Car Tech Articles

NEW YORK--Audi showed off the cabin tech for the new A3 model at 2012 CES, setting the first milestone for what looked like a highly anticipated update. And while Audi put the updated A3 in sedan and Sportback form on the stage in Geneva and Paris last year, it is only now that we get to see the U.S. version of the car.

However, shown as a 2015 model at the New York International Auto Show, the A3 will not hit showrooms until next year.

The new A3 will come out in far different form than what most Americans … Read more

When Buick updated its LaCrosse model with its mild hybrid system, eAssist, and the IntelliLink infotainment system for the 2012 model year, the car was the most technically advanced Buick available. Rather than rest on its laurels, Buick gives the model new internal tech features for a 2014 model year update, including a new LED panel in the instrument cluster.

The 2014 LaCrosse model will feature the same drivetrain options as before, a 2.4-liter four-cylinder aided by a 15-horsepower electric motor or a more traditional 3.6-liter V-6 with direct injection.

The look gets refreshed slightly with new LED … Read more

In a tweet mentioning @TeslaMotors, Tesla CEO Elon Musk promised a big announcement on Thursday, and wrote, "Am going to put my money where my mouth is in v major way."

A Tesla spokeswoman told CNET that the company is still working out the place and timing of the announcement. However, she said that Tesla will not be at the New York auto show, which is holding a press preview on Wednesday and Thursday of this week.

After the tweet was posted, Tesla's shares jumped 4.23 percent.

Musk's second sentence in the tweet suggests he … Read more

The tech arms race between BMW and Audi is yielding some amazing cars, such as the Audi S7 we recently reviewed. BMW fights back with its newly announced 2014 6-series, featuring revised cabin electronics that will not only take dictation and send out e-mails for the driver, but also debuts a new digital instrument cluster.

BMW touted the new voice-recognition system for the 6-series in a press release today, noting its simplified voice commands and control over most cabin tech features. The new system will let drivers activate a dictation mode, having the car transcribe e-mails and text messages. The … Read more

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If you like high-tech cars, the Audi A7 is very high on your list. It's just about the techiest ride out there and far from the most expensive. Add the hot sauce of S trim and the 2013 Audi S7 becomes a favorite of ours. I'll take you for a ride in this episode.

I've never received more sustained e-mail on a single topic than I have on EPA mileage ratings lately. Many of you are actively wondering … Read more

Dabbling in politics can bring troubling consequences.

So here at Technically Incorrect, we prefer to keep our distance, because, from a distance, our laughter can still be heard quite well.

However, I received a curious message last night from Gary G. Howell, a Republican in the West Virginia Legislature.

It read: "Your article on Google Glass prompted this bill."

The only bills I'd ever previously inspired were $20 ones accompanied by the words: "Here's money for a taxi. Get out of here."

So I wondered what sort of bill this could be. It transpires that West Virginia has decided to think proactively about Google Glass.

This bill seeks to make it illegal to drive while "using a wearable computer with head mounted display." … Read more

Back in the days of the Car Tech Live podcast, I was often (ahem, every week) asked, "What's the best way to add a lot of tech to my car without spending a lot of money?"

The answer I most often gave was, "Check out Sony's MEX line of single-DIN car stereos. For about two Benjamins, you'll add Bluetooth hands-free calling, wireless audio streaming, USB and auxiliary inputs, and upgrade the audio quality of your car's wimpy car stereo."

The Sony MEX-GS600BT is one of the latest units in the MEX line, … Read more

The Audi A7 came out in 2011 as a stupendous tech car, featuring an always-on data connection feeding maps from Google Earth into the navigation system. Now the A7 gets the "S" treatment, which in Audi terms means a higher output engine and sport modifications.

In 2013 Audi S7 form, the body style remains the same as the less-ferocious A7. Termed a four-door coupe by Audi, the S7 sedan includes a hatchback instead of a proper trunk, with a roofline running down the back in a gradual, aerodynamic slope.

In the Glacier White Metallic paint of CNET's … Read more

We've seen the current iteration of the Volvo C30 R-Design before, but with the model ending production in December, it seems appropriate to take another look at what has been one of my favorite hatchbacks. Volvo must also want to give the C30 an appropriate sendoff, because it has furnished us with a Polestar limited edition -- one of only 250 examples -- that features more power than the standard C30 R-Design, an eye-catching color scheme, and all of the tech and comfort bells and whistles available on the model.

Design Even fully loaded, the C30 is Volvo's … Read more