car

iPhone You Can Drive My Car, If It's a New Mercedes Anyway

Kit Eaton — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:56:41 -0500

An iPhone app that lets you control your Mercedes Benz. An iPhone app that lets you control your Mercedes Benz. An iPhone app ... I mean, what more do you need to know? It's damn cool enough by itself isn't it?

MIT, Volkswagen's In-Car Personal Robot Thinks You're Driving Like a Maniac

Anya Kamenetz — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:50:01 -0400

An MIT Media Lab robot (not AIDA) via glemak on Flickr

My parents already treat the GPS on their car like it's a person: "Shh! She's talking!" Now researchers at the MIT Media Lab, in partnership with Audi, want to take that relationship one step further with AIDA, the "Affective Intelligent Driving Agent."

Is Apology By Toyota Prexy Disingenuous?

Chris Dannen — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:46:15 -0400

This morning Toyota President Akio Toyoda apologized profusely to the Japanese people for making vehicles that have not excited domestic buyers. He was also contrite over the company's projected loss of $5 billion for the year, and for a recent floor-mat recall prompted by the deaths of four people in San Diego. But Toyota, which overtook GM as the world's largest automaker last year, is still much better off than any American car company. Can our auto execs learn from Mr. Toyoda's regrets? (Below, the popular Toyota Prius.)

Audi EV Concept Boasts Insane Torque

Chris Dannen — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:44:14 -0400

The Tesla Roadster may be fast, and the VW E-Up might be economical, but those go-karts don't have anything on the Audi e-tron.

Is VW's Electric E-Up The Beetle of the 21st Century?

Kit Eaton — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 06:41:07 -0400

The electric car really is due at a showroom near you, we can confirm, because VW, maker's of the "people's car" will have one in 2013. VW's even dubbing the E-Up the "Beetle of the 21st Century". Can this lofty claim be true?

Future Ford PHEV's Will Talk to the Power Grid

Ariel Schwartz — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:30:21 -0400

As it stands today, the power grid is a sensitive thing. Too many people turn on the air conditioning at the same time, and the whole thing collapses. It's a problem that should ease up as smart grids and variable pricing become more common, but electric car charging still has the potential to put major strain on power sources.

Video Tour of Ford's Tech Suite: Voice Control, In-Dash PCs and... Printers

Chris Dannen — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 16:59:37 -0400

Ford is doing things with navigation that you never expected--namely, bringing it to the masses, with voice control. The new Taurus, redesigned as the company's flagship for 2010, now sports the kind of nav you'd never have expected from the seafoam-green Tauri of years past--and it's all voice controlled, whether you get the top-of-the-line touchscreen model or the lower-level in-radio models. Ford is also adding in-dash computing to its line of trucks with full PC functionality--including Internet connection, word processing, and even an in-truck printer. Check out the video below.

Lamborghini Cuts Emissions, But Remains in Hybrid Slow Lane

Ariel Schwartz — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:46:54 -0400

Luxury car maker Lamborghini has pledged to cut carbon emissions 35% by 2015. As part of the pledge, Lamborghini is investing $49 million in carbon cutting efforts. The company has already reduced emissions significantly with its Italian solar photovoltaic plant, which will cut CO2 emissions from production by 20% in the next year. And engineering feats on its Gallardo LP 560-4, released last year, cut CO2 emissions from the car by 18%.

CarGo Concept Is Compact Meets Pick-Up Meets Transformer Autobot

Ariel Schwartz — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:27:55 -0400

Everyone wants to be a do-gooder and drive a compact, gas-sipping car, but sometimes a larger vehicle is necessary to transport cargo. Adam Schacter's CarGo concept is a solution to the compact car/pick-up truck dilemma--because it's both.

Toyota's Third-Generation Prius Hybrid Has Solar Panels, Remote Control Air Conditioning

Ariel Schwartz — Mon, 18 May 2009 13:06:14 -0400

Car companies can't make hybrid vehicles fast enough, but the world's first mass-produced hybrid vehicle still reigns supreme. Toyota unveiled the third-generation Prius today in Tokyo, Japan, with a slew of new features to satisfy the gadget geek in all of us.

What Will Cars Look Like in 2049?

Ariel Schwartz — Thu, 07 May 2009 12:54:30 -0400

Sign of the Times: Ford Transforming SUV Assembly Plant Into a Small Car Plant

Ariel Schwartz — Wed, 06 May 2009 14:03:29 -0400

Ford Motor Company is spending $550 million to turn its Michigan SUV plant into a small car plant for the fuel-efficient Ford Focus. The plant will eventually manufacture the 2011 battery-electric version of the Focus as well.

Can ZipCar Remake Government Fleets?

Chris Dannen — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 18:06:32 -0400

For the last 10 years, ZipCar has succeeded in getting urban drivers to share cars. Now it's trying to get government in on the game.

The car-sharing company announced plans on Monday to venture into the public sector with a program called FastFleet: a version of its high-tech system built for municipal and federal auto fleets.

Sony Patents Remote Controlled Spy Car

Chris Dannen — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 08:05:37 -0400

Nintendo may have active gameplay locked up, but Sony appears to be pursuing something much more realistic: a PSP-controlled model car equipped with a camera and some extensive virtual reality software.

Fisker Karma Moves Closer to Production

Ariel Schwartz — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 12:08:14 -0400

The Fisker Karma luxury plug-in hybrid electric car (PHEV) is the all-electric Tesla Model S' biggest competitor. After raising $85 million in funding for the car's development from Eco Drive Partners LLC and venture capital company Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield, & Byers, it's looking more and more like the Karma will hit its projected release date of late 2009--beating the Model S by over a year.

GM and Segway Collaborate on Networked "PUMA" Two-Seater

Chris Dannen — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 20:16:22 -0400

Every year, more people worldwide flock to cities, where congestion and pollution are quickly becoming intolerable. GM and Segway have teamed up to build what they believe is the solution: a two-seat, two-wheeled Segway with zero emissions that could create an entire new category of urban motorized transport.

Ecotricity Greenbird Smashes Wind Power Speed Record

Ariel Schwartz — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:03:36 -0400

We've been hearing a lot about plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and straight-up electric vehicles (EV), but Ecotricity's wind-powered carbon fiber composite Greenbird moves just as fast--and looks like way more fun.

Why Does Tesla Get All the Love? It's Selling California, Not Cars

Chris Dannen — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 11:00:23 -0400

Yesterday, Tesla Motors fulfilled its stereotype as a Silicon Valley startup by botching the unveiling of its second major product launch, the four-door Model S sedan.

Mercedes Hybrid F-Cell Roadster Kicks It (Very) Old School

Ariel Schwartz — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:31:27 -0400

Microsoft Directs TomTom to Drop Dead

Chris Dannen — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:05:00 -0400

At the end of February, Microsoft [MSFT] brought suit against GPS company TomTom [TOM2] for several patent infringements pertaining to TomTom's Linux-based GPS navigation software. Now the Linux community is preparing for a fight, afraid that Microsoft will turn its snarling legal team on another member of the open-source community.

Rumor Mill: Is IKEA Entering the Eco-Friendly Car Market?

Ariel Schwartz — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 15:35:42 -0400

The Horseless Carriage Will Never Catch On

Terry Tamminen — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 15:05:06 -0500

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Microsoft's Metered PC Idea Is Not Greedy. In Fact, It's Almost Brilliant

Chris Dannen — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 17:27:41 -0500

Microsoft's [MSFT] new "metered PC" concept has the nerd world united in a chorus of outrage. Despite all the yelling, the pay-as-you-go model might be one of the best ideas Redmond has had in years.

6 Electric Cars Coming Soon [pics]

Tim McKeough and Brendan Collins — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 13:30:28 -0500

The California carmaker has already delivered some 50 $109,000 two-seat Roadsters, but has put off plans for a $60,000 family car.

The Prius maker is developing a plug-in version to hit the U.S. market by 2012. Test versions have had electric range of under 10 miles.

Who Gets "It"? Travelers Insurance Does

Alder Crocker — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 16:25:50 -0400

I was in a car accident a few weeks ago, and like everyone that has that misfortune, I also was not looking forward to dealing with the insurance company.

A little damage to the cars, but I tweaked my neck. All is well but I am glad to have gone through the exercise because as long as I have Travelers, I won’t dread having to work through the process.