The system projects a laser on the windshield to highlight things that you should be noticing, like the edge of the road on a foggy day or that first grade class on the crosswalk. The system is still a long way off, thanks to the many elements that would need to be put in place. For example, a mechanism would need to track your head and eyes to make sure the lasers were properly placed.

But hey, it'll be easier than prying the licenses out of the stubborn hands of people who are no longer fit to command a dangerous vehicle, right? [CNN]

In order to service a heavy load of vehicles down the line, it will be necessary to produce hydrogen at petrochemical plants until it becomes possible to manufacture it from cleaner sources like carbon capture and storage, bio-feedstocks and municipal solid waste. There are numerous hydrogen stations located throughout the world, and it isn't the first of its kind in California, but the fact that it is backed by a major company could be the spark needed to generate real progress. [Ecogeek via CNET]

This vehicle from University of Waterloo in Canada uses a 400kg fuel cell to turn on-board hydrogen and airborne oxygen into energy that powers two 67-kW electric motors. If the SUV demands more power, it has a backup battery that is charged in part by a regenerative brake, like on today's hybrids.

They actually let me drive the thing. Here's what I thought: The ride is extremely smooth. Since the SUV doesn't have an engine, it's relatively quiet, especially when accelerating. Most of the noise comes from the oxygen intake system, but it only comes in quick bursts. The brakes are sensitive, but part of the reason for that is to use the kinetic energy harvested by braking for recharging the battery. A touchscreen computer in the center displays all the diagnostics, and shows where the vehicle is getting its power.

The truck holds about 4kg of hydrogen packed at 5000psi, which gives it the equivalent of ~25mpg. It is extremely clean, as the only emission given off by the vehicle is a bit of water, a byproduct of the fuel cell process. It tops out around 65mph, but that can be improved in the future. The main problem with the fuel cell SUV is the lack of places to fill up the tank. Hydrogen fueling stations are a long way from the mainstream, and the team said there are only two locations where they can reload on the way to Washington, DC, their final destination on this tour. Hopefully this will change soon, because a clean, abundantly available fuel source seems like a pretty good option to me. [Challenge X]

Noticeable Differences Between Volt Hydrogen and Volt:

1. Volt Hydrogen features two hydrogen tanks near the rear of the vehicle.
2. Hydrogen still features a battery stack (we were told for electric-only option), but it's about 20% smaller than what you see in the Volt classic. (Specs say that it can go 40 miles on electric alone.)

Noticeable Similarities Between Volt Hydrogen and Volt:

1. That chassis looked identical—it's truly the Volt in hydrogen form.
2. It's called a Volt.

When can we expect to see it on the market? There's no official timeline out there, as GM is waiting for the hydrogen refueling infrastructure problems to be solved before launching a hydrogen car. In addition, GM isn't finalizing the design until they see how the Volt performs for the masses.

And as for that infrastructure problem, "we're working on a solution," a GM spokesperson said.

Like the Volt's unleaded offerings, the Opel E-Flex diesel engine is not a motor at all, but a backup power generator for the electricity-driven car. Let's just swap out that diesel engine for a nuclear reactor, and we're in business. Hit up Jalopnik for more photos. [jalopnik and carscoop]

However, although it is 3200dpi, the polling rate was only 550Hz, or a 1.7ms response time. Other mice like the Microsoft Habu and Razer Copperhead had a polling rate of 1ms. All in all, it's not a bad mouse if you're into gaming, but you'd have to turn down the dpi whenever you work on the desktop unless you like cursors flying uncontrollably. – Jason Chen

Saitek GM3200 Laser Mouse Review [Extremetech]

The key fob is a simply a better looking key that has more of a jewelry feel to it. The luxury lighting adds recessed lighting to places that normally don't have lighting, such as the above blinker. The high-tech rearview mirror actually uses video and cameras, rather than actual mirrors. So how long until we see some of these in our actual vehicles? Well, if Will Smith knew, he would say beyond 2035. I, Robot took place in 2035 and they had automatic driving cars, but no fancy rearview, recessed lighting or jewelry-like keys. –Travis Hudson

Redesigning GM [YankoDesign]

Super Bowl Ad Watch: GM Forces Robot To Kill Self [Jalopnik]

The car resembles a Corvette, using a modified Corvette Z06 aluminum frame underneath, and it has other GM styling cues such as the nose, which looks like a Cadillac STS. The similarity ends there, though, because this is a mid-engine behemoth, looking more like an aircraft than a car. What a spectacular design and engineering feat! We're hoping the GM Design Studio and its attendant suits will decide put something like this on the road sometime soon. Could the 2008 Corvette steal an idea or two from this? – Charlie White

The EcoJet: Jay Leno's New GM-Outsourced Supercar [Jalopnik]

Jump!

Monday saw the first announcement, of the Chevrolet Sequel — an entirely hydrogen-powered and petroleum-free vehicle (except for, and we're only guessing here, but there's probably motor oil in it). The Sequel, originally introduced in 2005 at the Detroit Auto Show, was the first concept car to integrate a hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system and match it up to a bunch of cool gadgety goodness — like steer-and brake-by-wire controls, wheel hub motors, lithium-ion batteries and a lightweight aluminum structure. The Sequel's also got a crossover SUV form factor (the "CUV" appears to be the new hotness of form factors) with a range of 300 miles between fill-ups as it pulls fuel from three carbon composite high-pressure tanks for hydrogen which it's got mounted and sandwiched into the chassis in order to protect it from damage in case of a crash.

The BMW, announced on Tuesday, is a "hybrid" in that it uses both a gasoline-and hydrogen-powered drive. The BMW Hydrogen 7 is based on the BMW 7 Series (duh!), and is powered by a 260 hp twelve-cylinder engine and features a dual-mode power unit — controlled at the touch of a button — that can switch from the 17.6 lb. hydrogen fuel tank (125 miles worth) to the 16.3 lb. conventional premium gasoline tank (300 miles worth). The premium gas gives it some fuel economy issues, the Hydrogen 7 gets 15 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway — but by providing both drive units, it's able to get a range of more than 400 miles. It also makes certain the car will still drive even if it isn't in range of a hydrogen fuel station. For some strange reason, finding one seems to be a problem for anyone but the Jetsons. The Hydro-7's got the same creature comforts as the regular 7 Series, with electric seats (now with lumbar support!), ISOFIX child seat fastenings (you know, for kids!) and interior mirrors with something called "automatic anti-dazzle" (we've no friggin' idea!). BMW's producing 100 of them to test as a concept, with around 30 of them coming stateside — and no, you'll probably not be able to drive one or buy one anytime soon. Neither car seems to have any performance issues requiring Levitra, with both getting 0-60 times of sub-ten seconds and top speeds of around 140 mph.

But what's funny about hydrogen power is yet again GM's finding itself actually ahead of the curve with a vehicle ahead of its time — like the electric car some accuse it of killing — and competitors nipping at its heels, coming out with half-steps hybrids. We'll have to see if GM's gonna have the balls to push the Sequel to, and keep it at, market — or will they let BMW become the hydrogen version of Honda or Toyota as GM goes on to star in a documentary sequel called "Who Killed The Hydrogen Car." We guess only time will tell.–Ray Wert

A Whole Different Kind of Fuelie: GM's Sequel to Be a Chevrolet [Jalopnik]
Burning the Midnight Liquid Fuel: BMW Reveals Hydrogen 7 [Jalopnik]

A whopping 90-percent of all 2007 model year GM vehicles will offer optional factory-installed XM. – Travis Hudson

It's Not Radio, It's XM: GM Cuts Price of XM Radio To $199 [Jalopnik]

Apple in deals to connect iPod in new car models [Yahoo]

Our beloved greasemonkey brethren at Jalopnik tell us the techo-goodness inside is called dual-mode hybrid, where GM and their buddies at BMW and DaimlerChrysler have figured out how to hook up two separate connections into the hybrid system and shoehorn all that into the standard-sized transmission case. One of those connections is for low-speed, high load-type operations, and another for high-speed, freeway-type, lighter load-type operations. Bottom line? 25% better fuel economy, and 365hp.

We're hard-pressed to get excited about pickup trucks, no matter what's under the hood. Although these pickups will have plenty of power as well as better gas mileage, it still seems to us like drinking a Diet Coke to wash down a gigantic chocolate sundae. – Charlie White

Being Greenish: Silverado, Sierra to be GM's First Hybrid Trucks; Fall 2007 Launch [Jalopnik]

Such a plug-in car would give drivers a choice of running on electricity only, or also having an internal combustion engine to kick in when the batteries run out. We're thinking the timing is pretty fortunate that such a story would leak out, what with the GM- and big-oil-critical documentary just about to be released, Who Killed the Electric Car. – Charlie White

GM Planning Plug-In Hybrid? [Jalopnik]

The EV1 will be replaced at the Smithsonian by an SUV, the robotic VW Touareg designed by Stanford University. Is it a coincidence that GM is one of the largest financial supporters of the Smithsonian, and its EV1 was mysteriously removed from that museum on the eve of the premiere of this GM-critical documentary? Hmm. Just asking. – Charlie White

Smithsonian Kills the Electric Car [treehugger]

Car lovers in the US will just have to wait and see if GM's Ion, which is based on the Astra, will have this same panoramic windshield as an option. – Jason Chen

Vauxhall Astra Panoramic lets drivers soak up the sun [Autoblog via Mobilemag]

Now we can all watch movies, edit video, plug in PCs and have them all talk to each other over a network in the car, all while traveling at 75 mph. On second thought, maybe we'll take the bus.

GM s Car-based Multimedia Infrastructure [ZatsNotFunny]

GM to Factory Install XM Satellite Radio [Gadgetmadness]