Web video

Nissan's Pivo 3 EV concept is a futuristic three-seater that expands on the Pivo and Pivo 2. The driver sits in the center position of the Pivo 3 EV, which allows for better visibility. However, the concept car has some rather innovative features to make driving and charging easier.

According to Nissan, the Pivo 3 EV features technology called Automated Valet Parking (AVP), which allows the driver to find a parking spot without driving around and around a parking garage. With AVP, the Pivo 3 EV can also charge itself and return to its driver when called by smartphone.… Read more

The Volvo C30 Electric is already out on the roads in Europe, but this week the Swedish automaker released 10 video clips documenting the development of new technology for the C30.

According to Volvo, the C30 Electric had a short development time, and the process involved about 100 research and development specialists.

Click on the links below to view videos two through 10, to learn more about testing, safety, engineering and other aspects of the C30's development.

The films include "A Milestone in the Automotive Industry" (below), "Battery System," "Electrical Architecture and Electrical Safety,&… Read more

The new Escape model, debuting at the 2011 Los Angeles auto show, will feature a rear hatch that opens with a kick.

To show off its new hands-free hatch on the upcoming 2012 Escape, Ford released a video where people try to figure out how to open it. The hatch, when someone kicks a foot underneath the rear of the car, seems like an especially useful feature for people laden with suitcases, babies, and groceries.

But the video inadvertently suggests that this feature is not very intuitive, as the first person approaches the car and can't figure out how … Read more

It may not win any awards for audio performance, but just in time for Halloween, Steve Meade Designs stuffed a Rockford Fosgate Punch 8-inch subwoofer in a carved-out pumpkin.

Check out these Web videos Steve Meade Designs posted on Facebook and YouTube. The top video shows how the speaker was actually made. The second video shows how the pumpkin subwoofer performs.

Ford is the latest manufacturer to tackle the problem of drowsy driving by adding Lane Keeping Technology to the Ford Explorer in early 2012.

Drowsy driving causes more than 100,000 crashes a year, resulting in 40,000 injuries and 1,550 deaths, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. To keep drivers awake behind the wheel, Ford is using a set of three safety features in its Lane Keeping Technology: the driver alert, lane keeping alert, and the lane keeping aid.

The Driver Alert technology monitors the vehicle's driving pattern, and if it detects a pattern consistent with drowsy driving, it issues a chimed warning along with a message recommending a break. If the driver does not respond to the warning, it issues more urgent audio warnings. Taking periodic breaks is recommended to break up the monotony of long drives and keep drivers attentive. … Read more

It may just be a matter of time before all data is stored in the cloud, and when that time comes, Mercedes-Benz's next-generation platform will be there waiting.

Mercedes-Benz revealed the futuristic @yourComand infotainment platform in its F 125 fuel-cell research vehicle. The new system takes the current COMAND Online system to the next level. It can be controlled by voice-commands, a touch pad, or hand-gestures, and can access any type of media stored in the cloud.

Unlike systems that rely on the users' smartphone data connection, @yourComand has a permanent "always on" cloud connection. And rather … Read more

You may have heard of Google's autonomous Priuses that have clocked more than a 190,000 miles on the open road, but you may not be as familiar with the company's fleet of self-driving golf carts.

The technology giant has been tinkering with a fleet of autonomous golf carts that some engineers use to travel between campus buildings. Users request these low-speed vehicles online, and at the scheduled time, the carts automatically depart the parking garage to meet the passenger at their designated pick up zone. Passengers can drive the cart themselves, or let the system ferry them to their destination so they can focus on work. After they exit the vehicle, the carts park themselves--no valet needed, no tip required. … Read more

General Motors' latest investment will provide tools and equipment to support production of future electric vehicle components. The company announced on Friday that it will invest $325 million in its Warren, Mich., plant and create or retain 418 jobs.

The plant's current 679 employees produce transmissions for the Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia crossovers and the Chevrolet Malibu sedan.

The 2.1-million-square-foot plant, equivalent to the area of 15 city blocks, produced more than 338,000 transmissions in 2010, the company said in a press release.

"This investment in the future recognizes the excellent work force … Read more

The 1969 Holden Hurricane combined futuristic technology--for the time. Now some of that technology is being used in 21st century vehicles. Holden Australia recently restored the original Hurricane--tech and all.

The midengine, rear-wheel drive, two-seat sports car used a pre-GPS navigation system that relied on magnets embedded at intersections along the road network to guide the driver along the desired route. The Hurricane also had a dash-mounted panel that told the driver which turn to take by illuminating different arrows, and sounding a warning buzzer.

The Hurricane had some surprisingly advanced systems such as electronic digital instrument displays, station-seeking radio, … Read more