Automotive news

Engineering

Tunnel tests track large supercooled water droplets that can reach beyond current aircraft ice protection

NASA is leveraging its expertise and enhancing its test facilities to help address a rare but persistent aviation hazard: icing that occurs when aircraft encounter unusually large, very cold water droplets in clouds.

Energy & Green Tech

Tires instead of a plug: Electric buses that charge during operation

From the street straight into the battery: Researchers have developed a wireless charging system that charges electric buses via their wheels at bus stops. This technology is expected to significantly reduce the costs of ...

Engineering

NASA model wing lights up during first pressure sensitive paint tests

Tests at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, are paving the way for new wind tunnel capabilities for designing the aircraft technologies of the future.

Robotics

How should automated vehicles interact with pedestrians?

How do pedestrians react when they encounter an automated vehicle on the street? Does the interaction feel safe and comfortable, and does it make a difference whether the vehicle is operating autonomously, is driven by a ...

Consumer & Gadgets

The electric car myths Australians can't shake

Electric cars are dangerous, bad for the environment and impossible to use in the outback. These are just some of the claims circulating among Australians skeptical of the switch to EVs, new research finds.

Automotive

Would a 50 mph motorway speed limit really save much fuel?

Imagine entering the highway in the near future and seeing a 50 mph (80 kilometers per hour) speed limit sign, but no road construction, no accident and no obvious reason to slow down. This time, the aim is to save fuel.

Automotive

NASA modernizes commercial airline systems

NASA researchers know that when you settle into your seat on a commercial flight, you expect a smooth takeoff, views over the clouds, a steady descent and, hopefully, an early arrival.

Automotive

Teaching radar to read motion in traffic scenes

Autonomous vehicles and robots need to understand not only what is around them, but how objects and people are moving. A cyclist crossing the road, a car slowing down, a pedestrian stepping off the curb, and a parked vehicle ...

Robotics

Simple visual patterns can trick AI-powered vehicles and robots

A simple pattern of black-and-white stripes could cause an autonomous vehicle or robot to misjudge how far away an obstacle is, potentially triggering an unexpected maneuver or even a collision, according to new University ...

Automotive

A new AI framework could help cities plan for future traffic

Traffic jams are usually treated as a problem to be measured after they form. Anton Rozhkov and his colleagues are exploring a different approach: giving planners state-of-the-art tools that can anticipate congestion, locate ...

Automotive

High-speed, low-light conditions tied to unbuckled driving

Drivers who don't wear their seat belts were found to do so in situations when seat belts would help the most, according to a new study by researchers at the Penn Medicine Nudge Unit. The analysis found that situations such ...

Automotive

Rivian R2 vs. Tesla Model Y: An electric SUV showdown

The Tesla Model Y has been the sales king of small electric SUVs since the moment it arrived. Many rivals have chased its success, but none have come close. Now it's Rivian's turn. The Rivian R2 is the California EV automaker's ...

Automotive

Virginia's Smart Airspace network lands first flights

Virginia's Smart Airspace program reached new heights this summer when two advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft flew newly developed routes throughout central and southwest Virginia. The flights, performed by manufacturers ...

Energy & Green Tech

A holistic approach for equitable EV infrastructure development

A recent United Nations report announced that we will likely surpass the 1.5°C limit for global warming by 2030. Despite this news, we need to continue trying to eliminate fossil fuel emissions. Since the largest component ...

Automotive

Tesla sales fall again in Germany amid Musk backlash

Tesla sales plunged again in Germany last month even as the broader electric car market rebounded, data showed Thursday, the latest sign of a growing backlash against billionaire owner Elon Musk.

Automotive

Tesla sales slump as pressure piles on Musk

Tesla's worldwide sales tumbled in the first quarter, figures showed Wednesday, piling further pressure on CEO Elon Musk who faces a growing backlash for his role overseeing US federal spending cuts under President Donald ...

Energy & Green Tech

Charging electric vehicles 5x faster in subfreezing temps

A modified manufacturing process for electric vehicle batteries, developed by University of Michigan engineers, could enable high ranges and fast charging in cold weather, solving problems that are turning potential EV buyers ...

Automotive

Tesla sales tumble in Europe in the first quarter

Tesla sales kept falling in March in many European markets as it suffered from a double blow of boycotts against the policies of its founder Elon Musk and an aging model lineup.

Automotive

Ford's US auto sales dip in first quarter as tariffs loom

Auto giant Ford reported a slight drop in first quarter US sales Tuesday, while investors await details of President Donald Trump's upcoming tariffs this week and assess the effects of duties on major carmakers.

Automotive

Carmakers face doubts and jolts over US tariffs

Raise prices or cut into their margins, open or close factories: carmakers must soon make major decisions as the United States imposes stiff tariffs on imported vehicles.

Automotive

Renault and Nissan shift gears on alliance

Renault and Nissan said Monday they had revised their partnership to allow for a reduction in their cross-shareholdings and other measures that would help the financially troubled Japanese carmaker.

Automotive

UK town motors on as historic Vauxhall plant to shut

At regular intervals, vehicle transporters exited the front gates of the historic Vauxhall plant in the English town of Luton, loaded with white electric vans straight off the assembly line.