It will be open 24 hours and will sell not just cupcakes but cupcake mixes, apparel and even cupcakes for dogs as well. It would be awesome if you could deposit ingredients and then withdraw a custom cupcake.

They should set up an automated beverage machine beside it. And then an automated dentist machine and automated gym machine.

[via LAist via Laughing Squid]

Nevada has now approved the regulations that will govern the requirements for companies to test driverless cars on state roads within Nevada. The regulations also outline the license requirements for people and companies to operate the cars. The vision of Nevada is that someday taxis may not need drivers. That would certainly ensure that passengers aren’t getting ripped off by human drivers. If you’ve ever been in a Vegas cab, you know what I’m talking about. Another potential benefit for autonomous cars would be for those that can’t drive themselves due to medical conditions or physical disabilities. A car that needed no driver and still allow these people to be mobile and free would be fantastic.

Some of the basic components of the regulations include a $1 million to $3 million bond that would have to be put up to conduct testing in Nevada, depending on the number cars the company wants to test. Those wanting to test driverless vehicles in the state would also need to layout specific intentions and capabilities such as the ability to operate in fog, rain, snow. The cars would also need data collectors to capture and store sensitive data at least 30 seconds before a collision. That sort of data would help determine if the vehicle was at fault in the event of an accident.

[via DelawareOnline]

I prefer to be in control of my own car, so I don’t want this kind of stuff to be mandatory, but I vote we come up with some sort of idiot test and should you actually be an idiot you’re would be forced to have a highly-automated motor vehicle. BMWs idea isn’t like the fully-autonomous Google cars that drive with no human interaction, though. With BMW’s system, at any point along the way, you can take control and drive normally, but the car can handle many driving situations all on its own.

Built into a modified BMW Series 5, highly-automated mode is more along the lines of a fancy cruise control system that has radar, sonar, ultrasound, and other sensors built that can recognize when another vehicle is ahead of you and pass the other vehicle safely. The car will also recognize speed limits and not exceed that speed. Check out the video above to see highly-automated mode in action.

At this point, BMW has no plans to commercialize this capability, but will use the learnings from their research to help develop other improvements for vehicle safety systems.

[via Yahoo News]

The boat is nearly 8 feet long, has a three-cylinder, two-stroke 70 horsepower engine as well as a jet pump that will pull you along the water at up to 40mph.

The boat is unmanned but it’s got a remote with a bunch of buttons that will replace your friends (or servants). I’m guessing this should be quite hard to pilot, as you’ll have to think about the tow boat controls while you’re also trying to maintain your balance. Thanks to the rope, there is a delay before any change of course affects you, so at 40mph, it’s a recipe for disaster.

So what will this luxury cost? $17,000 over at Hammacher Schlemmer! Yep, so this is only for the rich and famous. It’s probably cheaper to rent a proper motorboat and pay for your buddies tow you around instead of spending this much on a tow boat.

[via Ubergizmo]

The MyFountain computerized beverage machine sits on top of your counter and can automatically crank out booze, mixed drinks, soft drinks, beer and wine with the press of a virtual button.

Just press the appropriate button on the LCD touchscreen, and you’ll have your favorite beverage in just seconds. Their Virtual Bartender software lets you create your own ingredient lists and set all the proportions for your own custom concoctions. If you don’t know what to make, there’s even an online drink recipe generator that’ll help you out.

A small refrigerator sits below your countertop and holds up to a dozen types of alcohol and mixers. There’s also lines for beer, wine, water and carbon-dioxide for cranking out fizzy drinks. When it’s done pouring your drink, it even automatically sanitizes the drink lines with hot water, so your Cosmopolitan doesn’t taste like a Negroni and vice versa. The system also offers password protection to keep those who shouldn’t be pouring drinks from going to town.

Manufacturer Digital Beverages is still wrapping up the final production version of the MyFountain, but expects to have them available for consumers, restaurants and bars by Spring 2008. Prices are expected to start just North of $2500 USD.

[via PopSci via BornRich]