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Smart is the first car brand to switch to an all-EV lineup
Smart has touted electric models in its lineup for years, but they've usually been secondary to the gas and diesel models. Now, however, the EVs have the spotlight to themselves. The Daimler badge has revealed the EQ Fortwo and EQ Forfour, both of which are not only designed from scratch as electric cars, but represent Smart's only vehicles. That makes Smart the first automaker to switch from gas engines to an all-electric roster, Daimler claimed. It's really more like the first brand to make the switch (let us know when Mercedes goes all-EV), but it's still a noteworthy change.
Faraday Future's new CEO hails from BMW's i8 team
The reports were true: Faraday Future is changing CEOs. The automotive startup's CEO Jia Yueting has stepped down and will be replaced by Dr. Carsten Breitfeld (above), the former head of BMW's i8 development program and the co-founder of rival EV maker Byton. The choice isn't entirely coming out of the blue, according to Breitfeld. He has apparently known Yueting for "a number of years" and even talked about the possibility of joining the company in the past. Yueting's "vision for how the mobility eco-system will transform the industry" played a significant role in the decision to join, Breitfeld said.
Mercedes unveils A-Class and B-Class plug-in hybrids
You've typically had to splurge on higher-end vehicles like the GLC if you've wanted a plug-in hybrid with Mercedes' tri-star badge, but you won't have to be quite so well-heeled going forward. Mercedes-Benz has introduced PHEV versions of the A-Class (above) and B-Class (below), both of which are considerably more accessible. The A250e and B250e are virtually identical to their gas-only counterparts on the outside, but supplement their 1.33L four-cylinder engines with a 75kW motor that gives them a healthy 47 miles of all-electric driving based on the NEDC testing cycle (a more conservative 43 miles on WLTP). You might not invoke the gas engine at all during your commute.
Tesla rolls out fix for Dog Mode overheating bug
You don't have to worry about Rover roasting due to that Dog Mode bug. The company has confirmed to Engadget that it's rolling out a fix for a flaw that disabled the automatic temperature regulation if you manually set the fan. You can leave your EV knowing that your pooch should stay cool regardless of settings. The person who drew attention to the problem, Unikrn's Rahul Sood, has already received the patch.
Tesla will add Netflix and YouTube streaming to its cars
Never mind playing games in your Tesla -- for many, the dream has been to catch up on shows while charging or waiting for a passenger. And that vision might soon come true. Elon Musk has revealed that Tesla's cars will "soon" offer Netflix and YouTube streaming so long as the car is stopped. He didn't go into detail for the functionality, but claimed it would have an "immersive, cinematic feel" since you're sitting in posh seats with surround sound.
Bloodhound will test its supersonic car in Africa this October
The Bloodhound supersonic car project might be all about getting from A to B as quickly as possible, but its journey to date has been anything but streamlined. Since the project was announced in 2008, it's been besieged with obstacles, and last year came within a hair's breadth of shutting down completely. Now, though, it's back on track, and its team has announced a new testing timeline.
The first all-electric Mini you can buy arrives in March 2020
It took years to become more than a concept, but the first all-electric Mini you can keep is official. The Mini Electric (also known as the Mini Cooper SE) is now slated to start deliveries in March 2020, and will hew closer to the conventional two-door Mini in design than the 2017 vision. You won't get massive wheels ('just' 17 inches at most), elaborate headlights or fanciful bodywork. The focus is on what's under the surface -- BMW aims to preserve the Mini's characteristic pep in a more environmentally-conscious format.
Kia made a tiny Faraday cage to protect your wireless key from thieves
Many existing keyless entry systems aren't secure, but few people are likely to replace their cars just to reduce the chances of a determined thief making off with their ride. Kia UK has an official stopgap solution, though. It's taking a cue from third parties and releasing KiaSafe, a case that serves as a minuscule Faraday cage to block the key's wireless signals. There's nothing particularly special to it -- it's ultimately a metal-lined pouch -- but that's all might you need to prevent someone from swiping your car while you're asleep.
Tesla delivered a record 95,000 cars this spring
Tesla didn't have the greatest start to 2019, but it's looking rosier toward the middle of the year. The company set records for both production and deliveries in the second quarter, having made 87,048 electric cars and delivered 95,200 of them during the three-month span. Those are large strides compared to both the last quarter (77,100 made and 63,000 delivered) and a year earlier (53,339 made and 40,740 delivered), and leave Tesla with a nicer problem than it has had in recent times: a growing production backlog.
Lexus makes camera and radar safety features standard for 2020 cars
You'd think that luxury automakers would load their cars with safety tech by default, but that's not always the case -- it hasn't been for Lexus, anyway. However, the company is making amends for that shortfall. It's making its Safety System+ a standard feature for all its vehicles, starting with the 2020 model year. These camera- and radar-based features aren't particularly new, but some of them have been reserved as options (or for higher-end models) until now.
Volvo and Uber's first self-driving car is ready for the road
Two years later, Volvo and Uber are ready to show off their first purpose-built self-driving car. They've introduced a variant of the XC90 SUV that's designed to accept and work with Uber's autonomous driving system from the outset. It packs sensors both above and built-in to help the vehicle navigate city streets on its own. Safety-conscious Volvo, however, is keen to tout "several" backup systems for braking, steering and power that will bring the SUV to a controlled stop if the main components fail.
Lyft just started experimenting with car rentals in San Francisco
Between offering on-demand rides and peppering cities with electric scooters, Lyft has been pushing hard to minimize the need to actually own a car. Now, the company is exploring yet another way to further those ambitions (and boost its bottom line after a turbulent IPO in the process). Engadget has learned that, as of this week, Lyft has begun to experiment with longer-term car rentals, offering them to a small group of customers in San Francisco.
Google improved Android Auto by making it act more like your phone
Every year, Android gets a chance to reinvent itself on smartphones with new features and new design flourishes. The same can't be said of Android Auto, Google's phone-powered in-car interface: It's tremendously helpful for drivers, and its feature set has grown over the years, but the UI hasn't changed since it debuted in 2014.
Toyota brings Alexa and CarPlay to 2018 Camry and Sienna
Good news: you don't have to buy a brand new Toyota (or score a very lightly used model) just to get modern mobile conveniences. The automaker has announced that you can add Amazon Alexa and Apple CarPlay (sorry, no Android Auto) to the 2018 Camry and Sienna. If you're itching for an upgrade, you can book an appointment for an installation at a dealership. While this isn't going to be much consolation if you're driving another model, this could prove a treat if you've been kicking yourself for buying a Toyota a little too soon.
Avis makes it easier to find a parking spot for your car rental
Driving in an unfamiliar city can be stressful, and finding parking is even worse. Eventually, we'll have autonomous vehicles to deal with that for us, but until then, companies are looking at ways to ease the strain. That's why car rental brand Avis has partnered with mobility solutions company Arrive to add a space-finding feature to its app. The Avis app already lets drivers rent a car on the go, and includes a bunch of other helpful features such as remote car locking -- with Arrive integration customers in the US can now instantly find, book and pre-pay for parking. Arrive is already used in some 230 cities around Canada and the US, predominantly by third-party and business customers. Encouraging consumer use makes sense, especially as many city-dwellers don't drive a car on a daily basis -- knowing parking is already taken car of is just one less thing to worry about when you're behind the wheel.
Dozens of law enforcement agencies are helping ICE track cars
More than 9,200 Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees have access to a license plate database that allows authorities to track the movement of vehicles over time. The American Civil Liberties Union says more than 80 law enforcement agencies across several states are sharing license plate details with ICE, which purportedly doesn't have sufficient safeguards to prevent abuse.
Tesla's high-end Model S and X just got a lot cheaper
Tesla just made its high-end vehicles more reasonably priced for potential buyers. In addition to launching the long-awaited $35,000 Model 3, the automaker has also slashed the prices of its higher-end Model S and Model X configurations. The long-range Model S and Model X vehicles now cost $83,000 and $88,000, respectively, down from $96,000 before savings. That makes the long-range Model S just $4,000 more expensive than the base version, despite having a range that's 65 miles longer and a top speed that's 15mph faster.
Jaguar's 2020 XE uses AI to help you get comfortable
Jaguar isn't saving all its technological tricks for showcase vehicles like the I-Pace. The automaker has unveiled the 2020 XE, an entry luxury sedan that packs a surprising amount of tech. Most notably, an optional Smart Settings feature uses AI to automatically fine-tune the seating, steering column, climate control and music preferences to your tastes, using a combination of the key fob and your smartphone to determine who's who.
Audi helps you avoid red lights by suggesting speeds
Audi's cars already tell you how long a red light will last, but now they'll help you avoid those red lights in the first place. It's launching the first implementation of the Green Light Optimization Speed Advisory (GLOSA), a system that provides speed recommendations to reduce the amount of time you spend at red lights. The extension of Traffic Light Information technology combines your car's position and traffic light data to calculate an ideal speed that shows up on your vehicle's instrument cluster or heads-up display. In theory, you could save time by driving slightly slower and catching an uninterrupted string of green lights.
Waymo will build self-driving cars in Michigan
Waymo just took another major step toward bringing self-driving cars into the mainstream. The Alphabet-owned brand has received approval to establish a factory for its driverless vehicles in Michigan. This will be the first factory in the world to be completely devoted to mass-producing Level 4 autonomous vehicles, the company said.
