Car Tech
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Back in August, a startup by the name of nuTonomy made headlines following the launch of the world’s first taxi service built around 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 self-driving cars will be running around town offering rides. nuTonomy says a self-driving taxi service is much closer than most people think. In fact, the company says it hopes to launch the first fully functional service in Singapore as early as 2018. Before that, nuTonomy will expand its test program to the...
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Audi uses machine learning to refine self-parking technologyAudi has demonstrated how it is using machine learning to help refine its self-driving system. Machine learning is a form of artificial intelligence where computers “learn” how to perform actions on their own, i.e. without the need to be explicitly programmed, typically via trial and...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
GM to introduce 9-speed auto in 2017 Chevrolet MalibuGeneral Motors Company [NYSE:GM] on Tuesday released the first details for a new 9-speed automatic transmission designed for front-wheel-drive applications. The transmission, code-named the 9T50, makes its debut in the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu and by the end of calendar year 2017 will be available in...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
How to safely lift your car off the ground with jack standsIf you're going to do work on your own vehicle, you'll most likely need to get underneath it at some point. Unless you own a monster truck, this means that you're going to have to lift your car in the air. This is intimidating for many, but there's a way to make it less so and Engineering Explained...
Jeff Glucker -
Mercedes-Benz unveils ultra-precise ‘high-def’ headlightsMercedes-Benz has developed a new type of headlight with such precise control of the light beam that it can project complex symbols, including words, onto the road ahead to help inform the driver of his or her surroundings. Mercedes calls the technology HD (High-Definition) headlights and plans to...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Apple hints at self-driving car development in letter to regulatorsClues that Apple [NSDQ:AAPL] might be developing self-driving car technology has emerged in a letter sent by the tech giant to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The letter, obtained by The Wall Street Journal, was sent by Apple’s head of product integrity Steve Kenner and...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Comma.ai is an electronic driving aid developed by computer programmer George Hotz. It's a partial self-driving solution that can be retrofitted into virtually modern car, and Hotz's plan was to sell the kit for $999. However, a problem arose when the National Highway Traffic Safety Adminstration got wind of the plan. A warning letter was sent out and Hotz seemingly backed off on the Comma.ai initiative. Now Hotz is back with the tech he created and he believes he's found a way around the regulatory issues that come with attempting to offer something like this. Hotz is going to give away the...
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The science behind the record-breaking Dodge Viper ACRWhen Dodge brought its Viper ACR to the production car party back in 2015, the automaker also brought a long a sheet filled with brand new track records. The ACR broke production-car lap records at 13 different tracks. These weren't rinky-dink little local circuits that you've never heard of...
Jeff Glucker -
Cadillac Super Cruise self-driving system coming in 2017It’s been over four years since General Motors Company [NYSE:GM] first announced plans for a self-driving system for its Cadillac brand known as Super Cruise. At the time, GM said the system would be made available in the “near term.” Super Cruise is now expected to debut on a...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Divergent Dagger is your 3D-printed superbikeDivergent is a company that has big plans for the world of 3D printing. This is a company that has already created a number of parts for what it's calling the first 3D-printed supercar; the DM Blade. Divergent also creates 3D-printed metal parts that could find use in a number of automobiles; names...
Jeff Glucker -
How the elusive 4-rotor rotary engine worksAs the old saying goes, there is no replacement for displacement. That's not the case when it comes to rotary engines, which typically have very small displacement. Instead of cubes, if you want a rotary to make more power you do two things: add more rotors and/or slap on a turbocharger or two...
Kirk Bell -
Opel previews new Insignia Grand Sport’s chassis technologyOpel is working on a new generation of its Insignia mid-size sedan, a version of which will eventually make it into Buick showrooms as the 2018 Regal and into Holden showrooms as the 2018 Commodore. The outgoing Insignia is already a competent handler, particularly in OPC trim, but Opel engineers...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Audi has named former Volvo executive Peter Mertens as its new R&D chief. Mertens is one of the first from outside the company to be given a top role at the Volkswagen Group following the emergence of the diesel emissions scandal in September 2015. ALSO SEE: VW, Audi, Porsche reportedly racing for resources in boardroom battle royale He replaces Stefan Knirsch who stepped down in September following reports connecting him with the scandal. Knirsch was only promoted to the role at the start of 2016 after veteran Audi R&D chief Ulrich Hackenberg was suspended in the early days of the...
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Volvo 90 series cars receive tech, safety updatesVolvo is rolling out some updates on its 90 series cars which for the 2017 model year include the S90, V90 Cross Country and XC90. (A V90 joins the lineup for 2018.) The updates enhance what was already a high level of safety and connectivity. In the area of safety, Volvo is adding the new features...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Tesla demonstrates what its self-driving cars ‘see’Tesla [NSDQ:TSLA] has released a video that provides insight into what its self-driving cars view the world like. In the demonstration, a person is behind the wheel, though only for legal purposes. He doesn’t even place his hands on the wheel throughout the demo. The vehicle, in this case a...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Should my car have stiff or soft springs?Ride comfort and performance. Creating a suspension system that serves both of those masters successfully is a challenging task. All sorts of technology can help, from air suspensions to magnetic dampers and so on. But what is best when it comes to a soft or stiff spring setup? What do you really...
Jeff Glucker -
1.6-liter ‘camless’ engine delivers 230 hp in Qoros 3The “camless” engine developed by Koenigsegg sister company FreeValve edged closer to production on Friday with Qoros’ unveiling of a working prototype at the 2016 Guangzhou auto show. The prototype is a followup to the concept Qoros unveiled earlier in the year. Instead of a...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
What is the best mod for faster lap times?Modifying you car can get expensive very quickly. Still, you want to take it to the track and any method of eeking out a quicker lap time is one at which you're going to look. Where do you get the most bang for your buck? Jason from Engineering Explained is here to break it all down with science...
Jeff Glucker -
Chevrolet’s Colorado ZR2 promises to be one heck of an off-roader, and one of the main reasons is the truck’s unique shock absorbers. To achieve the desired performance, Multimatic, the company that builds the Ford Motor Company [NYSE:F] GT and numerous other race cars, had to invent a new type of shock absorber. The shocks use both the company’s patented Dynamic Suspensions Spool Valve (DSSV) technology and the position sensitive damping favored by off-road racers. To understand how these shocks work we have to break down both technologies. Position sensitive damping is...
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This is why wider tires equals more gripDrag. Friction. Weight distribution and load. These are things you need to consider when you begin to think about how tires work. Yes, those four bits of rubber are your only connection to the ground and they keep your car moving in the direction you desire. Most of us think that a wider tire is...
Jeff Glucker -
Samsung to buy Harman in $8B dealSamsung is making a major push into the in-car electronics game with the acquisition of Harman [NYSE:HAR] in a deal worth $8 billion. The Korean electronics giant will pay $112.00 per Harman share, which represents a premium of 28 percent on Friday’s closing price. The deal is still subject...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
This is what the first Hyperloop might be likeHyperloop One, one of two leading firms attempting to develop a working Hyperloop high-speed transport system first proposed by Tesla [NSDQ:TSLA] CEO Elon Musk in 2013, has provided a look at what traveling by Hyperloop might be like. Of most interest to fans following the development of the...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Developing parts for road cars vs. race carsRoad cars and race cars are very different. The cars we buy for every day driving are much heavier, due in part to safety and emissions equipment. Race cars shed every ounce of weight in the pursuit of speed. But those aren't the only differences. In some ways, road cars that are meant to last for...
Kirk Bell -
Opel teases new Insignia Grand Sport’s matrix LED headlightsThe Opel Insignia will be redesigned in 2017, with the new model to also serve as a replacement for the existing Buick Regal and Holden Commodore in General Motors Company’s [NYSE:GM] global fleet. Opel on Tuesday gave a glimpse at the headlight design of the new car and confirmed it will...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran