https://techxplore.com/rss-feed/automotive-news/ en-us Tech Xplore covers the latest in car tech Autonomous vehicles are already a reality on some of our streets and could become a major part of future transportation systems. Safety, of course, is the main concern, as with all vehicles. To help evaluate and improve its autonomous driving technology, U.S. driverless vehicle company Waymo has created a virtual representation of human driver behavior in near-crash situations. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-waymo-unveils-virtual-driver-autonomous.html Engineering Thu, 11 Jun 2026 13:40:05 EDT news700402963 As Australian motorists continue to grapple with rising fuel prices and electric vehicle (EV) sales steadily increase across the country, new research from Edith Cowan University (ECU) has found that petrol costs alone are not the primary factor shaping drivers' decisions to switch to electric vehicles. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-fuel-wont-australia-ev-transition.html Energy & Green Tech Thu, 11 Jun 2026 09:40:01 EDT news700389002 China's passenger car exports jumped 73% year-on-year in May to around 809,000 vehicles, an industry group reported Wednesday, as higher gasoline and diesel prices due to the war in Iran raised interest in electric vehicles. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-china-car-exports-high-fuel.html Automotive Wed, 10 Jun 2026 10:00:03 EDT news700303986 As cities continue to expand, railways are expected to become an important component of urban mobility systems. Compared with automobiles and air transport, railways are highly energy efficient and produce relatively low environmental impacts and therefore form an important component of sustainable transportation systems. Thus, researchers have been exploring advanced train control technologies for further improvement of operational efficiency, passenger comfort and punctuality while reducing energy consumption. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-ai-powered-railway-efficient-urban.html Automotive Wed, 10 Jun 2026 09:00:07 EDT news700296779 Rideshare e-scooters and e-bikes, and a change in public perception, could help close the gap between public transport hubs and commuters' starting points or destinations, according to a new report. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-scooters-bikes-people.html Consumer & Gadgets Wed, 10 Jun 2026 07:52:39 EDT news700296732 Wind shear, a sudden change in wind speed or direction, is a major cause of aviation incidents; it was responsible for 18% of aviation accidents in 2022. Predicting wind shear events is a priority for aviation safety because it would allow pilots to avoid areas where wind shear is likely. Currently, aircraft-based wind shear detection relies on the F-factor, an index that captures current wind speed and direction, as well as current aircraft speed. But the F-factor cannot predict future wind shear events. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-machine-seconds-error.html Engineering Tue, 09 Jun 2026 17:00:01 EDT news700243141 As concerns grow over global fuel supplies and the cost of flying, new research from the University of Adelaide shows the relationship between jet fuel prices and airfares is not as simple as passengers might think. The study found that different types of jet fuel price shocks have very different effects on Australian domestic airfares, with some shocks leading to higher ticket prices, some having little effect, and others pushing fares in different directions across fare classes. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-jet-fuel-affect-airfares.html Business Tue, 09 Jun 2026 14:20:03 EDT news700232400 Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics IAF have developed a gallium nitride (GaN)-based power electronics module for 800-volt bidirectional direct current (DC) charging systems. The module is part of the GaN4EmoBiL project ("GaN Power Semiconductors for Electric Mobility and System Integration via Bidirectional Charging"). Project partner Ambibox GmbH integrated the module into the demonstrator of a bidirectional, single-phase off-board charger for electric vehicles (EVs). https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-gan-power-electronics-bidirectional-phase.html Energy & Green Tech Mon, 08 Jun 2026 20:00:03 EDT news700133178 Wayve, a British startup specializing in artificial intelligence for self-driving vehicles, said Monday it was ready to launch its robotaxi service with Uber in London as early as this summer. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-uber-wayve-uk-robotaxis-summer.html Automotive Mon, 08 Jun 2026 15:00:06 EDT news700149509 On June 5, 2026, NASA's experimental X-59 aircraft flew faster than the speed of sound for the first time, setting the stage for demonstrating its quiet supersonic capabilities later this year. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-supersonic-nasa-barrier.html Automotive Mon, 08 Jun 2026 14:00:07 EDT news700144159 Researchers from Swansea University are celebrating their role in a major aviation milestone following the successful completion of a four-year international program led by Rolls-Royce and easyJet to demonstrate hydrogen as a viable aviation fuel. The program has culminated in a world-first achievement: a modern aero engine running on 100% hydrogen at full takeoff power, proving the potential of hydrogen to play a transformative role in future zero-carbon aviation. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-hydrogen-viable-aviation-fuel.html Energy & Green Tech Mon, 08 Jun 2026 12:00:04 EDT news700135877 NASA's experimental X-59 aircraft marked a major milestone Friday, June 5, when it flew faster than the speed of sound for the first time, setting the stage for demonstrating its quiet supersonic capabilities later this year. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-nasa-aircraft-flies-supersonic.html Engineering Mon, 08 Jun 2026 11:40:01 EDT news700134872 The Reliability Research Center of the Virtual Engineering Platform Research Division at the Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials (KIMM) participated as a key research partner in the publication of the report titled "Safety Review of Hydrogen-Fueled Ships," conducted in collaboration with the Korean Register. The report is a comprehensive technical document that systematically presents safety considerations, international regulations and risk mitigation measures for hydrogen-fueled ships. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-roadmap-hydrogen-ship-safety-standards.html Energy & Green Tech Mon, 08 Jun 2026 11:00:02 EDT news700133457 The increasing adoption of electric vehicles is creating growing demand for charging infrastructure, driving a transformation in access to and use of energy through the controlled deployment of fast, efficient and secure charging stations. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-track-potential-electric-vehicle-stations.html Security Mon, 08 Jun 2026 10:20:02 EDT news700132069 Electric vehicle batteries depend on many critical metals, and their recycling must be made as efficient as possible in Europe. A new research report examines the key challenges and new opportunities that either hinder or enable improved battery recycling in Europe. The study, conducted by the Environmental Policy Research Group at the University of Eastern Finland, highlights the importance of European battery and automotive industry stakeholders and the need for stronger corporate cooperation, particularly in building recycling facilities. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-recycling-electric-vehicle-batteries-europe.html Energy & Green Tech Mon, 08 Jun 2026 10:00:02 EDT news700131374 There are two ways to think about electric vehicles in Nigeria. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-blackout-plagued-nigeria-pursues-evs.html Automotive Mon, 08 Jun 2026 05:50:01 EDT news700114522 Uncrewed vessels can navigate themselves and notify operators when they need support from shore-based navigators. However, such ships also require an international regulatory framework. Now, the first version is in place, largely thanks to Norwegian research. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-technology-seafarer.html Automotive Sun, 07 Jun 2026 20:30:01 EDT news699873104 Self-driving taxis, already booming in the United States and China, are emerging in Europe, with major companies launching trials this year in several capitals and the European Union set to step on the accelerator Monday. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-europe-taxis.html Hi Tech & Innovation Sun, 07 Jun 2026 15:25:02 EDT news700064676 It may seem like it's impossible to find a car park on the street. As a recent Grattan Institute report makes clear, Australia actually has an oversupply of parking, both on streets and in parking lots. Across five of the state capitals, most postcodes have more on-street spaces than there are registered cars. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-curbside-great-drivers-terrible.html Automotive Fri, 05 Jun 2026 19:40:01 EDT news699859681 For the first time, new algorithms may be able to automatically explain why some self-driving cars crash—a question crucial to answer as more autonomous vehicles take to the roads. This new approach, developed by researchers at King's College London, reviews past events to explain why specific instances of failure happened, in the hope that this can be used to make improvements in the future. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-driverless-cars.html Automotive Fri, 05 Jun 2026 07:40:02 EDT news699860153 Governments and car manufacturers sell electric cars as the future of green transport. But a less visible trend is challenging this story: many electric cars are getting bigger. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-electric-suv-boom-problem-climate.html Energy & Green Tech Thu, 04 Jun 2026 22:40:03 EDT news699797018 Once you've decided to buy an electric vehicle, the exciting but tricky part is choosing which one to get. For a growing number of car shoppers, an electric SUV makes the most sense for everyday life. The latest models have enough range to handle everyday driving and the occasional trek out of town without much of an issue. They're also roomy for your family and have some innovative technology features. But which one to get? That's where the Tesla Model Y and Toyota bZ come in. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-electric-suv-showdown-revamped-toyota.html Automotive Wed, 03 Jun 2026 13:00:05 EDT news699707888 Researchers have developed a new artificial intelligence-based system designed to improve cyberattack detection in software-defined networks (SDNs), a networking architecture widely used in data centers and enterprise systems. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-animal-algorithms-software-networks-disruptions.html Security Wed, 03 Jun 2026 12:40:01 EDT news699707098 Airbus said Tuesday its A350-1000ULR widebody aircraft, capable of flying up to 22 hours nonstop, has successfully completed a first test flight. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-airbus-passenger-plane-fly-hours.html Automotive Tue, 02 Jun 2026 16:00:02 EDT news699633667 Researchers at a Scottish university have demonstrated a 100kW fully superconducting aviation motor that could help pave the way for an electric aircraft. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-100kw-fully-superconducting-aviation-motor.html Energy & Green Tech Tue, 02 Jun 2026 15:20:08 EDT news699631322 Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) have developed an adaptive charging strategy for lithium-ion batteries that could help electric vehicles (EVs) charge efficiently while reducing a major cause of battery degradation known as lithium plating. Published in the Journal of Energy Storage, the study introduces a self-adjusting charging framework that dynamically protects batteries from internal degradation while optimizing charging efficiency and time across varying temperature and health conditions. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-electric-vehicle-method-battery-degradation.html Energy & Green Tech Tue, 02 Jun 2026 13:20:07 EDT news699624267 Modern sails on large ships are becoming increasingly common to save fuel—and also the climate. Now a research team is looking at how to maximize their benefits, and that turns out to be more complicated than anticipated. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-propelling-world-giant-ships-future.html Engineering Mon, 01 Jun 2026 13:00:03 EDT news699536161 Drones operating in a swarm can perform a range of different tasks and exchange information with one another. Up until now, civilian drone swarms are often controlled centrally via a mobile communications link. In the case of autonomous operations, this means that the individual drones are only able to communicate in a star topology via a central node—usually a mobile phone mast. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-mesh-networks-drone-swarms.html Engineering Mon, 01 Jun 2026 12:40:06 EDT news699535741 The transition to electric vehicles in Brazil and Mexico has been driven by domestic politics and global pressures, a new study says. Decisions have been made in both countries shaped by factors beyond emissions, costs or efficiency. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-transition-electric-vehicles-brazil-mexico.html Energy & Green Tech Mon, 01 Jun 2026 07:00:03 EDT news699508081 NASA's X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft is preparing for some of its most significant flights yet. The X-plane is about to begin a new block of test flights that will include its first time flying faster than the speed of sound and other mission-critical objectives. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-nasa-supersonic-flight.html Engineering Fri, 29 May 2026 09:20:07 EDT news699264722