Grounds in Milford, MI, we jumped at the chance at getting to visit what we figured would be an awesome place. We were right - General Motors’ Milford Proving Grounds was the industry’s first dedicated automobile testing facility when it opened in 1924. It covers 4,000 acres, and over 4,800 staff work in its 107 buildings today. The proving ground includes the equivalent of 132 mi of highway-quality roads for vehicle testing. Some roads are open only to drivers who have passed special performance driving training.

We got a first-hand look at the new StabiliTrak technology that GM will be making a standard feature on all their vehicles in a couple of years, which aims to give drivers a lot more stability during sudden turns and avoidance maneuvers. In addition, GM gives us some tips on how to maintain control of your vehicle, even in extreme (and often unsafe) conditions. Check out the video for all the goods, and leave us any driving tips you may have in the comments.


Bleeding Edge TV 174: DARPA Grand Challenge Qualifier: Carnegie Mellon and GM’s BOSS Vehicle

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Full Episodes, Gizmatic, Hack Attack, Design, Features, Transportation


We visited one of the fifty or so groups participating in the DARPA Urban Challenge during one of their qualifying rounds. In case you are unaware, the DARPA Urban Challenge is a charge given publicly to groups who are capable of designing and proving the technology for autonomously driven vehicles. Carnegie Mellon University teamed up with GM to create an autonomous SUV they call “Boss.” In order to participate in November’s 60-mile urban driverless race, they need to pass this benchmark. Check out the video to see Boss pull perfect three point turns and beautifully follow traffic rules - even at four way stops with other cars. We’re crazy excited to see this technology come alive in our society. The team from DARPA is darting back and forth across our country qualifying and disqualifying entries. Some of the remaining companies and teams will bring us autonomously driven cars during our lifetime, its amazing how close we already are.


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