Category Archives: engineering

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Most Fuel-Efficient SUV CR Tested

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid at 31 mpg combined in Consumer Reports testing has the best overall fuel economy of any SUV that doesn’t plug in, CR said today. It returned 26 mpg city and 36 mpg highway – better than most mid-size sedans. Continue reading

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Autonomous Drive Cars – Makers Targeting Wrong Groups?

Young consumers are much more trusting in automotive technology, paving the way for autonomous drive vehicles, according to the J.D. Power 2016 U.S. Tech Choice Study released today at the Automotive Press Association in Detroit. Continue reading

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BMW Laptimer to Add More GoPro Camera Functions

“This allows us to provide BMW drivers the ability to safely capture and share their track experience,” said Christian Schmid, senior development engineer at the BMW Group Technology Office USA. Continue reading

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DOJ: Cybersecurity, Hacking Urgent Issues for Automakers

Electronic innovations that revolutionize new vehicles create hacking vulnerabilities if not carefully deployed. Continue reading

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Does Less CO2 = 3-Cylinder Engines?

As the quest to lower CO2 emissions continues two engineering approaches are emerging – down size engines and run them at lower speeds. This typically results in higher stress in the engine/powertrain. Engineers are looking closely at fundamental changes in combustion and parasitic losses, while monitoring material and component stress. Continue reading

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OnStar Commercial Link – Vehicle Tracking and Management

Commercial Link can be customized around the needs of each user, allowing for personalization of account dashboards and the ability to set up text or email alerts around sensitive items, such as if a driver is low on fuel or requires vehicle maintenance. Continue reading

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Toyota Expands Autonomous Vehicle Program with Jaybridge Robotics Software People for Crash-Free Driving

First announced in November 2015, TRI is a research and development enterprise designed eliminate the chasm between fundamental research and product development, particularly to address the 1.25 million traffic fatalities each year, worldwide. Continue reading

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New Semi-Autonomous E-Class Premiers at NAIAS

What E-Class does to the art of driving and distinctive vehicle character is subject to debate. Will driving fun still exist? Continue reading

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Chevrolet Bolt Debuts into a Moribund EV Market

The Bolt EV is said to have more than 200 miles of range on a full charge at a price below $30,000 after Federal tax credits. Continue reading

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BMW to Show ‘Vision Car’ at Consumer Electronics Show

The AirTouch menu – it’s claimed – reduces the number of steps needed to make a selection. This might cut down on the deadly drive distraction epidemic. More likely this is a precursor to offer additional control options when the vehicle is traveling in highly automated mode. Continue reading

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Ford Touts Patent Application Numbers

Patent applications do not necessarily mean that innovation is coming, though. And even innovations can fail in the marketplace, say the My Ford Touch disaster or Th!nk (sic). Competitive actions and first movers – er, ‘think’ Toyota hybrid and fuel cell technologies – can mean that new ideas mean only the same market share and profitability. Moreover, innovation is expensive, sapping profitability at already low-margin automakers. Continue reading

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New IBM Cloud Service for Automakers Debuts at IAA

By 2020, it is estimated that 90% of new cars will be equipped with extensive connectivity services. Automakers are increasingly using so-called IoT solutions (Internet of Things – more industry gibberish) that help to, allegedly, to deliver data generated from cars directly to the cloud for near real-time analysis. Continue reading

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Ford Doubles Down on Micromill Aluminum with Alcoa

General Motors has decided to short cycle its recently revised Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks in response to Ford’s success with alternate materials and pending fuel economy regulations. Continue reading

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Ten Carmakers to fit AEB – Auto Emergency Braking – on New Vehicles as Standard Equipment

FCA, aka, Chrysler, which has more than its share of problems with DOT over safety matters, is notably for its absence. FCA as well as other automakers will face increasing pressure to add AEB as more systems are added at competitors. Continue reading

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GM Celebrates Old Tech Center as Volkswagen Builds New One

In a way, this is symbolic of the geographic and philosophical shifts in the automobile business that now sees VW Group in contention with Toyota and GM as the world’s largest automaker. Another irony is that when the GM Tech Center was established in 1956, it was a vertically integrated company with clear market dominance, which it no longer is. Continue reading

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