Car Tech

BMW's DriveNow car-sharing program receives a new name in the United States: ReachNow. In other markets, the program is still being called DriveNow but the rebranded ReachNow is ready to roll in the U.S., with the first city on the list being Seattle, Washington. BMW says ReachNow is aimed at...

So you want to shift gears like a race car driver? Well, Engineering Explained is here to to help. There's a reason we keep posting these videos, and that's because you're going to learn something from them. Today's topic? The fine art of rev-matching. ALSO SEE: Here's how you double clutch You...

In what may be the best sign yet that Uber is serious about becoming a leader in the emerging world of autonomous driving, the ride-sharing company announced this week that it has hired Ford Motor Company's top electronics and engineering director. Sherif Markaby will head up Uber's global vehicle...

Since the demise of the Crown Vic, Ford Motor Company’s [NYSE:F] range of Interceptor police vehicles based on the Taurus and Explorer have been gaining in popularity, especially the latter because of its tall ride height and roomier, more practical cabin. Ford has now made the Explorer...

It's a lesson that is just as important on a race track as it is on a public road: selecting the most efficient and effective line through a corner. In his last video, Porsche factory driver Patrick Long explained how to properly execute a heel-and-toe downshift prior to entering a curve. Now, with...

Acura’s new NSX finally enters production this month, and ahead of the first customer examples rolling off the line the Japanese brand has dropped a few production secrets. Production is taking place at a dedicated facility known as the Performance Manufacturing Center (PMC). The facility is...

In the not too distant future, the role of a truck driver may be obsolete. German auto giant Daimler, which owns major truck brands such as Mercedes-Benz Trucks, Freightliner and Western Star, is already testing trucks that can cross multiple countries with minimal driver intervention. ALSO SEE...

Mazda's misunderstood Wankel rotary engine is among the most respected—and maligned—powertrain designs ever, as Engineering Explained's Jason Fenske points out in this especially informative video. With his knack for making even the most complicated subjects approachable, Jason tells us...

Dutch sports car brand Spyker emerged from bankruptcy last year after forming a partnership with American electric aircraft startup Volta Volaré. At the time, Spyker said it planned to develop cars with electric technology sourced from Volta Volaré but provided no further details. We...

Late last year, Lamborghini launched a telemetry system that with the aid of an app can help you improve your lap times. The system is designed for the Aventador and Huracán models and is called Track and Play. It relies on an app installed on your smartphone plus a special control unit...

Now that it’s no longer wasting effort and money on a failed Formula One program, British sports car brand Caterham has returned to what it does best: building affordable, lightweight track cars based on the iconic Lotus Seven chassis. Recently, Caterham teamed up with bicycle frame...

We've all been there. You walk out to your car, eager to get moving and begin your day. Your key slides into the ignition and you give it a quick twist. It starts to make that expected noise as it cranks over, but then it doesn't continue on its journey. Your car isn't starting. You pause, confused...

Double clutching: It's one of those terms car enthusiasts often use to describe both what they've done in their own cars and what makes a good clutch. But how many of us really know what double clutching actually means? Jason Fenske over at Engineering Explained has a knack for making things clear...

The Parking Brake. The E-Brake. The Drift Wand. There are plenty of names we use to refer to the parking system that keeps our vehicle in place when you need it to stay still. If your car has a mechanical parking brake then you also have the lever that operates the brake, unless your car has one of...

You saw the five things you shouldn't be doing with a manual transmission. Now it's time to learn about five things you should avoid doing when you're driving a vehicle with an automatic gearbox. Engineering Explained is back at it, this time showing us how we're abusing our auto cog-swapping...

Google says that a recent crash between one of its self-driving Lexus RX 450h test cars and a city bus happened due to an obstruction in the road and a subsequent miscalculation. The admission came this week at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas, where Google's autonomous driving boss Chris Urmson...

For the average enthusiast, the manual transmission is love. It is life. It is the giver of all that is good with the automobile. Still, there are many who worship at its alter, yet probably practice a few bad habits. It's understandable that these habits could manifest over the years. We get lazy...

Automakers in general see their future as being mobility providers rather than solely manufacturers of cars and trucks. This change in thinking is in direct response to changing trends like the rising popularity of the sharing economy, where, particularly in congested cities, the traditional...

Since Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA] CEO Elon Musk first proposed the "Hyperloop" concept in 2013, multiple companies have arisen to try to make this futuristic transportation system a reality. But the first commercial Hyperloop may not be in the United States. The Hyperloop debuted with the tagline "San...

This week BMW celebrated its 100th anniversary with the unveiling of a wild, forward-looking concept car. While the concept didn’t preview a new supercar as many had hoped, it did provide numerous clues as to what we can expect for BMW’s cars of the future. The concept, called the...