This week we travel to Chevy’s Milford Proving Grounds in Detroit, Michigan to get an intimate look at the design and engineering process the manufacturer puts its cars through. We also had a chance to get hands-on with the 2012 Chevy Cruze and just-introduced Sonic, and that included watching Chevy put the new compact car through a crash test. The Sonic was 100 meters at 40 MPH with the driver’s side going head first into the metal object. Chevy says the Sonic is built to keep its frame as much as possible in the event of a crash.
Tesla and Elon Musk sued over use of AI image at Cybercab event
Tesla’s recent We, Robot presentation has run into trouble, with one of the production companies behind Blade Runner 2049 suing Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, for alleged copyright infringement.
Tesla used the glitzy October 10 event to unveil its Cybercab and Robovan, and also to showcase the latest version of its Optimus humanoid robot.
Qualcomm wants to power your next car with the Snapdragon Cockpit and Ride Elite platforms
It’s been a big year for Qualcomm. Alongside its massive launch into laptop chips through the Snapdragon X Elite series, Qualcomm is now entering the automotive space. The company has announced the new Qualcomm Snapdragon Cockpit Elite and Snapdragon Ride Elite platforms at its annual Snapdragon Summit, which it flew me out to attend.
The two platforms are designed for different purposes, and can be used togetheror separately. The Snapdragon Cockpit Elite is built for in-vehicle infotainment systems and services, while the Snapdragon Ride Elite is built to power autonomous vehicle systems, including all the cameras and sensors that go into those systems.
Scout Traveler and Scout Terra forge a new path for EVs
Electric vehicles are inseparable from newness, whether it’s new tech, new designs, or new companies like Rivian, Lucid, and Tesla. But the Volkswagen Group’s new EV-only brand also relies heavily on the past.
Unveiled Thursday, the Scout Traveler electric SUV and Scout Terra electric pickup truck are modern interpretations of the classic International Harvester Scout. Manufactured from 1961 to 1980, the original Scout helped popularize the idea of the rugged, off-road-capable utility vehicle, setting the stage for modern SUVs.
