auto technology news stories on Newser

Ford's Now Building Smartphones on Wheels

Polly Davis Doig — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 13:45:54 CST

Ford's got a slick new whiz-bang simulator, and Maureen Dowd kicked the tires—and almost ran smack "into a huge green truck," she writes for the New York Times. The problem is Ford's new "in-car connectivity"—a "cornucopia of diversions on your dashboard," Dowd writes, which let you sync apps,...

In NASCAR, the Secret Weapon Is Motor Oil

Katherine Thompson — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 09:12:53 CDT

How do you make a race car go faster? For NASCAR teams, one of the only options is to attempt to concoct the perfect motor oil. With technology restricted across the sport, engineers can't tinker too much with the hardware, but better oil actually helps. The Wall Street Journal looks...

Car Tech Advances Can Recharge Detroit

Harry Kimball — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 11:54:00 CST

Detroit needs to heed Henry Ford's advice and take failure as "the opportunity to begin again more intelligently," Sebastian Thrum and Anthony Levandowski write in the New York Times . Here are four technologies that can help the Big Three automakers turn things around: Car-to-car communication: Wireless technology will allow vehicles...

Why Ferraris Are Getting Ugly

Neal Colgrass — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 20:02:33 CST

The latest Ferraris burn up roads and handle like dreams, but their looks are fading, Gavin Green writes in Car Magazine . The California "has a fat arse," the 612 is "ill-proportioned," and the Enzo "is more bug than bird," grieves Green—who expressed his woes over dinner with Ferrari president...

Nissan's New Safety System Uses Bee Logic

Harry Kimball — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:10:01 CDT

Nissan is set to unveil new collision-avoidance technology modeled on the behavior of bees, PC World reports, with a small robot car to demonstrate the system in Japan next week. The automakers’ engineers have developed laser range-finders that mimic the insects’ ability to adjust their path and avoid collisions by...

Retro Moped Slow, But Efficient—and Cool

Michael Foreman — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:32:01 CDT

The Velosolex S4800 motorized bike sports plenty of retro charm—and technology. Its incredible gas mileage (150-200 mpg) makes as much sense today as in postwar Paris, but the two-stroke engine is also a weakness, Jonathan Welsh writes in the Wall Street Journal . The Velosolex generates 0.80 horsepower and...

GM Developing Futuristic Windshield

Harry Kimball — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:45:41 CDT

America’s driving population is aging, and GM aims to do something to help older motorists: develop a high-tech windshield that compensates for declining eyesight, the AP reports. The system, now in the research phase, uses lasers and infrared sensors to identify hazards in the road—or perhaps the edge of...

Fill 'Er Up— In Your Own Back Yard

Kate Rockwood — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 13:56:00 CDT

Backyard brew may soon ease the pain at the gas pump if two entrepreneurs pushing a home ethanol system have their way, reports the New York Times. E-Fuel Corporation's device is roughly the size of a stackable washer-dryer and will sell for about $10,000 . Using sugar or feedstock and...

Puyo: It's Green, Safe and Glows

Nick McMaster — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 16:25:48 CDT

Honda unveiled the unusual Puyo today, an in-development concept car with no sharp edges and a coating of soft silicone to absorb collisions, Reuters reports. Visitors to the Tokyo Motor Show were given a look at the car, which runs on hydrogen fuel cells, is driven with a joystick, and...