Car Tech
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Google Glass might be the best way to publicly mark yourself as a nerd (and to get in deep with the NSA's databases), but Mercedes-Benz sees it as a tool for research and development. How does Mercedes use Google Glass? According to the Silicon Valley Business Journal, the three-pointed brand is seeking to mesh navigation with car-to-destination walking directions that move seamlessly from car to Glass. The convenience of not having to look up and navigate to the destination multiple times on multiple devices (car, phone, etc.) is the end goal. It's still just a research project at the...
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Your Car Can Be Hacked And Here's What It Might Look Like: Video
A team of computer security experts aims to explain exactly what can be accomplished when it comes to hacking a car. Modern vehicles are fitted with all sorts of computers, and any computer can be hacked if the person doing so knows what they're up against. To prove their point, the two shared a...
Jeff Glucker -
Audi Is First Automaker To Offer 4G LTE High-Speed Broadband
Audi is the first automaker to offer the new 4G LTE high-speed broadband standard in its cars, offering it as an option on the S3 Sportback currently sold overseas and due in showrooms early next year as a 2015 model. By November, Audi expects to offer the 4G LTE in more models including the rest...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Motorcycle Helmets Getting First Head-Up Display
Reevu is a company keen on reinventing the helmet as we know it. Most recently, the company touted a rearview camera that keeps track of the action going on behind your head. This is rather useful for motorcyclists and could be adapted by those racing open-top cars. Now Reevu is looking to push...
Jeff Glucker -
Cadillac Explains Twin-Turbo V-6 Lag Reduction: Video
The announcement of the coming 420-horsepower, twin-turbocharged, 3.6-liter V-6 from Cadillac met a warm welcome in the hearts of many an enthusiast, perhaps especially as fitted to the 2014 CTS Vsport. But what do you really know about that engine? Chances are, not much. And while it'll remain to...
Nelson Ireson -
Ford Mustang 3D-Printed Shift Knob Teaches How To Drive Stick: Video
Have you ever wished your transmission were smarter? We're not talking about a dual-clutch or a paddle-shift automatic, but a manual. No? Well, maybe you should have. Ford has developed a smart shift knob for manual transmissions (in this case, a 2013 Shelby Mustang GT500), that can help drivers...
Nelson Ireson -
This week, Mercedes-Benz revealed details on a new nine-speed automatic transmission it’s just introduced in its E-Class sedan and wagon overseas. Called the 9G-TRONIC, the new transmission has been developed in-house and is said to boost fuel economy while also improving drivetrain smoothness. Unfortunately, shoppers in the U.S. may have to wait at least a year for the advanced cog-swapper to be available. Citing a company insider, Edmunds is reporting that the 9G-TRONIC transmission will make its U.S. debut in the 2015 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class, which doesn't go on sale until the fall...
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Mercedes-Benz Releases Details On 9G-TRONIC Nine-Speed Auto
Following the recent news that the E-Class, at least in Europe, is now available with a nine-speed automatic transmission, Mercedes-Benz has released the full details on its latest cog-swapper and confirmed that it will be available in most of its models in the coming years. Currently, the new...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Pirelli Creates Run-Silent Tires For High-End Audis
Pirelli, the producer of world-championship-winning tires and world-class calendars, has announced that its latest innovation aims to quiet things down a bit. The Italian tire manufacturer has created a tire that it says reduces cabin noise by up to 50 percent compared to standard tires. These...
Jeff Glucker -
Mercedes-Benz Quietly Introduces Nine-Speed Auto In E-Class
Mercedes-Benz has quietly added a new nine-speed automatic to its E-Class range, though the option is not yet available in the U.S. The transmission, labeled a 9G-TRONIC, is selectable on the configurator of the automaker’s German website and so far is only available with E350 BlueTEC trim...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Automotive Supplier TRW To Present Autonomous Car Technology In Frankfurt: Video
We’ve heard a lot about the autonomous car technology coming from the major automakers, but they aren’t alone in developing it. Major automotive suppliers are also responsible for much of the technology, including development of many of the components that make autonomous cars a...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Apple Patents Tactile Infotainment: Should Automakers Give Up?
The center of your dashboard doesn't have anything to do with lap times or lateral g loads, but it is one of the most important parts of a new car--sports, luxury, or otherwise. Why? Because that's how you interact with most new vehicles. Now Apple wants to get in on the game. Directly. Last year...
Nelson Ireson -
Head-up display systems have been around for decades but despite their added safety (by allowing you to keep your eyes on the road) you still won't find it a standard feature in many cars. If you’ve bought a car and discovered that it didn't have a head-up display, there are a growing number of affordable aftermarket kits available. Navigation specialist Garmin is the latest to release a simple head-up display system, which is portable so can be used in multiple cars. The Garmin unit receives navigation information from a Bluetooth-enabled smartphone running a Garmin StreetPilot1 or...
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Volvo Previews 2016 XC90 Safety Tech: Video
Volvo is hard at work developing its next-generation XC90 SUV, which the automaker promises to launch at the end of 2014. While there’s still a significant gap until the new SUV’s launch, Volvo is providing numerous details to keep audiences primed. Today, the automaker has revealed...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
New Tech Allows Ford To Build Prototype Parts In Hours Instead Of Months: Video
When developing new cars, the typical method is to first build a handful of prototypes and then extensively test them. Unfortunately, the process of building all the parts required to make the prototypes, usually through stamping of sheet metal, can often be just as difficult as that of building...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Audi Matrix LED Tech To Debut On A8 Facelift This Year, But U.S. Misses Out
Audi has been an innovator and pioneer in the area of headlight technology, having been one of the first to introduce lighting technologies such as adaptive lights, full-LED headlights and even fuel-saving LED lights. Now the automaker is extending its leadership in headlight technology with the...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Audi’s new e-gas plant comes online
Audi’s revolutionary e-gas plant, first announced in May, 2011, has finally come online. The plant can create a variety of energy sources including pure electricity, hydrogen or a synthetic gas similar to natural gas which Audi calls e-gas. The plant, located in Werlte, Germany, will produce...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Volvo Shows Self-Parking Car, Confirms Autonomous Steering For 2016 XC90
Volvo has previewed some of its upcoming technology with a demonstration of a new self-parking system which doesn’t require the driver to even be present in the vehicle. You may recall that Audi previewed just such a system earlier this year and it’s likely many more automakers will be...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Renault Nissan is the latest automaker to adopt a strategy of widespread platform and parts sharing across models, announcing today it will soon implement a modular platform architecture in 14 of its models from both the Renault and Nissan brands. Called the Common Modular Family (CMF), Renault Nissan hopes the architecture’s adoption will generate an average 30-40 percent reduction in the cost of developing a new model and a 20-30 percent reduction in the cost of parts for the alliance. Another benefit will be the streamlining of production centers around the globe. The initial...
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Bosch Builds 740-Horsepower Aston Martin DB9 Hybrid: Video
Bosch is out to show that in a world of ever-tightening emissions regulations, performance cars can still have a place. To prove its point, the German supply giant built an Aston Martin DB9 plug-in hybrid capable of delivering 740 horsepower. The vehicle is strictly a prototype and was built to...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Mercedes-Benz To Offer Car-2-Car Communication This year
New Car-2-Object and Car-2-Car communication will enable your car to warn you of an impending crash, or perhaps even take action itself to avoid one, by knowing well ahead if there’s a potential hazard in the road ahead or approaching at the next intersection. It will do this by...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Does Racing Really Yield Benefits To Production Cars? Audi Says 'Yes'
Earlier this week, we had the good fortune to interview Audi racer Allan McNish ahead of next week's 24 Hours of Le Mans. During the interview, he made a case for the Le Mans formula being very well-designed to yield the most relevant form of racing, both now and in the future. But is that really...
Nelson Ireson -
Audi Looks To Make Parking Easier... Again
Audi is clearly on a mission to make parking a much easier affair. We recently showed you the latest Audi Connect feature that pairs up with the INRIX parking database. It shows drivers what local garages are charging and if they have any spots open. This is a neat feature that should make the...
Jeff Glucker -
Apple iOS In The Car: Siri, iMessage, And Maps Set For iOS 7
It was a mere year ago that Apple introduced its Eyes Free hands-free system. At the time we were told over the next 12 months automakers would begin to integrate this new system into new vehicle's infotainment systems. We're still waiting on that to unfold, but today Apple has another angle for...
Joel Feder