Cars

Automatic streetlamps switch on when cars pass, switch off when traffic ceases

In a huge city, lighting the streets is a necessary but pricey precaution. Pedestrians and motorists are no doubt safer when streetlamps, not just car headlights, illuminate roadways and sidewalks – but streetlamps are expensive and inefficient to run. A prototype system that turns the lights on and off depending on traffic could save money…

io9 Rebecca Boyle - Popular Science Jul 9

Always Wear Pants In the Transparent Ghost Pontiac

At first glance I thought this Ghost Pontiac had just been dressed up in x-ray style decals, but I suppose the clue’s in the name. Made in 1939 from plexiglass, it was the US’ first transparent car. Given the transparent nature of plexiglass, the creators took special consideration of each of the components inside, with…

Tech News Kat Hannaford Jul 8

How wheels go at three different speeds simultaneously

Some sciences prove that everything you know is wrong. Physics doesn’t. It just proves that everything you know is relative. A good example of this is the motion of the wheel. Although it was one of humankind’s earliest machines, it still has some tricks up its sleeve. One of those tricks is the fact that…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Jul 7

Terrafugia Transition Flying Car May Finally Take Flight

The Terrafugia Transition Flying Car has been around for more than five years. Everyone hoped it would debut in 2009, but that never happened. Now in 2011, the car is inching closer to its first real flight. https://gizmodo.com/transition-personal-air-vehicle-to-fly-by-2009-155483 In a big step forward, the Transition has received an exemption from the National Highway Traffic Safety…

Tech News Kelly Jul 5

The weirdest superhero vehicles (that aren’t the Batmobile)

Ah, the Batmobile. Bruce Wayne’s jalopy has gone through oodles of iterations ranging from Adam West his-and-his windshields to Christian Bale’s wheeled samurai empanada. But on some occasions, the Batmobile won’t suffice. Here are the unsung vehicles of comics. Sure, the Batmobile has every power you’d ever want from a crimefighting automobile: smoke bombs, rockets,…

io9 Cyriaque Lamar Jun 27

Drive 1,300 Miles From Maine To Florida On a Gallon of Gas

Imagine being able to drive 1,325 miles on a single gallon of diesel gas. It seems like a dream, but researchers are working to bring this hypermiling technology one step closer to the consumer market. Cambridge Design Partnership recently took its eco-friendly concept car for a spin at the Mileage Marathon Challenge held in the…

Tech News Kelly Jun 24

Volkswagen Autopilot Lets You Drive Hands-Free at 80 MPH

Volkswagen is testing a self-driving system that lets you travel up to 80 MPH. It maneuvers the highways like a champ and even handles the stop and go of traffic jams. The temporary auto pilot technology uses adaptive cruise control, lane assist and a variety of sensors to track your speed, your location and all…

Tech News Kelly Jun 23

Tesla Roadster Production Is Powering Down

As Jalopnik previously reported, the Tesla Roadster will soon be charging into the sunset to make way for the new Model S. How soon? Like, two months soon. https://jalopnik.com/tesla-to-kill-electric-roadster-in-2011-5460062 This news isn’t wholly unexpected — the Roadster is already nearing its four-year total production run of 2,500 cars. Plans are also in place to revamp…

Tech News Andrew Tarantola Jun 23

Are Rising Gas Prices a Cure For Obesity?

There may be one benefit to the rising cost of gas. It could make Americans less fat. Some economists like Dr. Charles Courtemanche, from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, suggest a dollar increase in gas could curb driving and slash the obesity rate by 10%. Other economists believe five million obese adults could…

Tech News Kelly Jun 20

12,500 CPU Cores Were Required to Render Cars 2

As usual, Pixar is pushing boundaries when it comes to the CGI in Cars 2. Making the film required a render farm containing 12,500 CPU cores. And on average, it took 11.5 hours to render a single frame. [Cnet]

Movies Adrian Covert Jun 20

Dick Schaefer is a True Junkyard Artist

Dick Schaefer is a junkyard artist. He takes scrap metal from old cars and junkyards and builds these leftovers into wonderful sculptures. Quite appropriately, he worked as an auto dismantler and is obviously using these skills in his backyard creations. He has fashioned a Volkswagen Bug into a spider, created a bumblebee from a cement…

Tech News Kelly Jun 15

China Accused of Spying on Drivers Across Borders in Hong Kong

According to China publication Apple Times, the Chinese government has installed surveillance devices on up to 20,000 cars with dual China/Hong Kong plates, claiming the tags are just for inspection. However, they have the capability to pickup and transmit conversations. Epoch Times says the devices, which were first installed in cars back in 2007, are…

Tech News Adrian Covert Jun 15

This homemade hoverbike is a real life Star Wars speeder

Australian engineer Chris Malloy has spent his spare money and time building a flying motorcycle he calls the Hoverbike. The Imperial Speeder Bike-like bike could reach 10,000 feet and fly 170 mph when finished. Read more about it, and check out more pictures, via Jalopnik! https://jalopnik.com/this-homemade-hoverbike-is-a-real-life-star-wars-speede-5810395

io9 Justin Hyde Jun 9

Here’s What Happens At a Busy NYC Intersection

Ron Gabriel lives in NYC and wants “to show our interconnected role in improving the safety and usability of our streets.” Instead of writing some tired editorial, the visual artist pointed a camera at a busy New York City intersection and recorded what happens when cars, bikes and pedestrians come together in one place. I’m…

Tech News Kelly Jun 7

It’s Tricky to Rock…an R/C Car?

Oh, legendary rappers and their follies. If it isn’t guns, bitches and bling, it’s cars—though DMC of Run DMC fame has taken a decidedly more minuscule approach to his car obsession. Drive this way? [HobbyMedia—Thanks, Francesco!]

Tech News Kat Hannaford Jun 2

The coolest futuristic movie cars

No matter how bleak the future is, movies have taught us the cars will still be awesome. Here are the ten cars you said were the coolest futuristic movie cars of all time. [Jalopnik] https://jalopnik.com/the-ten-coolest-futuristic-movie-cars-5805845

io9 Ray Wert May 26

Starting This Summer, Cars Will Harvest Their Own Waste and Turn Exhaust Into Energy

General Motors Thermoelectric Generator This module could capture waste heat in your car’s exhaust and convert it to energy, improving fuel economy in a Chevy Suburban by 3 percent. GM Engineers are making strides toward cars that can use their own waste for energy, testing BMW, Chevrolet and Ford vehicles outfitted with heat-collecting devices that…

Tech News Rebecca Boyle - PopSci May 25

Pioneer AppRadio: Imagine Your Entire Car Stereo System, Powered By a Smartphone

You want to play music from your iPhone when you’re in the car. You want to control everything from the in-dash head unit. Rarely do these two pieces of hardware work together in harmony, even if we wish that was the future of all car stereo systems everywhere. Pioneer’s AppRadio might just change that. Eseentially,…

Tech News Adrian Covert May 25

Vent Your Anger At Loud Vehicles With the Noise Snare

When a loud motorcycle woke up Mark Nesdoly’s young daughter, he decided he had enough. Instead of taking a baseball bat to the offending Harley, Nesdoly used his engineering skills to design the Noise Snare, a video detection system for loud vehicles. The system is simple, yet effective. It uses a microphone to detect excessively…

Tech News Kelly May 25

A Drunk Woman Landed on a Roof After She Was Ejected in a Car Crash

This is insane driving: A woman hit the median of a freeway, went airborne with her car, had the car roll over four times until she was was ejected from her seat and thrown onto the roof. Somehow, she’s alive. Police say that alcohol was a factor in this crazy driving escapade which only left…

Tech News Casey Chan May 17

Automatic streetlamps switch on when cars pass, switch off when traffic ceases

Always Wear Pants In the Transparent Ghost Pontiac

How wheels go at three different speeds simultaneously

Terrafugia Transition Flying Car May Finally Take Flight

The weirdest superhero vehicles (that aren’t the Batmobile)

Drive 1,300 Miles From Maine To Florida On a Gallon of Gas

Volkswagen Autopilot Lets You Drive Hands-Free at 80 MPH

Tesla Roadster Production Is Powering Down

Are Rising Gas Prices a Cure For Obesity?

12,500 CPU Cores Were Required to Render Cars 2

Dick Schaefer is a True Junkyard Artist

China Accused of Spying on Drivers Across Borders in Hong Kong

This homemade hoverbike is a real life Star Wars speeder

Here’s What Happens At a Busy NYC Intersection

It’s Tricky to Rock…an R/C Car?

The coolest futuristic movie cars

Starting This Summer, Cars Will Harvest Their Own Waste and Turn Exhaust Into Energy

Pioneer AppRadio: Imagine Your Entire Car Stereo System, Powered By a Smartphone

Vent Your Anger At Loud Vehicles With the Noise Snare

A Drunk Woman Landed on a Roof After She Was Ejected in a Car Crash

Trump’s World Liberty Financial Makes FTX-esque Move, Borrows Against Its Own Crypto Token

Steven Soderbergh Wanted to Take ‘Bond’ Back to the ’60s

If You Make Fart Music, ChatGPT Will Be the Most Supportive Girlfriend You Could Ask For

This Loud-Ass Party Speaker Almost Got Me High AF

VHS-Inspired ‘Cyberpunk 2077’ Mod Takes Night City Back to the Future

Our Checkout Code Gives You 5 Years of ChatOn’s All-in-One AI Tools Experience for Less Than Half Price

How Should We Prepare for the Looming Quantum Encryption Apocalypse?

Picture Perfect: Artemis 2 Returns Home After a Stellar 10 Days in Space

Asus Zenbook A16 Review: Start Considering Snapdragon on PC, for Real

Aqara Thermostat Hub W200 Review: Almost Better than My Ecobee

HP Omen Max 45L Review: 4K60 Gaming Has Never Been So Easy

Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni Review: Window Cleaning Robots Have a Long Way to Go

AirPods Max 2 vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): Which ANC Headphones Win?

The Best Gadgets of March 2026

AirPods Max 2 Review: Still Ridiculously Expensive and Ridiculously Nice

DJI Osmo 360 Review: The Best 360 Camera for the DJI-Pilled

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