Car Tech
-
Tesla may have taken capabilities out of the Model S and Model X because of a supplier switch.
-
What a prototype self-driving Tesla 'sees' on public roads
A Tesla video shows what self-driving cars "see."
Stephen Edelstein -
Did you know Exxon researched hybrid cars (then ignored them)?
Exxon researched hybrid cars in the 1970s, then ignored them.
Stephen Edelstein -
Why lithium-ion cells with hollow cores matter (Apple Car or not)
Apple may be eyeing a new configuration of lithium-ion battery cell for its rumored electric car.
Stephen Edelstein -
Infiniti variable-compression engine: more complexity, incremental gains
Infiniti's VC-T is the first variable compression-ratio engine to enter production.
Stephen Edelstein -
Maybe Apple and Google won't take over the car industry after all?
Apple and Google are both experiencing setbacks in their plans to build autonomous cars.
Stephen Edelstein -
Elon Musk says the reconfigured Autopilot system announced over the weekend could have prevented the fatal crash that took place in May.
-
Why NASA thinks the Tesla Autopilot is a bad idea
NASA research may be relevant to the Tesla Autopilot debate.
Stephen Edelstein -
Infiniti plans VC-T engine with variable compression ratio
Infiniti is likely the first carmaker to put a variable-compression engine into production.
Stephen Edelstein -
Audi regenerative shock absorber recaptures energy
The Audi eROT system recovers energy from the movement of a car's suspension.
Stephen Edelstein -
Japan may beat U.S. to allowing camera-based side mirrors
Japan will allow carmakers to replace traditional side-view mirrors with cameras.
Stephen Edelstein -
Nissan takes a different approach to fuel cells: ethanol
When the world at large thinks of fuel-cell vehicles—to the extent it does, at least today—they are associated with hydrogen as the fuel to power them. But a fuel cell, more broadly speaking, is any device that produces electricity from a variety of input fuels or energy carriers. This...
John Voelcker -
Electric cars may have an advantage over gasoline cars in energy density when powertrain efficiency is considered.
-
Experimental nanowire-based battery cell recharges 100,000 times or more
University of California, Irvine, researchers believe a nanowire-based battery cell could last much longer than current cells.
Stephen Edelstein -
Electrification, sure, but gasoline engines will endure: supplier
Increasingly stiff limits on carbon emission and minimum fuel economy in most of the world's car markets mean that more plug-in electric cars must be sold. With battery costs steadily falling and the pricetag rising for the new technologies that make cars more efficient, some now envision a world...
John Voelcker -
BMW marks 100th birthday with autonomous, zero-emission concept
BMW is now a century old. To celebrate, the brand has unveiled a concept car that emits nothing from its tailpipe and can drive itself. The automaker hasn't said just how the Vision Next 100 concept manages to go emission-free, but it did talk a lot about the car's exotic materials and...
Andrew Ganz -
New diesel Audi SQ7: electric turbo, 48-volt electrics aid efficiency
Given the diesel scandal lingering over Volkswagen's operations, it might come as a surprise that Audi has unveiled a new, high-performance flagship crossover powered by the controversial fuel. But the new SQ7 brings to the table much more than just a high-power 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged diesel...
Andrew Ganz -
Mercedes Announces Cleaner, More Efficient Diesel Engines
Diesel may be a dirty word for some but for the major automakers, especially those with a significant presence in fuel-conscious Europe, it commands a lot of importance. One such automaker is Mercedes-Benz, which this week announced it is investing close to $3 billion over the coming years in...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Bosch claims its "active gas pedal" can yield fuel-economy savings of up to seven percent.
-
VW CEO Müller: Automotive Future Must Not Be Left To Silicon Valley
Like many automakers, Volkswagen Group has had a research facility in Silicon Valley for many years. In 2011, Its Electronics Research Laboratory--first launched in 1998--tripled its size and moved northward from Palo Alto to Belmont. It now has almost 100 people. But new VW Group CEO Matthias...
John Voelcker -
Volkswagen’s Future Battery Packs, EV Platform: Development Details
The Volkswagen Budd-e Concept that was revealed at CES this week marks several firsts. While there are some radically different design and interface approaches (like expanded gesture controls), several of the most important firsts in the Budd-e concern what’s claimed underneath: an all-new...
Bengt Halvorson -
BMW i Future Interaction Concept At CES Hints At i8 Spyder (Again)
BMW showed a second i8 convertible concept at CES.
Stephen Edelstein -
What Comes After Lithium-Ion Batteries To Power Electric Cars, And When?
Lithium-ion batteries may eventually be supplanted by other technologies.
Stephen Edelstein -
Will Nissan Leaf Offer Autonomous Driving Just Like A Tesla?
With the IDS Concept that Nissan showed at the recent Tokyo Motor Show, the automaker hinted that Nissan may be readying a suite of autonomous technologies—and a language through which the car will communicate with the driver and with its surroundings. And while it might be tempting to see...
Bengt Halvorson