Car Tech

It's all about math and physics, folks. At least that's the soup that fills the head of Engineering Explained host Jason Fenske, which is why he's so easily able to explain scientific concepts to the average YouTube viewer. Recently, he posted a video going over the numbers produced by Motor Trend...

Testing is already underway in Dubai on a new means of zipping through a crowded city. It involves an autonomous drone capable of carrying a passenger... and some brave test subjects. Dubai's Roads and Transportation Authority has been examining the drones and provided a demonstration of the...

Suspension can be a surprisingly mesmerizing bit of mechanical enjoyment. Go stare at a Trophy Truck as it rips across the desert and think about all of the work that the springs and dampers are handling. The abuse being dished out is both amazing and terrifying. Yet those trucks float over most of...

Ford has announced a $200 million investment in a new wind tunnel complex. Construction of the facility will begin later this year. The goal is to improve the aerodynamics of the brand's road and race cars, for speed in the case of race cars and for both fuel economy performance for street cars...

The 0-60 mph times for the Tesla Model S keep getting lower and lower. The new P100D package really helps put all of the horsepower to the ground efficiently, and makes the electric sedan rocket away from a standstill. Recently, we saw a drag racer in a stock P100D record a time of 2.38 seconds...

The Hyperloop dreamed up by Elon Musk, and enabled by 1800s pneumatic banking technology, is still in the testing phases. It represents a potentially faster and safer way to cover long distances without relying on traditional fuels and transportation methods. Musk is also in love with another means...

Do you wake up thinking about the effects of positive and negative trail length and their relation to motorcycle stability? No? Well, we're going to change that because you're going to learn a little bit about just that topic today. Jason Fenske from Engineering Explained is here to walk you...

Last year we learned about a company by the name of Divergent 3D that had partnered with French automaker PSA Group to introduce 3-D-printed metal components in mass-produced cars. Now a rival firm in this space, Desktop Metal, has been linked with another automaker, this time BMW. BMW’s i...

All-wheel-drive systems work in many different ways. They differ from four-wheel-drive systems in that they don't have a transfer case that typically provides low-range gearing. They all can work full time (though many have an axle disconnect feature to preserve fuel), while 4WD systems may or may...

Uber has made little secret of its desire to launch self-driving taxi fleets all over the globe. Uber is currently spending up big to develop the technology but it won’t limit its popular ride-sharing network to its own self-driving cars only. Instead, Uber will allow other firms including...

The last time McLaren and BMW collaborated on an engine, the result was the world-beating McLaren F1. Now the two firms are joining forces again to develop next-generation engine technology. Working with a number of other firms including current McLaren engine supplier Ricardo, as well as metals...

General Motors and Honda on Tuesday announced plans to produce a next-generation hydrogen fuel cell system together starting around 2020. The two automakers are making equal investments totaling $85 million in the joint venture, labeled Fuel Cell System Manufacturing, and will use the resulting...

Anytime you get to use the term "banned F1 technology" you know you're going to be talking about something very interesting and very cool. That's the case today because the topic is the magical engine placed into the belly of the beast called the LaFerrari. This is a 6.3-liter 800-horsepower V-12...

Want to feel like you're living in the future? Start talking to your watch and have it tell your car what to do. That's what Genesis owners will be able to do when they download a new app for their smartwatch. For those owners who also have an Apple Watch or an Android Wear timepiece, the new...

If you have a vehicle that likes to perform, you'll do best to fit it with a set of Pilot Super Sport tires from Michelin. This is a seriously good set of rubber that will have you turning faster lap times, finding more aggressive turn-in from your car, and braking in less distance when compared to...

What does your engine look like on the inside as it warms up? Aside from some "Honey I shrunk the kids" scenario in which you could protect yourself from heat and the mechanical bits inside your engine, finding out seems impossible, doesn't it? Not with a thermal camera. Out of curiosity, Jason...

A rev limiter is there for your benefit. Without it, you'd be facing down a potential busted engine and trickier launches, especially in higher horsepower vehicles. If you have a vehicle with a launch control mode, then you have a car fitted with a two-step rev limiter. One step is designed to help...

Not all gasoline engines need spark plugs to ignite their fuel. A process called homogeneous-charge compression ignition (HCCI) uses compression to ignite the fuel, just like in a diesel engine. Several automakers have experimented with HCCI engines over the years, but Mazda may be the first to...

The final drive ratio is the last bit of gearing between your transmission and the driven wheels. By changing it, you can affect the performance of your car, rather dramatically in some cases. In general, a lower final drive ratio will lead to less torque at the wheels but a higher top speed...

Engines are complex bits of machinery. At their core level, yes, it's easy to understand what is happening. Air and fuel enter the engine where they are ignited and combustion occurs resulting in power that turns shafts. CHECK OUT: Classic video explains how a planetary gear set works In a modern...