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Design and Technology at Siggraph 2008

From 11-15 August over 28,000 artists, research scientists, developers, filmmakers, and academics from around the world gathered in Los Angeles for the 35th Siggraph Conference on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques. The Siggraph conference includes courses and technical paper presentations, new technologies demos, an art gallery, computer animation festival, and an exhibition by software and hardware vendors. While the New Tech Demos and the technical programs are focussed on technologies that designers will have to wait several years for, several automotive software and hardware suppliers announced new shipping products at Siggraph.

BMW 328 Hommage concept

BMW used Villa d'Este as the backdrop to unveil the 328 Hommage, a tribute to the historic 1930s Touring Coupe and highly successful road car that celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. Based on the Vision ConnectedDrive, the 328 Hommage sports many ‘details derived from motor racing’ and is built using CFRP construction to keep overall weight down. Juxtaposing this are sumptuous leather and polished aluminum details.

Electric cars get a £500 million government cash boost – but will it get spent?

The new BMW i3 EV (pictured) will be subsidised until 2017. The subsidy of up to £5000 paid to buyers of electric cars has been with us for three years, but it hasn’t had much impact on EV sales and it did look like the government had decided to scrap it all together. But it looks like the coalition has allowed Nick Clegg to have his way with EV subsides in a move that will see £500 million injected in to promoting and supporting electric cars in the UK in the next few years.