Car Tech: An automotive blog from CNET

CNET Roadside Assistance 44: Why we'll never see the iCarStereo (podcast)

Brian Cooley — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 07:37:21 PST

Users want to know the best way to use their iPhone's and iPads in the car and we explain why Apple will never just build its own version of the AppRadio.

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EPISODE 44

SHOW NOTES

Around the world in a solar car

Liane Yvkoff — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:51:52 PST

The SolarWorld GT solar vehicle on its way to Los Angeles.

(Credit: Bochum University of Applied Sciences)

Students at the Bochum University of Applied Sciences in Germany are going on the road trip of a lifetime.

In a two-seater electric car powered only by the sun, a team of students plan to circumnavigate the world. These German students designed the SolarWorld Gran Turismo (SolarWorld GT) and competed in the 2011 World Solar Challenge in Australia, which kicked off their round-the-world tour. After they crossed the finish line in Darwin, Australia, they decided to keep going and motored on to Sydney and then to New Zealand.

With a lift from DHL, the SolarWorld GT was transported across the Pacific Ocean and landed in San Francisco last week. The team made their way down the Pacific Coast Highway to Los Angeles and San Diego, posting updates of their travel on their Web site. They will hit Houston and Miami before ending up in Charleston, SC.

The Bochum Beauty cruising Malibu.

<... [Read more]

Ford making Sync standard on Fusion, Flex

Liane Yvkoff — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:37:15 PST

Ford is making Sync a standard feature in the 2013 Fusion and Flex.

(Credit: Ford)

Ford is making it easier for a lot of its drivers to keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road.

The auto manufacturer announced yesterday that it will make its industry-leading Sync voice-activation system standard on all trim levels of the 2013 Ford Fusion sedan and and Flex crossover. Sync is Ford's hands-free system for making calls or accessing the audio system. When used with Sync Services, which is free for the first three years and $60 per year thereafter, drivers can use voice commands to get turn-by-turn directions or listen to news headlines, sports scores, horoscopes, and movie listings.

Having Sync in the vehicle means that Fusion and Flex owners will also be able to use Sync AppLink to integrate some smartphone apps with the hands-free system. You will be able to use voice commands to skip songs on Pandora or change stations on Stitcher when your phone is paired to the system. Other benefits of Sync include 911 Assist and Sync Destinations.

The voice-activation option previously cost $295, and enjoyed a 95 percent uptake on the Flex and 84 percent in the Fusion for 2012 models. Making a cash cow like Sync a standard feature is a curious business move, but Kia and Hyundai may be forcing Ford's hand with their low-priced and feature-rich vehicles.

[Read more]

Want better car insurance rates? Let the AA track your driving

Don Reisinger — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:44:34 PST

If you could save over $1,300 on your annual car insurance by letting your provider track your driving, would you?

That's the question U.K. drivers are mulling this morning, as the country's Automobile Association (AA) is set to launch a new insurance policy that would place a "black box" into a car, allowing the organization to make sure its insured drivers are behaving on the road.

According to the BBC, which first reported on the move, the technology will monitor speed, braking severity, and the roads drivers are on. The information collected from the black box could also be used to determine fault in an accident, as long as it was requested by a court order.

Tesla Model X: Electric, all-wheel drive, and crazy folding doors

Wayne Cunningham — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:30:00 PST

Tesla co-founder Elon Musk demonstrates the Model X's falcon-wing doors.

(Credit: Wayne Cunningham/CNET)

LOS ANGELES--The highlight of the Model X introduction, Tesla's SUV, was not the electric power train, but what the company calls the falcon-wing doors.

The manufacturer being Tesla, it was a given that the Model X would be an electrically driven vehicle. So during a preview for a small group of journalists at Tesla's design center in Los Angeles, Tesla CEO Elon Musk focused on the innovative side doors.

These doors lift up from the sides, then hinge in the middle before gaining their full height. Unlike gull-wing doors, Tesla's doors can open in much narrower spaces. Musk said they give the Model X the largest door openings of any passenger car. Impressively, he was able to stand in the car, his head underneath the open door, without crouching.

The Model X, which is built on a slightly elongated version of the Model S platform, has a full third row. Musk demonstrated that it could be accessed without folding down the middle-row seats. Instead, the middle row slid forward.

Tesla Model X preview (photos)

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<... [Read more]

Hyundai Elantra Coupe drops a pair of doors, GT gains one

Antuan Goodwin — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:25:20 PST

The Hyundai Elantra compact gets a pair of variants with the unveiling of the Coupe and GT models.

(Credit: Hyundai)

The Elantra Touring version of Hyundai's previous-generation compact was (and remains) one of our favorite small, cheap wagons.

So, we're not surprised to see a five-door variant of the current-generation Hyundai Elantra debut at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show. What you may not have seen coming was the coupe version of Hyundai's fluidically sculptured sedan but that, too, was unwrapped at the show.

The Elantra Coupe doesn't differ dramatically from the Elantra Sedan we tested last year. In fact, about the only measurable differences are the removal of a pair of doors and the addition of the Genesis Coupe's "Coupe" badge. Power, fuel economy, and tech remain the same for the 2013 Elantra Coupe, only now instead of targeting the Honda Civic Sedan in its promotional materials, Hyundai can also targ... [Read more]

Google and Stanford early adopters of Honda Fit EV

Liane Yvkoff — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:44:57 PST

The Honda Fit EV joins Google's G-Fleet.

(Credit: Honda)

Honda's first all-electric vehicle is hitting the streets a little early.

The Honda Fit EV debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November 2011, and it's expected to be available for lease this summer. However, Honda announced that Google and Stanford University got a special early delivery of the tiny EV this week.

The Honda Fit EV is equipped with a 20kWh lithium ion battery, and has an EPA estimated driving range of 76 miles. Google added the EV to its car-sharing service for employees, dubbed the G-Fleet, in Mountain View, Calif. The search giant maintains several electric and plug-in vehicles that it uses for research and to cart Googlers around town and between buildings on campus.

Are you ready for a car that teleports?

Liane Yvkoff — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:49:46 PST

The Mithos Electromagnetic Vehicle concept.

(Credit: Endpoint)

What kind of car would you design if you didn't have to pay attention to cost, practicality, or even the laws of physics?

To visualize the potential of futuristic technologies, Portuguese industrial designer Tiago Miguel Inacio penned a halo vehicle for the 22nd century--the Mithos Electromagnetic Vehicle concept.

Inspired by Tim Burton's Batmobile, the Mithos is equipped with a 1.5 megawatt electric motor that gives the vehicle a zero to 60 mph acceleration of 2.1 seconds. It can reach its top speed of 250 mph in 12 seconds.

The body is coated in crash resistant body panels that remember their shape and are programmed to reform to their original cast in the event of a crash. Not that a crash should happen, because it will be traveling on electromagnetic roadways and will be able to avoid other vehicles that come within its magnetic field.

And if the electromagnetic highway is a little backed up, the vehicle can always telport to its destination. How, you ask? Its molecural teleport processor provides the Mithos' molecular coodinates and dynamic properties to a standard q-teleport transmitter/receiver station. How else would you get to the Hamptons on a Friday afternoon?

Clearly this is just a concept that has no hopes of getting picked up by a manufac... [Read more]

T3 Motion's electric standup vehicle to roll out at Dubai show

Suzanne Ashe — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:19:24 PST

(Credit: T3 Motion)

Get in the groove and let the good times roll. T3 Motion will launch its latest electric standup vehicle at the Big Boys Toys 2012 show this week at Atlantis the Palm in Dubai.

T3 Motion's popular electric law-enforcement patrol vehicle has about 3,000 T3 Series units in more than 30 countries around the world.

The latest version offers an easy-to-use, quick-response vehicle that helps urban cops catch the bad guys.

"We have made great headway with law enforcement in the UAE (United Arab Emirates) and the Middle East, opening the door for a successful launch into the consumer market as a luxury brand," T3 Motion CEO Ki Nam said in a press release.

[Read more]

iPhone app controls tiny Hot Wheels car

Wayne Cunningham — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:00:27 PST

Hot Wheels' iPhone app controls the little Ken Block Fiesta radio controlled car.

(Credit: James Martin/CNET)

Most remote control cars come with dual stick controllers, but Hot Wheels opens up many more driving options with its iPhone controller app.

Although a little clunky to set up, Hot Wheel's iNitro Speeders gives the option of using an iPhone to control its little remote control cars. The iPhone app includes the standard dual stick controller, but also lets you drive the car with the iPhone's accelerometer, choose a predefined driving pattern, or draw your own pattern.

The iNitro Speeders car is less than 2 inches long.

(Credit: James Martin/CNET)

Hot Wheels sent us the iNitro Speeders kit with a Ken Block Fiesta car, one style of about eight. The Ken Block Fiesta is only 1 3/4 inches long, with a 1-inch width body. The body style is very close in look to the actual car on which it is based, but the wheels stick out far from the body.

The car comes with a carrying case that serves as charger and physical controller. This case has the dual stick controller setup, with forward and reverse on the left, and turning on the right.

Push the control stick forward, and the car takes off... [Read more]

2013 Nissan 370Z: Same as it ever was

Wayne Cunningham — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:58:14 PST

Nissan will be showing its updated 370Z at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show.

(Credit: Nissan)

The news that Nissan updated the 370Z for the 2013 model year seemed promising. The update that took it from the 350Z to the 370Z produced a brilliant little sports car.

But after reading the press release and looking at the photos, published in conjunction with the 2013 370Z's unveiling at the Chicago Auto Show, this is not a car to get particularly excited about. When Nissan launched the 370Z in 2009, it came out with a shorter wheelbase and more power than the outgoing 350Z. The 2013 370Z changes little from the 2012 model, with mostly cosmetic touches.

2013 Nissan 370Z preview (photos)

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... [Read more]

Fisker lays off workers during DOE loan negotiations

Liane Yvkoff — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:49:22 PST

The 2012 Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid

(Credit: Fisker Automotive)

Fisker Automotive has laid off workers as it tries to unlock more of the $529 million Department of Energy loan it's using to produce its vehicles.

So far, Fisker has received $193 million to build its plug-in hybrid sports car and retool a former GM plant in Wilmington, Del., scheduled to open this year. But Uncle Sam has put away its checkbook, putting a crimp in the California-based company's production plans, according to the Associated Press.

Fisker hasn't met requisite development and sales milestones, and until new terms are reached, the DOE has cut off additional funds. In a money-saving move, the electric car company has laid off 26 workers at the Delaware plant and 40 employees and contractors at its design lab in Anaheim, Calif., until it can come to an agreement with the DOE. In October, the company reported employing 100 workers in Delaware to reopen the old GM manufacturing facility.

Nissan design regains coherence with Invitation concept

Wayne Cunningham — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:10:01 PST

The Invitation is a new design Nissan will use as the basis of a small car for Europe.

(Credit: Nissan)

At the 2012 International Motor Show in Geneva, Nissan will show off a small car concept with striking new design language.

For the last couple of years it seemed like Nissan's design department was playing exquisite corpse with its vehicles, one designer taking over where another left off, not looking at the previous section of the car. Both the Juke and the Quest seem a mishmash of styles, while earlier design cues, such as the boomerang headlight casings from the 370Z and GT-R, haven't made it past the sports cars.

Then there's the coherent but conservative design of the Versa, leading to a nondescript little car that will have people wandering around parking lots for hours trying to find it.

... [Read more]

VW adds a driver's car to the Jetta model range

Wayne Cunningham — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 11:00:00 PST

(Credit: Wayne Cunningham/CNET)

With the 2011 Jetta update, Volkswagen made some compromises to get the price low, but the GLI restores handling and power to this otherwise humble model.

Significant additions to the Jetta GLI are a multilink rear suspension and rear disc brakes. The most important part of the package is one of the best power trains available today, Volkswagen's TFSI 2-liter, four-cylinder engine mated to its Direct Shift Gearbox. That engine combines good economy and power.

New Nissan Versa skimps on tech

Wayne Cunningham — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 11:00:00 PST

(Credit: Wayne Cunningham/CNET)

With the new Versa, Nissan concentrates on keeping the price low rather than offering a compelling tech package.

We liked the car's engine and transmission combination. Although not very powerful at only 109 horsepower, the 1.6-liter engine was adequate to move the Versa around the city and eventually get up to freeway speeds. It also turned in mid-30s fuel economy, in part due to Nissan excellent continuously variable transmission.

But Nissan did not make cabin tech a priority in the car, and that is an area where it falls down in the face of the competition. Similarly priced offerings from Ford, Hyundai, and Kia show up with more advanced phone and music player integration.

Read CNET's full review of the 2012 Nissan Versa SV.

[Read more]

Are composite pickup trucks in our future?

Liane Yvkoff — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:42:18 PST

The Bison midsize composite pickup concept designed by Motive Industries.

(Credit: Motive Industries)

Transportation design firm Motive Industries released computer-generated images of what a pickup made of composite material could look like.

The Bison is a midsize truck concept with the the cargo capacity of a full-size Ford F-series, according to Motive. Constructed of carbon fiber composite, the Bison offers a 50 percent weight savings over a steel truck without sacrificing strength.

Bison midsize pickup truck concept (photos)

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The same chassis could be used with conventional gas or diesel engines, and it can also accommodate a hybrid, electric, or fuel cell power train, according to Motive. The flexible platform and body design would make it an attractive option for automotive manufactures looking for a truck to... [Read more]

Ford Edge Ecoboost a harbinger of the new efficiency

Wayne Cunningham — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:25:37 PST

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

With the 2012 Ford Edge, the Ecoboost engine is like having your cake and ice cream, too.

The Edge is a tank of a car, big and chunky, weighing close to 4,000 pounds. The Ecoboost engine only has four cylinders, with displacement at 2 liters. That's the size of a soda bottle.

Yet with a turbocharger and direct injection, that engine makes 240 horsepower, enough to move the Edge easily. At the same time, our fuel economy averaged in the mid-20s, which is about 5 mpg better than we would expect to get in the V-6 Edge.

The combination works well.

Ford fits the Edge out with good cabin-tech features, as well. Sync remains one of the best ways to integrate phones and MP3 players with a car. Its voice command is excellent. MyFord Touch, included in this car, has its pros and cons. The trouble spot is the touch-screen interface, but Ford has shown a fix for that part of the car, which can be applied retroactively.

Read our full review of the 2012 Ford Edge Ecoboost.

[Read more]

A hydrogen fueling station powered by the wind

Liane Yvkoff — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:57:04 PST

A 100 kW wind turbine being constructed by SourceOne in Hempstead, N.Y., to power the township's hydrogen production and fueling station.

(Credit: SourceOne)

By building a wind turbine to power a hydrogen production and fueling station, a little hamlet in Long Island is positioning itself as the bellwether for carbon-neutral transportation.

The town of Hempstead, N.Y., on Long Island erected a 121-foot-tall turbine last December on the township's Department of Conservation and Waterways land to take advantage of powerful Atlantic winds and power the hydrogen and natural gas fueling station it built in 2009. The turbine can generate up to 180 megawatts of power per year, and presents an estimated hydrogen fuel and energy cost savings of $40,000 per year.

For the moment the hydrogen-powered vehicle fleet consists of two Toyota FCHV fuel cell Highlanders and a hydrogen/gas-powered bus. However, the township is working with other unnamed manufacturers of fuel cell vehicles to expand its fleet. Being the only wind-powered hydrogen production and fueling station in the New York metro area will make it an attractive testing ground for the nascent hydrogen car market, which is expected to grow in 2015 when manufacturers introduce production vehicles to consumers. Until th... [Read more]

Beat the traffic with these GPS devices (roundup)

Antuan Goodwin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:25:27 PST

Getting from points alpha to bravo is cool. Getting there without going through a mind-numbing traffic jam is just the cat's pajamas!

These days, any old portable navigation device can accomplish the former, but the best differentiate themselves with their almost omniscient awareness of the roads between where you are and where you're going. A good traffic monitoring system can not only save you time, but can also help save you money at the pump and reduce your environmental impact by reducing the amount of fuel wasted idling.

With that in mind, I've rounded up a selection of the portable navigation devices with the best implementation of traffic data and avoidance technology, and even a few quirkier implementations of the tech below for your perusal.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

TomTom GO Live 1535M TomTom's HD Traffic service is arguably one of the best in the business, but the 1535M doesn't stop there. This PND can also automatically notify your friends and family of your estimated arrival time via Facebook and Twitter. Read the full review.

... [Read more]

Getting smashed in Twisted Metal

Wayne Cunningham — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:04:32 PST

Sony lit up the walls of Mezzanine, in San Francisco, with its Twisted Metal logo.

(Credit: Wayne Cunningham/CNET)

Darkside, a big truck, kept on my tail, repeatedly smashing into my Mustang until I found the handbrake button on the PS3 controller.

Pulling 180s, I used my car's better maneuverability to bring machine gun and rockets to bear on the big truck. This was my first taste of the new Twisted Metal game, which Sony is bringing out for the PlayStation 3.

Sony hosted a launch event in San Francisco for the new game, in a venue that included automotive set pieces and two characters from the game posting for photos. And to the delight of attendees, banks of PlayStation 3s loaded with the game were networked, allowing real-time competition.

Attendees of the launch event got their heads into the game, trying out the different vehicles and weaponry.

(Credit: Wayne Cunningham/CNET)

I found an empty station and tried my hand at the new game. The Ford Mustang was selected, which seemed like a good car to enter the mayhem in. After a little time getting pounded by other players while trying to find the accelerator (hint: it's the square button), I was racing through the suburban landscape looking for easy target... [Read more]

Car Tech: An automotive blog from CNET

CNET Roadside Assistance 44: Why we'll never see the iCarStereo (podcast)

EPISODE 44

Related Links

Around the world in a solar car

Ford making Sync standard on Fusion, Flex

Want better car insurance rates? Let the AA track your driving

Related stories

Tesla Model X: Electric, all-wheel drive, and crazy folding doors

Tesla Model X preview (photos)

Hyundai Elantra Coupe drops a pair of doors, GT gains one

Google and Stanford early adopters of Honda Fit EV

Related stories

Are you ready for a car that teleports?

T3 Motion's electric standup vehicle to roll out at Dubai show

iPhone app controls tiny Hot Wheels car

2013 Nissan 370Z: Same as it ever was

2013 Nissan 370Z preview (photos)

Fisker lays off workers during DOE loan negotiations

Related stories

Nissan design regains coherence with Invitation concept

... [Read more]

VW adds a driver's car to the Jetta model range

Related stories

New Nissan Versa skimps on tech

Are composite pickup trucks in our future?

Bison midsize pickup truck concept (photos)

Ford Edge Ecoboost a harbinger of the new efficiency

A hydrogen fueling station powered by the wind

Beat the traffic with these GPS devices (roundup)

Getting smashed in Twisted Metal