Audi taught cars to talk to traffic lights, and they’re set to be even chattier
Audi started teaching its cars the language of traffic lights in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 2016, and it has continued to expand the reach of this technology ever since. Digital Trends talked to one of the company's connectivity experts to find out how traffic light information technology works, and what's next for it.
Mercedes-Benz predicts cars will evolve more in the next decade than ever before
Mercedes-Benz lead designer Gorden Wagener needs to push the company's design language further without diluting it. He also wants to use the growing amount of tech packed into modern-day cars to his advantage. Digital Trends sat down with Wagener to gain insight into how Mercedes-Benz design will evolve.
Sim racing gets real: iRacing gamer wins test in pro race car
The Mazda Hot Lap Challenge is a partnership between iRacing and Mazda Motorsports to give the best drivers in the gaming world a shot in the real world. Anyone can play at home or at any IMSA race throughout the year. After a shootout at the Rolex 24, the winner gets a test day in a Global MX-Cup car.
In smart cities, 5G won’t just lessen congestion, it could save lives too
We all know 5G wireless networks are part of a smart city plan, but how will they benefit? When it comes to cars, it could help with congestion. For citizens, it could keep them safe and alive. We spoke with Qualcomm and Verizon during the 2019 CES on how they’re leading the effort.
5G will turn your car into a talking, thinking supercomputer. And it’s coming soon
Consumers understand that 5G can enable a better driving experience by bringing up to 20 Gbps data speeds to your vehicle. What might get lost is that 5G is also going to enable smarter, more connected vehicles on the road through Cellular Vehicle-to-Anything (C-V2X) communications.
Lyft and Aptiv’s self-driving car program has come a long way (but not far enough)
Many companies talk about self-driving cars, but Lyft and Aptiv are already using a fleet of them to transport paying customers in Las Vegas. The two companies claim to have given about 30,000 rides in modified BMW 540i luxury cars over the past year, with rave reviews from passengers.
Driving Daimler’s 40-ton eCascadia big rig isn’t just fun, it’s electrifying
Daimler Trucks brought its all-electric eCascadia semi-truck to the 2019 CES, and invited us to take the wheel. What does it feel like to drive one? Simply electrifying, of course. Here’s what truckers can look forward to in the future.
Peloton’s tech lets truckers play follow the leader to boost fuel economy
Peloton Technology offers technology that can help semi trucks save fuel by running close together on the highway through platooning. Using shor- range wireless communications, trucks get a kind of super cruise control. This technology is on the road today, and it works.
Driving a prototype 2020 Passat at Volkswagen’s Arizona Proving Ground
Volkswagen’s Arizona Proving Ground is where new cars are torture tested, including the 2020 Passat midsize sedan. The new Passat and other models are subjected to Arizona’s sweltering summers, frozen in giant test chambers, and run for thousands of miles on test tracks.
Rivian CEO R.J. Scaringe wants his startup to be the Patagonia of electric cars
Rivian is the latest startup hyping new electric cars. But unlike most other startups, Rivian is focusing on off-road vehicles. It launched an electric pickup truck and SUV at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show. CEO R.J. Scaringe explains why Rivian chose these vehicles instead of luxury sedans or crossovers.
7 insane roads that will push self-driving cars to their very limits
Self-driving cars are getting better all the time, but we won't ever be convinced of their readiness for prime time till we see them comfortably handle a full range of challenges. So, ask yourself, would you be happy climbing into a driverless car for a ride on THESE insane roads?
Audi’s E-Tron GT concept is so close to production we can nearly taste it
Audi has introduced the E-Tron GT concept at the 2018 Los Angeles auto show. It's not a simple design study, though. Pre-production has already started and the concept will spawn the first electric Audi Sport model in 2020. It promises 590 horsepower from two electric motors for high-speed cruising.
E-tron GT concept is the latest volley in Audi’s electrified offensive
Concepts have traditionally been an exercise in “what if,” serving as a means of stoking the public’s imagination with engineering fantasies that are unburdened by the realities of volume production. But with the e-tron GT concept, Audi assures us that “this will be.” We'll see a production model in showrooms by 2020.
From EVs to forbidden fruit, car lovers have a lot to be thankful for this year
Thanksgiving is about food, football, family, and great deals. For us, it's also about cars. The members of Digital Trends' car team are taking a minute to reflect on what we're thankful for in 2018. We're glad that the station wagon is coming back and that electric cars are better than ever, among other things.
Fisker failed. But now the EV pioneer is ready for an epic redo
Digital Trends sat down with Henrik Fisker to detail his plans for an autonomous electric shuttle bus, a mass-produced affordable EV, the new Fisker E-Motion luxury sports EV, and his patented new battery design. We also asked about the lessons he’s learned and how they shaped his new plan.
Infiniti is using Formula One racing to hone its hybrid skills
Infiniti is partnering with the Renault Sport Formula One team, and not just to put sponsor stickers on the race cars. The luxury brand claims its engineers are working with their F1 counterparts to develop future hybrid tech. But how much of this racing tech will actually make it to future Infiniti luxury cars remains to be seen.
With benefits — and risks — software updates are coming to the car
Automatic over-the-air updates have been happening for years on laptops, phones, even TVs. They remain rare in the automotive industry, partly because companies are afraid of opening the door to hackers. And yet, over-the-air compatibility can make driving safer and more convenient for a number of reasons.
How VW plans to leave its dirty diesel past behind with its own EV charging network
We sat down with Volkswagen Group of America’s CEO, Hinrich J. Woebcken during the annual Monterey Car Week in California, who explains how the company plans to support its new line of electric vehicles with a factory-backed charging network in collaboration with start-up, Electrify America.
Volvo plans to face the future without sacrificing its identity
Volvo is embarking on an ambitious push to fill its lineup with electric and hybrid cars, as well as an infotainment partnership with Google. Volvo Americas CEO Anders Gustafsson explains how the Swedish automaker plans to pull that off, and what customers can look forward to over the next few years.
How General Motors is preparing for an electric, autonomous, connected future
How does an established automaker like General Motors adapt to new tech trends? By looking for people and solutions outside the mainstream, says Ken Kelzer, GM VP of global vehicle components and subsystems. See how GM is preparing for connected, autonomous, and electric cars.
Flat, fast, and flexible, Volkswagen’s new electric platform can power any car
VW recently took us to its Transparent Factory in Dresden for a deep dive into its work and plans for the all-new MEB (Modular Electric Toolkit) architecture. This new platform is designed exclusively for EV use and VW expects to produce up to 330,000 electric vehicles a year starting in 2020.
How Audi took its ambitious e-tron concept from dream to driveable
The Audi e-tron, the German luxury automaker’s first mass-market electric car, wasn’t designed to be a futuristic spaceship. It was designed to appeal to normal buyers, said Audi of America product management VP Filip Brabec. That puts Audi on a different track than rivals like Tesla and Jaguar.
Cars that talk to each other are coming soon, and could save thousands of lives
Today’s cars can connect to the internet, but still can’t communicate with the environment around them. V2X technology is about to change, paving the way for safer streets, less traffic, and cities where transportation operates more smoothly than ever before.
Check out the tuned, resto-modded, and high-tech GTIs at Volkswagen’s home show
About 4,000 cars attended the GTI Coming Home event in Wolfsburg, Germany, and we couldn't find two identical cars. Most of them were modified to one degree or another. Our favorite car at the event blended 1980s style with 21st century tech, including Bluetooth connectivity and touchscreen navigation.
At Bonneville, a 210-mph Volkswagen Jetta is nothing unusual
The Bonneville Salt Flats are the ultimate temple of speed. Follow along as Volkswagen attempts to set a record with a modified economy car, and see what makes Bonneville so special. Racers have been setting speed records on the salt flats since 1914, and continue to push the limits every year.
Will high-res radar make tomorrow’s cars safer?
Modern cars have sensors that are meant to make driving safer, like detecting something or someone out in front. But current technology needs improvement. Enter radar, lidar, and cameras, but are they the solution?
We get up close with the Vision iNext concept to learn about BMW’s future
Through a massive worldwide campaign that visits various major cities around the world, we gain an exclusive opportunity to get up close and personal with BMW’s Vision iNEXT Concept to see what’s in store for the company’s future, from electrification, to autonomous driving tech, and connectivity.
Volvo wants to build a future in which you can’t wait to commute to work
Volvo's futuristic 360c concept perfectly embodies the changes sweeping across the automotive industry. It's electric, fully autonomous, and connected. It's not production-bound, but the firm hopes its concept will start a meaningful conversation about how self-driving cars will fit into our society.
Lexus bets on value as it launches phone-plan-like car subscription service
Lexus has released a subscription service for UX buyers called Lexus Complete Lease. It will launch in four American cities in 2019, though the firm wants to expand it. When and in which direction it grows will largely depend on how buyers respond to the idea of selecting a car like they choose a smartphone.
We drove the Volkswagen concept pickup that truck fans will drool over
We get a unique opportunity to briefly drive Volkswagen’s Atlas Cross Sport and Tanoak Concepts during the annual Monterey Car Week. The Cross Sport will arrive in 2020 as a smaller version of the full-size Atlas crossover SUV while the Tanoak tests the waters for a potential midsize pickup truck.
How Grammy-winner Elliot Scheiner helps Acura make one of the best in-car sound systems
We sit down with eight-time Grammy-winning recording studio legend, Elliot Scheiner, to learn a how he works with Acura to make one of the best in-car sound systems. He has been working with the brand since 2004. The latest version of the sound system just launched as an option on the all-new 2019 Acura RDX.
From drones to pickup trucks, Workhorse CEO believes the future is electric
Workhorse wants to make sure your next package gets delivered more efficiently. The Ohio-based company builds electric vans, and is branching out into drones, an electrified pickup truck called the W-15, and a small personal helicopter called the SureFly, which is currently undergoing testing.
How lidar technology is working to enhance trucking safety
If you’ve ever seen a semi-truck crash, you know it’s bad. Even highly trained drivers have to manage unpredictable traffic and weather conditions while piloting an 80,000-pound rig. Here’s how lidar technology companies are helping make trucking safer today with the human driver as a partner.
How autonomous ridesharing will reshape our cars, cities, and lives
Ridesharing is changing the way people around the world build their cities, design their cars, and choose to get around. As people choose shared rides, automakers will design their cars to accommodate new uses. Ridesharing is also driving advancements in autonomous and connected cars.