Technology

AMG’s engines have been at the forefront of high-performance for as long as we can remember. The way these engines are built plays a huge role in building and maintaining their status in the car world: each engine is assembled by one technician, under AMG’s “One man, one engine” philosophy. If recent reports are true, Cadillac wants to take the same approach with the CT5-V Blackwing.

The M3 and M4 twins bear a lot of significance for BMW so the new-generations sports cars got the utmost attention from Munich’s engineers. You can also say they got a little too much of that from BMW’s designers, but enough with the banter.

Named TIGER, Hyundai’s latest concept isn’t about a fancy all-electric urban stroller meant to save the dolphins. In fact, TIGER stands for Transforming Intelligent Ground Excursion Robot and it doesn’t need a human presence to car its way through difficult terrain.

Last week’s biggest news came from yours truly Tesla, who announced that the Model S and X will be going under the scalpel for much-needed nip and tuck. The highlight of said nip and tuck was the yoke-style steering wheel which is certainly an enticing feature for Tesla die-hards and at the same time, something that might not see fruition.

We’re all familiar with Toyota’s TRD (Toyota Racing Development). Other than looking to squeeze the best performance out of its cars for off-road or track use, the Japanese carmaker is also running TRI.

TRI stands for Toyota Research Institute, a division founded in 2016 which allows the Japanese brand to channel its efforts on making cars a safer place. Within TRI, Toyota is developing the Guardian, an automated safety system that learns how to spot a dangerous situation and react in due time. Right now, this advanced form of AI is learning how to drift a Supra.

Some 20 years ago most cars didn’t have infotainment displays and their dashboards were crowded with buttons and knobs. Come 2021 and almost every car out there comes with a display, usually ranging from seven to 12.3 inches (so companies offer larger screens). But things are about to go wild, as Mercedes-Benz just unveiled the Hyperscreen, a massive 56-inch infotainment display that’s basically stretches over the entire dashboard. Needless to say, Mercedes stole the 2021 Consumer Electronics Show with it, but BMW also gets a piece of the action with a new-generation iDrive system.

The leaps forward taken by technology in the past decade have brought us closer, literally, to screens. You’ve got one in your living room, one in your pocket, one on your desk, and most likely, you’ve got one inside your car, too. Almost every daily activity of the modern man - from work, to shopping, and then on to entertainment - involves a screen of sorts, be it from a smartphone, a TV, or a car’s infotainment system.

In recent years, the later has become a norm in almost every new car out there. Higher-echelon car brands in particular have been very eager to fit their cars with screens, especially of the larger, wide, or curbed variety. So we can only ask: are these big displays bleeding with top-notch graphics a mark of luxury in the automotive world?

Tesla cars are loaded with weird, unorthodox features and gimmicks. But there are some of them which are absolutely fantastic, one of them being the Sentry mode. There have been numerous instances in the past where the Sentry mode has recorded suspicious activities done to and around the car and has proved very helpful. Thanks to this post on Reddit, we’ve now come across another nifty little feature that helps keep the Sentry mode on guard even in the toughest conditions – a heater that melts away the snow on it.

The new Chevy Corvette C8 Stingray uses brake-by-wire but the feature is more common to EVs and hybrids, because it lets the car’s powertrain recuperate energy during braking, as the b-pedal controls both traditional friction braking - via the car’s discs and calipers - and regen braking. How such a system works can confuse a lot of people, so here’s a neat explanation.

Tesla’s holiday update this year includes a feature known as ‘Boombox’. It makes use of the external speaker to turn your car into a, well, boombox. While it can be used as a source of entertainment to play your media, it can also be used to create fart sounds. Well, if that kind of humor amuses you, go ahead, install the upgrade, and scare the unsuspecting folks who pass by your vehicle.

The 2021 Ford F-150 came with a whole lot of new things, like a hybrid mill, 12-inch touchscreen system, and a Pro Power Onboard Generator, amongst other things. One other impressive feature are the Max Recline Seats.

These are seats that essentially flip down almost 180 degrees so you can take a nap on work sites. Instead of just having the existing seats to fold flat, Ford worked from scratch to make sure you don’t end up with sprains and aches if you decide to have a siesta.

The BMW Vision iNEXT has become the BMW iX – a pre-production prototype that previews the brand’s upcoming electric SUV. With a year still to go before its market launch at the end of 2021, the BMW Group is providing a first look ahead to the future BMW iX, which is currently still in the series development phase. The BMW iX is the first model based on a new, modular, scalable future toolkit developed by the BMW Group and focused on a fresh interpretation of design, sustainability, driving pleasure, versatility and luxury. Check out our awesome photo gallery below!

I am sure you will agree, one of the most dreaded images, for a car owner, is when the check engine light comes on. When that happens, it could be anything from a faulty sensor, to something serious, which is why having a good scan tool may be critical, as it will help determine whether it is a cheap and simple fix or something that may cost thousands of dollars. And although an onboard diagnostics scanner will not fix everything, it will eliminate any uncertainty, as to what problem your car has. This is exactly why we have compiled a short list, in order to help you decide, which is the best OBD2 scanner for you.