Automotive

At the dawn of the millennium, Prof. Dr. Ferdinand Piëch, who is today Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen AG, set his sights on creating a practical everyday use production car with a fuel consumption of 1.0 liter per 100 km (235 mpg). In 2002 a prototype VW 1-Litre was unveiled, which was followed in 2009 by the second-generation model, dubbed the L1, which boasted a combined diesel fuel consumption figure of 1.38-liter/100 km (170 mpg). As impressive as that figure is, the company has now managed to squeeze a combined fuel consumption of just 0.9-liter/100 km (261 mpg) with its third-generation VW 1-Litre prototype – the XL1. Read More

As electric cars edge their way further into the mainstream, there is increased talk of how our infrastructure must adapt to accommodate them – networks of charging stations must be established, methods of recycling or disposing of their batteries must be developed, mechanics need to learn how to fix them ... but what happens when they crash? They may not have a big flammable gas tank, but there’s still a lot of electricity to be wary of. In order to educate emergency response personnel on how to safely work with EVs at accident scenes, the US National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is currently offering its Electric Vehicle Safety Training course to first responders across America. Read More

One of the highlights of the upcoming Geneva Motor Show will be the unveiling of Lamborghini’s Murciélago successor – a V12 range-topper bristling with the technological candy demanded by the marque’s aficionados. Earlier today, Lamborghini released further details of the new vehicle and true to form, some of the componentry is very special: the electrically powered parking brake; the 400mm carbon ceramic discs with six cylinder calipers ; and the separation of wheel control and damper via an aluminum double wishbone pushrod suspension. The F1-inspired suspension offers race-car precision yet long distance comfort and further strengthens the bleeding-edge brand values of the Volkswagen-owned super sports manufacturer. Read More

UPDATED - NEW IMAGERY Ferrari’s new FF is unquestionably the most practical and versatile Ferrari yet. Four-seats, four wheel drive and the carrying capacity of a “shooting brake”, all styled by Pininfarina, offer a previously unavailable blend of sporting DNA and usability. The technological input is as one might expect from a company at the forefront of Formula One – an innovative lightweight four wheel drive system, the latest magnetorheological damping system, a transaxle dual-clutch F1 gearbox. It’s the unprecedented provision for four people and their luggage which makes it a milestone though. Bravo Ferrari. Read More

When it comes to local emission-free transport its hard to beat a child’s pedal car. But if you’re looking to give your kid’s ride a little more grunt while still maintaining some green cred then Audi’s Auto Union Type C e-tron study should fit the bill. The prototype vehicle, which will be on show at the 62nd International Toy Fair in Nuremberg, is based on the UKP10,000 (approx. US$15,900) limited-edition pedal car model sold through Audi dealers, but adds an electric motor that can propel the vehicle to speeds of up to 18.64 mph (30 km/h). Read More

Mazda will show a new compact crossover SUV concept car dubbed the Minagi at this year's 81e Salon International de l'Auto de Genève (Geneva Motor Show). The Minagi will utilize Mazda's SKYACTIV technologies – a general term the company is using for its "innovative next-generation technologies" – in its engine, transmission, body and chassis to achieve significant weight reduction. Read More

It’s not often that one hears about World War I technology being used with today’s mobile communications devices, yet that’s the case with IASUS Concepts’ new NT3 throat mic headset. Throat microphones were originally developed for use by military pilots and tank drivers, as they picked up vocal vibrations directly from the wearer’s larynx, and were unaffected by extraneous sounds. IASUS still makes throat mics for military use, but the NT3 is designed for use when talking on the phone while driving a convertible ... that said, you could probably also press it into service next time you bring your Sopwith Camel out of the barn. Read More

From keeping the kids amused to giving you something to do while stuck in a snow drift, in-car video entertainment systems are becoming an increasingly important essential component of the modern automobile. For videophiles who demand the very best in onscreen visuals, news that the Audiovox Corporation is set to release the industry's first automotive Blu-ray Disc player will no doubt be very welcome indeed. The compact device can be connected to any in-vehicle monitor, comes with an infrared remote and also has wireless streaming capabilities. Read More

Reading the morning paper while behind the wheel of your car might sound like surefire recipe for disaster, but in the not-too-distant future it might just become a safer and more economical option than actually doing the driving yourself. That's the theory behind SARTRE (Safe Road Trains for the Environment) project – a synthesis of personal and public transport that will allow cars to be daisy-chained and automatically controlled by a lead vehicle in a process dubbed "platooning." The project has now made the leap from simulator to real roads in the first successful demonstration of the technology at the Volvo Proving Ground near Gothenburg, Sweden. Read More