Category Archives: Transportation

DRIVING FUEL ECONOMY

May 13, 2013 – 7:03 am

by Sumaa Tekur Car buyers around the world are revving up on the road to better fuel efficiency. Responding to this ever-increasing need for more mileage from less fuel, automakers are steering toward advanced technologies and research. A survey by KPMG found that in big emerging markets around the world, the motor industry is pumping […]

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Silvercar strips down the car rental process

January 22, 2013 – 4:08 pm

by Stefania Revelli WHAT’S HAPPENING Silvercar simplifies the airport car rental process to four steps and one 2013 silver Audi A4 — one  make, one model, one color, one choice. Users make an online reservation, download the Silvercar app, access the car for their needs, and return it when they’re done. Separating it from traditional […]

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Frankfurt airport caters to Chinese shoppers

January 9, 2013 – 3:17 pm

by Ann Kathrin Weldy WHAT’S HAPPENING Frankfurt airport operator Fraport AG has launched a free personal shopping service for travellers from China. The personal-shopping staff assists them in making purchasing decisions and obtaining sales tax refunds (Spiegel.de, 23 November 2012). The Chinese are known to be keen consumers and many shop for bargains at the […]

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Belgium’s Cardrops delivers goods to car-owners’ trunks

November 13, 2012 – 1:39 pm

by Sara Bivigou WHAT’S HAPPENING Cardrops is a “frictionless” delivery service launched by Antwerp creative agency Board of Innovation. It aims to take the planning and hassle out of receiving parcels (BoardofInnovation, 8 September 2012). The Belgian service reasons that cars are parked 90% of the time and so their trunks can be used as […]

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Madrid’s scooter taxis offer affordable rides

November 6, 2012 – 3:04 pm

by Sairica Rose WHAT’S HAPPENING Madrid’s Mototaxi has hit the streets to offer intrepid passengers scooter taxis. Eight 2-wheeled wonders can be hailed for a modest €1.50 flag-down fee (Abc.es, 17 October 2012). Passengers are provided with a helmet, and the promise of a quick zip to their chosen destination at around half the cost […]

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Does that car come in brown?

October 9, 2012 – 2:46 pm

by Stefania Revelli WHAT’S HAPPENING Silver, white and now brown. After nearly phasing out a few years ago as a preferred car color, brown is making a comeback (Yahoo.com, August 2012). According to Jane Harrington, global color manager of PPG, brown evokes feelings of stability, authenticity and comfort that are reminiscent of appreciated lifestyle indulgences […]

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FREEDOM TO DRIVE

September 25, 2012 – 2:20 pm

by Sumaa Tekur The world is driving, slowly, toward better fuel efficiency. Vehicle fuel needs may well be cut in half by 2030 if existing technologies are adopted, according to the International Energy Agency. That’s despite the fact that the number of vehicles will double by 2050 (Businessweek.com, 19 September 2012). The US government, in August, […]

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CAR CONVERSATIONS

April 17, 2012 – 12:57 pm

by Stefania Revelli It’s that time of year again. Oil refineries are getting a spring cleaning, gas prices are heading upward, and New York City was recently host to the 2012 International Auto Show. Iconoculture talked to dozens of consumers and product specialists there and found three recurring themes: fervor, fuel and fear. Visitors were […]

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Phone booths stick around, and go green, in Italy

April 10, 2012 – 10:50 am

by Elisabeth Catuogno WHAT’S HAPPENING With the last of Italy’s old-school phone booths scheduled to be dismantled by 2016, Telecom Italia has noted that people are beginning to use them again (Panorama.it, 12 March, 2012). UbiConnected — a small telcom company from Turin — has proposed a green restyling of the traditional phone booth, and […]

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A people-powered new bike design in Bordeaux

March 27, 2012 – 11:46 am

by Lindsay Paterson WHAT’S HAPPENING Over 300 citizens of the French city of Bordeaux brought their design might to bear on the creation of a new rental bike for the city (Gizmag.com, 14 February 2012). Consumers asked for a number of new features to make the bikes as practical and user-friendly as possible. Their design […]

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Dutch airline lets passengers pick seatmates

January 31, 2012 – 1:48 pm

by Sairica Rose WHAT’S HAPPENING Romance and friendship can blossom in the most unlikely of places. Even on aeroplanes. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines “Meet and Seat” service, to be launched in early 2012, will enable passengers to choose their seatmate based on their social media profiles (Wired.com, 16 December 2011). The service will invite users […]

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Daylight savings: Spain unveils nocturnal solar power plant

November 1, 2011 – 11:24 am

by Sairica Rose WHAT’S HAPPENING Gemasolar, near Seville, Spain, claims to be the world’s first 24-hour thermosolar power plant (DiariodeSevilla.es, 5 October 2011). The plant’s 2,600+ mirrors concentrate the sun’s rays to create superheated liquid salt during the day. The salt retains enough energy to generate power throughout 15 hours of darkness. Inaugurated on 4 […]

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Treading lightly: Danish petrol stations offer bike pit stops

November 1, 2011 – 11:21 am

by Sairica Rose WHAT’S HAPPENING What can a Norwegian oil company offer Danish cyclists? Statoil ASA has installed bike-care stations at petrol stations in Copenhagen (Copenhagenize.com, 15 September 2011). The bike pit stops occupy unused wall space at existing petrol stations. They feature a life-size bicycle pictogram with a pull-down shelf to lift and hold […]

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Russian airport installs SleepBox for express nap

October 18, 2011 – 12:47 pm

by Anna Coppola WHAT’S HAPPENING The first SleepBox, a stand-alone mini-hotel room, has been installed in Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport . It can be rented for between 30 minutes and several hours to allow travellers to kill time comfortably between flights (Dezeen.com, 11 September 2011). The ash-veneered booth, designed by Russian architects Arch Group, contains two […]

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Spares make way for nimbler solutions to the flat tire

October 11, 2011 – 2:32 pm

by Jeongmae Choi WHAT’S HAPPENING In Korea and elsewhere, the full-size spare tire is becoming a thing of the past. Once considered essential, car manufacturers have come up with alternatives in order to increase gas mileage, cut costs and increase trunk space. Hyundai, Kia and Renault Samsung equip cars with a temporary tire, which is […]

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