Ex-Apple engineer pleads not guilty to stealing autonomous car trade secrets
The FBI arrested a former Apple engineer named Xiaolang Zhang after he admitted to downloading confidential files from the firm's self-driving car division. Zhang said he planned to provide them to a Chinese startup called Xiaopeng Motors. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in jail and a $250,000 fine.
Lamborghini’s Aventador successor goes semi-electric with a new V12 hybrid
It seems like it was only last year when Lamborghini didn’t think new models featuring electrified powertrains would be in their pipeline in the “short term.” Now, the company’s position on electrification seems changed according to a recent interview at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Aston Martin flying concept brings style and luxury to the skies
Aston Martin has joined the list of companies racing to deploy flying taxis above the world's most crowded cities. Envisioned for ultra-wealthy commuters, the Volante Vision concept previews a hybrid aircraft with vertical take-off and landing capability. It could become a reality in the near future.
Volkswagen’s insane I.D. R electric race car just set another hill-climb record
Volkswagen brought its I.D. R electric race car to the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed, setting a record for electric cars on the famous Goodwood hill climb course. Driven by Romain Dumas, the I.D. R previously smashed the overall record at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.
The BlackFly by Opener is a flying car that could turn us all into pilots
Forget self-driving cars. The race to build the first flying car is now very much on. This week, California-based startup Opener officially entered the flying car space with BlackFly, heralded as "the world’s first ultralight all-electric fixed-wing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft."
Singer and Williams team up to create the ultimate Porsche 911
Singer Vehicle Design is known for meticulously modified Porsche 911s, but the California company's latest creation takes things to a whole new level. Singer enlisted Williams Advanced Engineering and a host other big names to make its Dynamics and Lightweight Study 911.
Watch an autonomous race car tackle England’s famous Goodwood hill climb
Roborace's Robocar is the first vehicle to complete the Goodwood hill climb course without a human driver onboard. The all-electric race car is supposed to form the basis for the world's first autonomous racing series, but so far Roborace has only conducted a handful of public demonstrations.
Noble M500 borrows its engine from the Ford GT, headlights from the Corvette
British automaker Noble has debuted its latest supercar, the M500, at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the U.K. Noble calls the M500 a "friendlier" alternative to its current M600 supercar, but the new model should be pretty quick. It's expected to use a 550-horsepower Ford EcoBoost V6.
Siemens’ autonomous 1965 Ford Mustang is a horse that can’t be tamed
Siemens has turned a 1965 Ford Mustang into a self-driving race car. It keeps the carbureted, 4.7-liter V8 engine but gains sensors and powerful onboard computers that will help it race up a hill at the Goodwood Festival of Speed without human input -- in theory, but not necessarily in application.
Aston Martin shoehorns V8 Vantage S running gear into a Cygnet for Goodwood
Recently, at the world-famous Goodwood Festival of Speed in the United Kingdom, Aston Martin engineers shoehorned the V8 and seven-speed Sportshift II transmission from a V8 Vantage S into the body of a Cygnet, along with other modifications, all just to celebrate going fast and the sport of speed.
Ford will auction off this Mustang inspired by RAF fighters from WWII
A one-of-a-kind 700-horsepower high-performance Ford Mustang with a livery scheme inspired by American pilots who flew for the RAF during World War II will be auctioned off. Ford has donated 11 vehicles to the EAA over the past 20 years, resulting in more than $3 million raised for the charity.
As tax credits expire, the cost of buying a Tesla increases
Without a hefty tax credit enticing new customers, it's possible Tesla may run into sales issues in the near future. Federal tax benefits for Tesla purchases are being phased out at the end of the year, triggered by Tesla's recent achievement of selling 200,000 automobiles in the United States.
Subaru appoints new president, plans new hybrid, SUV, and autonomous tech
Subaru appointed some new company leadership. Commemorating the moment, new president Tomomi Nakamura announced his ambitious plan to introduce a new hybrid model, a new "global SUV," a new design language, a push towards more electrification and autonomous driving tech by the early 2020s.
Solar-powered nanoscale coating could defrost frozen car windows
Hate defrosting your frozen windshield in the winter? Of course you do. Fortunately, so do researchers at ETH in Switzerland -- and they've got the knowledge of solar-powered, nanoscale technology to help come up with a solution. Here's how their new glass coating works.
Toyota picks Hawaii for its first app-controlled ridesharing effort
Toyota has chosen Hawaii for its first ridesharing effort. Similar to the likes of Zipcar and Car2go, the new service offers customers 50 vehicles at 25 stations across Honolulu. An app helps you manage rentals and operate the car, with rates starting at $10 an hour or $80 per day.
High-tech road signs detect phone use in cars, flash a warning to drivers
A high-tech roadside system is being tested in the U.K. to try to stop people using their phone behind the wheel. A scanner can detect if someone in the car is making a call on their phone. When it spots such behavior, a sign further up the road flashes a warning telling them to stop using their handset.
Tesla now requires a $2,500 non-refundable deposit to order a Model 3
After two years of requiring a refundable $1,000 deposit for Telsa Model 3 reservations, the electric vehicle company is opening up availability to anyone in the U.S. or Canada who puts down a $2,500 nonrefundable deposit. High performance and long-range versions have earlier delivery schedules.
Jarvish adds Alexa and AR to make its motorcycle helmet even smarter
Headgear gets smarter as Jarvish adds augmented reality and Amazon Alexa support to its new X-AR motorcycle helmet. Alexa, Siri, and OK Google all can manage the helmet's navigation, entertainment, connectivity, and communications features. Front and rear cameras provide 360 degree views via the helmet's head-up display.
How did this Lamborghini Huracan end up ‘parked’ beneath a Honda Civic?
Hurtling from 0 to 60 quicker than you can say, "I think I just hit the gas instead of the brake," the Lamborghini Huracan is the kind of car that requires much care when behind the wheel. But that ol' pedal mix-up recently cost one driver dearly, leaving his Huracan parked right beneath a Honda Civic.
Honda seeks to reclaim record for world’s fastest lawn mower — seriously
Those crazy folks at Honda have updated their Mean Mower with an even more powerful engine, and it's planning to set a new speed record with it soon. Partnering with touring-car firm Team Dynamics, the new mower will use a 1,000-cc, 190-horsepower engine from Honda's SP1 Fireblade sports bike.
BMW’s flagship luxury coupe returns after a 20-year hiatus
After years of teasing and many rumors, BMW’s all-new, second-generation 8-Series is here. BMW just emailed us a huge photo dump of the final design. Just as we anticipated, the look hasn’t changed much from the near-production-ready BMW Concept 8-Series -- and that’s a good thing.
Uber rolls into electric scooter market with investment in Lime
Just a few months after acquiring electric bicycle company Jump Bikes, Uber has made yet another strategic investment in a two-wheeled startup. The San Francisco-based tech giant announced a new investment in Lime, the electric scooter company, as part of a $335 million financing round.
Anthony Levandowski, fired by Uber, to start another self-driving car company
Anthony Levandowski has now begun yet another self-driving car company called Kache.ai. As it stands, the firm remains in stealth mode, so we don't know all too much about these new efforts -- yet. However, we do know that the company has ambitious goals, and that it's currently looking to hire engineers.
Nissan turned a Titan pickup truck into a beach camp on wheels
Dreaming of a day at the beach? The Nissan Titan Surfcamp has everything you need, from racks for storing surfboards and fishing rods, to a built-in shower to wash off the sand when you're done. The Surfcamp is based on a 2018 Nissan Titan XD Midnight Edition with the Cummins diesel engine.
Tesla faces third safety investigation from state agency in California
Tesla is going through a bit of a rough patch. The electric car company is currently facing a health and safety violation after a factory worker was hospitalized with a broken jaw. Tesla has issued a statement saying that the injured worker was a contractor who was not under Tesla's direct supervision.
Torc Robotics expands its self-driving car development team
Virginia-based Torc Robotics is growing its workforce in order to expand its self-driving car development program. The company launched its Asimov autonomous-driving system last year, and continues to test it in Virginia and Nevada. But Torc faces a great deal of competition.
GM to boost Chevrolet Bolt EV production by 20 percent to meet growing demand
As Tesla takes a victory lap for meeting its Model 3 production goal, GM says demand for the Chevrolet Bolt EV is so high that it will increase production by 20 percent later this year. GM said Bolt EV sales in the first half of 2018 have grown 40 percent year-over-year.
Tesla’s self-parking feature, Summon, is now available on the Model 3
Tesla's Summon parking feature is finally available on the Model 3. While Summon has been available on the Model S and Model X for some time, it is just now rolling out to Model 3 owners through a software update announced last month. Summon lets cars park themselves with a driver onboard.
The new Toyota Supra will go racing … but not where anyone expected
The Toyota Supra will make an unexpected return to racing next year. Toyota will run the highly anticipated sports car in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, which is just about the last place diehard fans would ever expect to see it. The Supra is slated to make its NASCAR debut next year at Daytona.
Volkswagen will soon offer an all-electric car-sharing service called WE
Volkswagen is doubling down on an environmentally responsible future with the launch of a new car-sharing service that will exclusively utilize electric vehicles. The new program, called WE, will launch first in Germany in 2019, and then will expand to international markets the following year.
The 2019 BMW X5 is here to replace that aging family SUV
Hot on the heels of the reveal of Audi's new Q8 flagship crossover SUV, BMW one-upped its rivals by revealing the 2019 BMW X5 crossover SUV. The new X5 enters its fourth generation, growing in size slightly while gaining a list of new features with BMW's latest connected and digital services.
You can win an Alexa-enabled 2019 Lexus ES on Amazon Prime Day
An Alexa-enabled 2019 Lexus ES luxury sedan could be yours, thanks to a sweepstakes running in concert with Amazon Prime Day. The winner also gets $50,000 and a trip to Seattle. Prime account holders can enter through July 15. Lexus is eager to show off Alexa integration in its new models.
M, Volvo’s new on-demand car service, wants to get to know you better
Volvo wants a slice of the growing car-sharing business. The company is developing an app-based service that lets registered users find and reserve a car in a few taps. Learning technology will know which Volvo to suggest. It might recommend an XC40 for trips into a city or a V90 for users taking friends along.
Intel and Baidu team up to make autonomous driving even smarter, safer
Baidu will use cameras and software from Intel subsidiary Mobileye in its self-driving car programs. The Chinese tech giant will also adopt Mobileye's safety model for autonomous-car decision making. Both Intel and Baidu hope to market autonomous-driving tech to other companies.