Car Tech

Several automakers have introduced advanced technology in their cars that can read the road ahead and anticipate whether a vehicle in front is slowing down or a pedestrian or cyclist is nearby. Most of these systems rely on cameras or radar systems monitoring the road ahead, though these can be...

Designing an F1 car might seem, in some respects, kind of simple: read the rule book, build to fit, bam!, race car. Of course, there's the picky bit about setup, tuning, power, and aerodynamics, but the core of the car--the things that make it all work together--should be pretty straightforward...

Calling it the Beltbag, Mercedes-Benz has announced plans to introduce inflatable rear seatbelt airbags on a yet-to-be-named “luxury-class model,” likely the new S Class sedan. The inflatable belts have been shown to reduce the potential for rear-seat passenger injuries in frontal...

While we here at High Gear Media generally adhere to a strict “no mime videos” policy, on occasion we’re forced to make an exception to this rule. Such is the case with a new series of videos from Subaru that focus on explaining the automaker’s core technologies. As any...

These days, it seems like there’s an app for the iPhone and iPad that will let you accomplish just about anything. Need to find the best twisty road near your current location? Just launch BMW’s Ultimate Drive app. Want to check prices on premium gas two exits up the road? You can do...

For decades, suspension tuning was a matter of compromise. The components and settings that delivered the best ride quality also returned sloppy handling as cornering forces got higher. Conversely, the setup that delivered the best handling usually delivered a harsh ride on all but glass-smooth...

It’s no secret that, aside from high-dollar collector models, cars are a depreciating asset. Worse, you’re paying for your car even when you’re not using it, which is why peer-to-peer car sharing services like RelayRides are growing in popularity. The concept behind RelayRides is...

One of the strongest arguments for the introduction of autonomous cars is the increased safety brought about by eliminating the possibility of human error, believed to be the main cause of crashes. So far the increased safety factor with autonomous cars has generally been assumed but now a leading...

BMW’s defines its ConnectedDrive as “the innovative connection between you, your BMW and the rest of the world.” That’s a more poetic way of saying that ConnectedDrive blends apps, navigation, smartphone integration, infotainment and telematics to create an improved driving...

We've all done it. You buy a new driving game, then win a few races, drive a few of the cars on a few of the circuits, and play around with a few settings. Then, you pick a car, pick a track and spend an entire race crashing into other cars, walls and anything else you can find to revel in the...

Volvo has a well-established reputation of building some of the safest cars in the world but the firm believes it can improve on its own standards by reaching the ultimate goal of avoiding car accidents all together and reducing the road death toll (for drivers of its cars) to zero--a goal it hopes...

BMW has revealed its list of improvements to its ConnectedDrive infotainment technology, set to debut in a variety of BMW and MINI models from this month. Already some of the most advanced in-car entertainment and information technology on the market, ConnectedDrive now features some entirely new...

As the face of modern warfare changes, so do expectations for military vehicles. General-purpose models like the Jeep and the early Land Rover, as well as their evolutionary counterparts, the Humvee and the Snatch Land Rover, were based on old-school warfare, with an established front line. Recent...

The 2013 Dodge Dart is one of the most eagerly anticipated models of the new model year—not just because it’s the first model to be developed under pooled Fiat and Chrysler engineering resources, but because it represents a return to form for Dodge compact cars. That said, the Dart is...

Driving can be stressful, and stress is a distraction. Driving can also be boring, and that can be distracting, too. So what can be done about it? Ford is working on a system that integrates various biometric measurements like pulse, galvanic skin response, and breathing rate to determine the...

A new fast-charging system could mean Tesla Model S owners could top up their batteries in an hour.

If you've ever owned a high-performance compact car or hot hatch, you know that while they can be surprisingly versatile and practical for everyday driving and the commute, there's one thing that can completely sour the daily-driving experience: the exhaust note. Too often, go-fast four-cylinder...

Near Field Communication (NFC) keys are nothing new to the auto industry, which has embraced the concepts of keyless entry and push-button start on a near-universal basis. Getting into your car and starting it without having to dig for keys adds convenience, but will likely pay big dividends when...

Traction isn’t something that most drivers think about, since under normal weather conditions, at or near posted speed limits, there’s plenty to go around. On the race track, however, the ability to get power to the ground becomes critical. Enter the limited-slip differential, like the...

When you think of Silicon Valley's Computer History Museum, you may imagine Eniac, or a DEC PDP-8, perhaps even such early personal computers as the Altair and Apple II. Well, think SYNC, too. Curators at the museum have added Ford's SYNC in-car connectivity and communications system to its...