Car Tech

Hyundai takes its first steps into the buzzy field of in-car telematics with Blue Link, which bows later this year in the 2012 Sonata sedan and the new 2012 Veloster sport coupe. Blue Link uses the Web, human operators, and data hardware inside the car to fuse mapping and mobile services and enable...

If your idea of a vehicle with another attatched to the back is a Winnebago with a Smart ForTwo strapped behind it, you need to start thinking about downsizing. Chinese automaker Geely (owners of Volvo) has just the combo for you. It's known as the McCAR, and although its appearance might make you...

Nintendo's 3DS has caused something of a stir in the world of 3D imaging. Rather than using unfashionable and unwieldy 3D glasses to view a stereoscopic image, the 3DS and some other recent gadgets use autostereoscopy, utilizing two layered screens to display an image that appears 3D to the user...

Despite the best efforts of some in the auto industry to keep electric cars off the roads, they're back. Given the current state of technology, the EV's revenge will likely be slow and steady, but most experts agree that electrics are the future of transportation. There are, however, several...

You might think that of all groups most likely to barrage a Facebook post with "Likes" in the shortest possible time, pop star Justin Bieber's army of wildly fanatical teen fans would top the list. Not so: A new study by Visibli has shown that German automaker Audi has the most engaged fans on...

Nanotechnology, the study of materials and engineering on a molecular scale, has the potential to completely change the vehicles we drive. We've looked at self-healing polymers that can eliminate scratches in paintwork, plastics injected with millions of tiny air bubbles to reduce their weight...

The moment when you buy a new car is always something to be savored. Only a handful of digits on the odometer, that 'new car smell', and of course a smooth, glassy finish to the paintwork. Sadly it rarely lasts, and all but the most fastidiously-maintained vehicles will soon pick up scratches and...

Fed up with bumper stickers and window stickers that nobody else can see at night? Want to show off your allegiance to a particular sports team or college even in the darkest of nights? What you need is the Powerdecal. This 4" sticker can be affixed on the inside of any window and uses three AA...

Last fall, we told you about Toyota's "Ideas for Good" competition. If you read about it or saw the TV commercials (including the controversial one that was censored by the NFL), you know that the contest encouraged folks to envision new applications for five Toyota technologies, like the company's...

Nobody, save for perhaps stunt drivers, likes to crash. Even if you're lucky enough to escape injury, accidents invariably mean months of insurance nightmare, dozens of phone calls to people you dislike conversing with, considerable expense and almost certainly time off the road. General consensus...

The 2011 Audi A7 might be big but it isn't particularly heavy for its size. Weighing in at around 3,900 pounds it's around 300 pounds lighter than its rival the BMW 5-Series GT despite the Quattro drivetrain. You can thank the part aluminum construction for that. Still, it could be lighter. And...

General Motors has made huge inroads in China, and now, those inroads have grown a bit wider: yesterday at the 2011 Shanghai Auto Show, GM launched its smartphone app for China's OnStar subscribers. The OnStar app for Chinese drivers is nearly identical to the one that subscribers in North America...

While stock Chrysler 300 sedans ride with V-6 or HEMI power, and the new 2012 SRT8 storms along with 465 hp, there's only one new Chrysler powered by rap. At the 2011 New York auto show, Chrysler's peeling back the covers from its new 300S, which strips off the chrome and wood and layers in some...

Electric vehicles and other alt-fuel rides are big news these days. Tech fans and green enthusiasts can't wait to get their hands on 'em, while others think that hybrids and their eco-friendly kin are part of a vast communist conspiracy. No matter where you fall on that spectrum, there are many...

A 46-year-old New Jersey woman was injured last Saturday when she drove her car into a tree--while dialing 911 to report an erratic driver. The accident occurred in Toms River, during daylight hours, and police would only say that the crash is under investigation. The driver’s condition, as...

The future is full of powerplant possibilities - efficient gasoline and clean diesel, hybrids, hydrogen fuel cells and pure electric - but we don't yet have the technology to power a car using cold fusion, à la 'Doc' Brown's DeLorean in the Back To The Future trilogy. We can replicate the...

To gearheads, the turbulent times Swedish carmaker Saab is facing really pulls at the heart strings. It's one of an elite group of makers that real car enthusiasts like to know is around, even if they wouldn't buy the products themselves. Having had its personality and vitality steadily eroded...

Everyone knows that distracted driving is a big problem on the roads these days. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood focuses most of his energy on combating the dangers of texting and driving -- presumably because it's more common with younger, less-experienced drivers -- but in fact, there...

Home of the Ultimate Driving Machine and bringer of Joy to drivers, BMW has revealed its latest powerplant and to the casual observer or diehard enthusiast neither corporate phrase sits very easily with the new engine. The reason? It's a 3-cylinder, and it's low capacity. Buyers in Europe are used...

Do you drive a Honda, a Ford or a Volkswagen? How about a Chevy or a Lexus? By the end of the year, your local Chrysler Group dealer (Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Fiat) will probably be able to service (but not necessarily repair) your car. Thanks to the recently announced partnership between Mopar and...