Car Tech

With all that's going on in Washington lately, the slow economy and a general apathy or even hostility toward the automotive industry, it's nice to see a technological bright spot on the horizon. While it's not a ground-breaking or earth-shattering development, General Motors' fuel cell test fleet...

Mercedes Benz today announced the availability of a new display technology that allows driver and passenger to see two totally separate programs from the same screen, at the same time. The equipment will debut on the facelifted S-Class, Mercedes' perennial platform for innovation, in the first half...

As set out in Maslow's hierarchy of needs, basic survival must first be established before one can move on to worry about the esoteric concerns of philosophy, morality or ethics. In an odd twist of logic, however, America's car companies have been forced to premise their immediate survival on their...

Nissan's electric vehicle (EV) involvement in Project Better Place programs in Denmark and Israel, plus test fleets in its home market of Japan will be joined by a new agreement with the state of Oregon and the Portland General Electric Utility according to an announcement made by Carlos Ghosn, CEO...

Fujitsu has developed a new video-processing technology that enables drivers to see a complete wraparound view of their vehicle's perimeter, in real time. The new driver assistance technology adapts to different driving situations, enabling the driver to view the entire surroundings of a vehicle...

The second CAR2CAR Forum at a testing ground in Dudenhofen, Germany, was the site of a new step forward in vehicle-to-vehicle communications systems. Among several other European carmakers, Audi presented a system that is able to interoperate with vehicles from other companies. The CAR2CAR Forum is...

The concept of an active suspension system isn't new - prototypes and testbeds have been in existence for decades. But now the technology is finally becoming compact and inexpensive enough to justify its use in mass-produced vehicles, or nearly so. To help arrive at a final concept, the University...

Safety technology is going increasingly high-tech as companies and governments get into the business of making cars ever safer. Advanced features like radar are making their way into everyday cars, evidenced by a report that Mazda will begin including its Rear Vehicle Monitoring System (RVMS) as a...

The S-Class has long been known as a Mercedes' platform for innovation of all kinds, especially technology and safety features. That's never been more true, and for 2009, the E-Class will join it with some of the most advanced systems yet. Those systems were demonstrated today at a safety...

Two new engines today joined Hyundai's growing range of in-house designed and built powerplants. This time around they're diesel-powered, in 2.0 and 2.2L displacements, promising power outputs of 181hp (135kW) and 197hp (147kW) respectively. The new engines will be headed into a range of vehicles...

Hyundai will soon be joining the likes of Ford and Fiat by offering a new music and information interface developed jointly with software giant Microsoft. To enable that collaboration, the two companies have announced the founding of a dedicated Automotive IT Innovation Centre (AIIC) with the aid...

In addition to all the outrageous show car concepts, aftermarket body kits and power-adding upgrades, the SEMA show is also about in-car electronics and equipment, which is where Nextar steps in. Its new Q4-MD GPS navigation unit features MSN Direct support for traffic info, fuel prices and weather...

Hybrid drivetrains are all the rage among the buying public, being fitted to everything from economy sedans to luxurious SUVs, but it's still the driver's input that can have the most dramatic effect on fuel economy. That's why Ford has developed its SmartGauge technology, designed to help drivers...

Earlier we reported on Volkswagen's new Car-2-Car communications system, which is being developed by a consortium of various European manufacturers, including BMW, Daimler, Renault, Fiat and Audi. BMW has now revealed that it could use the technology in its future vehicles, however stressed that...

Volkswagen is claiming to have reached an automotive milestone today as tests begin on its Car-2-Car communications system. The system aims to increase the levels of communications between cars of all makes and models eventually, and to hopefully improve road safety. The enlistment of a number of...

The annual extravaganza of excess that is the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas is gearing up to run from November 4-7. The latest entrant to the show floor is a custom Hyundai Genesis Sedan kitted out with an absurd amount of technology, including no fewer than three...

Vehicle-to-vehicle communication is the next big wave in active vehicle safety but the technology is still in its infancy and will require substantial cooperation between carmakers and governments to get off the ground. Several carmakers have taken the initiative to develop the technology already...

At the Convergence 2008 conference on automotive electronics yesterday, BMW revealed it is looking for partners as it pursues an open-source car computing platform. The German company is enthusiastic about the potential for such an open-source system's potential to keep up with the rapid advances...

The proliferation of the technology in the automobile is reaching a critical point as 2010 approaches. Just a couple weeks ago it was revealed that 58% of all 2009 model year cars will have a media player or iPod interface. Today it's satellite radio that has broken through the 50% barrier...

It's no secret that cars have been growing to more closely resemble computers over the past decade. Now things have advanced to the point that over half - 58% - of all 2009 model year cars in the U.S. will feature some form media player or iPod interface. The 50% figure may not be particularly...