VOA慢速英语2013 AS IT IS 2013-12-29 What Is Next for the Future of Cars?

 

AS IT IS 2013-12-29 What Is Next for the Future of Cars?

Welcome back to As It Is. I’m Kelly Jean Kelly.

Today we are talking about the future. More specifically, about the future of cars and driving.

VOA reporter Mike O’Sullivan visited the Los Angeles Auto¹ Show in California.  He says that technology is transforming cars. 

For instance, the costly² car company BMW is now selling electric vehicles.

The electric i3 model is made with lightweight carbon fiber³. It also has the latest electronics to make driving safer.

The i3 includes a camera that lets the driver see the area behind the car.  The camera also helps drivers with parking and changing lanes.  The electronic system can  also prevent drivers from crashing their car.

Theresa Moriarty works for BMW. She drove reporter Mike O’Sullivan through Los Angeles. She says using the brakes to stop or slow down helps add power to the battery.

“Any time you’re not accelerating, the regenerative braking kicks on and the car will slow, adding some energy back to your battery."

“Blue tooth is connecting.”

The company General Motors, or GM, has built a Cadillac model that uses both gasoline and electricity. Stuart Fowle works for GM. He says the system lets drivers start  the car when they are away from it. It also lets them see what is happening with the car from anywhere in the world.

“The smart phone app we have allows you to check your tire pressures, check your oil level or your oil life. It allows you to check your fuel level, how much range  you have on that tank of fuel.”

Owners of large groups of cars or trucks -- called fleets -- use technology to stay in contact with their vehicles. Joshua Turner works at Sprint⁴ Velocity⁵, which helps  create those connections.

“If, for instance, a fleet vehicle were to experience a flat tire, the system in the vehicle would be able to transmit that to the appropriate repair technician, and  then also alert fleet management when that vehicle was able to come back online.”

Cars can already tell drivers where they can get fuel, as well as the cost of the fuel. David Jumpa works for Airbiquity. His company sells online vehicle services in  50 countries. Mr. Jumpa says cars will soon be able to share information with each other.

“Information that there’s ice on the road ahead, right, based on the information the previous car just passed up.”

Cars cannot yet talk to one another.  But Mr. Jumpa says they will be able to in the future, as they become even more connected.

And that’s As It Is. I’m Kelly Jean Kelly.

1 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

2 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

3 fiber   

n.纤维，纤维质

参考例句：

• The basic structural unit of yarn is the fiber.纤维是纱的基本结构单元。
• The material must be free of fiber clumps.这种材料必须无纤维块。

4 sprint   

n.短距离赛跑；vi. 奋力而跑，冲刺；vt.全速跑过

参考例句：

• He put on a sprint to catch the bus.他全速奔跑以赶上公共汽车。
• The runner seemed to be rallied for a final sprint.这名赛跑者似乎在振作精神作最后的冲刺。

5 velocity   

n.速度，速率

参考例句：

• Einstein's theory links energy with mass and velocity of light.爱因斯坦的理论把能量同质量和光速联系起来。
• The velocity of light is about 300000 kilometres per second.光速约为每秒300000公里。