Half Dozen Dad

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Adventures

Michelin Wants to Change the World by Letting the Air Out of Our Tires

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Michelin wants to change the world with the Uptis (Unique Puncture-proof Tire System) prototype. A tire that is so unique with its airless design that they may just do it.

The Uptis promises to forever eliminate the need to ever change a flat tire. It is completely impervious to flats and blowouts. This obviously makes for a safer tire but it goes much farther than that.

The airless Uptis means that air pressure does not need to be constantly monitored to create even wear. This means it should last longer with less maintenance. 

Michelin estimates 200 million tires are scrapped every year due to punctures, damage and uneven wear. That means 2 million tons of material is discarded on an annual basis. When the Uptis does eventually wear out, it can be retreaded so only a small portion of the tire is scraped. The replaced portion may even someday be 3D-printed in your local tire shop.

The Vision

The Michelin Uptis represents a major step toward achieving their innovative VISION concept of having airless, connected, 3D-printed and 100% sustainable tires.

“Uptis demonstrates that Michelin’s vision for a future of sustainable mobility is clearly an achievable dream,” said Florent Menegaux, chief executive officer for Michelin Group. “Through work with strategic partners like GM, who share our ambitions for transforming mobility, we can seize the future today.”

History

Over 15 years ago, Michelin introduced the Tweel, an airless tire for commercial applications. The Uptis creates the first version designed for highway speeds.

Michelin & GM Partnership

This summer, Michelin and GM will begin testing the Uptis on the Chevy Bolt. The factory version of the tire should be an option as early as 2024.

The choice of the Bolt as the first vehicle to use the Uptis intrigues me. Both are working towards solutions for the future but I know how much tires can affect the efficiency and range an EV’s.

When I asked, Cyrille Roget, Technical & Scientific Communication Director for Michelin states that “This tire is expected to have the same rolling resistance as a run-flat tire.”

Weight

An air-filled tire and wheel typically weigh around 46 lbs and a run-flat tire weighs about 51 lbs. The Uptis design weighs 49.6 lbs. Michelin expects overall vehicle weight with the Uptis to remain similar to traditional air tires given that the spare tire, jack and tire pressure monitoring systems TPMS) can also be eliminated.

This tire seems to have lots of promise to reinvent the tire for the generations to come. I am excited to see how it drives.

Disclosure: Michelin invited me to the Movin’ On Summit in Montreal, Canada where the Uptis was unveiled. Travel and accommodations were provided but all opinions are my own.

 

Is the Future of Driving Autonomous?

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Lately, there has been a lot of talk about how the future of driving is autonomous and that cars will soon be able to drive themselves. This week I have spent a lot of time with worldwide experts and prototypes at the Movin’ On conference in Montreal, Canada. I have also spent a lot of time with cars designed to drive themselves including Nissan/Infiniti’s Propilot Assist, Tesla’s Autopilot, Byton’s EV prototype (with front seats that rotate backward), self-driving transports (like the one below)and even taken a ride in Lyft’s autonomous rideshare service at CES. The technology is advancing rapidly but is the future of driving going to fully be autonomous?

Valeo Nauya self-driving taxi for Asian markets demonstrated at CES 2018

If you are like me, you like driving.  I enjoy the rush of accelerating in a sports car as much as any guy. I like the freedom that comes with being able to go anywhere at any time. I like being in control of what happens when I am behind the wheel. I love to drive!

Infiniti QX50 with ProPILOT Assist

I also love tech. I have always been an early adopter. I frequently preorder the latest gadget. I am usually the first person to beta test software and realize its strengths and weaknesses. I bought one of the first electric cars over 7 years ago and I use my adaptive cruise control almost daily in my current EV.

Does that make me the perfect candidate for a self-driving car?

I honestly don’t know. There are still so many questions about self-driving that still need to be answered such as what will be the standards of safety for the technology, a point that Hadi Zablit, Senior Vice President, Business Development, Alliance Renault Nissan Mitsubishi reinforced does not currently exist in his speech at Movin’ On.

Nissan LEAF with ProPILOT Assist

There is no denying that technology and cars are combining in a way they never have before. They have become computers on wheels. This gives them more capabilities than they have ever had before. They will continue to be able to take more and more control

The question really boils down to how much will we trust the car and the tech? I think that is precisely why all of the cars that I have driven have taken somewhat different approaches to their implementation of self-driving tech.

Different Approaches

I think that is precisely why every car company is taking its own approach towards autonomy. Some are taking a more cautious while others claim the future is almost here.

Tesla

When most people think of self-driving cars, they think of Tesla’s Autopilot system and videos of people doing nothing behind the wheel. Their tech is not yet supposed to be used this way yet but people expect it to be this way. Tesla buyers seem to be overly trusting of the tech.


Tesla wants to be the face of autonomous driving and states all over the news that they are pushing for full Level 5 self-driving (which means that the car can do anything that a human can do). They claim that a system when the car can take full control will be available in the not so distant future.

Tesla claims they can achieve this with their current camera and radar hardware they are shipping on their cars. They also claim that their vehicles will be fully driving themselves in the very near future, something that many skeptics believe is simply not possible.

Nissan/Infiniti

Andy Christensen, Sr. Manager at Nissan/Infiniti told me that Nissan is taking a bit of a different approach. Nissan wants to assist drivers and make their driving experiences better.

It feels like they are wanting to build that trust in the tech over time. They are in no hurry to take full control from drivers.

Infiniti QX50 with Autopilot

Andy told me that things like driving in snow will require driver intervention for quite a while.

Nissan current ProPILOT Assist is a Level 2 system that uses cameras and radar to keep you in your lane (through minor steering adjustments) and keep your distance from other vehicles. Honestly, it has done a great job of doing this Infiniti QX50 and the Nissan LEAF vehicle. It while being so mild that you barely know it is there.

ProPILOT Assist uses radar and cameras but Andy feels that a lot more hardware will be required for full Level 5 autonomy

Byton

Byton is a Chinese company that came out of nowhere to show off their electric vehicle prototype at CES in Jan 2018. The vehicle is still years away from production but they claim that it will come with seats that are designed to rotate rearward when autonomous driving is engaged enabling the driver to interact with passengers creating the road trip of the future.

Byton did not say much about how they were going to achieve autonomy, only that their cars would ship prepared for it.

Lyft

Finally, Lyft was driving passengers between the Las Vegas Convention Center and several of the casinos on the strip without driver interaction. You simply called for a ride through Lyft’s app and then the car showed up and took you to your destination. Under current self-driving laws, a driver still had to be sitting in the driver’s seat but didn’t have to drive the vehicle.

It was a very impressive demonstration that showed how easy it will someday be to simply request a car and get to your destination even without a driver.

Valeo and Navya are planning to implement self-driving taxis in Asian markets.

As the tech gets better, cars will be able to do more of the driving. The question becomes would you trust your life to the tech? Will you let it drive you by it drive you completely by itself?

For now, I’m just going to have to wait and see.

2019 Infiniti QX50: What a Crossover Should Be

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It seems like every few days, there is a new crossover on the market. With my attending probably a dozen crossover announcements over the last few months and with there already being a lot of them on the market, it is really hard to stand out in this crowded space.

When Infiniti invited me to Los Angeles to drive the all-new 2019 QX50 luxury crossover along the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) in Malibu, I was expecting to get some great pictures and to enjoy an ocean breeze. I wasn’t expecting to fall in love with the vehicle.

The way my schedule worked out, I arrived quite early so I figured I would get a sneak peak of the vehicle before everyone arrived. I was told I would find the vehicle on the roof of the La Peer Hotel and in typical Infiniti-fashion, they had used a crane to get it there.

My first impression was that it had a consistent look with other Infiniti vehicles, right down to the signature kink on the rear D-Pillar (the chrome zig-zag). Somehow, this vehicle seemed to wear it better than the rest of the family (shown below next to it’s bigger 3-row brother the QX60). It also felt sportier and a bit edgier.

It sounds a bit cliche but to me, it is the inside that counts. When you have a family, the best looking vehicle in the world won’t make it past my wife and into the garage if it doesn’t have the room to carry the family.

The QX50 blows away the competition with an interior that has more than enough room for a this 6’3″, 275lb guy. I honestly had to move the driver’s seat forward so I could touch the pedals.

The back seat did not dissappoint either. Car seats can make used of the sliding back seat that makes them easy to install.

A full-size bike even fits comfortably in the cargo area without removing the wheels. There is so much functional space that I wrote a lot more about it here.

Infiniti put the world first variable compression turbo engine in the QX50 (VC-Turbo). This new engine increases torque by 13 (280 pound-feet) and improves gas mileage by 35% (27 mpg highway) over the 2018 QX50.

It is really pretty impressive that it can constantly be changing the compression without the driver knowing that something very unique is happening under the hood. It is a very smooth driving experience.

Peak output is 268 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 280 lb-ft of torque from 1,600 to 4,800 rpm. The VC-Turbo replaces the 3.7-liter V-6, which had 325 hp at 7,000 rpm and 267 lb-ft of torque at 5,200 rpm. What this means is the even though the old engine had more horsepower, the new VC-Turbo engine delivers it where it counts, at much lower revs. This makes it a lot of fun to drive around town.

I’m so impressed with this little CUV that it honestly would consider it for my own garage. It is worth checking out for yourself.

 

Tow like a Pro with GMC’s Sierra

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No one wants to see the first time I pulled a trailer. It was an absolute mess. I drove over curbs and couldn’t figure out why the trailer would always go in the opposite direction when I backed up. It is a miracle that I didn’t do any serious damage.

It turns out that I was not alone in my lack of towing skills. Even though 75% of light truck buyers tow, most have never had any training to learn the trailering skills. They pick it up by doing (as I have now done over the years) but still may not know all of the details that will help them tow safely. This is why I want to share the important skills that I picked up at the GMC’s Tow Like a Pro event in Saint George, Utah.

Know What You Can Tow

To many towing is about toys. I have to admit that I am no exception to that. With summer upon us, I’m already shopping for what “towable toys” will help my family spend time together.

GMC was thinking the exact same thing when they hitched up 25″ trailers loaded with two 4-seat Polaris RZR side-by-sides to the GMC Sierra 1500 Denali. After a brief introduction of how important it is to know the towing capacity of the vehicle and that the right hitch allows the trailer to sit level.

Our loads were already evenly balanced and well within the towing capacity of our Sierra 1500 Denali (9500lbs). GMC had even weighed the trailers with cargo on truck scales beforehand. While this is always recommended, it is not always convenient in the real world so Chris Carino, GMC Pickup’s Lead Development Engineer showed us how you can measure the space from the ground to the edge of the front wheel well while the truck is parked on a level surface. If this space doesn’t increase by more than a half inch when the trailer is attached, then the tongue weight is acceptable regardless of vehicle or load carrying capacity.

My tow vehicle had the 6.2L V8 engine along with every imaginable assist feature including a Trailer Brake Controller, Sway Control, Hill Start Assist, Autograde Braking, Tapshift, Trans Temp Gauge, and a Rear Vision Camera. Most of these features seemed like overkill for towing our 6,000lb load but I can definitely see how they could be useful in many situations.

The most challenging part of our 100-mile drive out to the Coral Pink Sand Dunes was not clipping anything in resort’s parking lot with our extra long trailers.

The truck handled the load with ease over city roads, at freeway speeds, while climbing inclines and even over a two-lane highway that was under construction. Only once did we feel the trailer “pushing” the truck as it came to a stop which was only because we neglected to put it into “tow mode” and let it know we had a load.

The mirrors on the truck surprised me a bit for a vehicle that is designed for towing. They did not extend as many do. GMC instead went with a compound mirror that does a decent job of letting you see the end of the trailer once they are adjusted properly.

The dunes were as amazing as you would expect. I’m definitely going to have to get a couple of RZR’s to carry my family of 8 and a tow vehicle that can safely tow them.

 

2017 Kia Cadenza Review (with VIDEO)

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2017 Kia Cadenza Review

This is a Kia?

That is the phrase that keeps running through my mind every time I drive the 2017 Kia Cadenza. It is definitely not the economy car that most people envision when they think of the manufacturer. Kia has worked very hard to give this vehicle a luxurious feel and presence while still providing good value. It has paid off.

Kia Cadenza

The exterior styling of the Cadenza reminds me of a BMW 3 series. That’s not a bad thing. It has a lot of similarities without being a copycat which you might cause you to confuse the two vehicles in a crowded parking lot.

I honestly like the way that Kia’s signature “tiger-nose” grill fits with the unique z-shaped LED headlights. It looks nice and clean without being over-the-top aggressive.

The rear of the vehicle is clean and simple with the most dominant feature being the dual exhaust ports which go through the bumper. I like the look but found it to be perhaps a bit too simple as for the first few days I found it a bit challenging to find the hidden controls to open the trunk without using the key fob.

Speaking of the trunk, it is huge! Through much of the time driving the car, I had several car seats stored in it (6 kids with a 5 passenger car) and still had tons of room for groceries. I even fit a 6 foot section of PVC pipe. It is a great trunk!

When I first sat in the Cadenza, I was immediately impressed by the quilted leather seats. They are nice looking, supportive and comfortable. That opinion remained even over the 1000 plus miles I drove the vehicle.

My kids fell in love with the heating and cooling aspects of them (only heating in the back). I also found that the seats were also quite easy to mount car seats to as the seat cushions don’t curve too much and the LATCH points and tethering points are easily accessible. There is also a ton of room in the back seat to even mount rear facing car seats (something many cars have a challenge doing behind my 6’3″ frame).

The dash is nicely laid out with the buttons all being easily accessible and intuitive. The addition of Apple’s CarPlay and Android Auto is a nice addition so you don’t have to re-input your navigation destination into the car. I can’t wait until more manufacturers make this work wirelessly. For now, you still have to connect your phone via a cable for CarPlay in the Cadenza. I was not able to test whether Android Auto has to be wired. There is a wireless charging pad in front of the gear shift.

I’m not quite sure the fascination with putting analog clocks in luxury vehicles. I’m as much of a fan of a nice Rolex as anyone, but that is because I view it as a nice piece of craftsmanship and jewelry. In a car, it just seems out-of-place next to the plethora of digital displays in today’s modern vehicles. It feels a bit like putting an analog face on my Apple Watch. Sure, it tells the time but it does not exhibit craftsmanship (like a mechanical watch) or do much to make me look better. In my opinion, it is unnecessary in the Cadenza as well.

The model I drove was the Limited which came fully loaded with every safety feature. This included blind-spot detection, Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS), Advanced Smart Cruise Control (ASCC), Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), an and Forward Collision Warning System (FCWS). While I am glad I luckily did not need these systems to kick in to save me from an accident, I love that these types of features are becoming more commonplace and I am glad this car has them.

The Cadenza is a very smooth and quiet car. Kia used some extra thick glass on the vehicle which provides an exceptional amount of sound deadening material. I definitely noticed this when I drove it at freeways speeds with no kids but when kids were in the car, I found myself enjoying the Harman Kardon Quantum Logic audio system more (which indecently sounded better to me than the HK system in my BMW).

Kia has come a long way and the Cadenza is an excellent example of this. It is a good looking, luxury vehicle with lots of room, safety features, smooth and quiet ride.

With a price starting at $31,990, it is a good value for a nice luxurious vehicle.

Dad, Don’t Sign my Reading Log!

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Dad and Son

Dads can’t sign their son’s school reading logs.

In the news today there is tons of talk about equal rights for women but nobody ever mentions equal rights for dads. This true story with my son and his school absolutely blew me away.

Every Friday, my son has to turn in a reading log showing what books he read during the week and how long he read them. These reading logs are then signed by a parent before they are turned in.

Last Thursday night, my wife was out of town so I told my son I could sign his reading log. He was very hesitant to give me the log but I quickly looked it over, signed it with his pencil, and told him to turn in in the next day.

Reading LogMonday morning my son presented his reading log to my wife to sign with my signature erased.

It turns out his teacher had rejected his reading log and told him to go have his mom sign it instead. Her exact statement was “Only moms can sign it!”

I was absolutely flabbergasted!!! Why in the world can’t a dad sign his son’s reading log? Not only that, his teacher made him feel like it was wrong for him to have me sign it and made him “correct” it.

I would like to state that this was a strange isolated incident but I put this in the same class as the comments like, “Is your wife gone so you are babysitting?” or when I show up for a kids school event in the middle of the day “Don’t you work?”. Dads just are not perceived as being anything other than financial providers for their families.

Dads are so much more. Yes. Men and women often approach things differently but that doesn’t mean one way is wrong and one is right. I can cook a meal as well as my wife. I can support my kids at a school event. I can keep my kids my getting lost in public places. I even can calm my daughter when she cries. Dads are an important part of the family and we need to not forget it.

 

10 Things you Need to Know Before Going to Disneyland

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Planning a trip to Disneyland? Don’t go before checking out these Disneyland tips we have for you. As a family of 8 who are frequent Disneyland visitors, we’ve got all the inside tricks for you.

10 Things you Need to know before visiting Disneyland - Great tips, especially for larger families or families on a budget.

My kids love the magic of Disneyland! In my opinion, there are few things more amazing than seeing that magic light up your child’s eyes and giving them memories that will last a lifetime.

While my family has had the opportunity to visit numerous other amusement parks, nothing seems to compare with the experiences my family has a Disneyland.

But as my family has gotten larger, the costs have gone up exponentially. We have learned to get creative to get the most out of our time at the park and save money at the same time.

Here are my top 10 tips you need to know before visiting Disneyland

Ticket Prices – This is obviously the largest cost for anyone attending the park. Discounts are hard to come by but GetAwayToday and AAA do offer a few dollars off. Stay away from individuals selling tickets as Disneyland now photographs people entering the park and your resold passes will likely not work. Also, as kids under 3 years old are free, you can easily save $100 or more going before that 3rd birthday.

Crowds – Disneyland now adjusts their prices based on how crowded they predict the park to be that day. My recommendation is if you can avoid it, don’t ever go on a day when the costs are high. Not only will it cost you more money but you will ride less rides because of the crowds. IsItPacked.com is a good tool to help you estimate the crowds before you go.

FastPass – Take advantage of FastPass tickets as often as you can and get the tickets for the rides you most want to ride early in the morning. Right now, Radiator Springs Racers in California Adventure usually gives out all their FastPass tickets for the entire day by around noon, earlier on busy days.

Rider Swaps – If you have members of your party that can’t ride a ride for any reason (kids aren’t tall enough, etc), ask for a rider swap when you get on the ride. This will enable up to 3 people to ride after you get off by going through the FastPass line.

Parking – Most of the time you will be directed to the Mickey and Friends parking structure. You then take a shuttle from the structure to Downtown Disney. There are several sections of the tram where you don’t have to empty and fold your stroller. Right now parking will cost $18 per vehicle. We actually prefer some of the other overflow lots better as you don’t have to fight the crowds to get on the tram at the end of the night. If you are staying at a hotel nearby, look for one that offers shuttle service or is walking distance to the park to save on parking costs.

Strollers – I recommend bringing a stroller even if you are not bringing young babies. Strollers work very well for carrying food, jackets, and tired kids at the end of the night. Just make sure you don’t leave valuables in them when you leave it to get on rides.

Food – There are lots of places in the park where you can now get meals for under $10 per person but that still adds up with a group, so we bring lots of snacks. Our favorite right now is the Uncrustables pre-made sandwiches. You can buy them frozen at any grocery store and they thaw throughout the day, keeping them from getting smashed. Bringing your own food means you can go the entire day without paying extra for food, or you can use your savings to splurge a bit for a nicer dinner. If it is in your budget, I highly recommend the character dining experience at Ariel’s Grotto. Check out our experience as a family of 8 at Ariel’s Grotto. 

Drinks – Especially if you go during a hot day, you have to stay hydrated. Many people don’t know that any restaurant in the park that serves fountain drinks will give you ice water cups for free and they typically already have them ready (no need to wait in line, just walk up to the counter. If you want some flavor, I like to bring some single serve Crystal Light packets to dump in the free waters. No where in the park does Disneyland offer free refills of fountain drinks.

Parades/Shows – There is no real way around this. If you want a seat, get there early. Main Street is always the most crowded for the parades but also has the most seats. I recommend trying up where the parade begins by Its a Small World. If you are not that interested in the parades or if you have already seen, this is an excellent time to go on the rides that typically have long lines.

Hotels – Staying at the Disneyland-owned hotels give you the advantage of Magic Mornings (you get into the park an hour before everyone else) but if you are not wanting to pay those prices there are lots of other options that are within walking distance so you don’t have to pay the $18 for parking at the park. Our favorite is the Convention Center Residence Inn. It opened in summer 2016, offers free breakfast and has huge suites that will sleep up to 8. The Fairfield Inn Anaheim Resort is the closest to the park and has Disney-themed rooms. The Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance has a cool Disney waterslide at opened in 2015.

 

Enjoy your time making magic memories at Disneyland with your kids.

 

Can you Make Money Driving for Uber?

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Have you been wondering if you can make a good side income driving for Uber? As a father of six, I’m always looking for a good side hustle so I set out to see if Uber was a valid way to make some extra money.
electric car, ev, bmw, i3
People claim that they can’t make enough money to make a career out of driving for  Uber. I wanted to test it out for myself so I signed up as a driver. I love the idea of something flexible that parents can use to earn extra funds and still allow them to work around hectic family schedules.

Getting Started with Uber

The process to get setup with Uber was pretty simple. I signed up online then attended an in-person event to finish the process. They ran a background check, requested some documentation and a vehicle inspection. The entire process went fairly smoothly, despite the fact that I chose to use my electric car, a BMW i3 (more on that later).

Driving for the First Time

With the kids off to school, I put the Uber placard in my window, placed pepper spray in the driver’s door (just in case) and logged into the Uber Partners app on my smartphone to tell them I was ready to drive. Within minutes, I got a notification that someone wanted a ride. I accepted and used the GPS within the app to drive to the pickup location.
My first passenger was an older couple who wanted a ride to the train station, a short 14 minute ride of 7.63 miles and a fare of $14.06.
I can do this, I thought.

Safety

One of the biggest concerns people have about driving for Uber is safety. Will they be safe while driving? Since there have been a few high-profile news stories about Uber passengers getting violent, this seemed like a valid concern.
I didn’t find safety to be an issue. I met lots of very nice people and drove in areas I was familiar with.
I did take a few precautions. I kept mace in my door just in case and used a mount for my smartphone so I could stay handsfree.
I learned almost immediately that you MUST have some sort of mount to hold your smartphone in place. I honestly think Uber should make this part of the vehicle inspection. It is simply not safe to be looking at a phone for directions or where to pick someone up without a mount.
Proclip makes vehicle-specific mounts for just about any car and sent us one that was perfect for the i3 coupled with my iPhone. The mount even charges the phone and will accommodate a wide range of cases.
I always stopped driving by about 10pm so that I was taking people out for the night rather than bringing them home. So far I’ve avoided picking up an overly drunk passenger. I think this is a major part of the reason why I have never felt unsafe, but you do make more money if you are willing to drive later at night.

Flexibility

I loved the flexibility Uber offered. I was able to login to drive anytime I wanted and sign out anytime I was done.  I found that demand is always highest in the evenings on the weekends here in San Diego. I did try and schedule my driving around those times as much as possible because I knew that I would make more money driving during those times, but I was free to set my own hour and adjust them to fit my schedule.

Demand

Demand, while the kids are at school, was a lot more sporadic. I might give several rides back to back and then have nothing for hours. I also found that even though Uber is completely flexible with when I can log in and work, the end time is much more difficult to schedule as you never know where the next ride is going to take you. It might be right next to your kids’ school (which I had happened perfectly once) or your last ride might want you to drive them to the airport which could take hours so you want to make sure you aren’t on a tight time schedule while driving.
Overall, the experience was good and driving for Uber is something I think I’ll continue to do as my schedule allows time for it. I met some great people and it was a really interesting experience. I actually found that it was great for networking and as a work-at-home dad it was a great way to get out of the house.
Interested in driving for Uber? Sign up here.