Monday, January 7, 2008

Toyota PM Concept Car a personal transport concept


Toyota PM Concept Car

Toyota PM is highly maneuverable thanks to its castor like wheels capable of rotating through 180 degrees. The front wheels are also notable because of their hub-less design.
The futuristic Toyota PM concept from 2003 is a personal transport concept.
The PM's cockpit opens by touching one of the unusual stalk mounted headlights, this then glows green to announce the impending opening of the glass canopy.
Another interesting feature Toyota has built into the PM is its adjustable ride height and attitude. As the PM's speed increases it lowers to the ground to increase stability and improve aerodynamics.
Inside the PM information regarding vehicle performance and the location of other PM's is relayed to the single occupant by a floating virtual display.
Power for the concept comes from an electric motor.

Saturday, January 5, 2008

Car Insurance

car insurance auto

Having lived in America and South Africa I have found it difficult moving back to a country where the individual is insured as opposed to the vehicle. It used to be the case that if I wanted to borrow someone's car that they'd sling me their keys and off I'd go safe in the knowledge that if the worst were to happen I'd be covered.

Forgetting the laws in England I recently suggested to a friend that I drove their car home for them from the pub. The idea was laughed at and not because of my questionable driving. The reason is the penalties for being caught are so severe. The same applies for lending a vehicle over a couple of days. It is often difficult to find insurers that are willing to cover you for a short amount of time. So borrowing a car for a single journey can end up being extremely expensive.

Fortunately there are an increasing number of insurance providers that see the importance of offering insurance over a short period. The period of cover can range between a single day to a whole month. This makes it popular with people such as students that return home in the summer and want to use their parents' car. It is also an extremely popular option for the ex-pat community that return to the UK for a break. With many providers offering deals specified for people that live abroad it can mean using a car is significantly cheaper than hiring.auto quote insurance car

Arranging temp cover for a vehicle is a simple process that can be completed online. It is the perfect option for when you want to test drive or purchase a new vehicle and want to drive it fully insured. Because many providers let you apply online you can often print out the insurance certificate and carry it with you. This will give you incredible peace of mind if you are off to test drive a vehicle that is being sold privately or driving a friend's vehicle for a single journey.

It is a perfect option for insuring a relative to drive your car if you are ill and can't drive. It is also a great option for when your car has broken down and you need to borrow your partner's car. It can be a very cost effective way of borrowing a car from a friend. The rental period for temp cover is short so can be a very small one off payment.