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Virgin Hyperloop outlines how it thinks journeys will actually work in 2030
A constant vacuum, rapid switching, Virgin-style capsules. Will it work?
Vocal synth with teeth is equally hilarious and horrifying
Love Hulten has developed a vocal synth where each key plays notes through plastic teeth — it's just as strange as it sounds.
Renault's Mégane eVision concept offers a look at its future EV lineup
Renault has unveiled the Mégane eVision, a key concept car that previews not just the future Megane hatchback, but its entire EV lineup and others in the Renault/Nissan/Mitsubishi alliance.
Nissan's Re-Leaf prototype is a mobile power supply for disaster response
Nissan's all-electric Re-Leaf is an EV designed to provide a mobile power supply during disaster recovery.
Honda's electric SUV concept is a peek at a production vehicle
Honda has unveiled an electric SUV concept that it says is representative of a production EV.
Sony plans to test its prototype Vision-S electric car on public roads
Its big CES surprise may evolve beyond the prototype stage after all.
Audi says its Q4 Sportback e-tron concept has a 'sexy back'
Audi wants to give prospective buyers of its electric Q4 SUVs plenty of options, so it has just unveiled the Q4 Sportback E-Tron concept — a “sexy back” coupé version of the Q4 E-Tron SUV it unveiled last year.
LG may be working on a phone with a second swivel display
LG's next phone could involve swivelling screens.
VW’s e-BULLI concept shows how your classic van can become an EV
Recently, we've seen Volkswagen experiment with combining its old-school aesthetic and modern tech. Last summer, it showed off its Type 20 electric concept -- a 1962 Microbus crammed with tech and an electric motor instead of an engine. Thanks to a partnership with VW and eClassics, it might soon be easier to get your hands on your own vintage Volkswagen-turned EV. This week, VW unveiled its e-BULLI concept and announced that eClassics will convert T1 vehicles, like the classic VW camper vans, into e-BULLI-style EVs.
Goodyear's smart tire concept 'prints' its own treads
The thunk-whumma-whumpa-whuppa sound of a tire puncturing and losing pressure at freeway speeds is unmistakable. However, if Goodyear has its way humanity might not have to endure the filthy, sweaty, swear-inducing process of swapping rubber on the shoulder of American roads ever again.
Hyundai's slippery Prophecy concept EV is controlled by joysticks
Hyundai has unveiled a new concept EV called the Prophecy with an ultra-aerodynamic profile and joysticks instead of a steering wheel. Meant to be on display at the cancelled Geneva Motor Show, the electric car aims to convey Hyundai's current design style called "Sensuous Sportiness." It's fair to say they succeeded, as it looks like a Porsche 911 Turbo from the rear and front while the side profile is lifted straight from a wind tunnel test.
Vivo’s new concept phone comes with a 'gimbal camera'
Now that we're well into 2020, it's about time Vivo gave us its annual update on the APEX concept line which, in its past two generations, had given us a taste of what was to come in the smartphone world -- namely in-display fingerprint reader, pop-up selfie camera, near-buttonless design and more. In the case of this 5G-enabled APEX 2020, it's all about the cameras, display and wireless charging. Starting off with the 16-megapixel periscopic camera on the back, it offers a continuous optical zoom range of 5x to 7.5x. This breaks the previous 5x upper limit on the likes of the Huawei P30 Pro and the Oppo Reno 10x Zoom, and will likely produce results that are almost as good as, if not better than, the 10x hybrid zoom offered by both devices. What's more impressive is that this camera module is only 6.2mm thick, which is slimmer than the 6.76mm-thick component on the Reno 10x Zoom.
Polestar's latest concept EV is designed for sustainability
Polestar has yet to deliver its first EV, but that isn't stopping it from outlining the vision for its future cars. The automaker has unveiled a concept sedan, the Precept, that showcases both the company's evolving design language and its technological goals. To start, gone is the Volvo-esque grille held over from gas-powered cars -- the front is now devoted to driver assistance and safety features with a camera and two radar sensors. There's also a conspicuous LiDAR pod above the windshield for "increased driving assistance."
Lexus imagines space vehicles for humans on the Moon
If humanity ever ends up living on the Moon, what would the vehicles be like? According to Lexus, they'd be sleek, shiny and wouldn't look out of place in a sci-fi flick. The European Advanced Design Studio for Lexus and Toyota, the brand's parent company, has created seven lunar vehicle concepts for the Document Journal magazine. They all feature some design elements from the Lexus LF-30 Electric Concept, the luxury automaker's vision for the next generation of EVs, because the studio was in the midst of its development when the magazine asked for contributions.
BMW shows off an AR windshield concept for the 2021 iNext
BMW thinks that we'd like to interact with our cars in a more humane way than we do today, engaging them in conversation. But that's never just using words, but with gestures, body language, and our gaze, which we use to convey meaning to one another. That's why the company is showing off the BMW i Interaction EASE, a concept windshield for self-driving cars that actually analyzes our nonverbal signals to help us get more out of traveling.
Fiat Chrysler's Airflow Vision concept car touts an all-digital cabin
Have you wondered what would happen if Fiat Chrysler embraced fully digital car cabins? You're looking at it. The automaker has unveiled an Airflow Vision concept car for CES 2020 where the interior is effectively all-digital, with six screens handling the experience for the driver and passengers. Virtually the only physical buttons are the starter button and the on-wheel navigation keys. That might not be thrilling if you still prefer tactile input, but FCA is promising that the screens won't be overwhelming.
Chevy's electric hot rod truck mimics the sound of a V8
Ford isn't the only automaker who rolled into SEMA with an electrified version of a familiar car. Chevy has unveiled an E-10 Concept hot rod that looks like a slammed vintage pickup truck (the 1962 C-10), but packs thoroughly modern EV tech. It's powered by a double stack of concept electric crate motors that provide an estimated 450HP, or enough to reach 60MPH in 5 seconds and obtain projected quarter mile times in the "high 13 second range." There's even a conventional automatic transmission. However, it's the sound that really stands out -- Chevy's concept is built for hot rodders who'd be self-conscious about the lack of engine noise.
TCL’s tri-fold prototype phone folds in thirds like an accordion
Now that we have phones that fold in half, companies are starting to imagine phones that fold in thirds. In January, Xiaomi teased a concept phone that folds on both sides. This week, CNET got its hands on another concept by TCL. This one starts as a ten-inch tablet and has dual hinges that fold in opposite directions like an accordion.
Lexus’s first autonomous EV has drones and ‘artificial muscle technology’
Lexus is finally ready to unveil its first electric vehicle prototype. At the Tokyo Motor Show today, it pulled back the curtain on its LF-30 Electric Concept, its vision for the next generation of EVs.
Mitsubishi shows off an oddball hybrid buggy prototype
At this year's Tokyo Motor Show, Mitsubishi is showing off its oddball hybrid buggy prototype, the MI-TECH Concept. It's meant to look like a rugged off roader with no doors or roof, and it's built with a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) drivetrain. According to the company, it's "designed to be a dynamic buggy-type vehicle that embodies the very essence of Mitsubishi-ness."
