https://techxplore.com/rss-feed/automotive-news/ en-us Tech Xplore covers the latest in car tech 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 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 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 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 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 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 A research team led by senior researcher Bongseok Kim of the Future Mobility Research Division at DGIST has developed a "low-complexity receiver technology" that can simultaneously communicate data and detect surrounding objects using automotive radar. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-radar-jobs-vehicle-exchanges-high.html Engineering Wed, 19 Aug 2026 10:00:04 EDT news706351463 Physical access to an aircraft has not typically been considered a cybersecurity risk—but it should be, according to a team of computer scientists at the University of California San Diego. In a paper presented Aug. 13 at the USENIX Security Symposium in Baltimore, Maryland, former UC San Diego Ph.D. student Sam Crow showed that physical access to an aircraft, even for a brief period, would allow an attacker equipped with a custom-made hardware device to take over communications between two key onboard computers. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-physical-access-boeing-flight.html Security Thu, 13 Aug 2026 12:06:25 EDT news705841556 Researchers at the Surrey Space Centre (SCC) found that extreme space weather events can significantly increase radiation exposure at typical flight altitudes of 8–14 km (5–9 miles) and trigger faults in aircraft electronics—posing a challenge for flight safety. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-extreme-space-weather-disrupt-flights.html Automotive Wed, 12 Aug 2026 13:40:02 EDT news705755642 Gas turbine engines, like those powering passenger planes, operate under extreme conditions during everyday use. These engines regularly reach temperatures well over 800°C (1,470°F), which creates challenges for long-term durability and efficiency. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-coating-gas-turbines-reliable-longer.html Engineering Wed, 12 Aug 2026 13:20:06 EDT news705754682 In recent months, American drivers have felt the pain of increased prices at the gas pump. There's some evidence that higher prices may be fueling interest in greener ways of getting around. Battery electric cars, more commonly called electric vehicles or EVs, can be cheaper to own and operate than gas-powered internal combustion engine cars, and they offer considerable sustainability benefits. But just how much better for the planet are electric vehicles, really? https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-car-ev-compelling.html Consumer & Gadgets Thu, 06 Aug 2026 14:00:05 EDT news705155941 A joint research team—led by Ki-Jae Kim, a professor in the Department of Energy Science and the Department of Future Energy Engineering at Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), alongside Jang Wook Choi's research team from Seoul National University—has developed a high-performance hybrid polymer binder for thick-film electrodes. The breakthrough significantly boosts the energy density of lithium-ion batteries while extending their lifespan. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-hybrid-battery-binder-ev-range.html Energy & Green Tech Wed, 29 Jul 2026 12:00:05 EDT news704539780 As the need for sustainable electric vehicles grows, cobalt-free, high-nickel cathode batteries (such as manganese-coated nickel-core batteries) have emerged as one of the most promising technologies. These batteries increase driving range while reducing dependence on expensive critical minerals. However, a new study suggests that a hidden weakness in the battery material could significantly reduce the life span of these next-generation batteries. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-hidden-battery-flaw-shorten-ev.html Energy & Green Tech Tue, 28 Jul 2026 12:40:05 EDT news704458624 At least 2.2 million cars on the road today are vulnerable to an attack that allows thieves to lock and unlock doors and immobilize vehicle engines remotely via a Bluetooth connection, computer scientists at the University of California San Diego have found. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-million-cars-anti-theft-dealers.html Security Tue, 21 Jul 2026 15:00:05 EDT news703864561 A research team led by Professor Jo Woon Chong of the School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering at Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), in collaboration with researchers from KAIST and Texas Tech University in the United States, has developed the Passenger Movement Estimation System (PMES). This AI-based system predicts passenger movements using CCTV footage to prevent subway door entrapment accidents before they occur. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-ai-tech-proactively-subway-door.html Automotive Tue, 21 Jul 2026 13:00:05 EDT news703855261 An aircraft powered by a megawatt-class hybrid-electric engine developed in collaboration with NASA and built by GE Aerospace, demonstrated flight of an innovation that can inform new generations of fuel-saving aircraft power systems. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-hybrid-electric-aircraft-feet-flights.html Energy & Green Tech Mon, 20 Jul 2026 17:00:09 EDT news703784641 Using bird bone structure as inspiration, Xin Ning and Sepideh Ebad Sichani, Ph.D. '26, have created a new class of aircraft wing structures—unbound by traditional designs of ribs, spars and stiffeners. The researchers are in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at The Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-mimicked-bird-bones-lightweight-high.html Engineering Wed, 15 Jul 2026 10:20:03 EDT news703326184 Researchers from Delft University of Technology (The Netherlands) have developed a European energy system model that pits two technologies against each other—future unidirectional smart charging (V1G) and vehicle-to-grid charging (V2G)—to determine which mode is most economically advantageous for EU countries in a 2050 energy system. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-customized-ev-eu-energy.html Energy & Green Tech Tue, 14 Jul 2026 10:20:06 EDT news703242137 The safety performance of autonomous vehicle (AV) algorithms is boosted by 90% using simulation data that better incorporates near-miss incidents with outright failures, according to new research led by University of Michigan Engineering. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-cars-av-algorithm.html Automotive Mon, 13 Jul 2026 10:20:01 EDT news703155230 Tires are essential to modern transport, but their production and use raise environmental concerns. One important issue is zinc oxide, a common activator used in rubber vulcanization. Zinc oxide helps rubber form the crosslinked network that gives tires their strength, elasticity and durability. However, zinc can be released into the environment during manufacturing, recycling and tire wear, where it may affect aquatic ecosystems. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-fly-ash-greener-rubber.html Energy & Green Tech Mon, 13 Jul 2026 08:20:03 EDT news703149174 Electric vehicle batteries could last twice as long, preventing costly replacement, with a new approach to heating and cooling the batteries, according to a study led by University of Michigan Engineering. The system is designed to work with voltage and charging data that today's battery management systems already collect, rather than requiring new sensors inside the battery. It is best suited for lower-power Level 1 and Level 2 charging, which is common at homes, workplaces and public parking areas, and is expected to cover most EV charging demand. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-smarter-diagnostics-silicon-ev-batteries.html Energy & Green Tech Wed, 01 Jul 2026 12:40:09 EDT news702127861 A new approach to battery recycling could turn today's electric vehicle waste into the building blocks of tomorrow's higher-performing batteries. Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed an environmentally friendly method to upcycle cathodes from used lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries into a more powerful battery material known as lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP), which can store more energy than LFP. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-spent-ev-batteries-life-higher.html Energy & Green Tech Wed, 01 Jul 2026 11:40:08 EDT news702122515 Two-wheeled vehicles with conventional stability-control systems must lean to change direction, making it difficult for rider-assistance systems to determine whether a rider is intentionally cornering or experiencing instability that could lead to a fall. To address this challenge, researchers from Shibaura Institute of Technology (SIT), Japan, have developed a rider-intent-aware control system that can distinguish between the two and provide stabilization support only when needed. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-smart-bicycle-riders-falling.html Consumer & Gadgets Tue, 30 Jun 2026 13:40:05 EDT news702044701 The key to making longer-lasting electric vehicle batteries may not be specialized materials or new chemistry, but simple physical pressure, according to new research. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-physical-pressure-ev-batteries-environmental.html Energy & Green Tech Tue, 30 Jun 2026 11:00:08 EDT news702035581 A bio-inspired robotic bird capable of mimicking the key movements of kestrels is helping researchers unravel the mysteries behind the species' exceptional hovering capabilities. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-robotic-bird-uncover-mysteries-flight.html Engineering Mon, 29 Jun 2026 10:00:06 EDT news701944741 Although electrified versions of vans, buses and semis cost more upfront on average than their diesel-powered counterparts, the overall calculus behind adopting greener vehicles is currently in flux. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-batteries-fuel-cells-overhaul-emissions.html Energy & Green Tech Thu, 25 Jun 2026 05:00:05 EDT news701452081 Next-generation electronic devices like newer computers and other high-power devices require more energy to run. When they are working hard, the intense heat they generate can limit their performance and reliability. That's why scientists are trying to find better and more sustainable materials to help cool devices down. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-bacteria-based-cooling-material-electronics.html Energy & Green Tech Wed, 24 Jun 2026 17:40:05 EDT news701539981