Car-sharing service Car2go tootles into Chicago with an advantage over rivals
Car-sharing service Car2go is about to launch in its seventh U.S. city. From July, folks in Chicago will be able to rent cars from 29 cents a minute, whether for short trips or a ride further afield. There are rival car-sharing services in the Windy City, but Car2go claims to have one distinct advantage over them.
LM Industries works with U.S. Marines, others to become Amazon of manufacturing
The founders of Local Motors, the company that brought us out-of-the-box vehicles like the Rally Fighter, Strati, and Olli, are launching a new company called LM Industries that will use high-tech manufacturing methods. LM is working with the United States Marine Corps, Allianz, and Airbus.
Uber is paying drivers a bit extra to drive electric vehicles instead of gas guzzlers
Uber is going electric, and it's not afraid to spend the money to do so. On June 19, the ridesharing giant unveiled a new program that provides drivers will financial incentives to use electric vehicles rather than traditional gas guzzlers. In addition, Uber is building specific features into its app.
The 2018 Suzuki Jimny is the cutest off-roader you can’t get your hands on
Do you remember Suzuki? The company hasn't sold a car in America in years but it's alive and doing well elsewhere. It just introduced the new Jimny, a cute and rugged SUV that sticks to the tried-and-true formula of a body-on-frame architecture. The model will go on sale globally by the end of the year.
Porsche buys a 10 percent stake in the Croatian brand building a 2,000-hp EV
Croatian startup Rimac introduced a 2,000-horsepower electric car at the Geneva auto show. The Concept Two caught the attention of Porsche, and the firm has purchased a 10 percent stake in Rimac. Insiders suggest the deal is a way to share high-performance electric car components between the two companies.
Toyota will use racing tech to build a road-going hypercar
Who said all Toyotas are boring? The Japanese automaker will build a hypercar based on the GR Super Sport concept, using powertrain components lifted from the 24 Hours of Le Mans-winning TS050 Hybrid race car. The road-going hypercar may even race at Le Mans eventually.
A storied train station will anchor Ford’s new high-tech Detroit campus
Detroit's Michigan Central Station has sat abandoned since the last passenger train left 30 years ago. But Ford just bought the massive train station, and plans to make it the center of a new downtown Detroit campus focusing on autonomous and electric cars, as well as mobility services.
Despite its considerable girth, the Bentley Bentayga will go racing
The Bentley Bentayga luxury SUV will race in the 2018 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, which takes place June 24.
Slovenian startup’s electric motor design signals advance for self-driving cars
Building on its 15 years of experience with high-torque in-wheel electric motors, Slovenia-based Elaphe has developed modular platforms for autonomous vehicles. The Elaphe platform uses electric motors in all four wheels, producing massive power for acceleration and torque-vectoring control.
Toyota wins the 24 Hours of Le Mans after years of near misses
Toyota has come close to winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans, arguably the world's most prestigious race, numerous times. But the Japanese automaker has never been able to finish the job. That changed this year, with Toyota taking an emotional 1-2 finish at the legendary French race.
Winnebago and Motiv Power Systems partner on all-electric outreach vehicles
Winnebago and Motiv Power Systems are partnering on a variety of all-electric mobile medical clinics and community outreach vehicles. Because traditional outreach vehicles such as bloodmobiles idle all day on diesel fuel, battery-powered alternatives are quieter, save gallons of diesel fuel, and cut harmful emissions.
Jaguar smashes a world record for the fastest electric speedboat
If you're looking to satisfy that need for speed, you don't want to go pounding the pavement -- instead, you should be hitting the waves. This week, Jaguar managed to set new world and national records with its battery-powered boat, the Jaguar Vector V20E. It managed to hit top speeds of over 88 mph.
The motorcycle Arnold stole in ‘Terminator 2’ sold for nearly $500K
The Harley-Davidson Fat Boy ridden by Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator 2 went up for auction in early June and sold for nearly half a million dollars. The screen-used bike starred in some of the most iconic scenes from the Terminator sequel, as well as in promotional material for the film.
Mount this head-up display to your helmet to project any phone app
The Hudway Sight uses a projector and brain connected to your smartphone to project any app onto a head-up display lens. You can communicate with friends, navigate through traffic, listen to music, and more without taking your eyes off the road.
488 Pista Piloti Ferrari is a special edition for Ferrari customers who race
The Ferrari 488 Pista Piloti is a special edition for customers involved with the Prancing Horse's racing programs. Its livery is inspired by a championship-winning race car. The Piloti Ferrari was unveiled ahead of the 2018 24 Hours of Le Mans, where Ferrari will compete.
Ford tries to make yellow cabs a little greener with hybrid, diesel powertrains
Ford is launching taxi versions of its Fusion Hybrid sedan and Transit Connect EcoBlue (diesel) van. Taxis spend a lot of time on the road, so improving fuel efficiency could take a big chunk out of overall carbon emissions. Both new Ford taxis go on sale later this year.
Cutting-edge Lidar tech will help Volvo’s autonomous cars see better
Volvo's recently-inaugurated tech fund has made its first investment. It backed an American company named Luminar that specializes in hardware and software for autonomous cars. Its Lidar helps cars see faster, and its annotating platform lets them better understand the data processed by on-board sensors.
Aston Martin Rapide AMR boasts 205 mph top speed, limited production run
The Aston Martin Rapide AMR is the latest model from Aston's AMR performance sub-brand. This souped up version of Aston's four-door Rapide boasts a 580-horsepower V12 engine that can propel it to just over 200 mph. Production is limited to 210 units, priced at $240,000 each.
Fisker bets its self-driving shuttles will ferry future commuters
Fisker has announced that is working on an autonomous vehicle called the Orbit, a driverless shuttle that will soon ferry commuters around. Fisker teamed up with Protean to equip the Orbit with in-wheel electric motors, a layout that maximizes interior space. The first prototypes will begin testing in late 2018.
Watch a self-driving car negotiate Las Vegas streets jammed with pedestrians
How do self-driving cars avoid colliding with pedestrians? Autonomous-driving startup Torc Robotics explains the process in this video. It's about not only making sure the car sees pedestrians but figuring out what to do once it identifies them. Torc tests cars in Virginia and Nevada.
Tesla fully self-driving Autopilot package coming in August, Musk says
Tesla will start adding fully self-driving capabilities to its vehicles when the company releases Autopilot Version 9 in August, according to CEO Elon Musk. While it readies the next vehicle autonomy upgrade, Tesla continues minor updates to the system to address driving safety issues due to driver inattention.
Has Tesla found a way to ensure Autopilot users stay focused on the road?
Tesla owners who use the semi-autonomous Autopilot system will need to spend more time with their hands on the steering wheel. The company has sharply reduced the amount of time owners can spend without touching the steering wheel in the wake of several crashes, including a fatal one in California.
Chinese startup aims to set design direction for autonomous cars
The Byton K-Byte concept debuts at CES Asia in Shanghai as the second concept vehicle from the Chinese electric-car startup. Like Byton's first concept, now dubbed M-Byte, the K-Byte emphasizes connectivity and autonomous driving. The company plans to launch a production version in 2021.
Ford’s driverless delivery vehicle actually has a driver
Ford has a plan to launch a meal-delivery service within the next few years using autonomous cars that it's developing. But a pilot scheme currently underway in Miami is using a driver to control the car, allowing researchers to instead focus on developing the system for dispatching and collecting ordered meals.
No hiring ‘vroom’ at Tesla – car company sharply reduces job postings
Getting a job at Tesla may be harder than ever these days. Not necessarily because they're raising the bar for their new hires, but rather because the company appears to be decreasing the number of new team members it brings aboard. The number of job listings has declined sharply since last month.
Tesla now has more than 10,000 Superchargers around the world
Tesla has opened its 10,000th Supercharger, this one in Ontario, Canada. The global network of Superchargers has been growing steadily since 2012, with the total number of stations now standing at more than 1,200. The electric-company is also building larger stations that offer facilities for longer stops.
Kia recalls half a million vehicles in the U.S. due to airbag problem
It's hardly on the scale of Takata, but it's still a serious safety issue that needs addressing. Korean automaker Kia is recalling half a million cars over an airbag issue that can prevent them from properly deploying. But the company has yet to find a fix for the problem.
New Tesla Roadster ‘SpaceX package’ will have 10 rocket thrusters, Musk says
Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced on Twitter a SpaceX option package for the upcoming second-generation Tesla Roadster. The SpaceX package will include 10 rocket thrusters arranged around the car to help with acceleration, braking, and handling. Musk's followers took the announcement in stride, many assuming it's a joke.
Honda reboots the much-loved Monkey and Super Cub for 2019
American Honda announced last week that it's bringing the Monkey Bike to the U.S. this fall as a 2019 model. Honda is also debuting the newest version of the best-selling motorcycle of all time, the Honda Super Cub. The 1958 Super Cub's "You meet the nicest people on a Honda" ads introduced the brand to many Americans.
The Porsche 911 Speedster Concept continues a long-standing tradition
Germany’s renowned luxury performance brand and prancing horse, Porsche, is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year. And to commemorate the “70 years or Porsche Sports Cars” occasion, the company unveiled the new 911 Speedster Concept: 500 horsepower of pure open-top, unbridled, lightweight 911 performance.
Almost a quarter of Tesla Model 3 orders refunded, according to report
According to a report citing April 2018 data from Second Measure, a financial analytical firm that analyzes anonymized credit and debit card transactions, Tesla refunded almost 23 percent of the Model 3's $1,000 pre-orders. This presumably stems from the numerous production and quality issues.
From 4 wheels to 2 wheels — Lyft looks to add CitiBike to its fleet
It's not enough to simply dominate the highways. Now, ride-sharing companies are looking to expand their domain to bike lanes and sidewalks. That's evidenced by Lyft, the San Francisco-based transportation giant that is reportedly close to closing a deal to acquire Motivate. Now, Uber is making moves, too.
Hyundai goes big with HDC-2 Grandmaster full-size SUV concept
The Hyundai HDC-2 Grandmaster concept previews the South Korean automaker's upcoming eight-seat, full-size SUV. But Hyundai isn't saying much about the Grandmaster, let alone the production model that will follow it. The Grandmaster debuts at the 2018 Busan International Motor Show.