Car Tech
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Staging a car at a drag strip is an art form. You line up so you have your car exactly where you want it to try and extract tenths of a second as you blast off down the strip. Some like staging deep while others run shallow. However, for some, staging is now moving beyond the art form and into the highly technical. Such is the case on this massively modified 1,700-horsepower Nissan GT-R. For an all-wheel-drive car like the GT-R, staging means working quickly to get your boost pressure built up before the yellow lights start their dance toward the green. Some vehicles employ a bit of tech...
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Audi latest to announce Android infotainment system
Audi is going Android. The German brand announced its next generation infotainment system will be powered by Google's Android operating system and run seamlessly through most in-car functions. Audi will showcase the infotainment system with the Q8 Sport concept, which it will bring to the Google...
Sean Szymkowski -
Lyft and Waymo join forces to develop self-driving taxis, challenge Uber
A newborn partnership has emerged within the fluid and ever competitive self-driving car field. Waymo and Lyft have confirmed a partnership for future self-driving technology. Waymo is the self-driving car business of Google's parent company, Alphabet, while Lyft is a ride-sharing firm that's seen...
Sean Szymkowski -
Renault, Nissan plants back online following cyber attack
Following the widespread cyber attack, dubbed "WannaCry," this past Friday, Renault and Nissan resumed nearly all manufacturing operations. Renault and Nissan, which are joined in an alliance, were both affected in the attack that spread to 150 countries. Automotive News (subscription required)...
Sean Szymkowski -
Volvo first to commit to Android-powered infotainment system
Volvo has confirmed plans to introduce an infotainment system powered by Google’s Android operating system within the next two years. The system will feature graphics and menus unique to Volvo, but behind the scenes it will be powered by Android. Volvo will also have its own apps running on...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
The Boring Company demonstrates prototype for 125-MPH sled
It was only a couple of weeks ago that Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed just what was in store for his newest startup, The Boring Company. The company hopes to establish a network of tunnels in congested cities, through which cars would travel between fixed points on high-speed, electrically-powered...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
The 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor's off-road prowess isn't contested often and with good reason. Chevrolet thinks it has found a sweet spot with the 2017 Colorado ZR2—offering a shorter, lighter rock-crawling experience—but the Raptor remains king of the high-power off-road scene. Just ask Ken Block. Ford poured extensive development into the 2017 Raptor to ensure its off-road credentials were unmatched in various areas. To deliver the expected on- and off-road performance, Ford effectively merged all-wheel drive with four-wheel drive. The Raptor's driving modes selector, known as the...
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Ford patents odd design for steering wheel-mounted gearshift
Sometimes, it's better to let proven concepts remain. Case in point: a car's gear selector. New patent findings from the United States Patent and Trademark Office show Ford wants to reinvent the wheel (pun totally intended) with a peculiar steering wheel-mounted gearshift unit. A patent drawing...
Sean Szymkowski -
BMW 530e iPerformance to offer wireless charging option
BMW’s new plug-in hybrid 5-Series, the 530e iPerformance, will eventually get wireless charging capability. It will mean no longer have to bother with plugging the car in for charging. Instead, you simply position the car over a inductive charging plate plugged into a wall outlet. BMW says...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Tesla reveals pricing for solar roof as order books open
Tesla on Thursday started taking orders for its newest energy product, glass roof tiles incorporating solar panels. Tesla has four different designs for the roof tiles, which the company calls Solar Roof tiles, though only two are available for order at present. Tesla is taking a $1,000 deposit and...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
How the active aerodynamic system works on the Lamborghini Huracán Performante
The Lamborghini Huracán Performante is the king of the Nürburgring. It currently holds the track's quickest lap time of 6:52.01, and it ousted the Porsche 918 Spyder in the process from the top spot. How did it get there? We're glad you asked. So is Jason Fenske of Engineering Explained...
Sean Szymkowski -
Future Fords may be equipped with biometric sensors
Wearable technology—think Fitbit, Apple Watch, and the like—has become a staple for many of us. The technology allows users to keep tabs on their overall health and encourage more active lifestyles. However, Ford thinks the same kind of technology used in wearables can be implemented in...
Sean Szymkowski -
No one particularly likes being told what to do by others, so Waze now has the ultimate solution for that problem: have yourself tell you what to do. Waze now lets users record their own turn-by-turn directions for audio, offering an alternative to many preset options, according to Lifehacker. The "Waze Voice Recorder" is included in the latest update for the GPS application for Android smartphones (sorry, iPhone users). It prompts the Waze user to record the various directions used by its system in their own voice. Directions such as "turn left" and "exit right" are among the basic phrases...
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What happens when you run winter tires in the summer?
By this point, as we enter the middle of May, most drivers who use soft-compound winter tires have likely switched them out for a set of all-season rubber, or even some higher-performance summer-only tires. However, what happens if you keep those winter tires on your car and run them in warm...
Sean Szymkowski -
VW confirms its 10-Speed dual-clutch transmission is dead
A number of automakers are offering 9- and 10-speed transmissions. Some are even looking at 11-speed units. The Volkswagen Group had planned to join the fray with its own 10-speed dual-clutch transmission, though the project has been axed. The information was confirmed to Automotive News...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
BMW picks plant for iNext self-driving EV due in 2021
BMW CEO Harald Krüger in a press conference on Thursday outlining the company’s financial results revealed more details about the planned iNext. iNext is the code name for BMW’s next model from its i sub-brand for electrified and self-driving cars. Production is due to start in...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Porsche planting roots in Silicon Valley
Porsche is embracing the digital, interconnected age we live in by setting up shop in Silicon Valley. The German sportscar/crossover maker announced plans to open a digital technology center to complement ongoing work at its Ludwigsburg-based digital division. According to Reuters, Porsche's intent...
Sean Szymkowski -
BMW, Intel kick off self-driving car pilot program
As part of a self-driving car trial, 40 BMW 7-Series luxo-barges will soon hit the road—without the need for drivers, thanks to Intel's advanced computing technology capable of grabbing 4 terabytes of data every 90 minutes. BMW and Intel yesterday kicked off their self-driving vehicle trial...
Andrew Ganz -
It's a problem many may not know they're experiencing until flashing lights in the rearview mirror tell them otherwise. How do you know if your vehicle is reading an accurate speed? And if it isn't accurate, how do you go about fixing the problem? Have no fear, because Jason Fenske from Engineering Explained is here to show us, and it's a fairly simple diagnosis and fix. Jason uses his personal Honda S2000 as a test mule, but the process in the video can be applied to nearly any car. If you're curious, his speedometer is off due to Jason adjusting the final drive ratio, but different wheel...
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nuTonomy to use Peugeot 3008 for self-driving car fleet
Last summer, an American startup by the name of nuTonomy made headlines following the launch of the world’s first taxi service implementing a fleet of self-driving cars. Albeit a trial only, the service, which covered a few streets in Singapore, provided an early look at a likely future where...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Samsung joins race to develop self-driving car tech just as Apple prototypes are spotted
Samsung has joined the long list of automakers and tech firms racing to develop self-driving cars and the software that controls them. The Korean conglomerate, along with roughly 20 other firms, was recently granted permission to test self-driving cars on public roads in South Korea. Samsung has...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Fully self-driving cars will be ready in 2019, says Elon Musk
It's no secret Tesla CEO Elon Musk is a pretty ambitious guy who likes to look to the future, and his latest prediction keeps pace with those of the past. In only two years, Musk believes, fully self-driving cars will be on the road. Musk made the prediction during a recent TED talk where he also...
Sean Szymkowski -
Porsche patents active rear diffuser
While the horsepower wars continue, automakers are searching elsewhere to see where precious time can be shaved off of a hot lap. Porsche, in particular, is looking to redefine the rear diffuser. New patents published on April 27, 2017, with the United States Patent and Trademark Office show a rear...
Sean Szymkowski -
How disconnecting sway bars work
You off-roaders out there know all about disconnecting your own sway bars. You crave articulation, and you'll disconnect parts of your vehicle to get it. For those who don't seek out tough trails and mud-covered body panels, the idea of a disconnecting sway bar might be an odd concept. It's less...
Jeff Glucker