by Marty Bernstein | May 28, 2010
Kia Responds to Public Demand: Soul’s Hamsters Return Those hip-hop hamsters are back. But we’ll get to the news in a moment. People either like or dislike television commercials. There’s no such a thing as just okay, all right or average. Black or white, nothing...
by Ken Zino | May 28, 2010
The herd mentality of the media is in full view during this week’s feeding frenzy and rampant speculation over the impending demise of the Mercury brand. Such a move, if it is presented to and approved by Ford Motor Company’s board of directors at its next meeting,...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | May 28, 2010
A pioneer in automotive telematics, General Motors’ OnStar unit may be generating “healthy” revenues, but the world of in-car electronics is changing fast and if it doesn’t make some major changes soon OnStar very well could be left behind, admits its new chief...
by Ken Zino | May 28, 2010
Volkswagen is the first automaker to develop a digital customer magazine as an app for the Apple iPad. The “innovative” digital product – dubbed DAS for Digital Automotive Space – is appearing as the launch of the new Apple tablet computer proceeds across...
by Ken Zino | May 28, 2010
BMW is using a 635d model, d for diesel, to demonstrate that electronic noise cancellation can be used instead of heavier materials to decrease the noise created by the compression ignition engine. At the same time, engineers claim that they can tune the sounds that...
by Ken Zino | May 27, 2010
Students from Mississippi State University placed first in the 2010 EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge finals in San Diego today after designing and building a biodiesel extended-range electric vehicle (EREV). Virginia Tech earned second place with an ethanol-powered EV...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | May 27, 2010
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that you can’t simply use a celebrity’s image without authorization – even if that superstar was, indeed, a scientist who has been dead for more than half a century. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem has filed suit against...
by Ken Zino | May 27, 2010
Nearly one in five licensed drivers – or about 38 million Americans – would not pass a written drivers test if taken today, according to a new survey from GMAC Insurance. Some might question why it isn’t more. The sixth annual survey polled 5,202 licensed...
by Ken Zino | May 27, 2010
BYD Company Limited and Daimler AG today signed a contract creating a 50:50 joint venture called Shenzhen BYD Daimler New Technology Co. Ltd. The new firm will develop an electric vehicle for China under a new brand name. Daimler and BYD will invest RMB 600 million...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | May 27, 2010
Honda Motor Co. says it will install a brake-override system on all of its product lines, starting this year, in an effort to prevent the sort of sudden acceleration problems that have plagued its arch-rival, Toyota. The technology is designed to disengage the engine...
by Joseph Szczesny | May 27, 2010
The ambitious Indian vehicle builder Mahindra & Mahindra has entered the race to build a mass market electric vehicle by buying a majority interest in the REVA Electric Vehicle Company of Bangalore, India. The new partnership, Mahindra REVA, will leverage...
by Ken Zino | May 27, 2010
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has proposed changing the congestion charge exemption to include cars with conventional engines that emit low levels of CO2, in many cases lower than the hybrid or alternate fuel vehicles currently benefiting from taxpayer largess....
