Cars that talk to each other are coming soon, and could save thousands of lives
Today’s cars can connect to the internet, but still can’t communicate with the environment around them. V2X technology is about to change, paving the way for safer streets, less traffic, and cities where transportation operates more smoothly than ever before.
Check out the tuned, resto-modded, and high-tech GTIs at Volkswagen’s home show
About 4,000 cars attended the GTI Coming Home event in Wolfsburg, Germany, and we couldn't find two identical cars. Most of them were modified to one degree or another. Our favorite car at the event blended 1980s style with 21st century tech, including Bluetooth connectivity and touchscreen navigation.
At Bonneville, a 210-mph Volkswagen Jetta is nothing unusual
The Bonneville Salt Flats are the ultimate temple of speed. Follow along as Volkswagen attempts to set a record with a modified economy car, and see what makes Bonneville so special. Racers have been setting speed records on the salt flats since 1914, and continue to push the limits every year.
Will high-res radar make tomorrow’s cars safer?
Modern cars have sensors that are meant to make driving safer, like detecting something or someone out in front. But current technology needs improvement. Enter radar, lidar, and cameras, but are they the solution?
We get up close with the Vision iNext concept to learn about BMW’s future
Through a massive worldwide campaign that visits various major cities around the world, we gain an exclusive opportunity to get up close and personal with BMW’s Vision iNEXT Concept to see what’s in store for the company’s future, from electrification, to autonomous driving tech, and connectivity.
Volvo wants to build a future in which you can’t wait to commute to work
Volvo's futuristic 360c concept perfectly embodies the changes sweeping across the automotive industry. It's electric, fully autonomous, and connected. It's not production-bound, but the firm hopes its concept will start a meaningful conversation about how self-driving cars will fit into our society.
Lexus bets on value as it launches phone-plan-like car subscription service
Lexus has released a subscription service for UX buyers called Lexus Complete Lease. It will launch in four American cities in 2019, though the firm wants to expand it. When and in which direction it grows will largely depend on how buyers respond to the idea of selecting a car like they choose a smartphone.
We drove the Volkswagen concept pickup that truck fans will drool over
We get a unique opportunity to briefly drive Volkswagen’s Atlas Cross Sport and Tanoak Concepts during the annual Monterey Car Week. The Cross Sport will arrive in 2020 as a smaller version of the full-size Atlas crossover SUV while the Tanoak tests the waters for a potential midsize pickup truck.
How Grammy-winner Elliot Scheiner helps Acura make one of the best in-car sound systems
We sit down with eight-time Grammy-winning recording studio legend, Elliot Scheiner, to learn a how he works with Acura to make one of the best in-car sound systems. He has been working with the brand since 2004. The latest version of the sound system just launched as an option on the all-new 2019 Acura RDX.
From drones to pickup trucks, Workhorse CEO believes the future is electric
Workhorse wants to make sure your next package gets delivered more efficiently. The Ohio-based company builds electric vans, and is branching out into drones, an electrified pickup truck called the W-15, and a small personal helicopter called the SureFly, which is currently undergoing testing.
How lidar technology is working to enhance trucking safety
If you’ve ever seen a semi-truck crash, you know it’s bad. Even highly trained drivers have to manage unpredictable traffic and weather conditions while piloting an 80,000-pound rig. Here’s how lidar technology companies are helping make trucking safer today with the human driver as a partner.
How autonomous ridesharing will reshape our cars, cities, and lives
Ridesharing is changing the way people around the world build their cities, design their cars, and choose to get around. As people choose shared rides, automakers will design their cars to accommodate new uses. Ridesharing is also driving advancements in autonomous and connected cars.
Riding along in Audi’s e-tron, the electric SUV born to slay Teslas
The E-Tron is Audi’s first mass-market electric vehicle, and we got to take a ride in this Tesla-fighting crossover down Colorado’s Pikes Peak over a month before the official unveiling. Get a first look at the Audi E-Tron’s performance, tech, and specs with this sneak preview.
We dragged 7 crossovers onto 4WD trails to see what breaks, and who makes it
Challenging the notion you can’t off-road with a CUV, we took 7 CUVs and pitted them against each other in a unique off-road competition. A blown tire, numerous scrapes and a few close calls later, a clear winner emerged from the pack – 2019 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk.
The coming hydrogen fuel cell evolution
Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, and on Earth. Our oceans are mostly made of Hydrogen. So why have hydrogen fuel cells had such a hard time catching on? We met with the California Fuel Cell Partnership to get the low-down on how they can make hydrogen-fed cars more mainstream.
The Cullinan is truly the Rolls-Royce of SUVs
At a private event in Los Angeles, CA, Rolls-Royce showed off its first SUV. Built for wealthy families or executives, the Cullinan is a groundbreaking model for one of the most esteemed brands on earth. The SUV’s all-wheel drive system, hatchback design, and touchscreens are other firsts for Rolls-Royce.
From a bad battery to a crash, Virginia Tech’s automated car beat all challenges
General Motors and the Society of Automotive Engineers created the AutoDrive Challenge, and a team of mechanical engineering students from Virginia Tech overcame technical and human obstacles to create a basic autonomous car in one year. Over the next two years, they’ll build a true autonomous car.
Can’t we all just drive along? The not-so-universal language of autonomous cars
The road to an autonomous future is filled with competitive driving systems – but what happens when they encounter each other on the street? Automakers must decide whether to follow the same code, or duke it out for safety supremacy.
Go off-road in your bathrobe thanks to the rock-taming tech in Ram’s new Rebel
Off-roading doesn’t have to mean crawling around in the mud to lock hubs and climbing into a jacked-up cab. Ram’s Rebel 1500 uses technology to take the discomfort out of the road less traveled, and it works shockingly well.
How racing simulators are helping stroke victims get back behind the wheel
Researchers at Loyola Marymount University are adapting technology developed to train the world’s top pro racing drivers to assess cognitive abilities and help victims of stroke and traumatic brain injury to safely retrain themselves to drive. For brain injury survivors, this is anything but a game.
In a smoke-choked port, riding along in Toyota’s hydrogen-powered semi
Elon Musk promised the world an electric Tesla semi, but Toyota already has one – and it works. We rode along in the Project Portal semi for a day of hauling freight around the smoggy, congested LA-Long Beach Port Complex, while puffing water vapor.
At Pikes Peak, VW just used an EV to smash a gas-powered record
The Volkswagen I.D. R electric car smashed the overall record at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, making a major statement for electric power. Volkswagen claims the I.D. R is just the beginning, and that its future lies with electric cars. But how long will it take to get there?
The Fender Stratocaster helped Bentley ally tech and craftsmanship
Bentley is known for interiors that use soft leather upholstery and real wood veneer. Digital Trends sat down with some of the company's experts to find out where they source their inspiration when they begin drawing a car, how they ally tech and craftsmanship, and what goes into making a piece of wood trim.
The car dashboard is dead, long live touchscreens! But give us better apps
The era of 747-style car cockpits full of dials and buttons is coming to an end. Features like CarPlay and Android Auto mean screens are in, and we’re all better for it. Or are we? Sometimes things don’t go as planned.
How Pioneer’s Z-series system gave my aging SUV a 21st century makeover
Can you really teach an old dog new tricks? Pioneer set out to prove you can by outfitting my reborn 1999 Honda CR-V with a state-of-the-art AVH-2440 NEX receiver with Android Auto and all the fixings, along with the company’s latest Z-series high-end speakers. Find out how the upgrade went down, and whether you should do the same for your rig.
Your next car will talk to crosswalks, pay your tolls, and find its own parking
V2X stands for Vehicle to Anything communications, and it will help you avoid accidents, make all the green lights, and keep away from traffic jams. The technology is already here, and it’s being rolled out over the next few years. When you have it, you’ll wonder how you ever got along without it.
We drove Bugatti’s 1,500-hp Chiron on the French backroads where it grew up
Bugatti sounds Italian, and its founder was born in Milan, but the brand has been based in France since its inception over a century ago. We traveled to Molsheim, a small Alsatian town the company calls home, to learn more about its heritage and drive the Chiron on some of the roads it came to life on.
We spent a smoky day sampling every generation of Mustang on 1 track
Nitto invited Digital Trends to the Thermal Club race track to experience all generations of the iconic Ford Mustang, each wearing its latest performance tires. Formula Drift champion Vaughn Gittin Jr. also let us ride shotgun in his 700-hp Mustang RTR as he tore up the skid pad.
Lamborghini’s electric supercar won’t contain batteries; it will be one
The brightest minds from Lamborghini and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are looking at how to electrify a super sports car. The answer could lie in rechargeable body panels, according to Lamborghini's R&D boss.
Dainese’s Custom Works motorcycle suit is one even Iron Man would envy
Dainese's new Custom Works program isn't cheap but it does give ordinary riders the ability to customize and design the kind of high-quality motorcycle gear worn by professionals. To see if it's worth the investment, we got fitted for our own suit -- and we couldn't help but feel like a superhero.
How tech is helping used car sales with safe transaction zones
No one needs to be reminded that the online marketplace can be risky. Scammers and creeps have infested classified ad sites like Craigslist and made them dangerous. In response, cities and businesses are now offering safe transaction zones to meet for online sales and used car test drives.
Behind the wheel with Volvo’s Android infotainment system
Volvo is injecting Android into its upcoming cars. You don't need a phone to power it like Android Auto or Apple's CarPlay, but you can still get the same great apps, music services, and even the Google Assistant to control your car. At Google I/O 2018, we took a look at a prototype.
How Mercedes-AMG’s Project One will influence car design
Mercedes-AMG is slowly adopting electrification. Going hybrid isn't as straight-forward as it sounds because it presents a unique set of challenges, but AMG boss Tobias Moers believes his team is ready to face them. AMG will launch electric turbocharging and a plug-in hybrid powertrain with V12-like power.
Why self-driving trucks will take over before self-driving cars
Instead of worrying about the safety of self-driving passenger cars, take a look at the trucking industry, where autonomous vehicles are now operating under controlled conditions, and which will likely be the first major rollout of level 4 autonomous technology.