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The Volkswagen Touareg bowed out of the U.S. after 2017, with the automaker filling the gap with the more affordable Atlas. However, a redesigned third-generation model has been on sale overseas since 2018 and now it’s about to come in for a mid-cycle update. Prototypes for the updated Touareg have been spotted for more than a year and this week VW detailed some of the changes being made. There will be new styling front and rear, including the addition of a light strip at the front and more advanced matrix LED headlights boasting a brighter and more precisely controlled light…
Continental is looking at trash heaps and recycling bins to find sustainable materials for future tires. The company hopes to make all of its tires entirely from sustainable materials by 2050 at the latest, up from 15% to 20% renewable or recycled content today. In a press release, Continental explained how it’s looking at agricultural waste like rice husks and dandelions, as well as recycled plastic bottles, to help achieve that goal. A passenger car tire can be composed of up to 100 different materials, according to Continental, and one of the most important is natural rubber, which the company…
The Kia Sorento is about to come in for an update, as evidenced by a camouflaged prototype spotted in the wild. The thick camouflage gear suggests the update will be a major one, at least when it comes to the styling. New designs for the headlights and grille can be seen poking through the camouflage in some of the shots. The new look is similar to what we see on Kia’s larger Telluride SUV which itself was updated for 2023. A shot of the interior shows camouflage covering the dash, pointing to major changes here as well. A single panel…
Android Auto Quick Facts Our phones add a lot to our lives: They connect us to the people we love, the hobbies we enjoy, the politics we hate-watch, and the work we need to do. In the same way, our cars add a lot to our lives. They give us the freedom to see and do more than we could ever hope without them. But put the two together, and you create something dangerous. Safety First According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving kills more than 3,000 Americans every year. Safety experts used to advocate for…
Tesla is recalling 362,758 electric cars equipped with its Full Self-Driving (FSD) driver-assist system because the system could cause crashes. Despite the name, Full Self-Driving does not enable autonomous driving. Based on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recall documents, the system, which is still considered by Tesla to be in the “Beta” development stage, can in certain circumstances behave in ways that would be unacceptable for human drivers. After analysis and testing, the NHTSA found that the Autosteer on City Streets function of the system “led to an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety based on insufficient adherence…
An updated 2024 Buick Encore GX subcompact crossover will be introduced for the 2024 model year, and it will sport fresh styling, a more high-tech cabin, and a new upmarket Avenir model. The Encore GX arrived for the 2020 model year as a slightly larger alternative to the Encore, a crossover that’s also in the subcompact segment. It was among the first vehicles based on a platform from General Motors’ VSS family, specifically the VSS-F for small, front-wheel-drive vehicles. It’s proven a hit, becoming Buick’s most popular vehicle in North America quickly after launch, and the latest updates should only…
A few months ago, we wrote that the final production units of the Lamborghini Aventador Ultimae represented the end of the reign of the naturally aspirated V12 in Sant’Agata Bolognese, and the last Aventador Ultimae meant the end of an NA V12 Aventador. Seems we were mistaken. Lamborghini now tells us these two one-offs are the proper and (maybe) final end of the NA V12. Created for a customer who worked with Lamborghini Centro Stile from inception, the duo are the Invencible (the Spanish spelling of “Invincible”) coupe and Auténtica roadster. They’re not only farewells, they are greatest-hits compilations said…
Nine million EVs and hybrids are potentially under scrutiny because of one petition questioning their safety. A group of automakers stands by California and its EV mandate in court. And New Jersey is the latest state to sign on to these tighter rules. This and more, here at DriftBreath Reports. On Wednesday, the U.S. DOT and the Biden administration laid out requirements for the hardware, and charging network interfaces, for companies looking to claim federal funds on the buildout of the $7.5 billion federal EV charging network. Among many key contributing pieces: Tesla will open up some of its network—for…
Recent actions in two states have solidified a bloc of EV support throughout most of the East Coast. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy on Wednesday announced plans to adopt California’s 2035 end date for new internal-combustion cars aside from plug-in hybrids. This was codified in one of three executive orders signed by Murphy Wednesday, which outline policies that include 100% clean-energy use by 2035, and greater energy efficiency in the state’s building sector. “These bold targets and carefully crafted initiatives signal our unequivocal commitment to swift and concrete climate action today,” Murphy said in a statement. 2023 Jaguar I-Pace The…
BMW and French automotive supplier Valeo are expanding their partnership in the area of self-driving technology to cover automated parking systems that can be used in both private and public parking garages. The two companies already entered into an agreement last summer to use some of Valeo’s self-driving technology on BMW’s upcoming Neue Klasse family of electric vehicles, including a central computer, sensors, and software for automated low-speed maneuvering. The two companies this week said they will also work together to develop an automated parking system ranked at Level 4 on the SAE scale of self-driving technology. Level 4 means…