Electric Vehicles & Cars - Page 18

Former U.S. presidential candidate and consumer protection advocate Ralph Nader has come out against Tesla vehicles' Full Self-Driving (FSD) capabilities.

Nader referred to the Tesla feature as "one of the most dangerous and irresponsible actions by a car company in decades," and appealed to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to issue a recall of every Tesla vehicle with the technology to have it removed. The NHTSA is already investigating 16 crashes involving Tesla Autopilot in some capacity, resulting in 15 injuries and one fatality.

Unity has announced it is partnering up with Mercedes-Benz to power their future vehicles with a next-gen infotainment system powered by the MB.OS operating system.

Mercedes will be using the Unity Industrial Collection to make the UI for the in-car cockpits of Mercedes-Benz vehicles that will roll out in 2024, with Unity's technology powering things like the 3D navigation software, and virtual avatars, in-car augmented reality experiences, and more. We should expect to see Unity-powered local weather and traffic data, streaming services, and more.

Gordon Wagener, Mercedes' chief design officer explained to GamesBeat: "At Mercedes, we believe that infotainment systems should be able to understand and learn the driver's needs and habits in order to become a personal assistant. Maximum comfort and minimal distraction is the goal. Interaction between humans and vehicles is increasingly based on voice assistants, touchscreens, and smart surfaces".

Australian company CopterPack has released new footage of its second-generation device in action.

The CopterPack Gen2 is a fully "electric backpack helicopter," sporting two housings on either side of the pilot, each containing a rotor blade, and featuring a "self-leveling autopilot and lightweight, carbon-fiber construction. The company recently completed a test of its latest revision while tethered down, allowing them to evaluate its ability to stabilize during flight and flight dynamics. The first generation was first revealed taking flight in May last year.

Unfortunately, the company's website and social media are scarce with details. No plans have been revealed regarding when it will be available for sale to the general public or anyone else. However, they have made it possible for people to contribute to its development by donating Binance Coin, with the address for its wallet being listed in the description here.

California-based company Samson Sky has been developing its Samson Switchblade for 14 years.

The Switchblade has now passed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspection requirements to be classified as an Experimental Category aircraft. As such, the Switchblade has begun flight testing to see how the vehicle performs in the air. The Switchblade can fly up to 200 miles (322 kilometers) per hour after switching from its street-legal, three-wheeled car form to aircraft mode by deploying its wings.

The wings are folded beneath the two-seat cabin, and the tail is also stowed away at the back of the vehicle, ready to deploy alongside the wings when a button inside the cabin is pressed. Transforming into its aircraft form takes under three minutes, but this has yet to be performed on a real, full-scale prototype. Despite this, the Switchblade already has 1,670 reservations and will have an estimated starting price of $150,000.

TransPod, a Canadian-French startup, has unveiled the design for its new hyperloop vehicle.

TransPod is building the TransPod Line, its "ultra-high-speed ground transportation system" that will utilize the newly revealed, fully electric FluxJet vehicle. According to TransPod, the FluxJet makes use of breakthroughs in contactless power transmission and a new field of physics known as "veillance flux," enabling it to cruise at speeds of over 1000 kilometers (621 miles) per hour along an elevated guideway. It will be capable of a top speed of up to 1,200 kilometers (746 miles) per hour, or about Mach 0.97, just shy of the speed of sound.

The company has secured $550 million in financing and has announced an $18 billion infrastructure project that will connect the cities of Calgary and Edmonton in Canada. The project will allow passengers to travel between the two cities in 45 minutes. Once completed, the TransPod Line is expected to cost passengers 44 percent less than a plane ticket while being able to travel faster and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 636,000 tonnes per year. The FluxJet will also exceed the speed of other high-speed trains three-fold.

Elon Musk has taken to his Twitter account to give an easter egg to Tesla owners, writing that they need to try a specific voice command.

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO took to his Twitter account over the weekend to say to Tesla owners to try the following voice command "open butthole". Notably, the voice command isn't necessary a new feature, as the below video shows a Tesla owner using the voice command in April 2021.

As for what the voice command does, the video shows the voice command being inputted and initiating the charging port for the vehicle to be opened. Musk didn't write that Tesla owners can also use the "close butthole" voice command to close the charging port cover. Tesla's have many of these small easter egg features, and it can be assumed that most owners aren't aware of them.

Apple has secured a former Lamborghini exclusive to help design its future Apple Car, after rumors that the Apple Car was in serious trouble.

Luigi Taraborrelli was a 20-year veteran of luxury car maker Lamborghini, who used to lead the chassis and vehicle dynamics division at Lamborghini. Bloomberg reports that Taraborrelli's magic design touch was felt on Lamborghini cars like the Urus, Huracan, and Aventador, as well as Lamborghini's Huracan Sterrato and Asterion concept car.

Apple's mysterious "Project Titan" electric car is reportedly coming in the future, with the last rumors that the Apple Car would have no steering wheel, no brakes, and people could even sleep in it. Apple has been running into serious issues, as a fully autonomous car without a steering wheel and brakes would lead to major issues when it comes to insurance... you can't just be driving people around without any controls to steer, or stop the Apple Car. Accidents happen, and Apple can't be pinned for that.

The new concept electric vehicle (EV) was made by students from the Eindhoven University of Technology.

Named the Zem, it is the TU/ecomotive team's seventh EV project, and an attempt by the team to create a carbon neutral EV. The frame and body panels of the vehicle were made using recycled plastics and 3D printing to reduce wastage. The windows are made from polycarbonate instead of glass for a more environmentally friendly option, according to the team. The interior further utilizes recycled plastics and other sustainable materials like pineapple leather.

As the car is electric, it produces zero emissions as it drives around. However, some carbon footprint is unavoidable when manufacturing any vehicle, so the team implemented a direct air capture technology to offset the vehicle's carbon footprint to surpass carbon neutrality, eventually making the vehicle carbon negative.

Apple is still hard at work on its "Project Titan" aka the Apple Car, with news coming from a new in-depth piece by The Information, that teases the Apple Car has no steering wheel, no brakes, and it has inward-facing seats so you are looking at each other in the car.

The futuristic car sounds like it's got into a lot of trouble lately, where recently the Apple Car was driving up to a pedestrian crossing when a jogger was crossing. The Apple Car "only slightly adjusted its path" to the point that the human driver had to slam the brakes on, or else that could've been a much worse -- possibly fatal -- situation.

Apple is reportedly aiming to get the tick of approval from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to build a car without a traditional steering wheel, or brake pedals. But this brings its own troubles: a fully autonomous car would make Apple responsible for its behavior (and its crashes, and the safety of the occupants of the vehicle).

Most major car manufacturers are hopping on the electric vehicle (EV) trend in one way or another, and as demand for EVs increases, so does the demand for charging stations.

Tesla is pioneering and popularizing electric vehicles and has already rolled out a network of charging stations in numerous countries around the world, but when these charging stations were implemented, the company never thought that third-party EVs would be using them.

With the rise in EV popularity, Tesla has already enabled an "open" Supercharger network in 13 European countries, which means non-Tesla EV drivers are able to charge at Tesla charging stations. According to a White House fact sheet, Tesla will begin production of a new Supercharger network that allows non-Tesla EV owners to charge their vehicles at Telsa charging stations by simply downloading and installing the latest Tesla app and selecting "Charge Your Non-Tesla".

Tesla's new software update for its electric vehicles will see it scanning the roads ahead of you for possible danger, like potholes and more, and then avoiding them by adjusting the suspension.

The news is coming from the new Tesla 2022.20 software update, in which the company explains that the new feature is part of the "Tesla Adaptive Suspension" system. Tesla explains: "Tesla Adaptive Suspension will now adjust ride height for an upcoming rough road section. This adjustment may occur at various locations, subject to availability, as the vehicle downloads rough road map data generated by Tesla vehicles".

It's out of nowhere, but very welcomed... another step towards the world of full Self-Driving goodness through Tesla Autopilot. You can't be driven by AI and not have it scanning the road to avoid things like potholes, but adjusting the suspension on-the-fly as it looks ahead with its sensors, is very cool.

Tesla has shown off a new "solar range extender trailer" at the IdeenExpo in Hanover, Germany.

The solar-panel-laden trailer also has a Starlink internet system to connect with the satellites in SpaceX's network. Electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers like Lightyear have produced cars with their own solar panels built in, however, Tesla seems to be taking a different route to extending the range of its vehicles.

The relatively low efficiency of solar technology means such vehicles can't significantly extend their range beyond what the inbuilt battery capacity offers. However, some owners of other EVs have still opted to augment their experience by using separate, portable solar panels for charging their vehicles.

Amazon has announced the launch of its first UK micromobility lab, something that will make for "more sustainable deliveries" in Central London.

The project will roll out e-cargo bikes and walkers, that will ride alongside Amazon's electric fleet that is already on the roads of London. Amazon says that it will deliver 1 million packages in a year, with a combination of walking and electric cargo bikes, as well as deliveries that get made with electric vans.

Amazon will replace "thousands" of traditional van trips on London's roads, as well as reduce traffic congestion with its new fleet of e-cargo bikes and walkers. There are over 1000 electric delivery fans that Amazon has on the roads in the UK, which delivered over 45 million packages in 2021 alone.

A man has hacked a Tesla Model S Plaid and broken the in-built top speed cap while driving the car at an airport.

A report from Electrek has revealed that a man named Guillaume Andre, the CEO of Ingenext, a Canadian company that focuses on selling kits that unlock certain parts of Tesla's, has taken a hacked Tesla Model S Plaid to Trois-Rivieres airport in Quebec, Canada. Andre drove a white Tesla Model S Plaid, and according to the above video, the vehicle didn't require many modifications to get past the top speed limitation of 175 mph.

The company designed a module that bypasses Tesla software, granting the driver the full use of the vehicle's hardware capabilities. In the above video, Electrek can be heard describing the sound of the Tesla Model S Plaid racing down an airport runway at 216 mph as a "jet engine". According to reports, the 216 mph top speed achieved by the unlocked Tesla Model S Plaid is the fastest publicly recorded time for the vehicle. During the test, the driver ran out of runway and needed approximately 6,000 feet to bring the car to a stop safely.

Tesla CEO and founder Elon Musk sat down for an interview with Tesla Owners Silicon Valley that was filmed on May 31 and published on YouTube on June 22.

Throughout the lengthy interview, Musk covers multiple topics, such as the struggles of owning a car company and the plethora of supply chain problems Tesla is currently facing. Additionally, Musk discusses the problems of owning a car company and the extreme effort that has to be made for the company to stop itself from going bankrupt. Musk also touched on the recent shutdown of Tesla's Shanghai factory following a COVID-19 outbreak in the region that resulted in a full lockdown.

20 minutes into the interview, the topic of the Tesla Cybertruck was brought up, and Musk said that "we to get on that", and then confirmed that the design for the highly anticipated electric truck, as of May 31, "locked". Musk emphasized that the design is "for sure locked", and that the delay in the vehicle's production can be attributed to supply chain shortages. In particular, Musk pointed to the microchip shortage and how Tesla was forced into "starving" the PowerWall line of batteries so the company could manufacture vehicles.

Tesla's Cyberpunk and Semi have been spotted cruising down a speedway, and the video has been posted to Tesla Owners of Silicon Valley.

The Tesla-dedicated Twitter account posted the video, which showed the two yet-to-be-released vehicles slowly driving down a Michigan speedway. The official Tesla Instagram account originally posted the video to its Stories and, as you can imagine, generated thousands of replies, where a portion can be seen in the Twitter thread. Some individuals directly asked Musk where their Cybertruck order was, as they have been "waiting sooooo long".

Unfortunately, the Cybertruck and the Semi have suffered manufacturing setbacks. The Semi was meant to enter production in 2019, and as of May this year, Musk has said that the Semi will enter production sometime in 2023. As for the Cybertruck, Musk has said that development on the vehicle is expected to be completed by the end of 2022 with the hopes of the highly anticipated vehicle beginning production in 2023.

Ferrari has said that it will have 60% of its fleet of vehicles electrified by 2026, promising 40% of its cars will be combustion, and 60% of them hybrid or full-electric by 2026.

The luxury car maker recently unveiled its first production plug-in hybrid -- the Ferrari SF90 Stradale -- but that was 2019 and three years later, Ferrari is full-speed ahead with its EV vehicles. Ferrari has 4 different model EVs: Stradale, 296 GTB plug-in V6 hybrid joined by the pure ICE 812 Superfast V12 and Roma V8 vehicles. Ferrari teased that its new Purosangue SUV will be here in September in full combustion at first.

Ferrari teases that the first full electric Ferrari will be unveiled in 2025, "rooted in the Prancing Horse's heritage, drawing from a broader technical expertise to further enhance driving thrills. Its unique features, leveraging the racing know-how, will make it a true Ferrari, ensuring it stands out across all dimensions: engine power density, weight, sound and driving emotions".

Ford's new F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck is a mobile powerhouse, offering some incredible power not just as a car -- but as a gigantic, portable battery that can power your power tools, charge up a dead Tesla EV, and even your house.

Yes, the Ford F-150 Lightning can charge your house. Ford isn't the only one, but they're the biggest name by far that is doing it, and has a car on the market here, and now. At least a few of them. Being able to charge your entire house during a power outage, Ford is really changing what it means to be "just a car".

The 9.6kW of Intelligent Backup Power on the Ford F-150 Lightning can power an entire home for up to 3 days if the battery on the F-150 Lightning is fully charged. Ford's energy services lead, Ryan O'Gorman, explains: "If your F-150 Lightning is plugged in when your outage occurs, Intelligent Backup Power will automatically kick in to power your home. When power is restored, the truck automatically reverts to charging its battery".

Ford's new F-150 Lightning is a beast of an electric truck, with the huge battery inside of the F-150 Lightning capable of charging up an empty Tesla... acting as a portable Supercharger.

The reality of re-charging a Tesla started with F-150 Lightning owners posting on a forum, using the J1772 Adapter for Tesla vehicles, which is sold by EV charging company, Lentz. There are reports that the Ford F-150 Lightning actually includes a free Tesla charging adapter, which is a dig at Tesla obviously.

Most vehicles have the standard J1772 charging connector, but Tesla uses a proprietary connector that works with its Supercharger network. Ford owners laughed, talking smack on forums with comments like "we can help all those poor dead Teslas" and "I'll add a bumper sticker 'Tesla Rescue Squad'".

Sony is teaming with Honda to form a separate company for their blossoming joint electric vehicle partnership, announcing today that the company is called Sony Honda Mobility Inc.

Sony Honda Mobility Inc. will be based in Tokyo, with operations expected to kick off later this year, while the first electric vehicle from the two Japanese companies won't hit the streets until 2025. Sony and Honda each have an equal 50% share of the company, with Honda executive Yasuhide Mizuno appointed chairman and CEO, and Sony EVP Izumi Kawanishi president and COO.

In a new press release on Sony's website, the company explained: "The new company will aim to bring together Honda's cutting-edge environmental and safety technologies, mobility development capabilities, vehicle body manufacturing technology and after-sales service management experience, with Sony's expertise in the development and application of imaging, sensing, telecommunication, network and entertainment technologies, to realize a new generation of mobility and services for mobility that are closely aligned with users and the environment, and continue to evolve going forward".