It's the lucky 13th episode of the Autoblog Green Podcast, just in time for Halloween. More importantly, just in time for the Santa Monica Alt Car Expo. The Alt Car Expo starts soon, and Sebastian will be there. It's one of the largest green car shows in the world, and admission is even free. There's always lots of really innovative and clever things to see. Last year, a group of folks converted a 1957 Triumph to EV power during the show. We'll be there rubbing elbows with all of the movers and shakers in the green car world. Our interview this week is with the Society for Sustainable Mobility, who will be in Santa Monica, and we talk about the Open Source Green Vehicle Project (check back later today for the transcript of the interview. UPDATE: here it is).

The Tokyo Motor Show is coming up soon, as well, which will be full of alternative fuel vehicles that push design innovation. There's a real alphabet soup of concepts heading to Tokyo, and the vehicles are as strange as their names. Both shows provide us with good podcast chatter for 42 minutes - enjoy!

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Here is an idea that has taken hold in the computer realm, but not so much in the automotive world: open source. If you know anything about computers, you have probably heard of Linux, the open source operating system. What exactly does open source mean? It means that anybody who can write in the language of the software in question can make their own changes to it, and publish their changes as they see fit. We have seen, however, that just because something, like Linux, is open source, it is not necessarily free. As you are probably aware, it is pretty easy to pay for a copy of Linux which has been modified in a certain way so as to make it different than other versions of the software. How does this relate to cars? Glad you asked! Check this out, an open source car (there's also OScar). It is known as the "c,mm,n", which is pronounced "common". It is here on Autobloggreen because it is powered by hydrogen at this time. Don't like hydrogen as a fuel? Don't use it... this is common source, remember? Get the plans yourself and change it however you want. Interested in knowing more? I am, which is why I have requested information on the car. I'll see what it takes to get some knowledge about the car from their website and share with you what I find. Stay tuned!

[Source: c,mm,n via Engadget]