Volvo’s U.S. boss clears the air on electrification, self-driving cars, safety
Volvo’s Senior Vice President Lex Kerssemakers discusses plans for electrification, autonomous drive, and increased safety over the next 5 years.
Inside the Japanese factory where Pioneer still makes car speakers by hand
We took a trip to visit the Pioneer speaker factory in Tendo, Japan to learn about the craftsmanship and quality that goes into a product most of us take for granted.
Barely legal: 5 hot imports you can finally drive on American roads in 2018
Did you know you can import any car to the U.S. as long as it’s 25 years old? Here are five fantastic cars eligible for import in 2018.
The best U.S. cities for self-driving cars may surprise you
Autonomous cars are coming in the next 5 years, but is your city ready to accept robot cars? We asked expert research firm INRIX what they discovered when they analyzed 1.3 billion car trips in the 50 largest cities in the United States.
Potholes cost drivers $3 billion each year? Here’s how they form and why they’re so damaging
When the snow melts and the ice thaws away in spring, you’re left with gaping craters of destruction perfectly designed to damage your car and cost you big money. But you can minimize the dangers of potholes with a little common sense.
Hydrogen cars are here, but should you put one in your driveway?
Several automakers now offer cars powered by hydrogen-generated electricity. We took a look at the pros and cons of using hydrogen as an automotive fuel source. Hydrogen is a wonderful green fuel, but it does have a few problems.
With trick trophy trucks, the Mint 400 race makes Mad Max look middle-of-the-road
There’s more to off-road racing than you think. Engines that make over 800 horsepower, trucks that can jump 50 feet through the air, and the kind of can-do attitude that is sadly missing from other racing series.
How autonomous vehicles will forever change how we buy, own, and insure cars
In the brave new economy of autonomous electric cars, you may never own the car you drive -- and that has the potential to disrupt the entire automotive economy.
Land Rover sets sail to the America’s Cup seeking new challenges
In 166 years of competition, the British have never won the America’s Cup yacht race. Now Land Rover hopes to change that fortune by bringing the latest in automotive design technology to the ancient craft of sailboat racing.
Smart cars are dumber than you think, but there’s a plan to make them better
Today's autonomous cars seem clever, but they're nowhere near the standards set by the Society of Automotive Engineers, and it'll be years before they're close.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Should your self-driving car kill you to save a school bus full of kids?
In the future, your self-driving car might decide to kill you – and you might be OK with it. As David Weinberger points out, the philosophical snarls of autonomous vehicles aren’t easy to reconcile.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Hogging the left lane isn’t just rude, it’s dangerous
There are countless hazards and violations to be found on U.S. highways each day, yet one of these problems may not even register in the minds of most drivers. The lack of practice and understanding concerning when and how to use the left lane has far greater impact than you might imagine. At the onset, […]
Your next car will update itself while you sleep, and maybe watch you too
Automakers already update navigation and infotainment systems with wireless technology. The next step is to update core functions like engine and safety management. This is important for many reasons including saving money and increasing customer satisfaction, but what are you giving up?
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!