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Distracted Driving Gets a Caffeine Jolt
The witch hunt is already in motion for anything that distracts drivers: cell phones, iPods, even GPS with moving maps. Given that, it might seem short-sighted and illogical to market an in-car espresso machine. Toss logic out the window because the future is now and such a thing exists. That’s right, for a paltry €150, roughly…
Nissan Delta Wing is “Incubator for Innovation”- Video
The Nissan Delta Wing is no doubt one of the most innovative cars to come out of the racing world in a while, weighing about half of what other comparable race cars do and putting out only half the power, yet remaining competitive. Nissan has been testing its new race car at the Sebring racetrack…
Australia Issues Subsidy to Extend Local GM Production
With the strong dollar eating into profit margins and GM already engaged in a global consolidation and cutting exercise, it must be sorely tempting to seriously consider relocating production of these vehicles elsewhere if not dropping them entirely.
NHTSA Distracted Driving Guidelines Includes Static Navigation Images
Last month, NHTSA issued guidelines to establish criteria for reducing distraction from electronic devices installed by manufacturers while the vehicle is in motion, but those rules come with some surprising stipulations. One of those strange recommendations said “dynamic, continuously moving maps are not recommended.” In other words, the navigation display that updates in real-time to show…
Audi has A4 “Superavant” Crossover in the Works
Going by present product development trends, the number of luxury crossovers to choose from will continue to expand as premier automakers offer more vehicles to fit all sorts of niche markets. Despite the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo crossover’s lack of commercial success, BMW is moving forward with Gran Turismo body styles for its 1-Series and 3-Series…
Lexus Eco Challenge Grand Prize Winners Announced
Toyota supports environmental consciousness by holding the annual Lexus Eco Challenge competition, encouraging middle and high school students to practice eco-friendliness in creative ways. Since the program’s inception, $4 million in scholarships and grants have been awarded to middle and high school students for their distinguished projects. “Through this program, more than 25,000 participants have demonstrated…
Paper-Based Supercapacitor Could Improve Hybrid/EV Performance
Rajesh Rajamani, a mechanical engineering professor at the University of Minnesota, along with colleague Shan Hu and fellow professor Xun Yu from the University of North Texas, were able to create this new superconductor using a polymer based electrolyte and nanotube coated cotton paper for electrodes.
Ford Audio Engineers Create Concert-Hall Quality Sound In 2013 Escape Crossover
When it comes to the next generation of its popular Escape compact crossover, Ford is leaving nothing to chance, perfecting every aspect of the all-new 2013 model. In order to make owning the all-new Escape as enjoyable as possible, a team of sound engineers was assembled to create a concert-hall quality audio experience in the…
Infiniti Battery-Electric Vehicle Announced for New York Auto Show
Questions and uncertainty are swirling around the Infiniti battery-electric vehicle (BEV) which Nissan will debut at the upcoming New York Auto Show. The BEV, which isn’t named yet, will share underpinnings with the Nissan Leaf, but with more emphasis on power and aggressive styling. “It was designed to be a luxury vehicle first and an…
Mustang Track Apps Will Bring Out the Racer In You – Video
The revised 2013 Ford Mustang is one of the most highly anticipated sports cars to hit our market this year. We first told our readers about the upcoming changes late last year. One of the features will surely excite car enthusiasts is the new “Track Apps” system. This inbuilt feature has all the performance driving telemetry you could…
Lithium-ion Batteries to Cost 30% Less By 2017
Despite the fuel efficiency benefits of a hybrid vehicle, the average cost premium of purchasing a hybrid over a conventional internal combustion vehicle is still approximately $2,000. In order to begin seeing the cost benefits of fuel frugality, an ownership period may be as long as 6 years before money saved at the tank can…
Lexus Releases Video Teaser Of New Models Including LS Flagship
The slow unveiling of the all-new Lexus LS luxury sedan has unofficially commenced when the sharp eyes of Lexus Enthusiast discovered a flash of an image of the concept within a Lexus RX crossover promo video featuring chief engineer Takayuki Katsuda. When Katsuda started to elaborate on the new and unique “spindle-grill” corporate face of…
West Coast Freeway Earns Electric Highway Nickname
Back in 2009, California, Oregon, and Washington made a decision to start turning a portion of the I-5 freeway into an Electric Highway. Hoping to address the limited range of an electric vehicle, the states lined a 160-mile stretch on the West Coast freeway with eight charging stations. Each station is spaced out 25 miles…
Intel and Denso Form Alliance for Next Generation Infotainment Systems
Tech giant Intel has decided to move into the car infotainment market, teaming up with Denso, which recently developed the Entune system in various new Toyota models. Intel, known for its microprocessors used in most of today’s computers, has created a $100 million investment fund towards the development of new hardware and software for the…
Toyota Struggles To Boost Prius C Capacity as Demand Grows
Introduced for the Japanese market last December, the Toyota Prius C had only hit U.S. showrooms on March 12. In only its first three days in the U.S. market, the Prius C sold 1,201 units, eclipsing the Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan Leaf’s complete February sales performance of 1,023 and 478 units respectively. However, demand for the…
Ferrari F12 Berlinetta Gets Michelin Super Sport Pilot Tires Standard
Five times stronger than equivalent steel belts, yet considerable lighter, it enables the Super Sport Pilot to deliver superior stability at high speeds.
Scion FR-S is Weighed and Measured by Excited Tuners
North American tuner companies were invited to Toyota Headquarters in Torrance, California to measure the new Scion FR-S and take a closer look at the car to begin the process of drafting future tuning parts. Many tuners were present at the event and the response to Scion’s new sports car has been overwhelmingly positive across the…
OnStar Ranks Most Helpful American Cities
It turns out that OnStar isn’t just used for helping yourself or your vehicle. Today OnStar is reporting that many use the system to help others in need. According to OnStar’s statistics, there are quite a few “Good Samaritan calls” in which an OnStar user calls to report another drivers situation that needs assistance. This…
Michael Schumacher’s 1992 Benetton-Ford Formula 1 Race Car For Sale
This weekend’s Melbourne GP kicks off the 2012 Formula 1 season. After the third session of qualifying, Michael Schumacher displayed a return to form, qualifying 4th, well ahead of his teammate for Mercedes GP Nico Rosberg. Unfortunately, Schumacher’s Mercedes lost power out of turn 1 of the tenth lap, forcing an early retirement on an…
Mitsubishi i-MiEV Power Box Lets You Use Your EV as a Power Source
Japanese automaker Mitsubishi will be releasing its i-MiEV Power Box on April 27th in their home country for around $1,785 (149,800¥). The i-MiEV Power Box is basically a vehicle-to-grid system that will allow the owners of an i-MiEV and the MINICAB MiEV to use their EV to power an outside device like a phone charger…
New V6 Ford Interceptors Offer Huge Fuel Economy Gains
Ford‘s Panther chassis, platform for the iconic P71 Police Interceptor, is anything but a slouch, but after more than 30 years of service both Ford and police recognize the need for a change. Ford started building police variants of the LTD Crown Victoria in 1979, by 1992 the company’s cars evolved from modified civilian sedans…
Gas Milage Android App is Poor on Service and Quality
Any car from 1996 and newer can have a real-time gas consumption meter thanks to an Android app, but you might not want to pay for it. OBD Mileage is now available for Google Android smartphone users who want to watch their car’s mpg change during hill climbs, highway driving and schlepping around town. The…
Watch How Autonomous Cars Would Affect Intersections – Video
You might have wondered what it would be like to have our vehicles drive themselves, but seeing how it could affect roadways as we know it is, well, terrifying. One of the biggest impacts autonomous cars would have is at intersections. With driverless cars controlling themselves, the need for traffic lights and even stop signs…
Subaru EyeSight Safety Technology Announced: 2012 New York Auto Show Preview
Subaru announced its new, low-cost suite of safety systems called “EyeSight” today that the company says will be one of the most affordable instances of this technology on the U.S. market. By using two charge-coupled device (CCD) cameras mounted inside the car on the upper edge of the windshield, the company is able to offer a…
