Category Archives: engineering

General Motors Revises 2015 Strategy to Slash Costs and Streamline Engineering as Market and Competition Toughen

General Motors (NYSE: GM) said this morning that it will accelerate its business plan, building on the strategy it laid out in 2015 that has resulted in lack-luster returns for shareholders. GM is acknowledging what most automakers hold private: the marketplace is moving faster than automakers. Continue reading

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BMW Has Claim on Leading Electrification. iNEXT Debuts in LA

“Sales of our electrified vehicles are up over 40% in the year to date. Around every fifth BMW 5 Series sedan or BMW 2 Series Active Tourer sold worldwide has a plug-in hybrid drivetrain, while our all-electric BMW i3 remains very successful with sales up over 10% in October,” said Pieter Nota, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Sales. Continue reading

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WLTP How Does It Work? Will it Work?

After the scope of the Dieselgate scandal was revealed by American University and regulatory agency tests, an embarrassed European Union has developed a new test, called the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP). Continue reading

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VW ID.Buzz Teases New Light Commercial Vehicles

Over seven decades and six vehicle generations, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has refined and sharpened its van design,never losing sight of the role of the model series. With the debuts of the ID.Buzz, the upcoming decade will see the advent of another series of all-round vehicles to supplement the T6 Transporter, Caravelle, Multivan and California. Continue reading

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Aston Martin DBX SUV Prototype Now in Testing

DBX is scheduled to be unveiled in the last quarter of 2019 and will be built at Aston Martin Lagonda’s St Athan facility; a manufacturing plant that will ultimately become the ‘Home of Electrification’ when the marque’s fully-EV models enter production. Continue reading

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All New Mazda3 to Debut at Los Angeles Motor Show

The all-new Mazda3 adopts a “richer interpretation of Mazda’s KODO design philosophy,” which embodies the essence of Japanese aesthetics. Meanwhile, fundamental performance attributes have been raised to a new level. Next generation SkyActiv-Vehicle Architecture (our vote for the worst name for good handling, clean engines and vehicles) enables “people to make the most of their natural sense of balance and the latest SkyActiv engines offer responsive control of vehicle speed in any driving situation.” Continue reading

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Distracted Dining? Buick Adds Yelp

Marketplace, claimed to be the industry’s first in-vehicle commerce platform, is one more way Buick is using connectivity to enhance vehicles and create new and convenient “customer experiences,” if you are willing to give up your privacy and have your personal data sold for the profit of other organizations. Continue reading

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Electrify America to Work with Six California Organizations on Adoption of ZEVs In Low-Income Communities

Electrify America uses definitions for low-income communities (LIC) and disadvantaged communities (DAC) established by the State of California, which are published and mapped by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) on its “Disadvantaged and Low-income Communities Investments” webpage1. Continue reading

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VW Group Quantum Algorithm Cuts Waiting for Passengers

Quantum computers can solve highly complex tasks such as traffic optimization much faster than conventional super-computers; and in some cases, a solution is only possible with quantum computers. For this future-oriented computing technology, Volkswagen sees considerable potential for new applications within the company and new business models. Continue reading

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Gen Eight 911 Undergoing Final Testing

By the time, testing is complete, the cars have been driven around three million kilometers in total. After all of this, every component of the car must function just as reliably as it did at the outset. Continue reading

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Potential Performance Improvement in Energy-Dense Batteries Touted by Toyota

Technologies such as cellphones, laptops, and hybrid and electric cars rely on Li-ion batteries, of course. The configuration of such batteries is predominantly a graphite anode and a cobalt-based material cathode. The electrolyte typically consists of an organic electrolyte that is generally flammable and volatile as numerous vehicle and laptop fires can attest. Continue reading

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Toyota Recalls Scion xA for Sudden Airbag Blowups

The Scion airbag can electrically short and damage the circuits in the system. This could cause the airbag warning lights to illuminate and the airbag(s) and seat belt pretensioner(s) to become deactivated; or it could cause those systems to inadvertently deploy. These conditions can increase the risk of injury or crash.
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Jaguar Land Rover Vehicles Will Help Cure Motion Sickness?

Future Jaguar Land Rover vehicles will be able to tell if you’re feeling unwell and adjust settings to combat motion sickness. This – despite its apparent daftness – might be a good thing for captives of autonomous vehicles. Continue reading

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Hyundai Motor Group Reveals Solar Charging System Technology

Hyundai Motor Group will launch the first generation of this technology into its vehicles after 2019 to help meet global regulations targets and improve vehicle fuel efficiency. Continue reading

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Nishitetsu, Toyota to Test Multi-modal Mobility Service

The so-called my route provides shop and event information while allowing users to search, book, and pay for transport, offering a single mobility-focused application with integrated functions, with the aim of supporting smooth movement in Fukuoka City, helping support “the city’s vibrancy.” Continue reading

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