Multichannel News -- Comcast Ventures, the V.C. arm of Comcast, was one of the companies that participated in a $24 million “B” round in Automatic Labs, a startup that has developed a connected car platform.

Comcast Ventures did not specify its investment. Automatic Labs, which has raised about $32 million so far, said the B round also included participation from an investment subsidiary of USAA (a top insurance and financial services provider for military families), CDK Global, along with existing investors Y Combinator, RPM Ventures, Anthemis Group, Amicus Capital, as well as several angel investors.

San Francisco-based Automatic Labs pairs an app with an in-car device that can help drivers diagnose engine trouble, detect accidents and send emergency responses.  According to the company, its adapter plugs into the standard diagnostics port hidden under the dash in most cars since 1996. When paired with that device, Automatic Labs’ app displays useful information about the user’s car and driving habits.

Automatic Labs sells its device for $99.95 via its own site, as well as at retailers such as Apple.com, Best Buy, Target, and Amazon.com. Automatic Labs was founded in 2011.

- See more at: http://www.multichannel.com/news/technology/comcast-ventures-backs-connected-car-startup/391946#sthash.P7p7N35w.dpuf

USA Today -- There are plenty of reasons to rent a car, from leaving an unreliable car behind on a vacation to getting around on a business trip. But there's a real hidden danger when doing so that you may not even realize — one that potentially puts you and your family at substantial risk.

Rental companies continually upgrade their fleets with newer-model cars, which means many now have the latest infotainment systems, which let you connect, or "pair," your smartphone via Bluetooth with the car. This lets you take calls over the car's audio system, dial from the center console, get directions or stream your music. Others include a USB connection so you can do all that and charge your phone.

When you connect your gadget to a car with Bluetooth, the car stores your phone number to make it easier to connect later. It also stores your call logs, including any contacts you dialed. Just one problem: All that information is saved inside the system and just sitting around for the next renter to find.

First, we all know that returning a rental car usually happens at the last moment. You're in a hurry and the flight won't wait for you. But give yourself an extra 10 minutes to remove your personal data from the car.

Simply go into the car's settings (it will vary for every car make and model) and locate your smartphone from the list of previously paired Bluetooth gadgets. There should be an option to delete your phone. That should wipe the call logs and saved contacts. Better yet, look for an option to clear all user data or do a complete factory reset. Talk to the employees at the car rental place if you can't find these options.

Read the rest of the story here: http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/komando/2015/07/03/komando-car-rental-mistakes/29614165/

Christopher Meduna, a graduate of Century High School, is a first-place National SkillsUSA winner in the Mobile Electronics Competition held June 22-26 in Louisville, Ky. He is the son of Gregory Meduna.

Five students from the Bismarck Public School District's Career Academy and Technical Center participated in the National SkillsUSA competition. The programs and names of the other students are Brian Kalvoda, computer programming; Tanner Pennington, automotive refinishing; Alex Thill, electronics technology; and Madison Woehl, welding.

Mobile Electronics® announced that it has added six new Vendor Partners: ADS, Compustar and Harman International (its Infinity and JBL brands) have become Diamond Vendor Partners; and, AudioControl, JVC and Kenwood have become Platinum Vendor Partners.

“These are vendors who have been long-time supporters of KnowledgeFest®, Mobile Electronics® group (formerly MERA) and the specialist channel,” said Kerry Moyer, vice president, strategic partnerships, Mobile Electronics. “We’re happy they’ve taken the decision to grow our relationship beyond membership. We welcome them onboard as partners and look forward to doing good things together.”

Diamond, Platinum and Gold Vendor Partnership is by invitation. These five new partners join Diamond Partners: Alpine, HD Radio™, Metra Electronics, SiriusXM, Sony, and Orca Design and Manufacturing (which includes brands Focal, Auditor, Gladen Audio / Mosconi, Blackhole, and Illusion Audio). Other Platinum Partners include DD Audio, Memphis Car Audio and Scosche. Vendor Partners support Mobile Electronics’ Mission: To support the specialist channel to deliver exceptional customer experiences. Partners also support Mobile Electronics’ efforts to educate retailers, improve their businesses, and support their marketing campaigns.

Mobile Electronics® Partnership includes participation in its Marketing Program; and, partners receive additional savings on their KnowledgeFest exhibit space and their advertising in Mobile Electronics® magazine, Hotwire newsletter and on ME-Mag.com

Mobile Electronics® Vendor Partners and what they’re showing at the upcoming KnowledgeFest® Dallas will be highlighted in the July issue of Mobile Electronics® magazine and partners will receive special recognition as sponsors onsite. KnowledgeFest® Dallas takes place August 15-17 at the Hilton Anatole. This year’s event is setting-up to be Mobile Electronics’ biggest and best show and conference to date with 50 exhibitors and 1,000 attendees expected. For more information, go to KnowledgeFest.org.

InstallerNet, a Boston-based company that provides Automotive fit and compatibility data for consumer electronics products serving manufacturers, retailers and insurance companies, announced today a new relationship with Boss Audio Systems, www.bossaudio.com, a leading global supplier of audio and video electronics products for automotive, marine and power sports vehicles.

The Fit Guide solution will provide Boss Audio Systems customers with an option to enter their vehicle make, model and year to help them identify the specific car audio and video products that fits their ride. This solution will provide information to allow the Boss Audio Systems customers to make informed purchase decisions and to improve the overall buying path experience. InstallerNet’s comprehensive Automobile database provides information for just about any car on the road today.

“As we see more people researching and shopping for our products online, we understood the need to be able to assist our customers with their #1 question; “What fits my vehicle”? said Doug Kern, VP of Sales and Marketing for BOSS Audio Systems. “Partnering with InstallerNet was an easy choice for us. Their extensive vehicle fit data base simplifies and improves our customers’ online shopping experience”.

"As a leading supplier of audio and video electronics products we are very pleased to have partnered with Boss Audio to provide the Fit Guide solution", said Bill Ali, SVP – Sales and Marketing. “We look forward to further collaborating with the Boss Audio team”.

Technology Review -- “Where would you like to go?” Siri asked.

It was a sunny, slightly dreamy morning in the heart of Silicon Valley, and I was sitting in the passenger seat of what seemed like a perfectly ordinary new car. There was something strangely Apple-like about it, though. There was no mistaking the apps arranged across the console screen, nor the deadpan voice of Apple’s virtual assistant, who, as backseat drivers go, was pretty helpful. Summoned via a button on the steering wheel and asked to find sushi nearby, Siri read off the names of a few restaurants in the area, waited for me to pick one, and then showed the way on a map that appeared on the screen.

The vehicle was, in fact, a Hyundai Sonata. The Apple-like interface was coming from an iPhone connected by a cable. Most carmakers have agreed to support software from Apple called CarPlay, as well as a competing product from Google, called Android Auto, in part to address a troubling trend: according to research from the National Safety Council, a nonprofit group, more than 25 percent of road accidents are a result of a driver’s fiddling with a phone. Hyundai’s car, which goes on sale this summer, will be one of the first to support CarPlay, and the carmaker had made the Sonata available so I could see how the software works.

CarPlay certainly seemed more intuitive and less distracting than fiddling with a smartphone behind the wheel. Siri felt like a better way to send texts, place calls, or find directions. The system has obvious limitations: if a phone loses the signal or its battery dies, for example, it will stop working fully. And Siri can’t always be relied upon to hear you correctly. Still, I would’ve gladly used CarPlay in the rental car I’d picked up at the San Francisco airport: a 2013 Volkswagen Jetta. There was little inside besides an air-conditioning unit and a radio. The one technological luxury, ironically, was a 30-pin cable for an outdated iPhone. To use my smartphone for navigation, I needed a suction mount, an adapter for charging through the cigarette lighter, and good eyesight. More than once as I drove around, my iPhone came unstuck from the windshield and bounced under the passenger seat.

Android Auto also seemed like a huge improvement. When a Google product manager, Daniel Holle, took me for a ride in another Hyundai Sonata, he plugged his Nexus smartphone into the car and the touch screen was immediately taken over by Google Now, a kind of super-app that provides recommendations based on your location, your Web searches, your Gmail messages, and so on. In our case it was showing directions to a Starbucks because Holle had searched for coffee just before leaving his office. Had a ticket for an upcoming flight been in his in-box, Holle explained, Google Now would’ve automatically shown directions to the airport. “A big part of why we’re doing it is driver safety,” he said. “But there’s also this huge opportunity for digital experience in the car. This is a smart driving assistant.”

CarPlay and Android Auto not only give Apple and Google a foothold in the automobile but may signal the start of a more significant effort by these companies to reinvent the car. If they could tap into the many different computers that control car systems, they could use their software expertise to reimagine functions such as steering or collision avoidance. They could create operating systems for cars.

Google has already built its own self-driving cars, using a combination of advanced sensors, mapping data, and clever navigation and control software. There are indications that Apple is now working on a car too: though the company won’t comment on what it terms “rumors and speculation,” it is hiring dozens of people with expertise in automotive design, engineering, and strategy. Vans that belong to Apple, fitted with sensors that might be useful for automated driving, have been spotted cruising around California.

Read the rest of the story here:

http://www.technologyreview.com/featuredstory/538446/rebooting-the-automobile/

CNBC -- With adventure-seeking foodies flocking to his mushroom-foraging tours of the woods in Asheville, North Carolina, Alan Muskat's business, No Taste Like Home, is thriving. Often, he arranges for participants to head to a local restaurant afterward, where a gourmet chef will prepare their harvest.

It's not just the farm-to-table trend that's keeping him busy. It's also North Carolina's business-friendly climate. "The tourism efforts for North Carolina are tremendous," said Muskat, who claims his business has five-figure revenues. Locally, for instance, the Asheville Convention and Visitors Bureau sends a steady stream of tourists to the one-man business he has operated for two decades. "They are my No. 1 source of business," he said.

North Carolina is one of many states that are vying to lure businesses of all sizes—and make them want to stay. For many, the reason is to create jobs and economic growth, given the nation's uneven recovery from the Great Recession.

Auto Connected Car News -- Lexus is working with experts in super conductive technology to develop its own branded Lexus Hoverboard.

The Lexus Hoverboard uses magnetic levitation for frictionless movement. Liquid nitrogen cooled superconductors and permanent magnets combine to allow Lexus to create what seems impossible except for in the movies like “Back to the Future II.”

This hoverboard has a design that is pure Lexus. It has an iconic Lexus spindle grille signature shape and uses materials found in the luxury car brand, from the high tech to natural bamboo.

The Lexus Hoverboard is part of the fourth project in the Lexus ‘Amazing in Motion’ campaign that showcases the creativity and innovation.

Read the rest here: http://www.autoconnectedcar.com/2015/06/lexus-goes-back-to-the-future-too-with-hoverboard-development/

Entrepreneur -- How much easier would it be to scale your business if your employees were your number-one ambassadors? Imagine employees that love you and your business so much, they never leave. Not only that, they love you so much, they will do whatever it takes to deliver extreme value to your customers.

I recently sat down with Steve DiFillippo, the entrepreneur and restaurateur behind Davio's Northern Italian Steakhouse, with restaurants throughout Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New York, Atlanta and soon expanding into California. You can typically find DiFillippo cooking it up on popular morning TV shows or demonstrating his 12 minutes to ready spring rolls on QVC.

Related: How a No-Tipping Policy Helped This Restaurant Triple Profits in 2 Months

He's a culinary artist, celebrity business tycoon, author and a fanatical purveyor of unforgettable dining experiences. How can one man do it all? Easy. He's built an army of employees who are passionate about the brand and who are devoted to exceeding the expectations of their guests.

Here are DiFillippo's four savory strategies to building an army of loyal employees:

1. Know your guests.

DiFillippo recently authored a book, It's All About the Guest. In it, he shares an important secret about building an awesome business. Serving up high quality, artistically crafted meals is important, of course. However, DiFillippo says that the guests most restaurants forget about are the ones that come and go from the back door: the employees.

DiFillippo's mission is to go above and beyond to take care of all guests, including the ones who work for him, because they are the front-line army taking care of the guests who come to eat. When your employees feel valued, appreciated and loved, they will create an environment where the dining guests feel that way too.

2. Celebrate birthdays.

DiFillippo never misses an employee's birthday. He always reaches out to each person on his or her special day with a call or text message, which is remarkable considering he has more than 850 people working for his organization. Each employee also receives a card and cash gift on their birthday. It's DiFillippo's way of making sure his people know that their company loves them.

Read the rest here: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/247544

The KICKER Country Stampede Music Festival has again filled its roster with award winners, chart toppers, and music legends to entertain the nearly 170,000 fans that attend the four-day event. This will be the third consecutive year KICKER has sponsored the country-music and camping festival that rocks Tuttle Creek State Park and Manhattan, Kan., June 25-28.

KICKER is the title sponsor of the festival, and just as in previous years, the performers will be presented with a collection of KICKER products during the show to fill their tour buses with great sound. The artists will receive their giveaways in front of everyone on the massive Starscreen, displaying to the crowd at five times larger than life.

“This event is a great way to have some of our sales reps and dealers observe and connect with music-loving consumers,” said Kevin Campbell, KICKER Director of Global Marketing. “If they aren’t already, these are our future customers.”

The KICKER XRV (Xtreme Recreational Vehicle) tractor-trailer will be in attendance, fully loaded with product, vehicles and prizes to give away to lucky concert-goers. The XRV will also be engaging music fans with its unrelenting “Boom Room” filled with subwoofers that will knock them off their feet.

Blake Shelton, winner of the CMA’s Male Vocalist-of-the-Year and coach on TV’s “The Voice,” will be headlining Saturday night following a performance by country powerhouse Sara Evans, who is touring for her new album Slow Me Down. Mega-star country duo Florida Georgia Line will bring its creative musical blend to headline on Friday night. Returning to the Stampede will be rising-star Thomas Rhett, who has performed two straight years at the festival. Travis Tritt is no stranger to the stage and is a welcomed addition to round out an already impressive lineup.

For more information on the KICKER Country Stampede, fans can follow KICKER at facebook.com/kickeraudio, twitter.com/kickeraudio, or Instagram.com/kickeraudio. They can also visit countrystampede.com.

KICKER Performance Audio products, a division of Stillwater Designs and Audio, Inc.^®, are available for the mobile and home audio aftermarket at authorized retailers worldwide, and also as Original Equipment for automobile manufacturers. Consumers seeking more information on KICKER or Livin’ Loud^® may call the Consumer Information Line at 1-800-256-5425 or visit the brand website at www.kicker.com. Follow KICKER socially at Facebook.com/kickeraudio, Twitter.com/kickeraudio, Instagram.com/kickeraudio, or Pinterest.com/kickeraudio.

Entrepreneur -- Anyone who’s been to Sonic knows what unmet expectations feel like. If you’re a small business owner, you’ve probably come to hate the verb “expect” more than any other. Customers have a whole lot of dreams about what you can deliver, and it’s all too easy to come up short when someone has their eyes to the sky.

In the tech world, expectations are especially killer. Terms like “the cloud” don’t help. Clouds are huge fluffy things that float and take on a million, ever-changing forms, so you can’t blame people for thinking that anything is possible in this industry. But when you’re operating on a budget, you can’t fulfill every whim, so part of the responsibility—and surely thrill—of owning a business is learning to set and then meet your clients’ expectations.

1. Attract the Right Business

As the voice of your product, you have the power to draw the kind of customers you want, and that starts with your brand. If you spout yourself as a full-service operation that holds the customer’s hand from start to finish, you need to deliver on that immediately to keep your clients around. If you’re more hands-off, you’ll be going after independent clients who are up for DIY. Communicate who you are and stick to it. If people are coming through the door with the wrong idea about you, you’re not being loud enough.

2. Understand Your Clients

Once you gain someone’s business, the expectation game really begins. You’ll get clients who love you (referrals, anyone?) and clients who really… don’t. Treat them as case studies. Let them vent. Learn what went wrong. These people will help you grow more than your biggest fans, even if you end up losing their business. Biting the bullet and asking honestly, “Where did we screw up?” will indulge them and enlighten you. To initiate these conversations, you need a method of taking your clients’ temperature before they’re fuming. Periodic check-ins, whether digital or in-person, give your customers the sense that they’ve been heard, plus provide you with regular insight on how you’re faring.

Read the rest of the story here: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/247040

Boston Globe -- Nuance Communications Inc. has taught our cars how to talk. Now it’s trying to teach them when to shut up.

Earlier this month, Burlington-based Nuance received a US patent for a system that reads incoming text messages aloud, through a car’s audio system — but only when it concludes that it’s safe for the driver to hear them.

A car can’t read minds, but its built-in sensors can read the road. The Nuance system captures data on driving conditions and uses it to decide whether it’s the best time to play incoming messages.

Nuance is a leading maker of software that translates spoken words into digital text, and text into speech. Its software is installed in smartphones, including the Apple Inc. iPhone, personal computers, and cars. The company’s Dragon Drive system lets drivers place calls or send texts using voice commands, or hear incoming messages read aloud.

Nuance declined to comment, but according to its patent, the technology would constantly monitor the car’s speed, traffic density, and road conditions, and also download weather data from the Internet. It uses this information to estimate the amount of conscious effort a driver needs to safely operate the car under certain conditions.

Read the rest of the story here: http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2015/06/19/next-cars-that-know-when-speak/Ygnbi5fjWuOFtFwVPx3lvM/story.html

Rockford Corp. has announced the retirement of industry veteran Howard Miller. Miller and his wife, Sharon, founded Crimestopper in 1980, and Miller joined Rockford as a consultant after Rockford acquired Crimestopper in 2014. Miller will remain with Rockford until June 30.

“Howard has built hundreds of business relationships and developed deep friendships throughout his long tenure in the industry,” said Rockford Corporation President and CEO Bill Jackson. “He is known as a field intensive guy and a person who has a work ethic that is second to none. He is one of those iconic people in the industry that basically everyone knows and everyone likes because of his personality and professionalism.”

For 35 years in the North American market, Crimestopper, Inc. has been an industry leader in 12 Volt aftermarket electronics and has become a one-stop-shop for total vehicle security and safety needs. Over the past decade, the company has been recognized for offering the widest selection of vehicle security and remote start systems in the marketplace. It has also expanded its product line to include GPS tracking systems and a wide variety of vehicle safety products such as cameras, monitors, wireless video systems, collision avoidance and parking sensor systems, DVR systems, and tire pressure monitoring systems.

“It’s been quite a ride,” said Miller. “Sharon and I started Crimestopper with humble beginnings with quite literally nothing, and built it up to one of the most respected brands in the industry over the past four decades. There are too many people to recognize for helping us along the way, but we do thank each and every one of them. And now, seeing what Rockford is putting into the business allows me to retire knowing Crimestopper is in good hands.”

Jackson concluded, “We are sad to see Howard leave the organization. He has been a great partner and has built a fabulous reputation in the industry. I am sure Howard is looking forward to improving his golf handicap and relaxing. We wish nothing but the best for the Millers and look forward to carrying on their legacy by continuing to build the Crimestopper brand.”

For more information, visit www.rockfordcorp.com.

A functional heads-up display (HUD) may be close to being a reality in the aftermarket. IRIS: Your Car and Network Combined, is a new HUD that attaches to the overhead visor in any vehicle and syncs to the user's mobile device via Bluetooth. The device is transparent and displays notifications such as upcoming directional suggestions like turns and road traffic, as well as text message and email notifications. The device also accepts phone calls.

Inspired by the same technology that fighter pilots use, IRIS is completely hands-free, relying on gesture controls for functionality while driving. The campaign has a goal of $50,000 and has [at this time] achieved $17,384 in just seven days.

The following is straight from the company's Facebook page:

"Iris is a new heads-up display (HUD) system that projects incoming phone calls, text messages, emails and more through a new laser technology that makes the messages appear to be floating out in front of your vehicle. Compatible with iPhone, Android and BlackBerry, Iris connects via Bluetooth using the latest display technology and clever software powered by a free App on your phone. And because Dallas and Dino, the developers behind Iris, do not want this driving evolution to stop, they have made their App an Open Source Software so that it can continue to evolve for the people by the people with unlimited possibilities."

To visit the Indigogo campaign, visit: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/iris-your-car-and-network-combined#/story

KENWOOD USA announced that it has hired industry veteran Randy Davis to become its next Western Region Sales Manager. The manufacturer of connected and integrated technologies for the automotive aftermarket will charge Davis with overseeing sales operations in the 13 western states, from Colorado to Alaska and Hawaii.

With more than 30 years in the mobile electronics industry, Davis has spent almost his entire career with Stillwater Designs in various sales management capacities, including a seven-year posting in Europe, where he helped strengthen sales, streamline distribution infrastructure and develop new markets. Domestically, he was instrumental in developing brand messaging and implementing campaigns to support the company’s marketing channels.

“I am grateful for all the years I had with my previous employer,” said Davis. “I was able to gain extensive experience and make lifelong industry connections that I can use throughout my career. That said, KENWOOD has always been a company that thrives on product excellence and forward-thinking technology, and I am excited, in this next chapter, to employ my skills and experience with such an iconic brand.”

Based in Fort Collins, Colo., Davis plans to bolster the territory by helping sales representatives, distributors and retailers employ creative strategies to grow market share and increase sales.

“There is no question that Randy’s experience makes us a better sales and service organization,” said Rob Sutton, director of sales for KENWOOD’s car electronics division. “In addition to all of his accomplishments, he has become well-known and well-liked among industry professionals at every level. His thorough understanding of marketing strategy and execution will complement KENWOOD’s brand positioning and sales efforts with retailers and local sales representatives. We are extremely pleased to have him on board.”

Davis can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For more information on KENWOOD products and events, please visit www.kenwood.com/usa.

CNET -- Ford introduces the newest generation of its Sync infotainment system this week, Sync 3, with navigation, digital audio, hands-free phone and app support. The new system comes in response to negative feedback about the previous MyFord Touch system.

When Ford launched the first generation of Sync in 2007, it was revolutionary, letting drivers use voice command to makes calls from a Bluetooth-paired phone by contact name and request music from a USB-connected drive by album, artist and track name. Those features have become common in cars today. The second generation of Sync, in conjunction with the MyFord Touch graphic interface, was not so successful, eliciting criticism for cluttered buttons and slow touch response times.

The touchscreen response times proved greatly improved partially due to a hardware change from a resistive to a capacitive touchscreen. Behind the scenes, the system runs on a Texas Instruments OMAP 5 dual-core processor with 2GB of RAM.

The software interface has been completely rewritten. The home screen shows navigation on the left side of the screen, with audio and phone cards stacked on the right side. Touching any of these areas launches the associated function. A menu ribbon running along the bottom of the display also gives access to these functions, along with climate controls and apps. While this homescreen is well-designed, many of the subscreens drop the home button, requiring a few quick presses on back buttons to return.

Read the rest here: http://www.cnet.com/news/new-ford-sync-improves-nav-adds-visual-apps/

DOW Electronics, a leading Consumer Electronics distributor in the South, announced that it is now stocking the complete line of Sony ES products. The Sony ES line provides retailers with a line that is protected from online shopping and has controlled distribution.  

Sony’s ES receivers have been designed to fit seamlessly into racks, to be more efficiently installed and to include IP control for more powerful and stable integration. Sony worked with industry leading control companies to ensure that their ES projectors and ES receivers would smoothly integrate with many control systems. Sony supports these premium home products with a dedicated support team and a three year warranty.

DOW Electronics adds the full Sony ES line to strengthen the core products offered to custom integrators. “Sony ES provides integrators with a product line-up that has protected margin and also has true controlled distribution,” stated Dave Elkin, DOW’s vice president of sales. “This is a great addition to give our integrators- a profitable product with limited competition.”

Added Drew Fischer, director of sales, “The Sony ES projectors and receivers are well-designed, high quality products with great name brand recognition. Our integrators should be able to capitalize on the highly regarded reputation Sony has built in the industry. Sony is well known for leading innovation as can be seen in the new Sony ES projectors that offer native 4K not seen in other manufacturers’ products.”

DOW distributes the Sony ES line throughout its 11 state territory in the south. The line is contract protected requiring retailers to be approved to resell the products.

To learn more about DOW Electronics and Sony, please visit www.DOWElectronics.com or call 1.800.627.2900.

K40 Electronics has announced a partnership with Canadian distributor DLC Distributors of Surrey, British Columbia. DLC will become the primary distributor of K40 Electronics portable radar/laser detectors and custom-installed radar/laser protection systems throughout Canada. Distribution from DLC will be effective immediately.

According to the company, DLC Distributors provides knowledgeable, first-class technical support to their expansive distribution network, and K40 offers advanced radar/laser systems with unmatched profitability that are never sold directly to consumers.

“We’re proud to partner with the outstanding team at DLC. With years of category experience and an established, handpicked distribution network, they are the perfect group to represent K40’s product line in Canada,” said Rachel Clark, K40’s National Sales Director.

To become an authorized K40 Canadian retailer, call DLC Distributors at 1.800.667.8992, or contact them via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

World Highways -- A new study shows that the risk level of a driver’s likelihood of a crash can be determined accurately. An independent study carried out by driver behaviour specialist CAS for Risk Technology shows that data collected by automotive telematics devices can accurately predict the likelihood of a motorist having a crash. CAS carried out its research with 1,291 drivers who were insured by a leading UK firm and had telematics devices installed in their vehicles. The study examined how driver behaviour affects the chance of a driver being involved in an incident and the potential to make an insurance claim.
CAS concluded that the Risk Technology driver scoring methodology provides a good prediction of a driver’s potential to be involved in crashes. It takes several key factors into consideration and analyses this information more accurately than other technology.
The study investigated the accuracy of five key indicators used by Risk to predict driver behaviour, including: speed of driving, braking force, acceleration speed, whether or not the drive is taking place on an urban road, and or whether it is day or night time.
This information was collected from each driver’s telematics device and compared against the cause of any crashes or damages recorded by the insurer. The main reasons recorded for accidents included a lack of hazard perception, poor basic steering skills, loss of control of the vehicle, and not maintaining a safe distance from other vehicles.
Different crash types are best predicted by different combinations of factors. For example, driver’s braking score was shown to be a very good predictor of loss of control, and is currently the most useful indicator to insurers for predicting this type of crash.

Bloomberg -- Ford Motor Co. and Jaguar Land Rover Ltd. are teaming up with the U.K. government to test autonomous cars as an add-on to public transport systems.

The U.K. Autodrive Consortium will place 40 self-driving transport “pods” on the streets of Milton Keynes, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) north of London, for six months beginning in late 2017, project head Tim Armitage said in an interview. The British government’s goal is to secure a slice of the growing market for autonomous transport.

The project, which is partially funded by a government grant, is part of a five-year, 120 million-pound ($186 million) effort by the U.K. to become a leader in self-driving vehicles, challenging Germany and the U.S. The goal is to spur investment as well as reduce accidents and improve air quality.

“There’s some big wins” with autonomous vehicles, Armitage said. “But in order to reach those big wins, we need some new technology.”

The trial, a three-year investment backed by a 10 million-pound government grant and the same amount from the private sector, is running alongside two other U.K. programs in Bristol, England, and the London borough of Greenwich. U.K. road laws are more open to testing driverless cars on public roads than many other countries, making the country attractive to foreign companies, Armitage said.

Read the rest of the story here: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-06-11/ford-jaguar-consortium-to-test-driverless-transport-pods-in-u-k-