Cars

After seeing these prototypes, you might think next-generation LCD technology looks brighter and clearer than ever.

Japan Display today revealed two exciting prototype LCD screens from the labs of the mega joint venture -- consisting of Sony, Toshiba, and Hitachi's manufacturing talents -- that could one day change the way we look at car and tablet displays. … Read more

Congrats to Jean F. of Gainesville, Fla., for scoring a Crux360 iPad case with Bluetooth keyboard in last week's giveaway.

Do a lot of driving? You and your car (and your insurance company) will love this week's freebie, a Cowon Auto Capsule AC1 dashboard camera.

The 2-megapixel cam with a 16:9 wide screen records and stores high-resolution 1,280x720-pixel high-definition footage in real time at 30 frames per second. When the device's internal accelerometer detects a shock, it automatically captures a video clip ("see, a Tasmanian devil really did dash in front of me!"). … Read more

I can't wait for cars to drive themselves, and here's one more step in that direction.

Nissan wants to cut the mechanical link between the steering wheel and the tires on some of its 2013 automobiles with steer-by-wire technology. It could make driving more like playing a video game, or more of a full-on engagement with the road, depending who you ask.

The system would replace the conventional rack and pinion setup with one that controls the tire angles and steering inputs with independent electronic controls, similar to the trusted fly-by-wire interface in aircraft. … Read more

It might not look as comfortable as James Bond's amphibious Lotus Esprit, but the Quadski has the advantage of not being fictional. Gibbs Sports Amphibians unveiled the amphibious recreation vehicle in Detroit today.

The Quadski is a single seat all-terrain-vehicle that can also operate on the water, making it truly all terrain. One rider can take it from land to water, a process that involves it folding its wheels up into the wells, presumably for better hydro-dynamics.

Gibbs says the Quadski can go up to 45 mph on land and water. The vehicle is powered by a 1.3-liter … Read more

Some people will go to great lengths to foil red light cameras. They may use darkened license plate covers, questionable spray-on photo blockers, or strategically placed layers of mud. All those methods are low tech, but there's a higher-tech option on the way.

The noPhoto is a microprocessor-controlled smart license plate. A sensor detects the flash from a red light camera or a consumer camera. It triggers a pair of flashes on the sides of the plate. Those flashes make the plate too bright for the camera to capture.

Besides combating red light cameras, the noPhoto may also find a niche in Hollywood by protecting the license plate numbers of celebrities with paparazzi on their tails. It would also save people who post pictures of their rides online from endless sessions of Photoshop license plate scrubbing.… Read more

British inventor Colin Furze's 1-month-old son may have to wait til he's old enough to drive before he really gets to ride in his own baby carriage. Furze set his mind to creating the world's fastest pram, and it looks like he is likely to succeed.

According to the Daily Mail, the three-wheeled baby carriage is outfitted with a 125cc motorbike engine. It took four weeks and more than $700 to put the speed demon machine together. … Read more

Even if you have a dashboard display showing what's behind your car when you back up, it's hard to be 100 percent sure you won't hit something. Or someone. That's why researchers at Japan's Keio University are working on a system that makes the back seat invisible, so to speak.

From the driver's perspective, the back of a car, in this case a Prius, is transparent, thus eliminating blind spots that could conceal hazards. The system is called the "see-through Prius" and it's being showcased this month at the 2012 Digital Content Expo in Tokyo. … Read more

PARIS--These may be trying times for the European economy, but that automakers rallied at the 2012 Paris Motor Show, bringing out a variety of new concepts and some model updates relevant to the U.S. buyer. As has become a theme given European interest in CO2 reduction, many of the cars we saw featured hybrid or electric drive trains. And many new models and updates were what we in the U.S. consider premium cars boasting fine coachwork.

Here is our last day roundup from the 2012 Paris Motor Show.… Read more

Google co-founder Sergey Brin has your driving future in hand. He expects average citizens to be using self-driving cars within the next few years. Chances are, you are either delighted or terrified by the thought of our highways filling up with robot cars.

On one hand, all the people who are eating breakfast sandwiches and applying makeup behind the wheel during rush hour won't have to try to keep a token eye on the road.

On the other hand, there are plenty of questions about just how well computers and sensors can react to real-world situations like black ice or a porta-potty in the middle of the 405 (yes, I saw this happen). … Read more