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‘Cars’ Stories

2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante pushes the drop-top envelope

, Jun 19th 2013 Discuss [0]

Aston Martin has taken the wraps - and the roof - off its latest sportscar, the Aston Martin Vanquish Volante, dubbed the ultimate grand tourer and the first of the British marque's drop-tops to feature a fully carbon-fiber skin. Packing the same AM11 V12 565HP engine as the Vanquish Coupe - good for a hair-messing 4.1s dash from 0-62mph - the Vanquish Volante has a soft roof, unlike some hard roof rivals, which drops in 14 seconds. Read The Full Story

Mercedes Car-to-X due this year to make cars talk between themselves

, Jun 19th 2013 Discuss [1]

Mercedes aims to have its cars talking with each other and warning drivers of potential hazards ahead by the end of the year, with the company the first to deliver Car-to-X wireless to its range. Described as giving drivers the ability to "see around corners", Car-to-X allows vehicles to send out localized warnings and notifications about crashes, broken-down vehicles, police cars, animals in the road, and other potential perils, flashing up an alert on any other suitably-equipped car nearby. Read The Full Story

Tesla Model S recall after rear seat crash risk spotted

, Jun 19th 2013 Discuss [0]

Tesla has announced a partial recall of the Model S electric car, after the discovery of a shortcoming in how the rear seats are fixed to the EV's body. The issue - which Tesla is at pains to point out has not actually resulted in any reported problems or injuries - could leave the left-hand rear seat back less than adequately retained should the Model S driver have a crash, and needs to be reinforced. Read The Full Story

Chrysler recalls 2.7 million Jeep Grand Cherokees and Libertys after initial refusal

, Jun 19th 2013 Discuss [2]

On June 4, Chrysler caught public attention by refusing to recall 2.7 million Jeep Grand Cherokees and Jeep Libertys after the NHTSA requested the auto maker issue a recall over potential fires in rear-end collisions. Chrysler refused, stating that the NHTSA's conclusions were "based on an incomplete analysis" of the information. The manufacturer was given until today to make a decision, and rather than face possible court time and bad PR, it had elected to recall the Jeeps. Read The Full Story

Tesla battery-swap demo this week confirms Elon Musk

, Jun 18th 2013 Discuss [2]

Tesla will show off its battery-swap system in a live demonstration this week, founder Elon Musk has revealed, as the electric car company experiments with alternative ways to power its vehicles. The demo will be done live, Musk confirmed, at the company's Hawthorne design studio. Given the recent failure of Better Place, however, all eyes will be on Tesla to see if it can deliver on replaceable batteries in a cost-effective way. Read The Full Story

Ford using robots to stress test new vehicles

, Jun 17th 2013 Discuss [1]

Vehicles being driven by robots is nothing new. We've seen that in Google's self-driving cars, as well as prototypes from Lexus and Audi. However, Ford is putting the technology to a different use. They're using autonomous robots to operate new vehicles for the sole purpose of stress testing them on Ford's race course. Read The Full Story

Ford bringing back buttons after touchscreen distraction fears

, Jun 17th 2013 Discuss [3]

Ford plans to restore buttons and knobs to its high-tech dashboards, after drivers complained that touchscreen-centric infotainment systems made common tasks like adjusting volume demand too much attention. The car company still maintains that its SYNC and MyFord Touch systems, which see increasingly large LCD displays take center-stage in the dashboard, are popular among drivers, with 79-percent of new 2013 cars sold featuring the systems. However, as of the 2014 F-150, the finger-friendly - but potentially distracting - panels will be rejoined by more traditional controls. Read The Full Story

BMW 4 Series Coupe unveiled with larger body and sportier design

, Jun 14th 2013 Discuss [0]

The BMW 4 Series Coupe has been unveiled, with the auto maker boasting that this fourth generation Coupe "embodies the very essence" of the segment, doing so with a mixture of new technology and design. The changes over the BMW 3 Series Coupe are numerous, including a larger body that sits lower to the road and air breathers, which cut down on drag and complement the sporty design. Read The Full Story

RC car prototypes equipped with automatic emergency braking system

, Jun 14th 2013 Discuss [2]

If you're tired of your kids ramming their remote control vehicles into the walls in your house, there just might be a fix on the way that doesn't involve padding your baseboards. A company has implemented emergency braking systems into prototype RC cars to have them automatically stop before they run head-on into a wall. Read The Full Story

NJ bill will allow law enforcement to inspect cell phones after a crash

, Jun 13th 2013 Discuss [8]

Distracted driving is responsible for many wrecks, and as a result there has been a push for auto makers to implement technologies aimed at reducing gadget-related distractions. There's some controversy about whether those technologies help or cause more of an issue than they fix, but both those issues aside, New Jersey has a proposal on the table that would allow police officers to search a driver's cell phone if they've been involved in a wreck. Read The Full Story

Hands-free tech doesn’t help with driver distraction says researchers

, Jun 12th 2013 Discuss [0]

As mobile technology increases, so does the trouble it causes on the road when drivers engage with the devices. The powers that be have been pushing auto makers to implement systems that prevent or limit the use of devices in their car, with the NHTSA being particularly vocal about it on June 7. While hands-free systems and technology allow drivers to keep their eyes on the road, it doesn't prevent distraction, says researchers. Read The Full Story

Gorilla Glass for cars tipped for lighter, quieter automobiles

, Jun 11th 2013 Discuss [4]

Gorilla Glass is used in millions of handheld products, including smartphones and tablets. The glass offers a stronger, more durable build that makes it scratch-resistent and less likely to break. While it's mostly meant for consumer electronic devices, we could be seeing Gorilla Glass make its way into the auto industry as soon as next year. Read The Full Story
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