By Steve Henricksen

Wheels and Water

The Aquada from Gibbs Technologies is designed to provide sports car-like performance on land and on sea. Neither a floating car nor a rolling boat, the Aquada, based on a Mazda Miata/MX-5, stakes a new claim in the civilian North American market: the first feasible amphibious vehicle (no, amphibious cars aren’t a completely new concept, the Amphicar was a popular novelty around US lakes in the 1960s, but it was comically slow and not much good as either a boat or a car). Gibbs set out to legitimately integrate land and marine technology and they did, winding up with an amphibian that can hit speeds of 30mph in the water and that, with the push of a button, can either extend or stow its wheels, suspension, and brakes in under 12 seconds. Initially, Gibbs came up with a price tag of $285K for all this technology, but soon realized that the cost was a bit high ~ right now, the price is hovering at around $142K but even that might have to be rethought, too.

Hoping that their Aquada will become a new favorite in the fun and functional markets, Gibbs also manufactures two other land/sea vehicles that are aimed at capturing the recreational, functional, and military markets. The 350 horsepower Humdinga, designed specifically for the latter, is four-wheel drive, holds five passengers, and can travel at 100mpg on land, going from 0-60mph at ~ for its size ~ an impressive 9.2 seconds; on the water, it can hit speeds over 40mph.

The Quadski can’t carry the passengers that the Humdinger can, but it can hit 50 mph on both land and sea and does a great job of combining the freedom of a water ski with the fun of an ATV. Its transformation from sea-based to land-based also happens “at the flick of a switch.”

Look Ma, No Hands!

Never mind cruise control, GM’s ‘08 Opel Vectra will be equipped with a self-driving system. The car will be capable of piloting itself at speeds up to 60mph in heavy traffic without any input from the driver sitting behind the steering wheel (we hope!). GM claims the system, called Traffic Assist, will make driving safer and more relaxing. The system will use a video camera, laser beams, and big-time computer to “see” signs, bends in the road, other vehicles and lane markings, and these components will also control the engine, steering and brakes to keep the car correctly positioned on the road and maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front.

The system is to become available on more models ~ including the Saab 9-3, Cadillac BLS and Saturn Aura ~ by the end of the decade, but there’s still a question as to whether it will be launched in the US; product liability laws are different here in America.

Don’t Doze and Drive

Delphi is making The Drowsy Driver System (already installed in some commercial vehicles) available for passenger cars this year. The system has great life-saving potential ~ a miniature camera mounted above a vehicle’s rearview mirror monitors the driver’s blinking patterns and senses when the driver begins to doze. The system them responds with a pre-programmed “alarm” that the driver has chosen ~ the radio coming on, the seat vibrating, or the windows opening.