Car Tech

Jaguar Land Rover is leading the development of an innovative 8-speed transmission that can combine dual-clutch, hybrid and low-range elements all in the one unit. The development is being handled by a five-member research group called Transmission Supply Chain Excellence for Next-Generation...

Before you start shaking your head and shouting "No!" at your computer screen and preparing an angry email about how stupid we are, hear us out. Our host Jason Fenske from Engineering Explained is referring to the addition of weight when traction is limited, such as in snowy or icy conditions. In...

Tesla [NSDQ:TSLA] on Sunday provided the first details on a software update that addresses some of the shortcomings of its semi-autonomous driving aid known as Autopilot. The company said the Version 8.0 update will be released in the next two weeks. The changes included in the update were prompted...

According to McLaren’s head designer, future wheel patterns will be radically different to what we’re used to seeing. Speaking with Motoring, McLaren design boss Frank Stephenson said his team is looking at asymmetrical wheel patterns inspired by the root systems of trees...

Your intake manifold. It takes in air and sends it to your engine's combustion chamber. This is basically the start of the combustion process. After all, you can't have combustion without air. Engineering Explained is here to walk us through the process and explain how a variable intake manifold...

Life is too short to lap massive parking lots looking for open spaces. That's why Mercedes-Benz, along with automotive supplier giant Bosch, announced last week that its cars would eventually be able to detect empty spaces and share the info with other Mercedes cars that are nearby, looking for...

Virtual Reality is, well, pretty much here right now. You can buy an Oculus. There's a headset that comes with a Samsung phone. If you wander the halls at the next Consumer Electronics Show, you'll be surrounded by a sea of developers creating worlds for virtual reality exploration. Audi is getting...

For some time now, Jason from Engineering Explained has been teaching us about all areas of our shared passion—and now we get to share in something a little more personal. His method of clearly explaining seemingly complex mechanical and technical parts of a car is both enjoyable and...

BMW in 2015 launched a version of its M4 equipped with a water-injection system. The technology, available in the aftermarket for years, is able to boost output while also improving efficiency, the downside being the added weight and inconvenience of a water tank that owners will have to top up...

A new Jeep Wrangler is on the way, but that doesn't mean the current model isn't getting enhanced for 2017. While many things on the Wrangler are old-school, and we like it that way, lighting is one item that we are happy to see upgraded. New for the 2017 model year are LED headlights and fog...

Every new vehicle these days seems to have electric-assist power steering. This type of system saves weight, space, and a bit of fuel. It's not, however, always the most enjoyable setup from an enthusiast standpoint. EPS systems often lack steering feel. We're happy to report, then, that the new...

Your car's brakes are pretty darn important. If you have lousy pedal feel, you should do something about that, right? Stopping is at least as important as going. So when you're looking to fix or upgrade your brake system, should you go with rubber lines or jump up to steel brake lines? Engineering...

The organizers of Roborace, the world’s first race for autonomous cars, has revealed one of their early stage prototypes. It’s called the DevBot, and unlike the cars that will be competing in Roborace, known as Robocars, it has a seat and steering wheel. Part of the development of the...

Singapore on Thursday became the first country in the world with a fully autonomous ride-sharing service offered to the public. The service is being run on a trial basis by American startup nuTonomy, which was formed by researchers at MIT and beat much larger firms such as General Motors Company...

After Tesla's announcement Tuesday that its new Model S P100D (when equipped with the optional Ludicrous Speed mode) is the fastest-accelerating car you can buy, it sure seems like everyone wants to talk about racing down a drag strip. Luckily, our pal Jason Fenske with Engineering Explained is...

Buried deep within the 2017 Porsche 911 Turbo is an engineering "no-duh." Talk to anyone with a cursory knowledge of the widowmaker from Stuttgart and they'll say the old Turbo 911s required three feet in any given corner: one for the brake, one for the clutch, another to feed the throttle so...

Ford Motor Company’s [NYSE:F] Fusion has undergone a substantial update for the 2017 model year. Among the changes is a new performance-oriented model dubbed the Fusion V6 Sport. The car boasts a 2.7-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 that’s good for an impressive 325 horsepower and 380...

A patent filing has revealed that Honda is apparently hard at work on (or at least thinking about) a transmission that would pack an insane level of technology: 11 forward gears and three clutches all packaged together in one gearbox. AutoGuide stumbled across the filing posted to the Japanese...

Did you know each of the pistons in Agera RS weigh about 10 ounces? How about that its catalytic converter improves performance by about 300 horsepower? Impressive 0-60 mph times are fun on paper, but the stories behind how they get there are page-turners for enthusiasts and Koenigsegg just dropped...

Ride-sharing giant Uber sees a future where it not only has a fleet of self-driving cars offering rides to the public, but also self-driving trucks transporting goods on the highway. Uber on Thursday announced the acquisition of Otto, an American startup with around 90 staff working on developing...