Car Tech
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Chinese electric car startup Nio’s first volume model, the ES8 SUV, will enter production in China in late 2017. (The company has already built a handful of EP9 supercars.) The ES8, unveiled in April at the 2017 Shanghai auto show, is a premium SUV with third-row seats and a swappable battery system. Tesla announced a swappable battery system as early as 2013 but abandoned it in 2015 due to low take-up rates, and Honda on Thursday said it was looking into one. In an interview with Business Insider, Nio’s U.S. chief, Padmasree Warrior, said the ES8 will feature Level 2 self-driving...
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Why the Volkswagen VR6 engine is likely dying
The Volkswagen VR6 has been an incredible addition to the vast timeline of automotive engines. It saves space like an inline 4-cylinder, yet allows for increased power and torque production like the V-6 that it always has been. It made its debut before the days of mass-market turbocharging, and, at...
Sean Szymkowski -
Honda presents 2030 Vision strategy, aims to have Level 4 self-driving car by 2025
Honda has outlined its plans for the coming decade in a company-wide strategy dubbed the 2030 Vision. As outlined in the strategy, Honda plans to follow the now-familiar path of electrifying its lineup and introducing self-driving technologies and associated mobility services. In the area of...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Apple unveils ways to squash distracted driving in iOS 11; new Maps
Apple developers worldwide directed their gazes toward WWDC on Monday to hear what would be next for iOS 11 and other Apple operating systems. For drivers, that could mean a new layer of safety to keep eyes off phones and onto the road. Apple [NASDAQ: AAPL] announced Monday at its Worldwide...
Aaron Cole -
Do wider tires actually have more grip?
Tires are an absolutely essential part of any car, truck, or SUV. Compounds can create unique handling experiences suited for any type of vehicle, and they can even make a car much more fun to drive. It's also a common saying that wider tires provide more grip. In the interest of science, Jason...
Sean Szymkowski -
2019 Audi A8 to feature 48-volt mild-hybrid system
As power demand rises in modern cars from all the ancillary features they are being fitted with, automakers are responding by installing more powerful 48-volt electrical systems to complement the existing 12-volt systems we’re all used to. The higher voltage of the system also means smaller...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Uber on Wednesday announced its first-quarter financial results and though shocking they actually represent an improvement on the preceding quarter. The ride-sharing giant lost $708 million in the first three months of 2017 on revenues of $3.4 billion. That compares with a loss of $991 million and revenues of $2.9 billion in the previous quarter. In a statement, Uber said the narrowing of its losses continues it on its path toward profitability. That sounds rosy but there could be trouble brewing at Uber. For example, the company also announced on Wednesday that its CFO Gautam Gupta had left...
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Cadillac demonstrates its budding vehicle-to-infrastructure technology
A 2017 Cadillac CTS is already capable of "talking" with other CTS sedans—through the brand's vehicle-to-vehicle technology (V2V)—but now the brand wants its cars to chat with surrounding infrastructure, too. Cadillac demonstrated its first ever application of vehicle-to-infrastructure...
Sean Szymkowski -
Drivers of BMW iNext will be able to sleep behind the wheel
BMW is currently working with tech giant Intel and vehicle sensor firm Mobileye to develop a highly-capable self-driving system which the automaker plans to deploy in 2021. The system will debut in a technological flagship code-named the iNext and be so robust that BMW predicts drivers in certain...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
How can the Nissan Titan brake quicker than a Mini?
A Nissan Titan weighs 5,811 pounds. A Mini Countryman weighs 3,629. The former requires a shorter distance to reach a complete stop from 60. Sounds crazy, but it's true, and Jason Fenske from Engineering Explained is here to, well, explain how the full-size pickup truck can out-brake a Mini...
Sean Szymkowski -
Bentley on Demand service brings concierge delivery to owners
Sick and tired of your current Bentley? The brand aims to cure your boredom with Bentley on Demand, a new "mobility" service being offered via the Bentley Network smartphone app. The premise is pretty simple: Bentley owners can request to drive a different Bentley for a special occasion or reserve...
Sean Szymkowski -
Watch a robot valet park a car
Parking is never really a delightful experience, especially in crowded cities, airports, and other high-traffic areas. One robotics company aims to alleviate some of the stress, though. Stanley Robotics has published a video of its autonomous valet parking system in action. The driver pulls into a...
Sean Szymkowski -
Last year, Project 917 divulged ambitious details to develop a Porsche 917 replica for motorsport fans to relive the iconic racer. Since then, Project 917 has changed its plans, announcing instead a full-motion simulator complete with a 917 cockpit and hood. If all goes to plan, Project 917 hopes to have the rig ready this year and on show at next January's 2018 Autosport International in the United Kingdom. Again, it sounds ambitious, but the project seems to finally have sprouted legs. Project 917 also announced Rally Prep Ltd. will help build the simulator. The company currently helps the...
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Audi promises fully self-driving car by 2021
Audi has promised to launch a fully self-driving car by 2021. The target date is a popular one as it’s close enough to be practical but at the same time far enough that should the target be missed few are likely to remember. Other automakers with a similar target include BMW, Ford...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Renault demonstrates wireless electric car charging at 62 mph
Renault on Thursday took part in a demonstration of new charging technology that could prove a major boon to electric cars. The technology, being developed by Qualcomm with help from Renault and Vedecom, a French think tank that promotes future mobility solutions, would enable electric cars to...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
South Korea latest to construct dedicated self-driving car test site
South Korea is building a whole new city, but it's not for human inhabitants. Instead, it will be home to self-driving cars. The country is currently in the process of constructing a mock city to help facilitate the development of driverless vehicle technology. Local firms Samsung, Hyundai, and Kia...
Sean Szymkowski -
GT supercar is tech testbed for future Fords
The Ford GT provided plenty of shock and awe when it debuted at the 2015 Detroit auto show, but the brand had more in mind than just raw performance. In fact, Ford developed and engineered the GT with technologies intended to trickle down into future cars, trucks, SUVs, and even electric vehicles...
Sean Szymkowski -
BMW details M xDrive all-wheel-drive system debuting on M5
BMW M is putting the final touches on its new M5, a car that will be unlike any of its predecessors. It will come as standard with all-wheel drive, though the system will be able to operate in rear-wheel drive form. Yep, you don’t have to worry about the car’s ability to go sideways on...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Staging a car at a drag strip is an art form. You line up so you have your car exactly where you want it to try and extract tenths of a second as you blast off down the strip. Some like staging deep while others run shallow. However, for some, staging is now moving beyond the art form and into the highly technical. Such is the case on this massively modified 1,700-horsepower Nissan GT-R. For an all-wheel-drive car like the GT-R, staging means working quickly to get your boost pressure built up before the yellow lights start their dance toward the green. Some vehicles employ a bit of tech...
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Audi latest to announce Android infotainment system
Audi is going Android. The German brand announced its next generation infotainment system will be powered by Google's Android operating system and run seamlessly through most in-car functions. Audi will showcase the infotainment system with the Q8 Sport concept, which it will bring to the Google...
Sean Szymkowski -
Lyft and Waymo join forces to develop self-driving taxis, challenge Uber
A newborn partnership has emerged within the fluid and ever competitive self-driving car field. Waymo and Lyft have confirmed a partnership for future self-driving technology. Waymo is the self-driving car business of Google's parent company, Alphabet, while Lyft is a ride-sharing firm that's seen...
Sean Szymkowski -
Renault, Nissan plants back online following cyber attack
Following the widespread cyber attack, dubbed "WannaCry," this past Friday, Renault and Nissan resumed nearly all manufacturing operations. Renault and Nissan, which are joined in an alliance, were both affected in the attack that spread to 150 countries. Automotive News (subscription required)...
Sean Szymkowski -
Volvo first to commit to Android-powered infotainment system
Volvo has confirmed plans to introduce an infotainment system powered by Google’s Android operating system within the next two years. The system will feature graphics and menus unique to Volvo, but behind the scenes it will be powered by Android. Volvo will also have its own apps running on...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
The Boring Company demonstrates prototype for 125-MPH sled
It was only a couple of weeks ago that Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed just what was in store for his newest startup, The Boring Company. The company hopes to establish a network of tunnels in congested cities, through which cars would travel between fixed points on high-speed, electrically-powered...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran