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Open Source Autos Hit the Streets in Spain

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the racing-at-slow-speeds dept.

markdowling writes "BBC News has a story about electrically powered tourist cars in Cordoba which provide tourist information in French, English and Spanish as landmarks are passed. The promoter, Alfredo Romeo, calls them Blobjects which he heard described in a speech by Bruce Sterling. The car's tourist guide software is open source - Romeo's quoted reason: 'With proprietary software, innovation comes from the people in marketing. But with open source, innovation comes from the guy who is really in the market. It comes from someone who knows the city.'"

3 of 110 comments (clear)

  1. More at Global Electric Motorcars Web Site by Hulkster · · Score: 4, Informative
    For those interested in more details about the GEM car and some MUCH better pictures than the small ones in the BBC article, here's GEM's web site.

    Ironically, the Wikipedia Blobject article says it "needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. This article has been tagged since April 2005" - you'd think that all those "hip" Blogject'ers would have made this entry super cool and happening.

    Concrete Cam is up and running.

    1. Re:More at Global Electric Motorcars Web Site by garcia · · Score: 4, Informative

      Best of all, for all of its innovative design, GEM is suprisingly affordable.

      Yeah, the GEM is surprisingly affordable but it certainly doesn't have an "innovative design" as it's just about the same as any electric golf cart with a roof and seatbelts.

  2. Informative Link by TripMaster+Monkey · · Score: 4, Informative


    The promoter, Alfredo Romeo, calls them Blobjects which he heard described in a speech by Bruce Sterling.

    Here's a link to the Bruce Sterling speech, referenced by Alfredo Romeo, courtesy of
    boingboing.

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