Archive for the ‘Miscellaneous’ Category

We aren't entirely sure how an unassuming Mormon family from San Antonio, Texas found themselves in the armored car business, and we're even less sure how Texas Armoring Corporation scored a reality series wherein they convert "everyday cars into bulletproofed, bomb-resistant, gadget-filled fortresses, equipped with cutting-edge getaway gizmos and futuristic protective devices that rival 007". (The rest of TLC's show description is equally hyperbolic and awesome.) But one thing's for certain: we'll be watching the pilot episode when it launches Thursday night. [Discovery]

The ZOE Z.E. concept car stems from a curious collaboration between French automaker Renault and luxury skincare company Biotherm (a division of L'Oreal). The ZOE Z.E. offers the usual complement of EV conceptual goodness -- it's battery-powered, boasts zero-emissions, is quickly rechargeable, and makes use of solar power -- but it also has a handful of spa-like amenities, including a hydrating a/c system.

Our fave feature, however, would have to be the car's aromatherapeutic element:  "An electric system diffuses essential oils, exclusive active substances adapted to the needs of the driver: dynamic in the morning, relaxing coming home...

China may not be as isolated as it once was, but there are still cultural differences that set the country apart. To minimize traffic accidents near schools, for example, America created a system of school zones and built a few speed bumps. China, on the other hand, has ordered children to salute every passing car on their way to and from class -- which sounds cumbersome for both students and officials, but the government says there hasn't been an accident since the program began. And hey: if it teaches manners too, as officials hope, perhaps there's something the West can learn. [NYT via KickingTires]