driving
Latest
Tesla's new Driver Drowsiness Warning feature counts yawns and blinks
It provides a visual and audio alert if a driver appears tired.
UK trials roadside van that detects if drivers are holding their phone
The sensor test vehicle can also check whether drivers and passengers are wearing seatbelts.
Apple plans to let you pay for gas using CarPlay
After being quietly announced at WWDC 2022, new details have emerged about Apple's plans to allow users to pay for gas directly in CarPlay.
Google Maps is getting toll pricing and other route details
To help people better plan for their next road trip, Google Maps is getting estimated toll pricing and enhanced details for things like traffic lights and points of interest.
Waze and Headspace team up to make driving less stressful
You can change Waze's car icon to a hot air balloon and check out a dedicated Spotify playlist.
Google Assistant's driving mode for Android is nearly ready, one year later
Android phones are finally getting their Google Assistant driving mode, over a year later than planned.
Alexa’s Auto Mode turns your phone into a ‘driver-friendly’ display
Amazon believes Auto Mode will make it safer and easier to user your phone in the car.
Google Maps is improving travel ETAs with DeepMind AI
Google Maps' traffic predictions are 50 percent more accurate in some cities thanks to DeepMind's AI.
Google teases third-party navigation and charging apps on Android Auto
Right now, Android Auto and Android Automotive support two types of third-party apps: media and messaging.
Waze lets drivers display their moods in the app
Waze is rolling out a brand refresh and app update that lets users share their mood.
Amazon's Echo Auto comes to the UK, Canada and parts of Europe
Amazon's Echo Auto is now available outside of the US, Australia and India.
Watch the first footage of Fisker's Ocean EV crossover in motion
Last year, Fisker promised to show its sub-$40,000 crossover Ocean EV as a production-ready vehicle rather than a concept, but the Geneva Motor Show cancellation put a crimp in those plans. In its latest press release, however, the company has done that one better by releasing a video showing the Fisker in motion on a race track. Fisker also revealed new details about the vehicle's drivetrain, comfort and safety features.
Honda’s latest app helps Civic Type R drivers become better racers
Honda has launched a new data-logging app designed to give drivers a ton of information about their skills on the track. Exclusive to the new 2020 Civic Type R, LogR provides information on 15 data points, including lap times, acceleration, braking and steering, to generate an overall "driver smoothness" score.
Bosch's Virtual Visor is a smarter way to block out the sun
Car sun visors are a double-edged sword. Yes, they stop annoying rays from shining directly into your eyeballs, which means you don't have to squint or immediately grab a pair of sunglasses. But if you pull down that flappy bit of plastic, it also obscures at least some of the road that you're driving on, which isn't ideal from a safety perspective. Bosch might have a solution: a transparent liquid crystal display (LCD) that tracks your face and only blocks the *precise* section where the sun would blind you. Is it perfect? Not by a long shot. Is it better than what we have now? I think so.
Recommended Reading: The ICE surveillance playbook
How ICE picks its targets in the surveillance age McKenzie Funk, The New York Times Through the lens of officers operating in the Pacific Northwest, The New York Times explains how Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) collects information on possible targets. That includes monitoring social media accounts and tapping into "the world's largest privately run database of license-plate scans."
Ford launches its own esports virtual racing teams
Ford plans to launch its own esports virtual racing teams. Under the name Fordzilla, the company will recruit top esports drivers for teams in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. The company will also invite star players to form a European team with select members from each national team.
Control a fake Tesla while charging your real Tesla
It's easy to get caught up in the drama of Tesla. The weirdness runs the gamut from Robo-taxis, to CEO Elon Musk's bizarre tweets, vehicle demand, manufacturing tents, and investor events. But if we step back for a moment, it's worth reminding ourselves that it's a company that enjoys having fun.
Chevy's safety feature won't let teens drive without seat belts
Because a chiming dashboard alert isn't enough to get teens to buckle up, Chevrolet introduced a new feature that prohibits drivers from shifting out of park until their seat belt is fastened. The "Buckle to Drive" system includes visible and audible alerts, and the company says it's an industry first. It only runs when Teen Driver mode is active -- so adults can risk driving seat belt-free if they choose -- and it will be standard in the 2020 Chevrolet Traverse, Malibu and Colorado.
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.
Waze adds Siri Shortcuts to its iOS app
Waze is playing even more nicely with Apple after it enabled CarPlay support back in September. The latest version of its iOS app lets you use Siri Shortcuts to find your way to a destination. You'll be able to set up shortcuts for things like your morning commute, the drive home and directions to your favorite places.
