https://techxplore.com/rss-feed/automotive-news/ en-us Tech Xplore covers the latest in car tech Tesla's semi-autonomous driving system could be adapted to meet EU and international norms, initial tests suggest, French officials said Thursday. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-09-tesla-semi-autonomous-eu-norms.html Automotive Thu, 03 Sep 2026 15:20:06 EDT news707664538 Imagine getting into a London taxi. Someone is sitting in the driver's seat, but the car is driving itself. If the autonomous system gets into difficulty, they must recognize what is happening, decide whether to intervene and, within seconds, potentially take control. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-09-human-safety-drivers-uber-robotaxis.html Automotive Thu, 03 Sep 2026 14:00:22 EDT news707658902 A tool accidentally left in an Airbus plane forced the European aerospace giant to slow deliveries of new A330 jets for several months, a company source told AFP on Thursday. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-09-lost-tool-disrupts-airbus-jet.html Automotive Thu, 03 Sep 2026 13:20:13 EDT news707657459 Electric vehicle-maker Tesla will debut its self-driving robotaxi, dubbed "Cybercab," in Texas on Thursday in a bid to compete with the likes of Uber and Waymo. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-09-tesla-cybercab-texas.html Automotive Thu, 03 Sep 2026 12:40:07 EDT news707657103 Plug-in hybrids have enjoyed a surge in popularity, but a study published Thursday showed they are polluting far more than most buyers think because they rely on batteries less often than regulators expected. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-09-hybrids-polluting.html Energy & Green Tech Thu, 03 Sep 2026 12:30:43 EDT news707657264 A new study finds that composite metal foam (CMF) could significantly improve automobile safety during frontal collisions. Using computational models to run detailed simulations, researchers found that incorporating CMF into automobile "front rails" would allow them to absorb more energy during high-velocity impacts. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-09-metal-foam-front-rails-cars.html Engineering Thu, 03 Sep 2026 12:00:01 EDT news707655062 A new AI framework can predict how fast an ambulance will move through city traffic, giving fire departments a way to test emergency response strategies in a virtual environment before making changes on real streets. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-09-ai-framework-ambulance-city-traffic.html Automotive Thu, 03 Sep 2026 11:20:01 EDT news707652421 Uber and British tech company Wayve are launching London's first self-driving taxi service on Thursday, giving residents a chance to use technology that's already available in many U.S. cities and other parts of the world. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-09-robotaxi-debuts-london-busy-streets.html Automotive Thu, 03 Sep 2026 04:11:26 EDT news707627465 Ride-hailing giant Uber will lay off about 10% of its staff as part of "significant organizational changes," CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in a message to employees released Wednesday. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-09-uber-laying-workforce-worldwide.html Business Wed, 02 Sep 2026 16:12:09 EDT news707584312 Self-driving cars are often controlled by deep learning models that sometimes fail in unexpected situations. For instance, the car might inexplicably brake and block the path of an oncoming emergency vehicle. A human driver or passenger may need to react rapidly to prevent a collision. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-09-robotaxi-car.html Automotive Wed, 02 Sep 2026 15:40:03 EDT news707582221 If you're looking to reduce your gas bills but buying an electric vehicle just isn't for you, the 2026 Hyundai Tucson Plug-in Hybrid or 2026 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid might be a smart solution. These are hybrid SUVs that drive like a regular gas-powered hybrid but have a rechargeable battery that lets you drive a short distance on all-electric power first. Frequently charging the battery at home for routine driving can significantly reduce your gasoline use. But which plug-in hybrid version of these popular small SUVs is the better choice? Edmunds' auto experts tested them both to find out. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-09-toyota-rav4-hyundai-tucson-hybrid.html Automotive Wed, 02 Sep 2026 13:10:01 EDT news707572224 As extreme heat waves intensify due to climate change, rail temperatures now exceed 60°C (140°F) during summer, increasing track-deformation risks. This has necessitated speed restrictions, causing delays and raising safety concerns. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-09-cooling-overheated-summer-railways-thermal.html Hi Tech & Innovation Tue, 01 Sep 2026 14:40:02 EDT news707483527 CirculaTUM, the interdisciplinary research network of the Technical University of Munich (TUM), has been researching the decarbonization of the automotive sector since the beginning of the year. The findings of the most comprehensive study in this field to date reveal substantial misdirection in European Union climate policy regulation. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-09-reveals-substantial-misdirection-eu-automotive.html Business Tue, 01 Sep 2026 12:00:08 EDT news707482622 Researchers have developed four new high-octane gasoline formulations using renewable fuel additives, reporting improvements in knock resistance, volatility, fuel stability and combustion-related properties compared with the base gasoline assessed in the study. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-09-hybrid-gasoline-fuels-octane-renewable.html Energy & Green Tech Tue, 01 Sep 2026 09:47:28 EDT news707474805 The University of Maine launched a 30-foot (9-meter), high-performance, 3D-printed boat Friday that researchers said could help manufacturers build vessels faster, reduce the need for expensive molds and adapt designs more quickly for commercial and defense use. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-3d-boat-advances-future-maritime.html Engineering Mon, 31 Aug 2026 18:00:04 EDT news707387011 Japanese automakers Nissan and Honda entered a deal to jointly develop computer parts and software for vehicles set to enter the market in fiscal 2029, both sides said Monday. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-japanese-automakers-nissan-honda-software.html Automotive Mon, 31 Aug 2026 13:40:11 EDT news707401567 In computer vision and robotics, ensuring that AI systems remain reliable under real-world conditions is a growing challenge. Deep neural network (DNN)-based vision systems are increasingly used in safety-critical applications such as autonomous driving, where misinterpreting a traffic sign could lead to unsafe decisions. Everyday wear and tear can subtly alter traffic signs, raising questions about whether naturally occurring damage could also expose vulnerabilities in AI-based recognition systems. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-worn-traffic-ai-vision-exposing.html Security Mon, 31 Aug 2026 10:40:12 EDT news707390761 Officials struggled for years to curb high-speed crashes along a residential corridor cutting through Albuquerque, New Mexico, but simply punishing the lead-footed drivers didn't seem to work. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-cities-begun-rewarding-drivers-red.html Automotive Sun, 30 Aug 2026 05:55:49 EDT news707288133 As the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) continues to grow, the disposal of spent EV batteries is emerging as a major social and environmental challenge. Wastewater generated during conventional battery recycling processes can contain high concentrations of heavy metals, posing risks of soil and groundwater contamination. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-key-recycling-spent-ev-batteries.html Energy & Green Tech Fri, 28 Aug 2026 13:20:05 EDT news707141761 Packing isn't just about fitting everything into a certain space—it's also about being able to retrieve important items quickly and correctly. In a pair of new studies, researchers from North Carolina State University developed packing models that optimize spatial use while including item priority, location and weight distribution. The new models could improve efficiency in areas ranging from combat loading in military logistics to warehouse storage and multidrop delivery services. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-code-incorporate-item-priority-weight.html Engineering Thu, 27 Aug 2026 11:40:03 EDT news707049062 A hiker is lost in the forest, and winter weather is setting in. The search needs to be speedy, thorough and efficient. Searchers send out an autonomous robotic drone. But how does it know where it should go? New research from Rohan Ghuge, assistant professor of information, risk and operations management at McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin, can help. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-path-unmanned-vehicles-fast-conventional.html Hi Tech & Innovation Wed, 26 Aug 2026 14:20:07 EDT news706972741 A platform for training and comparing machine learning models to actively reduce drag, improve lift, cut noise and manage heat has been launched by an international team that includes researchers at the University of Washington, University of Michigan Engineering, RWTH Aachen University and the Technical University of Munich. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-simulated-ground-ai-fluid-dynamics.html Automotive Wed, 26 Aug 2026 13:20:17 EDT news706968721 Self-driving car company Waymo said Tuesday it will launch its robotaxis in the German city of Munich next year, marking the U.S. group's first foray into the European Union. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-robotaxi-firm-waymo-germany.html Automotive Tue, 25 Aug 2026 15:14:36 EDT news706889659 A passenger jet soars across the sky at 640 mph (1,030 kilometers per hour), its wings pummeled with wind and boundary-layer turbulence, challenging the plane's operation and efficiency. Advancing research from Mahmoud I. Hussein aims to prevent that turbulence with engineered microscopic vibrations from synthetic subsurface materials that can dramatically improve fuel efficiency. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-tailored-surface-vibrations-aerodynamic-passenger.html Engineering Mon, 24 Aug 2026 17:40:04 EDT news706811881 Can electric vehicles charge quickly without sacrificing battery longevity? A KAIST research team has identified a potential solution using a three-dimensional digital twin—a virtual model that recreates the internal microstructure of a real battery electrode. In their work published in the journal InfoMat, the team found that fast-charging performance and degradation behavior are influenced not only by the amounts of materials and pore space within the electrode, but also by how they are distributed. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-mechanical-route-faster-longer-ev.html Energy & Green Tech Mon, 24 Aug 2026 15:20:07 EDT news706803001 Tesla and other Chinese carmakers are making a major recall of more than 4 million vehicles over safety concerns mostly related to their door handles, according to Chinese authorities on Friday. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-tesla-recalls-3m-vehicles-china.html Automotive Sat, 22 Aug 2026 10:50:01 EDT news706613906 Finally, Australians are being encouraged to swap four wheels for two. Governments are investing in cycling infrastructure, and calls for e-bike subsidies are growing louder. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-people-ditch-car-ebike-confident.html Automotive Fri, 21 Aug 2026 18:40:01 EDT news706529035 With airlines and consumers increasingly concerned about carbon, nitrogen and hydrocarbon emissions, biofuels have emerged as a green alternative. Among these, those made from coconut oil are particularly attractive because they have fatty acid chain lengths similar to the hydrocarbon chain lengths required for jet fuel, suggesting they could make effective fuels with minimal processing. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-coconut-blend-fuel-jet-difference.html Energy & Green Tech Thu, 20 Aug 2026 12:00:04 EDT news706444141 Animated "virtual agents" could help keep the roads of the future safer by alerting people behind the wheel of semiautonomous cars to oncoming hazards, new research suggests. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-attention-virtual-agents-safety-cars.html Automotive Thu, 20 Aug 2026 10:40:08 EDT news706439496 Roosevelt Boulevard is a vital artery connecting North and Northeast Philadelphia, used by tens of thousands of people each day. It is as complex as it is iconic, with much of its length consisting of 12 lanes of moving traffic. It has 56 intersections with traffic signals, 94 unsignalized intersections with 129 access points, and 54 crossovers between inner and outer lanes. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-paving-safer-roads.html Automotive Thu, 20 Aug 2026 10:40:01 EDT news706438441