The Honda Miimo Is A Robot Lawn Mower

The Honda Miimo lawnmower will keep your lawn perfectly trimmed and then find its way back to the charging dock when it’s done. All you have to do is run a thin wire around the area you want mowed and the Miimo will do the rest.

Several times a week, it will undock itself and proceed to clip precisely 0.8 to 0.11 millimeters (about 1/10th “) off the top of your grass. Instead of following the traditional up and back pattern, it does its mowing in a random pattern. Honda says the small amount of grass removed and the random cutting place less stress on grass, giving you a healthier lawn. It also allows the mower to turn the clippings into compost, eliminating the need to clean up afterwards. No more hauling grass clippings to a remote corner of the yard or worrying about making time to ensure your lawn doesn’t draw the ire of the local HOA.

Miimo has a 360 degree perimeter sensor that also ensures it won’t run into the kids or family pet. If it runs into something unexpected, it will automatically change course and head off in a new direction, and the low deck design makes it almost impossible to actually be hurt by this thing.

Now if we could only program it to bring us a cold beer while we recline in our favorite hammock!

Source: Honda

Tesla Q2 Revenue Rises On Increased Production

Tesla has announced second quarter 2014 revenue of $769.3 million, compared to $405.1 million in the second quarter of 2013. That’s nearly a 90% increase. and much of the credit for the higher income goes to the more than 1,000 Model S cars delivered to Chinese customers during April, May and June.

Tesla still reported a net loss of $62.9 million for the second quarter, due to capital spending on its proposed Gigafactory and conversion of its assembly line for production of the Model X SUV. However, the electric automaker also delivered 7,579 Model S sedans during the second quarter while building 8,763 vehicles, putting it on track for over 35,000 deliveries this year.

Tesla has also significantly increased research and development spending from $52.3 million last year to $107.7 million in the second quarter of 2014. Much of that increase is due to development of the newly announced mid-level sedan, the Tesla Model III, due out sometime in 2017.

What does all that mean for investors? Simply that sales are going well and the company is plowing its earnings back into future products and development. A firm in financial trouble usually responds by slashing R&D spending, so the fact that Tesla is increasing funding for R&D should be reassuring news for investors. There are still plenty of potential pitfalls ahead, but so far so good for Tesla.

Source: Gas2

2016 Honda Civic Si to be Made in the USA

While showing off some press pictures of the Europe-only Civic diesel, Honda fan site “All About Honda” claims to have received word that the 2016 Honda Civic and Civic Si will be 100%, all-new for 2016 – and that the company has plans to move all Civic production to the US.

Presumably, that means that all Civic variants (not just the sedans) will be built in East Liberty, Ohio. A move that would, in theory, free up Honda’s Alliston, Ontario plant to focus on the exploding small-SUV segment and production of Honda’s Civic-based CR-V.

Parsing the Engrish over at All About Honda seems to indicate that the next-generation Civic will be a global car without a dedicated “US” and “Euro/JDM” version. That’s the same thinking behind the new-for-2015 Honda Fit, as well, lending credibility to the idea that a 4-door turbocharged hatchback Civic Si is, indeed, coming to America.

Time will tell, I guess.

In the meantime, let us know what you’d think of a turbocharged 2016 Honda Civic Si that’s made in the USA (and, of course, how much extra you’d pay for a McLaren version) in the comments section at the bottom of the page. Enjoy!

Source | Images: All About Honda, via HondaPro Jason.