Here’s what Bosch hopes to learn from deploying autonomous cars in San Jose
While software-based simulations are more accurate than ever, Bosch's Kay Stepper argues there's no replacement for real-world testing. The company is running a fleet of autonomous taxis in San Jose, California, as it prepares to deploy the technology globally. Challenges persist, however.
Qualcomm’s self-driving car made me never want to touch a steering wheel again
At CES 2020 in Las Vegas, Qualcomm announced a new platform for self-driving cars, called Snapdragon Ride. And to showcase all of its powers, Qualcomm gave me a ride in a Lincoln MKZ that had been tricked out with all the sensors, radar, and chips necessary to use the new platform.
Where are they now? A look back at our past Top Tech of CES winners
For years, the tech sages of Digital Trends has been crowning the most impressive products at CES. How well have our picks held up? With CES 2020 on the horizon, it feels like a good time to look back at our favorite tech from years past, and ponder just how important they really proved to be.
The BMW Group has some stunners in its 2020 lineup, and we drove them all
We got behind the wheel of BMW Group’s latest hardware at their Spartanburg, South Carolina test facility an put their 2020 wares to the test. The biggest standouts were the M8, an Alpina, the Mini JCW Clubman, and a very dark Rolls Royce. Here's our complete rundown.
It’s easy to forget, but even an average car is now packed with advanced tech
The 2020 Volkswagen Passat shows just how far automotive tech has come. The Passat doesn't push the boundaries of tech, but it still feels like a spaceship compared to its 1970s ancestor. Digital Trends drove a 2020 Passat back to back with a 1977 Volkswagen Dasher to highlight the evolution.
Hands on with the Taycan 4S
The Taycan Turbo has been slowly trickling into Europe and America, but they are still exceedingly rare. The 4S model that was just announced is rarer still, as it is not even released yet. We got our first chance to look the model over, inside and out, and record our first impressions.
Inside the Bollinger electric trucks coming to offroad parks near you
We’ve previously taken a look at the Bollinger trucks, but now we’ve gotten our greasy little auto-journalist hands over both the prototypes, poked and prodded, and generally did our level best to break things on these Tonka trucks.
The Honda CR-V Hybrid is more important than you think
The Honda CR-V has been a hit. Now, Honda is releasing the first ever hybrid version of the CR-V. It might seem like a boring and simply product extension, but this is massively important both for Honda and the car world in general.
Six theories on why the Cybertruck’s bulletproof glass cracked so easily
Elon Musk smashing two of the windows of Tesla's divisive pickup, the Cybertruck, was the most commented-upon moment of the futuristic vehicle's unveiling. But why did the armor glass windows let him down? Here are several theories which might explain the breaks heard around the world.
Maserati is balancing the past and the future to reinvent all of its cars
Electric powertrains? Check. Over-the-air software updates? Present. Cutting-edge infotainment systems? Yep. Maserati is making big investments to overhaul its product portfolio between 2020 and 2023. Digital Trends stepped inside the company's Innovation Lab to learn more.
2019 LA Auto Show: Highlights, headlines, and everything awesome
You'd think the LA Auto Show would focus solely on electric cars, but that's not the case. While we saw some pretty cool hybrid and electric cars, high-performance models were everywhere, and it's clear that buyers still love SUVs. We've singled out the most noteworthy cars unveiled during the event.
With the Cybertruck, Musk brings a phaser to a gunfight. Will anybody buy it?
Tesla built a better pickup truck based on its specs. It's big, it's powerful, and it looks like nothing else on the market, But can Elon Musk's Cybertruck win buyers in a market where image is king, trucks are a huge part of individual identity, and cyberpunk is a head-scratcher?
Audi once again pushes the envelope with headlights that are frickin lasers
Audi has pioneered countless technological advancements and improvements, from safety systems to vehicle construction methods. But good lord do they like themselves some headlights. Audi has easily been the most influential headlight maker and now they are back with frickin laser headlights.
The Lamborghini Museum houses 55 Years of technical innovation
The Lamborghini story begins with angry words between Enzo Ferrari and Ferruccio Lamborghini and ends with a company that currently creates some of the most exciting and revolutionary technologies is all the car world. Their Museum is a perfect place for a trip down a technological memory lane.
Technologies that can still save the internal combustion engine
The good old internal combustion engine has been powering the world for over a century now, and despite the much-needed technological advancements in electric vehicles, gasoline power is not going away anytime soon. These new technologies will keep our gas-powered engines going into the future.
Everything to get excited about at 2019 LA Auto Show
The 2019 LA Auto Show is this week and it brings with it a whole host of reveals, announcements, and surprises. We will be there to bring you all the news as it happens, as well as getting in-depth with the most important new cars.
How tech is making trucks comfier, smoother, and better for everyday drivers
Trucks are more expensive than they’ve ever been, but they are also more advanced, safer, and more comfortable than they’ve ever been, thanks in large part to widespread use of new technologies and better construction materials.
Ford unveils all-electric Mustang Mach-E
Ford is making a huge leap of faith, planting their most prestigious performance car badge on a vehicle that shares precisely none of the Mustang’s traditional first principles. It’s incredibly fast and supremely cool, but is it really a Mustang?
Exclusive: Hands on with the world’s first electric crate motor
Electric GT has developed the world’s first electric crate motor to drop into any project car you might have. We had to get our hands on it personally and talk to the mad geniuses behind this world first.
Inside Volkswagen’s plan to finally bring affordable electric cars to the masses
Volkswagen is opening its first factory dedicated to electric car production, the first step toward a goal of selling 22 million electric cars worldwide by 2028. Digital Trends got a firsthand look at the factory building the Volkswagen ID.3, the automaker's first mass-market electric car.
I drove a Type R to SEMA and saw the past, present, and future of car culture
I’m blessed to be driving the first Type R to grace the shores of America, and I’m on my way from LA to Las Vegas to attend the 2019 SEMA show. This convention in the inhospitable Nevada desert is a celebration of all things car customizing, and it shows what will be popular in the coming years.
We put a classic car up against an electrified classic. Here’s what we learned
Electrified vintage cars are all the rage right now, but they all seem to be lacking in soul. Electric GT has a new take on vintage EVs, and I took a traditional classic to put the two cars head-to-head.
The real reason why you don’t like CVT transmissions is deeper than you think
Cognitive dissonance is a mental discomfort caused by holding opposing ideas simultaneously within your mind’s eye. The concept of cognitive dissonance re-occurred to me recently as I drove a Honda hybrid vehicle that featured a CVT or Continuously Variable Transmission.
The Bollinger B1 and B2 have Tonka looks with Tesla power
Imagine combining a Tesla Model S with a vintage Land Rover 4x4, and the result would look something like the Bollinger B1 and B2. The lines of these electric trucks are so straight and sharply creased, they’re eerily menacing.
Hydrogen was the fuel of tomorrow, so what happened?
Hydrogen vehicles solve so many of the problems associated with battery electric cars, and yet they have all but disappeared from the discussion on the future of the automobile. We look into happened to hydrogen tech, and determine if it still have a future.
Will autonomous cars eradicate driving jobs? Don’t hold your breath
Andrew Yang would have you believe that autonomous cars and trucks are going to take all driving jobs away from humans, but while that could potentially happen in the distant future, experts and industry insiders suggest autonomous driving won't displace workers anytime soon.
The Honda Passport: A more hardcore off-roader than you think
The new Honda Passport bills itself as an adventure-ready crossover with some real off-road credibility. It certainly looks the business, but is it any good when the pavement ends? The answer is yes, mostly, but the reasons why may not be what you think.
Exclusive: Papadakis tells us the parts he needs to make a 1000 horsepower Supra
Award-winning engine builder Stephan Papadakis set out to wrest 1,000 horsepower out of the new Toyota-BMW B58 engine found in the 2020 Toyota Supra. In the third episode, Papadakis shows us how he assembles a high performance racing engine.
How do you get a Bugatti to 304 mph? Grit, really good tires, and a lot of tech
Andy Wallace talked to Digital Trends about how he set a world speed record in a Bugatti Chiron, and he told us about the technology that made the run possible. Michelin engineer Benjamin Vilpert also explained what went into testing tires capable of safely carrying a car to speeds planes normally take off at.
CarGenerator lets you power your entire house with your car
Generators are the kind of devices you’ve always wanted to buy – or know you need to buy – but can never pull the trigger on. But here’s the thing gentle reader, there should be no need for you to invest in a generator as your car’s alternator is pumping out juice any time your engine is running.
Everything that’s new and updated from Audi in 2020
Audi is holding steady, with only minor changes to most of its product lineup for the new year. The strategy is simple and designed to allow the new RS6 Avant performance wagon take the spotlight. Here's the full rundown of all 2020 changes.
Exclusive: How Land Rover’s designers resurrected the Defender
Few vehicles are as iconic and celebrated around the world as the Land Rover Defender. We spoke with the designers that had the difficult task of propelling the Defender nameplate, creating a modern vehicle while keeping it true to its roots as an exceptionally capable vehicle.