Information Technology

Tesla CEO talking with Google about 'autopilot' systems

9:21 am U.S. ET | May 7, 2013
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the electric-car maker is considering adding driverless technology to its vehicles and discussing the prospects for such systems with Google Inc.... Read More »

 

Microsoft wants to become key player in auto software

12:01 am U.S. ET | May 6, 2013
Having reshaped a big piece of the world's economy around its Windows software, Microsoft Corp. now wants to do the same thing in the car business. What the Seattle giant sees there says as much about the future of cars as it does about itself.... Read More »

 

General Motors recalls more than 38,000 sedans over circuit board glitch

3:37 pm U.S. ET | May 6, 2013
GM will recall more than 38,000 sedans equipped with its "eAssist" mild hybrid system to repair circuit boards that may overheat leading to a loss of battery charge or in extreme cases, a fire in the trunk.... Read More »

 

Toyota: Cost to develop fuel cell cars falls

12:01 am U.S. ET | May 6, 2013
The hydrogen refueling infrastructure may not be ready, but the cost of developing the fuel cell cars Toyota plans to launch in 2015 has plunged.... Read More »

 

Ford's latest high-tech twist: Granddad's old-school knobs

12:01 am U.S. ET | May 6, 2013
Joe Hinrichs, Ford Motor Co.'s president of the Americas, won't say directly how the company plans to fix its troubled MyFord Touch control system, which has hurt Ford's ratings in quality surveys. But here's a hint: knobs.... Read More »

 

2nd lives for EV batteries could cut prices

12:01 am U.S. ET | May 6, 2013
Lithium ion battery packs that power some electrified vehicles could end up feeding juice into the electrical grid -- a development that could cut EV ownership costs.... Read More »

 

How cars will get more helpful

12:01 am U.S. ET | May 6, 2013
Technologies already exist that will allow cars of the future to perform new tricks to wow consumers. The first challenge, according to auto technology companies such as Microsoft Corp. is to refine their execution... Read More »

 

GM's connected car: Brought to you by Allstate?

12:01 am U.S. ET | May 4, 2013
An emerging generation of tech-savvy consumers has changed the way GM and its rivals approach in-car entertainment and navigation systems. If engineered and executed well, these systems can draw new buyers and allow automakers to tap new sources of revenue and boost profit margins.... Read More »

 

VW plans fuel-saving 10-speed transmission

May 1, 2013 06:01 CET
Volkswagen is developing a 10-speed dual-clutch transmission to help reduce fuel consumption, CEO Martin Winterkorn said. The transmission is one of a number of drivetrain technologies that the automaker is focusing on for the mid- and long term, he said.... Read More »

 

Magna parts factory explosion puts 5 in hospital

3:38 pm U.S. ET | May 1, 2013
Magna International said an explosion at a Newmarket, Ontario, factory sent five employees to the hospital. The injuries are not life-threatening, Magna spokeswoman Tracy Fuerst said today.... Read More »

 

BMW studies China for hints on global trends

May 1, 2013 06:01 CET
BMW is studying ways to meet the fast-changing demands of China's car buyers to determine whether trends such as tele-dining and a heavy reliance on voice messaging will expand globally.... Read More »

 

Ford Crown Victoria police cars being probed by NHTSA

3:54 pm U.S. ET | April 30, 2013
Older model Ford Crown Victoria police cars are the focus of an upgraded defect investigation by federal safety regulators, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said today. The agency also said it taking preliminary looks at the Porsche 911 and Dodge Viper sports cars.... Read More »

 

Sirius wants to expand auto offerings to telematics, new CEO says

2:51 pm U.S. ET | April 30, 2013
The new CEO of satellite radio company Sirius XM Radio thinks radio is a good business, but for the future he said opportunities may lie with in-car services like automated safety.... Read More »

 

Once a product planner, former Renault executive Pelata now mines data

April 30, 2013 06:01 CET
Former Renault COO Patrick Pelata had plenty of job possibilities after leaving automaker. He now sells customer-retention software from an office in San Francisco.... Read More »

 

Big plans, bad karma: How Fisker fell apart

12:01 am U.S. ET | April 29, 2013
The roots of Fisker Automotive's precarious state go back several years, to a time when the company and the Department of Energy established unrealistic sales goals for an unknown automaker working with tricky hybrid technology.... Read More »

 

Once a product planner, Pelata now mines data

12:01 am U.S. ET | April 29, 2013
Former Renault COO Patrick Pelata had plenty of job possibilities after leaving the French automaker last summer. So how did the European product planner who helped revive Nissan end up selling customer-retention software from an office in San Francisco?... Read More »

 

LARRY P. VELLEQUETTE

Why the auto industry needs to slow down

2:55 pm U.S. ET | April 29, 2013
I'd like to offer a bit of counterintuitive thinking, at least in terms of technology. Here it is: The auto industry needs to slow down. We have arrived at a point where the pace of technological advancement -- how fast automakers and suppliers can make their products better -- has vastly outstripped their own manufacturing abilities to keep up.... Read More »

 

Honda recalls almost 46,000 Fits in U.S., Canada

11:04 am U.S. ET | April 29, 2013
Honda is recalling almost 46,000 Fit small cars in the United States and Canada to fix a problem with the electronic stability control system software.... Read More »

 

M-B tech led cops to Boston suspects' car

12:01 am U.S. ET | April 29, 2013
Carjacking a Mercedes-Benz M class proved to be a critical mistake for the alleged Boston Marathon bombers. When the driver escaped and called police, officers were able to track the vehicle using the crossover's factory-installed GPS system.... Read More »

 

Experts: Industry hears a call for voice commands

12:01 am U.S. ET | April 29, 2013
New federal guidelines to battle distracted driving will put even more pressure on car companies to pack voice-activated features into their vehicles, experts say.... Read More »

 

Mercedes Citan performs poorly in EuroNCAP crash test

April 26, 2013 06:01 CET
The Mercedes Citan van has been given three out of five stars in a EuroNCAP crash test. It is the worst safety score for one of the automaker's vehicles in more than 15 years.... Read More »

 

JAMIE LaREAU

Proposals for automakers to help limit distracted driving seem fair

10:39 am U.S. ET | April 26, 2013
Here's a big thank you to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The agency announced earlier this week some new guidelines to help address the hazards posed by complex in-car control systems and distracted driving.... Read More »

 

DAVID BARKHOLZ

Why ADP Digital Marketing became GM's neighbor in Detroit

2:32 pm U.S. ET | April 25, 2013
ADP Dealer Services is looking for goodwill and good designers (not necessarily in that order) in deciding to open a digital marketing innovation office in downtown Detroit. The company is the largest provider of dealer management systems in the country.... Read More »

 

GM will invest 230 million euros to expand Opel test facilities

April 24, 2013 13:19 CET
General Motors will invest 230 million euros ($299 million) on test facilities for Opel as part of its effort to break even in Europe by 2015.... Read More »

 

Mitsubishi to revamp Japan plant; capacity cuts expected

3:40 pm U.S. ET | April 23, 2013
Mitsubishi Motors plans to unveil a restructuring plan for its flagship Mizushima assembly plant in Japan on Thursday, a spokesman said today. The restructuring may entail cutting capacity at the plant in western Japan as much as 40 percent by eliminating two of its four assembly lines, local media reports said.... Read More »