Car Tech
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Volkswagen's ID 3 electric hatch is set to start deliveries in the first half of 2020 and when it arrives it will be the first car to sport a new feature that uses colored light to communicate with the driver and other occupants. Aptly called Volkswagen ID Light, the feature is basically a thin LED strip located at the base of the windshield and spanning the width of the dash. It relies on different colors and pulse patterns to convey various messages. For example, when you first hop into the car. A full width-white light that turns to blue welcomes you and tells you that the car's drive...
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How talking cars, or car-to-X tech, can make roads safer in the winterMercedes-Benz is developing car-to-X technology that enables cars to transmit data such as road conditions to surrounding infrastructure.
Byron Hurd -
Bosch uses mini explosions to stop EVs
Typically, the last thing you'd want happening as the result of an automobile collision is an explosion, but in some cases, a controlled blast might make the difference between life and death. The best example of a life-saving explosion is the result of a chemical reaction inside an air bag...
Byron Hurd -
Toyota reveals e-Palette self-driving shuttle for 2020 Olympic Games
Toyota on Wednesday revealed the version of its e-Palette self-driving shuttle that will be used to transport athletes during the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. The e-Palette was first shown as a concept in early 2018 and is essentially an easy-to-access minivan designed to travel safely along a loop...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Electric XC40 will debut Volvo's next-gen infotainment
Volvo's new infotainment system will be powered by Android but feature graphics and menus unique to the Swedish brand.
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Tesla wants to reinvent heated and cooled seats
Tesla has filed for a patent for seats that are heated and cooled by liquid.
Byron Hurd -
Waymo on Monday said it will soon send out its self-driving cars to the busy streets of Los Angeles. However, the cars will have human drivers as this first stage will be for mapping the streets and determining whether Waymo's self-driving cars are actually a good fit for the city. Three of the vehicles will be deployed in the downtown area and the Miracle Mile section of Wilshire Boulevard initially. Should Waymo actually test self-driving cars in L.A., it will be the most challenging routes faced by the company yet. Previous test sites don't have the complex road structures and huge traffic...
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Continental's latest tire concept inflates itself as it rolls
Continental sees the tires as a perfect fit for self-driving cars.
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Nissan taught robots how to make discontinued parts for classic cars
The concept isn't new but until now no one has been able to program the robots to churn out parts with consistent quality.
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Tesla acquiring computer vision startup DeepScale
The automaker acquired the company to bolster its portfolio of processors and engineering required for its sensors, cameras, and radar.
Byron Hurd -
Tesla software version 10.0 rolls outs, here comes Smart Summon
Tesla's 10.0 software update adds Smart Summon, the "Cuphead" video game, Car-aoke, and Spotify Premium.
Byron Hurd -
Hyundai joins flying taxi race
Hyundai's new air mobility division is led by a NASA veteran of 30 years.
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
In general, diesel engines are extremely durable and can last for hundreds of thousands miles with the proper care. But over time, even the most well-looked-after diesels will start to lose power and efficiency. Why is that? Jason Fenske of Engineering Explained headed over to a third-party test lab used by ExxonMobil to answer that very question. Although there are a few different reasons why a diesel engine can lose its oomph over the years, Jason discovered the biggest problem has to do with fuel injectors. Unlike gas engines, which use a spark to ignite an air-fuel mixture, diesels...
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Amazon Alexa to be offered in all General Motors brands in 2020
GM will integrate Amazon Alexa in vehicles from all its brands starting next year to bring more connectivity into the car.
Byron Hurd -
Land Rover wants to turn the Defender into a giant remote control car
Land Rover is developing a remote-control system to let drivers maneuver the vehicle in tight spaces off-road or on.
Byron Hurd -
BMW may be working on a new V-8
The new engine will reportedly show up in a new M5 CS super sedan based on the current-generation M5.
Byron Hurd -
Gorilla Glass windshield now available for Ford F-150
Hyperformance Glass Products is offering a Gorilla Glass windshield for the Ford F-150 for about twice the price of an OEM replacement.
Byron Hurd -
VW Group opens site for next-gen battery cell development
The plant is to help ensure that battery development becomes a core competency at VW.
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Tesla has filed a patent application for a new kind of windshield wiper that would attach the blades to blocks that would move based on electromagnetic current.
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VW announces next-gen Car-Net remote app
VW's Car-Net remote app expands its services for 2020 Volkswagens.
Byron Hurd -
CEO of major German supplier ZF doesn't expect self-driving taxis before 2030
ZF's CEO sees the first self-driving services to go mainstream involving short closed circuit trips.
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
GM to integrate Google Assistant into next-gen infotainment system
General Motors said they'll integrate more Google features into their cars soon.
Byron Hurd -
Continental's in-car cameras will determine if you're ready to take control of your self-driving car
The supplier is using driver-facing cameras and software to determine if a human is capable of resuming the task of driving.
Byron Hurd -
2020 Porsche Taycan electric car: 6 more tech tidbits
Porsche's new electric car marks a go-it-alone philosophy in so many ways. We take a look at a few of the interesting details, including some obscure ones.
Bengt Halvorson
