Tesla will discontinue entry-level Model S and Model X cars with 75-kWh battery
Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced that the automaker will stop selling versions of its Model S and Model X electric cars with 75-kilowatt-hour battery packs. That just leaves the more-expensive 100-kWh models. The change could help further separate the Model S and Model X from the Model 3.
Toyota recalls another 1.3 million vehicles in U.S. over Takata airbags
Toyota is recalling another 1.7 million vehicles globally as part of the ongoing Takata airbag replacement program, with around 1.3 million U.S.-based vehicles affected. The work will be carried out free of charge and Toyota said it will start contacting those affected later this month.
Bosch cautiously moving full-speed ahead with self-driving car tech
The automotive industry's brightest minds are working on making self-driving cars a reality in the not-too-distant future. Digital Trends talked to Kay Stepper, one of Bosch's self-driving car experts, during CES 2019 to gain insight on how the technology is progressing, and which direction it's going in.
2020 Ford Explorer is aimed at being a smarter, sportier family hauler
The redesigned 2020 Ford Explorer boasts new features like a 10.1-inch portrait touchscreen and off-road-oriented Terrain Management System. It debuts at the 2019 Detroit Auto Show, and goes on sale this summer. Ford will also unveil its Shelby GT500 Mustang in Detroit.
Motorcyclists will soon benefit from same driving aids already found in many cars
Electronic, radar-based driving aids that have been available on cars for over a decade will finally trickle down to the world of motorcycles. Bosch is helping Ducati and KTM bring adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, and blind spot detection to their bikes by 2020.
Nissan turns the electric Leaf into a hot hatch with supercar-like acceleration
The Nissan Leaf isn't what comes to mind when you think of a performance car. Nismo -- Nissan's racing arm -- wants to change that. It used Leaf parts to create a track-only electric hot hatch called the Leaf Nismo RC that boasts AWD and twin electric motors. Six examples will tour the world in the coming months.
Bosch’s smart mobility division chief on connecting the world, 5G, and more
German supplier Bosch has entered the race to connect the world. The company established a stand-alone division to champion its efforts in connectivity, and we sat down with its chief digital officer on the sidelines of CES 2019 to talk about tech trends like 5G, vehicle-to-anything communication, and IoT.
Bosch’s CES-bound shuttle concept takes us on a trip to a not-too-distant future
Bosch envisions a future in which driverless shuttles occupy their own market segment. The German firm won't build the shuttles, but it wants to provide everything else, ranging from the drive system to the apps used to hail them to the onboard entertainment. Its CES 2019 concept showcases different solutions.
2019 Nissan Leaf e+ tries to play catch up by offering 226 miles of range
Unveiled at CES 2019, the 2019 Nissan Leaf e+ electric car offers a dramatic increase in range over its predecessor -- with more power to boot. But Nissan is still playing catch up with rival automakers in a segment it helped create. Will the e+ help Nissan stand its ground?
Bosch wants to replace your car keys with a smartphone and an app
Bosch has developed a technology named Perfectly Keyless that aims to replace key fobs with a dedicated application. The technology relies on an app, sensors, and a special control unit. Because information travels through the cloud, there is no need to hold up the phone to a specific part of the car to unlock it.
Honda Dream Drive lets drivers buy stuff directly from their dashboard display
Unveiled at CES 2019, Honda Dream Drive is a prototype infotainment system that lets people buy everything from food and fuel to music and movies from their car's display. Honda is partnering with companies like GrubHub, Chevron, DC Comics, and PayPal on the system, but won't discuss production plans.
Bring Google Assistant into your car with the Roav Bolt, shown at CES 2019
You can now take your Google Assistant out of your home and into your car with a gadget from Anker called the Roav Bolt. The smart car charger will be compatible even with older car models and it can add features like voice navigation, music controls, and notifications to your regular car.
Qualcomm shows off an A.I.-equipped car cockpit at CES 2019
Car cockpits will be getting an AI-equipped upgrade, thanks to Qualcomm's new Snapdragon-based automotive cockpit platform. The latest iteration to Qualcomm's cockpit platform will cover aspects of the in-car experience from voice-activated interfaces to traditional navigation systems.
The new 2020 Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet asks if winter is over yet
Porsche has unveiled the 2020 911 Carrera S Cabriolet and the 2020 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet online. Both models get a power-folding soft top that opens or closes in 12 seconds, and they're available with a sport suspension for the first time. The first top-less variants of the eighth-generation 911 are on-sale now.
Connected car system will recognize your face and monitor your driving
Today's drivers expect user-friendly instrument clusters and infotainment systems for navigation and passenger entertainment, but many systems are siloed and unattractive. An in-vehicle experience showcased by Harman at CES 2019 aims to change that by connecting car systems to the rest of our lives.
Elon Musk breaks ground on the first Tesla factory outside the U.S.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk was in China on Monday to break ground on a manufacturing facility, its first outside the U.S. It'll assemble Tesla's mass-market Model 3 vehicle, as well as the upcoming Model Y, as part of a major push into the world's biggest — and fastest-growing — market for electric cars.
Talk to your car with conversational voice interface for in-car navigation
Now that everyone has gotten used to talking to Siri or Alexa, the next logical step is to enable a voice interface for cars. A new collaboration between connected car solution provider Telenav and Amazon Alexa aims to achieve seamless integration of navigation and voice assistant.
Ford wants all of its cars to ‘talk’ and ‘listen’ to each other by 2022
Ford is embracing Qualcomm's 5G-based C-V2X (cellular vehicle-to-everything) tech in a big way. The Detroit automaker says that by 2022, every new car and truck it sells in the United States will be C-V2- equipped. The technology allows cars to communicate with each other and infrastructure.
Part car and part robot, the unstoppable Hyundai Elevate walks over obstacles
Hyundai traveled to CES 2019 to introduce a concept that's part car, part robot. Called Elevate, it can walk over obstacles (including 5-foot walls and 5-foot ruts) or drive on the highway like a normal car. It's built on a modular electric platform, and autonomous technology lets it drive itself.
Atlis emerges from stealth mode to promise an electric pickup truck
Nonexistent and unimaginable several years ago, the electric pickup truck segment is attracting companies from all over the automotive spectrum. Arizona-based startup Atlis has revealed a concept named XT that's tentatively scheduled to launch in 2020 and cost about $45,000 on the low end.
Lamborghini packs more power into the 2020 Huracan Evo without forgetting tech
Lamborghini has updated the Huracan, its smallest and most affordable super-sports car, with more tech, a tweaked design, and added power. Now called Huracan Evo, it gets a new infotainment system with gesture control technology and a 640-horsepower evolution of the naturally aspirated, 5.2-liter V10 engine.
Bell is building a self-flying air taxi, and it brought a prototype to CES 2019
Bell has a long and storied history in the aviation and aerospace sectors with innovations that include WWII combat aircraft and the world's first supersonic jet plane, but it's making new history at CES 2019 by unveiling the Bell Nexus, a prototype design of a flying taxi.
Toyota’s Guardian system aims to help human drivers, not replace them
Toyota believes self-driving cars could still use a human touch. At CES 2019, the Japanese automaker offered more details on its Guardian system, which is designed to assist human drivers. Toyota plans to develop Guardian in parallel with a fully autonomous system called Chauffeur.
C-V2X system helps cars navigate intersections, even without a line of sight
A new C-V2X (cellular vehicle-to-everything) will be shown off by Audi, Ford, and Ducati at CES 2019. V2X is a form of short-range communication that can be sent and received by both cars and infrastructure. It allows cars to navigate around each other and the environment, even without a line of sight.
Mojio’s eCall solution automatically calls emergency services after a car crash
In the future if your car crashes, it could automatically call the emergency services for you thanks to a new service from Mojio and Bosch. It uses a plug-and-play device which connects to your vehicle's OBD-II port and then allows accesses and monitoring of your car through an app.
Audi’s VR-based in-car entertainment turns your car into a spaceship
Audi has teamed up with Disney to revolutionize in-car entertainment. It synced the forward, backward, and lateral movements of a car with a VR-based video to create an experience that's deeply immersive and highly engaging. Audi expects this technology will reach production within the next three years.
BlackBerry survey: Consumers don’t trust connected devices to keep data secure
BlackBerrry communication security specialists surveyed more than 4,000 adults in the U.S., U.K., and Canada about their opinions of connected device security and data privacy. Most consumers do not trust Internet-connected cars, smart speakers, or other devices, and more than half would pay extra for secure products.
PureGear’s multitasking dash cam watches the road while keeping you connected
The dash cam segment is getting crowded, but PureGear thinks it has what it takes to stand out. The firm traveled to CES 2019 to release a 4G-connected dash cam called PureCam. It monitors the road, keeps an eye on the passenger compartment, and keeps the passengers connected to the internet. Pricing starts at $249.
HERE Navigation On-Demand integrates Amazon Alexa for voice-first navigation
HERE Technologies and Amazon Alexa announced a collaboration with HERE's Navigation On-Demand platform at CES 2019. Drivers can keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel as they use Alexa voice interaction to manage the vehicle navigation system. The integration works inside and outside the vehicle.
Garmin’s Drive GPS units tell you where to hike, sight-see, and eat
Garmin updated its Drive line of navigators at CES 2019 with new, road trip-friendly features. They give information about national parks, provide TripAdvisor ratings for restaurants and hotels, and tap into the History Channel's vast knowledge to show information about notable sites motorists encounter on their trip.
TomTom debuts end-to-end autonomous driving system at CES 2019
GPS company TomTom is moving into the realm of autonomous vehicles in a partnership with Japanese automotive components manufacturer Denso. The collaboration will produce an autonomous driving system which is capable of both perceiving objects in the environment and planning a path from one location to another.
Ford aims to impress cops, frighten criminals with hybrid police SUV
The 2020 Ford Police Interceptor Utility is a police car based on the next-generation Explorer. An available hybrid powertrain and a host of tech features make it a thoroughly modern machine. Ford is emphasizing SUVs over sedans for both the police and civilians markets.
This Porsche 718 uses components made from hemp to save weight
The Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport race car uses components made from hemp and other natural fibers to reduce weight. The car's doors and rear wing spoiler are made from the unorthodox material. Derived from the 718 Cayman sports car, the Clubsport starts at around $150,000.
Toyota rolls out an updated autonomous car prototype for CES 2019
Toyota's latest autonomous-driving test car, dubbed Platform 4.0 (or P4 for short) is based on the latest Lexus LS luxury sedan. It also features more sensors and greater computing power than its predecessor. The car debuts at CES 2019 and enters Toyota's test fleet later this year.