Car Tech

It's easy to forget that amongst all the engine and chassis testing, selecting seats and trim and designing the interior and exterior, automakers also have to spend time developing in-car audio systems for the millions of drivers who listen to their favorite tunes on the way to work. Chevrolet has...

We've talked a lot about the chilly reception Google Street View has gotten overseas. And yesterday, tech reporters were all a-flutter with reports that Google is losing ground to Microsoft's Bing in the search wars. Now comes news that Bing is bringing its Street View competitor, Streetside, to...

If you have engine problems, get a flat tire or run out of gas, a new iPhone app from Infiniti can help you with that, as long as you own a new or certified pre-owned Infiniti vehicle. Infiniti, in cooperation with Cross Country Automotive Services, is announcing their free roadside assistance app...

There may be life in the old dog yet - engines have never been the cleanest of machines, requiring fossil fuels for their power and releasing all manner of gases, elements and chemicals through the combustion process. Carmakers have come on in leaps and bounds over the last few decades to make the...

Here's a question that we've heard a lot at High Gear Media: what does it take to get people to ditch their cars and take alternate transportation? Soaring gas prices make people travel less but don't really change their travel methods. Having an abundance of mass transit options doesn't have much...

With MINI and Fiat taking the retro approach and Mazda and Ford going for youthful and fun, how do you make your new small car stand out in the marketplace? If you're Mercedes-Benz about to sell the latest generation of A-Class compact in the U.S, you go down the high technology route and cut a...

We've seen a handful of apps for classic car aficionados, and we've seen apps for insurance quotes and claims, but until now, we haven't seen those two services combined in one handy format. Enter the Classic Car Guide for iPhone and iPad. The Classic Car Guide lets fans of vintage rides search for...

Another day, another material that could lead to lighter vehicles of the future. The latest candidate? Magnesium. Magnesium componentry in cars is nothing new of course. Magnesium alloy wheels are popular in the motorsport world where light weight and impressive strength are paramount. Now...

There's an automotive buzzword that's becoming ever more popular, and it's killing our cars ride quality. That word is "sporty". "Sporty" means lower suspension, bigger wheels, lower profile tires and uncompromising seats, and it's splashed liberally throughout virtually any model range you care to...

Maternity leave is a wonderful thing, but apparently it has forced Ford to take special measures to test cars for safety and comfort when taking pregnant women into account. That, too, is a noble and worthwhile effort. This photo of a Ford engineer in a pregnancy suit, however, begs for a headline...

We've all seen them, some of us may even have put them on our own cars, but these accessories belong on everyone's no-fly list. Avoid the parts-store impulse and save your car (and yourself) some embarrassment. Robocop-Levels Of Gear/Mounts You're not an on-duty cop (and if you are, your work...

Most of BMW's EfficientDynamics technologies are pretty sleepy numbers: nearly-invisible aerodynamic tweaks, thermal efficiency improvements, electric power-assist systems, and the like. Some of them, however, are downright fascinating, like the future predictive eight-speed transmission detailed...

Straight outta Redmond, Toyota and Microsoft will be pairing up for a new Windows Azure-based telematics platform that Toyota is pitching as a "contribution to society," designed to save energy in every aspect of your life. Microsoft's tendrils are about to reach even more deeply into your life. At...

A new strategic partnership between Toyota and Microsoft will see the next generation of telematics systems built on the Microsoft Azure platform, allowing the incorporation of GPS, energy management, multimedia, and more within a single platform. Microsoft's SYNC system, already several years old...

Paywalls are a hot topic in mainstream media right now, but they're nothing especially new. The Wall Street Journal, for example, has been hidden behind a paywall for years, as have hundreds of niche news outlets. On the whole, subscriptions to those sites haven't fared well. The New York Times --...

Jailbreaking your iPhone may be legal now, but that doesn't mean the UI perfectionistas at Apple will let other megacorporations have their way with the lovely walled garden that is the iPhone. Two tech sites report today that Apple has come down on Toyota for promoting an app that puts custom...

Brushing the red line, grabbing top gear and clipping the apex, AllCarTech brings you our full review of the latest racing title to hit your PlayStation 3, Need For Speed: Shift 2 Unleashed. Last week we brought you our first impressions of the EA Games and Slightly Mad Studios racer and with a few...

Here in America, we think Google Street View is great -- all unicorns and double-rainbows -- but elsewhere in the world, folks have been significantly less enthralled. Germany ordered Google to let citizens opt-out of having their homes included on the service. England and Canada found Google...

Car companies draw inspiration from the strangest of places. The styling of the 2010 Nissan Cube was apparently inspired by the look of a bulldog in sunglasses, and the fins of many 1950s cars were a homage to the space race. However, we've not yet seen car technology inspired by a chocolate bar -...

Using bits of the environment for creative ad campaigns is nothing new, but it is certainly entertaining--or can be. Case in point: this ad for Hot Wheels from Bogota, Colombia, which to onlookers like a vertical loop has been placed in the freeway. A sign next to the loop, though not the first...