Car Tech Articles

For the last week, my iPhone has been sporting a case designed to look like an engine's head gasket. The maker, Id America, calls it a V-8, but as I've only got one phone, it's a four-banger.

The Gasket V8 case, as Id America calls it, is a nice variation on the competition, usually plastic or rubber with decorations consisting of simple prints and decals. This one is made of metal stamped through with four cylinder holes and apertures for cooling, oil, and bolts.

For variation, it comes in silver, charcoal, red, yellow, or blue. You will … Read more

Pioneer pulls the wraps off of the third generation of of its app-powered series of car stereos this week with the announcement of the AppRadio 3. The new model adds a surprising new feature and a few others that I feel the line of receivers should have had all along.

AppRadio 3's biggest new party trick is the addition of the MirrorLink connectivity standard to its feature set. When connected to supported phones via USB, MirrorLink allows AppRadio to mirror the phone's display with touch sensitivity, putting the apps on the device at the user's fingertips. More … Read more

In what could be viewed as a shot in the arm for U.S.-made electric cars, Tesla Motors has repaid a government loan nine years early.

"Today, Tesla Automotive repaid the entire remaining balance on a $465 million loan from the Department of Energy nine years earlier than originally required," the U.S. Department of Energy said in a statement Wednesday.

That clean-energy loan was made in 2010.

And the U.S. energy secretary, Ernest Moniz, seemed to address critics of clean energy loans while trumpeting the success of Tesla.

"When you're talking about cutting-edge … Read more

Forget pricey Teslas; Chevrolet announced pricing for its Spark EV model at $27,495. If a buyer qualifies for the full federal tax credit of $7,500, that price drops to $19,995.

The Spark EV goes on sale in June but will be limited to California and Oregon. California owners will be able to apply further credits up to $2,500. Oregon may be less friendly, as the state considers charging electric car owners a special per-mile tax.

Chevrolet's announcement also notes that dealers can offer lease deals for $199 per month, and that the Spark EV will … Read more

Aside from sounding like it received its moniker from BMW's product department, the S-Voice Drive driving mode is an extension of the Samsung Galaxy S4's S-Voice voice-command app that adjusts the system in a few very important ways for drivers.

First, it allows the driver's interactions to be mostly hands-free. When in this mode, S-Voice Drive can be activated with a spoken command, rather than pushing a button. This allows drivers to keep both hands on the wheel. Simply say, "Hi, Galaxy" and the device springs to attention, ready to accept your voice commands.

Next, … Read more

Nissan's Pathfinder started life as a truck-based SUV, then went to unibody construction in a subsequent generation, becoming a crossover before there were crossovers. That generation was followed by a truck-based model, which gained a little off-road cred. With the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder the pendulum swings back to a crossover design, striving to retain its backcountry capability while adding all the comforts of a minivan. With the Platinum Premium package, Nissan even throws in a rear-seat entertainment system.

What Nissan really attempts with the Pathfinder is to be all things to all people. This effort is, for the most … Read more

LAS VEGAS -- General Motors is eager to get its slice of the app pie.

Mary Chan, head of the global connected consumer unit for GM, told CNET that apps would come to select cars in the second half. The initial set of apps will be per-determined by the company, will be available for download, and will make up the early stages of its in-car app store. More importantly, GM will also debut an app framework in these cars that will enable the download of future apps.

With the proliferation of the app market in mobile devices, GM -- and … Read more

LAS VEGAS -- For parents looking to settle backseat brawls over which kid gets to hold the tablet next, Digital Innovations' EasyMount contraption for tablets offers one affordable solution.

The patent-pending plastic and aluminum mount hooks onto the front-seat headrests with sliding arms that can accommodate most cars, trucks, and vans. Adjustable arms and clips in the mount's center accommodate tablets of varying sizes. The result? A tablet that's equidistant from the left and right back seats, and that can be controlled by any passenger.

The device looks sturdy, though I wasn't able to see it in … Read more

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This episode we welcome our colleagues from CNET UK who produce the XCar video series. They approach cars in a way that is different yet complimentary to my car tech videos, and we'll be featuring one in each episode going forward. We kick it off by giving them top billing with their lovely video impression of the new Jaguar F-Type, which we have yet to get into the CNET garage in San Francisco. This XCar piece is a nice way … Read more