Car Tech Articles

Photos of the Toyota i-Real robot/car that will debut at the 2007 Tokyo auto show are already making their way across the Web.

But what's all the fuss?

The i-Real is a battery-powered vehicle with three wheels.

The rear wheel can kick back further for a low-to-the-ground fast movement with great stability.

While the i-Real looks neat, it's really no different than other Toyota car/robot hybrids we've written about before.

Remember the i-Foot, the i-Wing and the i-Unit?

If you are interested and want to see more, AutoBlog Green has a nice gallery.

If you're planning to be a motorcycle cop for Halloween, this is the perfect accessory to complete the ensemble.

Parrot's SK 4000 Bluetooth headset will make you look like you just pulled out of a presidential motorcade, with a purported 10 hours of standy battery time and an FM stereo when the parties get boring, according to Engadget. Once back in the saddle, you can use the handlebar-mounted remote to call discreetly for reinforcements at the nearest bar.

We've seen press releases and photos heralding Nissan's, Suzuki's, and Mitsubishi's car lineups for the upcoming Tokyo auto show, and now Subaru showed full details of what it will bring to the floor. Car enthusiasts will be eager to get a look at the new WRX STi, which will hopefully reinject a little fun into the disappointing 2008 WRX. Subaru also has a couple of interesting concepts to show off: the all-electric G4e and the Exiga seven-passenger touring car. Look for our blog and photos from the Tokyo auto show starting October 24.

Click here for pictures of Subaru's lineup.… Read more

Will a new anti-theft tool from General Motors and OnStar be enough to make your car not worth the hassle of stealing?

The Stolen Vehicle Slowdown, a new feature added to OnStar, takes away the ability to use a car's gas pedal, while allowing braking and steering controls to work.

OnStar, which already communicates with a car's engine through software, will now use that platform to bypass a driver's foot on the gas pedal and automatically slow down a car by preventing any further acceleration.

OnStar said it will only enable the service if a situation meets … Read more

Shelby SuperCars' (SSC) Ultimate Aero was officially named the Fastest Production Car today by the Guinness Book of World Records. It's the first American-made car to hold the title since the Ford GT40 in 1967.

The 71-year-old driver of the Ultimate Aero, Chuck Bigelow, reached an average top speed of 256.19 miles per hour on two passes--one in each direction--on a two-lane road in rural Washington state. It broke the current official record held by the Koenigsegg CCR by 15.09 miles per hour, and the Bugatti Veyron's unofficial speed by 3.63 miles per hour. And … Read more

With the barrage of hybrid cars announced at Frankfurt and the focus on electric drive trains, hydrogen has taken a break from the alternative-fuels limelight of late. But Mazda is bringing H2 back into focus with the launch of a new hydrogen model at this month's Tokyo auto show. The Premacy Hydrogen RE (essentially a modified Mazda5) makes use of a transversely mounted hydrogen/gasoline rotary engine similar to that in the automaker's RX8 Hydrogen RE.

Like the BMW Hydrogen 7, the Premacy Hydrogen RE burns its hydrogen in its combustion engine; unlike the BMW, it then converts … Read more

Excitement is building in the world of car tech as the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge approaches. The event, which is the third and most demanding to date in the DARPA Challenge series, requires driverless vehicles to perform mock military supply missions completely autonomously. Over a 60-mile course, the robotic cars will be required to merge into moving traffic, navigate traffic circles, negotiate busy intersections, and avoiding obstacles. Thirty-five teams will compete in the Grand Challenge semifinals taking place between October 26 and 31, with 20 vehicles going on to compete in the final race on November 3. Check out our … Read more

Honda, which has stumbled in hybrids compared with rival Toyota, will try to regain its footing later this month when it shows off a hybrid sports car at the Tokyo Auto Show.

The CR-Z, which stands for Concept Renaissance Zero, is a lightweight sports car based on a hybrid system developed by Honda. The company will also display the Puyo, a fuel cell car designed as an economy car. Economy car and hydrogen are now kind of a misnomer. Hydrogen cars cost about $1 million to make at the moment. Still, in a decade or two, hydrogen proponents say the … Read more

Someone at Ford Motor company seems to have a sense of humor.

This $69 branding iron from Ford will imprint the "Ford tough" logo on your steaks, hamburgers or anything else you choose. I'm not sure why anyone would want "tough" meat, but it could be one way to mark the well-done from the medium-rare steaks at your next barbecue.

Kudos to the Truckblog for finding this gem on the Ford Collection Web site.