Ethanol-infused fuel can cause problems, but don’t expect it to disappear
We’ve looked at the myths and facts about ethanol in our road fuel, and found some legitimate beefs, particularly when the mixture is used in marine engines and motorcycles.
The golden years: Why we’ll all love self-driving cars when we’re older
Will seniors be able to make the change to self-driving cars? Available evidence indicates it won’t be a problem.
Hitched for a comeback: Vintage travel trailers are the latest retro craze
The venerable travel trailer is making a comeback, packing new features, more comfortable amenities, and connectivity with modern electronics.
Your next Audi will warn you of red lights, but that’s just the beginning
Audi has announced a new feature that displays the next stoplight status on the dashboard, but that’s just the first of many new changes as Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) communications get going.
Carmakers make cars. Polysync makes them drive themselves
Automakers still design and build cars according to a hundred-year-old habit of keeping everything in-house and secret. One startup software company is aiming to change the entire paradigm, starting with self-driving cars.
How the inside of your car goes from clay to leather and stainless steel
As children, many of us sketched ideas for outlandish cars on the back of our schoolbooks, but most of us tended to draw just the outside of the car. But just as much effort goes into a car’s interior, and maybe that’s more important in the final analysis, since that’s where we live.
How ‘social currency’ is changing the face of the automobile industry
As the traditional automobile sales industry morphs into the mobility services industry, companies that can engage and create a personal relationship with their customers have a huge advantage over companies that fail to engage. One marketing professional has a new term for this effect – Social Currency
Is ethanol in your gas a problem? We revisited the question with an expert
About 97% of the gasoline sold in America has ethanol in it. Some people say this is ruining our engines and killing our fuel economy. We asked a NASCAR engine-building expert with a Ph.D in chemical engineering to give us the low-down.
Uber’s Pittburgh robotaxis amuse riders, still struggle with double parked cars
If you think self-driving cars are coming soon, you’re wrong. They’re already here. Uber has a fleet of self-driving cars working the streets of Pittsburgh right now. They’re not totally independent yet, but if you’re waiting for a self-driving car, there it is.
How do engineers design today’s astronomically complicated cars? Using these tools
Modern automobiles have become so complex that automakers are turning to software companies to help them manage and test virtualized designs and manage mountains of requirements compliance paperwork. We took a deeper look at the companies that are coding the next generation of cars.
Looking for a place to park? Grab your phone and try these apps
It was only a matter of time before parking went online. Whether you need a long-term secure storage or just a street space for an hour, a variety of parking apps are now available to get you the space you need.
Getting muddy with a VW SUV so secret, we can’t even show you the whole thing
Volkswagen wasn’t ready to show us everything, but we got a good look at the all-new mid-size SUV that will be on display at the L.A. Auto Show. Here’s what we learned.
Green godsend or political ploy? The truth about ethanol in your gas
97% of U.S. gasoline contains ethanol, but the effects of ethanol and the reasons for its inclusion are not well-known. We take a deeper look at the sources and reasons to put ethanol in your gasoline.
Lamborghini is rewriting the rules on carbon fiber with a crazy new way to make it
After three decades as a pioneer in carbon fiber development, Lamborghini has revealed a quantum leap in composite technology. The new forged composite process allows the automaker to stamp parts from carbon fiber in a fraction of the time, yielding parts of equivalent strength to metals.
What happens to drivers? The ripple effects of autonomous cars go beyond safety
Self-driving cars bring a long list of benefits, but they also hold the potential to disrupt our economy and throw millions out of work. The potential ripple effects go far past the immediate benefits of driverless transportation.
The best just got (a tiny bit) better – Mazda reveals G-Vectoring Control
What Mazda has done with G-Vectoring Control is to use steering input data to make subtle changes that increase front wheel grip, keeping the car more stable and predictable, while at the same time protecting the car from jerky motions.
Behind the curtain at collector car auctions
The collector car market has much more in common with the stock market than it does with the regular business of buying and selling cars. We pull back the curtain and show you who wins, who loses, and how it all works.
Revealed: The greatest Formula One driver of all time
Formula One racing is the most popular motorsport in the world, and the series has crowned 66 champions over the years. The legacies of its top drivers are hotly debated, but now science has given us the greatest F1 driver of all time.
The Right Stuff: Clarion Builds a Hot Rod Acura NSX
The first-generation Acura NSX is a legendary sports car. Designed to take on Ferrari and win, this Japanese exotic supercar was looking like a senior citizen until Clarion Builds brought it up to date.
Do you really need to buy premium gasoline?
Sales of premium fuel are rising, and are likely to remain high as Americans buy more small-displacement turbocharged cars. But what do you really know about the fuel you’re putting in your tank? Should you pay for Premium?
Custom car guru Chip Foose talks shop on his legendary 30 year career
Chip Foose is an icon in the world of customized automobiles. With 30 years in business and a double-armful of awards to show for it, we asked Foose to reflect on where he’s been and where he’s going next.
If extended warranties were a good deal, they wouldn’t need to sell them
Many people want to sell you an extended service contract on your car. If the contract was a good deal for you, they wouldn’t have to give you the hard sell. Do yourself a favor: Tell them to go away.
Stop! Or your next car will for you, thanks to automatic braking
In up to 50% of rear-end collisions, the driver has not stepped on the brake when the crash occurs. Automated braking can prevent those crashes, and it will be in every new car by 2023.
The Car Hacker’s Handbook isn’t a guide, it’s a wake-up call to automakers
The Car Hacker’s Handbook is a guide to reverse-engineering the digital control systems in a modern vehicle. The book includes information on the software in a vehicle’s control computers as well as background information on vulnerabilities.
Inside the factory where Acura builds its otherworldly NSX supercar
The Acura NSX is a state-of-the-art supercar, hand-built in a boutique factory. Take a tour to see how personalized manufacturing makes the difference for Acura’s newest exotic.
Red-light cameras are producing profits more than protecting drivers
Red light cameras have been a fact of life for more than a decade, but after numerous corruption scandals and widespread discontent, big brother is on the way out.
Take a hint from the Russians: It’s time to protect yourself with a dash cam
Dash cameras first became popular in the crowded streets of Asian cities, then spread to Russia, and now they’re here. You can use these inexpensive devices to protect yourself from expensive liability in a crash, but you need to understand the legal implications first.
5 jaw-dropping concept cars that have us giddy for the future
Concept cars provide a valuable glimpse into what automakers have in store for the future, but many never make the jump from the show floor to the showroom for cost reasons. Here are the ones we're dying to see go down a production line.
Waylens’ data-driven automotive camera knows which of your clips is the coolest
A startup company called Waylens has launched a Kickstarter campaign for its new data-driven automotive camera.
Got dongle? We compare three of the best car diagnostic adapters
With more OBD II port tools becoming available, we compare the three that stand out the most. What makes the Automatic, Verizon Hum, or Vinli unique? We’ll let you know!
Toyota’s hydrogen-powered Mirai exposes the promise and pitfalls of fuel cells
Toyota’s hydrogen-powered Mirai is about to go from concept to California roads, giving Americans a glimpse at the future of hydrogen fuel cell power, warts and all.
Not so fast: Android Auto and Apple’s CarPlay have a dashboard full of downsides
Despite the beauty of being able to access your calendar or the angriest of birds on the go, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto aren't all sunshine and roses. Here’s why.
Waste not, want not: This 3D-printed supercar could pave the way to green speed
Traditional car manufacturing requires tremendous amounts of resources and produces heavy cars, but a system of carbon-fiber rods and 3D-printed connectors could pave the way for affordable, greener manufacturing.
Tiny trucks are making a comeback, but you won’t want to drive them
Mid-size trucks are coming back, but do we really want them? How car makers are pushing old tech on city drivers who want some storage.