Monthly Archives: May 2015

DARPA to develop best practices for 3D printing

Just as steel’s physical properties change depending on how it’s produced, so too do 3D printed materials. However, unlike steel, we don’t yet fully understand how different these newfound techniques affect the resulting printed item. Sometimes a printed item — even if it’s made from something common like aluminum — ends up having a very different microstructure had it been created with traditional, subtractive methods. You can see an example of that below. Heck, even using the same material on different printer models can result items with wildly divergent properties. But DARPA is looking to change that. The DoD’s advanced research agency announced Friday that it is launching an Open Manufacturing program to create comprehensive reference documentation for 3D printing and usher in an era of productive predictability.

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https://www.engadget.com/2015/05/31/darpa-to-develop-best-practices-for-3d-printing/

Pebble Time review: an underdog among smartwatches

For two years, Pebble was the smartwatch company to beat. In 2012, it raised over $10 million on Kickstarter for its simple, monochrome e-paper wristwatch, putting itself and the crowdfunding site on the map. But things move quickly in the technology world. Google has since come out with Android Wear, prompting a slew of smartphone companies to suddenly turn into watchmakers. Not to be outdone, Apple joined the fray as well, positing its own wearable as a timepiece premium enough for high-end boutiques. So when Pebble debuted the Time, its second-generation $199 smartwatch, on Kickstarter three months ago, it was facing much stiffer competition. Surprisingly, that too made crowdfunding history, raising more than $20 million in just over a month. Did 78,471 backers make the right decision? I attempt to find out.

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https://www.engadget.com/2015/05/27/pebble-time-review/

Uber will let drivers track your location, but only if you agree

Uber has rewritten its privacy policy to make it easier to grok and added some very important changes. According to the updated guidelines, the ride-sharing app will soon give drivers the power to track your location if you allow it to, so long as it remains running in the background. This, Uber claims, will allow them to pick you up a lot faster than just dropping a pin to signal where you’re waiting. Drivers will be able to meet you on the way, for instance, or right out the door you used to exit a large building. Also, the app will start asking for permission to access your contact list, so the service can send promotional materials to your friends and family.

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https://www.engadget.com/2015/05/31/uber-privacy-policy-changes/

The producer of ‘Splatoon’ on how to make a Nintendo original

If you’re a fan of Nintendo, chances are you’re also a fan of Splatoon producer Hisashi Nogami, although you may not know it. Nogami joined the famed Japanese video game giant in 1994 and has been an essential member of EAD, the first-party development studio responsible for some of Nintendo’s most beloved games, ever since. Early in his career, Nogami worked primarily as an artist at Nintendo, designing some of the iconic imagery in games like Yoshi’s Island and Super Mario 64. But it wasn’t until 2001 that he got his big break with Animal Crossing, an N64 title he co-directed with Katsuya Eguchi.

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https://www.engadget.com/2015/05/29/splatoon-producer-on-making-a-nintendo-original/

Panasonic’s Lumix G7 is a small camera with serious 4K chops

Panasonic has been a huge proponent of 4K-ready cameras, starting with the Lumix GH4and LX100. A few days ago, the Lumix G7 joined that group. The recently introduced Micro Four Thirds camera features a 16-megapixel Digital Live MOS sensor, an ISO range of up to 25,600 and a quad-core CPU for speedy image processing. But here’s the one thing it does best: 4K. More specifically, I’m talking about Panasonic’s 4K Photo feature, which lets you extract high-resolution pictures from 4K, 30 fps videos and save them at an 8-megapixel equivalent.

This is particularly useful when you shoot moving subjects, as you’re able to record a 4K video (roughly up to 30 minutes), choose whatever frame you want from it and save that to the camera’s SD card. Is it cheating? Perhaps, but it works perfectly.

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https://www.engadget.com/2015/05/29/panasonic-lumix-g7-hands-on/

Intel Compute Stick review: nothing more than a prototype for now

Intel’s new Compute Stick isn’t that hard to grasp: It’s a computer… on a stick! Using one of its Atom processors, Intel managed to cram everything a fully functional PC needs in something the size of a few packs of gum for just $150. All you need to get going is to plug it into a display with an HDMI port, connect it to power and attach your accessories. It heralds a new era of computing, one where you can turn any display into a pseudo-desktop in a few minutes. It could change the way IT workers manage computer labs, kiosks and digital signage forever. And it’s something you should avoid buying at all costs. While the Compute Stick gives us a glimpse at a tantalizing future, it’s basically a beta product. It’s only meant for the brave and geeky — not most consumers.

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https://www.engadget.com/2015/05/30/intel-compute-stick-review/

14 ingenious hacks for problems you didn’t know you had

People can be crazy, yo. But where there’s a will, there’s a way that can lead to all sorts of fantastic oddities in the gadget world. Today’s community of hackers, makers and DIY fanatics oftentimes work together to find solutions to problems we didn’t know we had. They develop innovative products (without all that Kickstarter/Indiegogo hoopla) and often provide open-source instructions for anyone with more can-do attitude than cash. In honor of these ambitious gadget hackers, we’ve highlighted a few of the more interesting projects from over the years, ranging from the practical to the party starter.

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https://www.engadget.com/2015/05/30/ingenious-hacks/

Google announces Ubiquitous Computing Summit

Google will hold a dedicated ubiquitous computing event this year, encouraging developers to make software that runs across phones, tablets, smart homes, and wearables. The Google Ubiquitous Computing Summit will take place this fall in San Francisco, the search company announced today at its annual developer event, and focus on blurring the boundaries between form-factors and locations, making better use of the context the user is in, and – perhaps most appealing to coders – reducing the amount of duplication across platforms.

According to Timothy Jordan, a developer advocate for Google, the goal of the Summit is to figure out best-practices for software and service design.

Speaking during a session on Ubiquitous Computing at Google I/O, Jordan highlighted some successful examples, such as WhatsApp which allows users to pick up conversations whether they’re on their Android phone, their Android Wear smartwatch, or through their Android Auto-compatible head unit in the car.

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https://www.slashgear.com/google-announces-ubiquitous-computing-summit-29385977/

Google I/O 2015 Wrap-Up: Bangs and Whimpers

It’s tough to stand out when you’re still in the shadow of a skydiving co-founder, and Google I/O 2015 ended with many still holding their breath for the big bang. Even with Android M on the agenda, what we got instead was a more rounded view of how Google sees computing evolving, not only in near-saturated markets like the US and Europe, but for the “next billion” whose first taste of the internet will most likely come through an affordable smartphone. It was a lot to fit into even an extended keynote, at times feeling like Google was rushing to name-check projects without giving them the context they perhaps needed. In fact, most of the really cool stuff didn’t even get a spot on the big stage.

We’d expected Android M to be the star of the show, and sure enough it got a fair share of stage time. Developers got a taste of it too, in far-from-final form, though the visible changes are minimal.

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https://www.slashgear.com/google-io-2015-wrap-up-bangs-and-whimpers-30385996/

Windows 10 OEM Pricing and Release date spotted on NewEgg

While users of Windows 7 and Windows 8 will be getting free upgrade to Windows 10, many DIY builders will have to buy licenses at retail. Online retailer NewEgg is now taking pre-orders for Windows 10 OEM. Although Microsoft has not officially announce the shipping date of Windows 10 yet, NewEgg has posted a shipping date of August 31st.

As for pricing – Windows 10 Professional OEM goes for $149.99 while Windows 10 Home OEM will cost $109.99. These prices are quite close to Windows 8.1 licenses. There is a chance NewEgg listed these pricing and release dates by accident and while you can successfully proceed to pre-order on the retailer’s site, pricing and release dates could still change.

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https://www.slashgear.com/windows-10-oem-pricing-and-release-date-spotted-on-newegg-31386020/

3D printed iconic Shelby Cobra is all electric under the hood

We’ve seen some 3D-printed cars evolve from rough, inexpensive designs to dreamy, printed concept cars. In honor of the iconic Shelby Cobra’s 50th anniversary, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory 3D-printed an electric Shelby Cobra. The vehicle’s whole body and chassis, even interior details like the headrests, were 3D-printed from lightweight, reinforced ABS. To give the cobra a modern twist, they gave the car a non-printed, electric engine. The DoE created the car, from design inception to final production, in six weeks.

According to designer Lonnie Love, PhD, “It’s not going to look like a printed vehicle. It’s going to look like a real car.” I’ve got to admit, he is right on that point. Its beautifully slick finish is enviable. One would never guess the body was made using single layer-by-layer printing.

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https://www.slashgear.com/3d-printed-iconic-shelby-cobra-is-all-electric-under-the-hood-01381671/

Tesla begins selling used cars at discount prices

While news on Tesla has been dominated by their new Powerwall home battery system this last week, the company made a small change to its primary business of automobiles. If you find yourself in the market for one of Tesla’s flagship electric cars, you will now find the option to purchase a used model when shopping on their website. This marks the first time the company has given customers the chance to buy a pre-owned Tesla, and prices can be several thousands less than brand-new models, despite the used ones being no more than 2 and half years old.

All of Tesla’s pre-owned Model S’s come with a 4 year/50,000 mile limited warranty. The cheapest one can be found for around $63,000 with just over 13,000 miles on the odometer, making it about $12,000 cheaper than the most affordable new model (not including discounts like tax credits and purchase incentives).

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https://www.slashgear.com/tesla-begins-selling-used-cars-at-discount-prices-02381825/

Talking Ford GT and self-driving cars with CEO Mark Fields

Ford CEO Mark Fields is on a mission, and while aluminum, rubber, and steel might be the most obvious part of that – whether a truck like the F-150 or a legitimate supercar like the GT – the blue oval boss wants to make sure technology gets its dues. I revisited Ford’s Research and Innovation Center in Palo Alto, California to talk about autonomous vehicles and how they can co-exist with super-niche metal like the GT, why the rule book for selling trucks can be the blueprint for the connected car, and just how Ford is going about being good geek neighbors.

With just a few months under its collective belt, and around 40 on the staff, the R&D outpost is already punching above its weight. “The team has delivered twice the rate of invention disclosures for a team this size in the industry,” Fields said at the start of the day, already responsible for around 30 new technologies and components across wearables, sensors, and more.

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https://www.slashgear.com/talking-gt-and-autonomy-with-ford-ceo-mark-fields-01381799/

2016 Chevrolet Volt now has a price tag

It seems that Chevrolet is going full steam ahead with the 2016 model of its hybrid electric vehicle, the Chevy Volt. Now it has a price tag in the US, and an even sweeter deal for those in California. But while it’s mentioned to be cheaper than the current Volt model, it is only slightly so. The 2016 Volt carries an MSRP of $33,995. And in $825 for destination fees, which doesn’t include tax, title, license and dealer fees, and you’re just $1,200 shy of the current Volt titleholder.

The new Volt was unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show early this year. For this model, GM concentrated on what it said was what Volt owners clamored for. Based on their studies, drivers rarely resorted to the range extender, its term for the gas-powered engine of the Volt.

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https://www.slashgear.com/2016-chevrolet-volt-now-has-a-price-tag-03381884/

2016 Bugatti Chiron to have 288 MPH top speed

The successor to the Bugatti Veyron, the 2016 Bugatti Chiron, isn’t yet upon us, but some of its specifications are, at least if sources that have cropped up are correct. By all accounts, the Chiron will be a beast to be reckoned with, bringing with it a top speed of 288 MPH and the sleek, mean design enthusiasts expect. An actual official image of the car hasn’t yet surfaced, but a detailed artist’s impression has, and joining it are several of the details we hope pan out as true.

The details and artist’s rendition, shown above, come from CAR Magazine, which managed to get some details on the upcoming hypercar. The full exclusive is revealed in the magazine this month, but there are some pertinent details that stick out: a top speed of 288 MPH, 1,500bhp maximum horsepower, and a 0 to 62 MPH time of exactly 2 seconds.

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https://www.slashgear.com/2016-bugatti-chiron-to-have-288-mph-top-speed-05382140/

Toyota’s fuel-cell Mirai hits (very few) US dealers in October

Toyota’s fuel-cell drive will begin in earnest in the US come October, with the hydrogen-powered Mirai appearing in a small handful of dealerships. The 2016 Mirai, Toyota’s first consumer-ready fuel-cell car which emits only pure water rather than CO2, is only expected to account for a tiny fraction of the models the Japanese company sells in the US, not least because of the comparatively tiny launch footprint that will initially see it limited to patches of California with the necessary infrastructure.

That infrastructure consists both of dealerships capable of explaining, servicing, and maintaining a fuel-cell powered model, and of course the hydrogen refueling points themselves.

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https://www.slashgear.com/toyotas-fuel-cell-mirai-hits-very-few-us-dealers-in-october-06382302/

Bentley Bentayga render hints at still large but chrome-laden SUV

Nearly 3 years since the EXP 9 F SUV concept was first shown to the public, Bentley is getting close to making it a reality. Now known as the Bentayga, the company’s first ever SUV, is slated to be shown off at the Frankfurt auto show in September. But while waiting for four months for that to happen, Car and Driver has produced renders on what it thinks the Bentley Bentayga might look and feel like. And it seems it might not be to everyone’s tastes.

The design concept car in 2012 was already divisive, causing to Bentley to back down a bit and emphasize that what was shown was nothing more than a proof of concept. Indeed, the final product might be just as chrome covered than any SUV.

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https://www.slashgear.com/bentley-bentayga-render-hints-at-still-large-but-chrome-laden-suv-08382634/

Peugeot Vision Gran Turismo rolls into the game with 875hp

For fans of driving games and simulators, one of the best out there is Gran Turismo 6 on the PlayStation. The coolest part about the latest version of the game is that there are plenty of cars for you to drive around the virtual track and new cars are always being made.

GT6’s Kazunori Yamauchi issued a challenge last year to automakers to make wild concept cars that can be raced on the virtual tracks of the game and a bunch of automakers stepped up. The latest car from a real automaker to roll into the virtual showroom of the game comes from Peugeot and it is called the Peugeot Vision GT.

The car’s specifications include a mid-mounted 3.2L turbo V6 that produces 875hp. The transmission is a 6-speed manual and the car puts power to all four wheels. Interestingly those are the same specs that Sebastien Loeb boasted on his 208 T16 Pike Peak racecar that could reach 62mph from a standstill in 1.8 seconds.

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https://www.slashgear.com/peugeot-vision-gran-turismo-rolls-into-the-game-with-875hp-07382491/

Google threat may drive Mercedes, BMW and Audi to buy HERE

Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi have forged a rare partnership and are joining forces to acquire Nokia’s HERE mapping business, insiders suggest, hoping to cut reliance on Google. Rumors that HERE – which includes 3D mapping of road data, along with high-resolution scanning suitable for the next generation of self-driving cars – was up for sale broke in April, with potential suitors tipped to include both Amazon and Alibaba. Now, there are some big names in automotive said to be weighing in with a bid.

According to the WSJ’s sources, the three huge German automakers are temporarily putting aside their differences and teaming up against a potentially far more disruptive foe: Google.

The concern, it’s said, is that the search giant will not only continue its work on autonomous cars but take a similar approach to Android.

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https://www.slashgear.com/google-threat-may-drive-mercedes-bmw-and-audi-to-buy-here-06382409/

HERE’s why everyone wants Nokia’s maps business

The war over knowing exactly where we are is going to be expensive. Interest in Nokia’s HERE division from big German car makers, Uber, and others is tipped to have driven the potential purchase price to $3bn or even higher, as old automotive faces off against new tech darlings. Turns out, the value of accurate maps is about more than just knowing which junction to take to get to the Ikea parking lot.

Mutterings of a potential sale began in April, with Nokia said to be willing to split off the mapping business as it focused instead on networks and its Alcatel-Lucent acquisition.

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https://www.slashgear.com/heres-why-everyone-wants-nokias-maps-business-08382731/

2016 Dodge Viper ACR is a street-racer legend reborn

The regular Dodge Viper may be no tame snake, but that isn’t stopping them from cooking up an even fiercer model, the Viper ACR. Taking the regular 645 HP model – with its 8.4-liter engine mustering a rampant 600 lb-ft of torque – the 2016 Dodge Viper American Club Racer turns it into the “ultimate street-legal race car” the company claims, with a carbon-fiber rich ACR Extreme Aero Package delivering almost of a ton of downforce, not to mention looking decidedly striking.

Deeming the engine to be more than sufficient – though the ACR does get special exhaust tips – Dodge turned instead to suspension, aerodynamics, and brakes to make the Viper ACR more potent.

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https://www.slashgear.com/2016-dodge-viper-acr-is-a-street-racer-legend-reborn-08382680/

Audi’s TT clubsport turbo is a 600HP monster

Audi sure knows how to tease us, and a 600 HP version of the new Audi TT with an outlandishly entertaining rear wing and a clever electric biturbo fits the bill. The Audi TT clubsport turbo concept debuts an electrically powered compressor, fitted alongside the more conventional turbocharger, with the e-turbo taking charge of low-end boost without the traditional turbo-lag. That’s enough for a 3.6 second 0-60 mph time, Audi claims.

Normally, turbochargers are powered by exhaust gases from the engine itself. That can deliver a potent thrust once the powertrain has spooled up to a certain point, but below that threshold there’s a wait for the peak power to kick in.

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https://www.slashgear.com/audis-tt-clubsport-turbo-is-a-600hp-monster-08382746/

EO Smart Connecting Car 2 can drive sideways and shrink

Urban life comes with unique demands, and appropriate transportation is a big one. There’s increasingly less space on the road and finding parking on a Friday night can be near impossible in some cities. Smaller cars are the solution for many, being able to squeeze into smaller spaces and allowing for more cars to be in any given area at a time. Presently the Smart Car and similar vehicles are the only option, but some companies have envisioned better things — cars able to morph when need, able to maneuver in ways that present vehicles can’t. The EO Smart Connecting Car 2 is one such vehicle.

The EO Smart Connecting Car 2 is the brainchild of DFKI Robotics Innovation Center, and it is designated as a “micro car”. The micro car has been in different stages of development for the last three or so years, and it first made its public debut back in 2012 (though that was an earlier iteration of the car).

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https://www.slashgear.com/eo-smart-connecting-car-2-can-drive-sideways-and-shrink-08382758/

Tesla aiming for $35k Model 3 unveiling in March 2016

While Tesla and its all-electric Model S seem to be getting lots of attention within the auto industry these days, the cars are not easily affordable, starting around $75,000 before rebates and tax credits. That’s about double the $33,500 that Kelley Blue Book says is the average price of a new car in the U.S. But that doesn’t mean Tesla and founder Elon Musk aren’t planning to go head-to-head price-wise with Honda Accords and Toyota Camrys, in fact the company stated earlier this week that they are targeting a March 2016 unveiling for their next vehicle, the Model 3.

We haven’t been given any hints of what the Model 3 will look like, so at this point the most significant thing about the new Tesla vehicle is that the company is planning a price in the $35,000 area, while still remaining all-electric. Just don’t expect to be able to purchase one shortly after that March 2016 debut, as a recent SEC filing revealed manufacturing limits will prevent the Model 3 from making the 2017 model year.

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https://www.slashgear.com/tesla-aiming-for-35k-model-3-unveiling-in-march-2016-09382803/

AeroMobil 3.0 flying car prototype forced to parachute to the ground

One dream for many people for decades has been to own a car that can fly to get you out of the long traffic jams that we all hate. A company called AeroMobil has been working on just that and rolled out the first prototype of its AeroMobil 3.0 flying car back in October of 2014. Late last week during a test flight of that prototype aircraft, something went wrong.

During a test flight in Slovakia the flying car entered into a tailspin that the pilot was unable to recover from. Had the flying car not been equipped with an advanced ballistic parachute system, the pilot and inventor of the AeroMobil 3.0 aircraft, Stefan Klein, may have died.

The advanced ballistic recovery parachute is a system that attaches a large parachute to an entire airplane and when activated gently lowers both the pilot and the aircraft to the ground. These systems have been in use in general aviation for a very long time.

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https://www.slashgear.com/aeromobil-3-0-flying-car-prototype-forced-to-parachute-to-the-ground-11382937/

Fiat CEO says Apple to continue its ‘intervention in the car’

A new report from Reuters on Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne’s recent trip to California has provided evidence that Apple has serious plans for technologies related to automobiles. It seems the purpose of Marchionne’s visit was to experience the intersection of Silicon Valley technology and the car industry. The FCA CEO was treated to a ride in Google’s self-driving car and met with Tesla founder Elon Musk, as well as sitting down and talking to Apple’s Tim Cook.

Marchionne offered up few details about his meetings with the tech companies, but did reveal one interesting tidbit about Apple. It wasn’t made clear exactly what their intentions are when it comes to the auto market, but he did say that Cook is “interested in Apple’s intervention in the car, that’s his role.”

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https://www.slashgear.com/fiat-ceo-says-apple-to-continue-its-intervention-in-the-car-10382886/

Driverless cars in California rack up four accidents since September

One goal of driverless cars is make the roads safer by eliminating human error as a cause for accidents. Unfortunately, for the supporters of driverless cars cruising the streets of California, four of the 50 driverless cars licensed to operate on the streets of the state have been in accidents since September. California started issuing permits for testing self-driving cars in September of 2014.

The driverless cars weren’t at fault on two of the four accidents that have occurred, in those incidents the driver, who is required to be behind the wheel at all times, was at fault in the accidents. However, in the other two accidents, the cars were in control at the time of the accident.

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https://www.slashgear.com/driverless-cars-in-california-rack-up-four-accidents-since-september-11382942/

2016 Mustang gets hood vent turn signals and new option packs

The 2015 year model marked an all-new Mustang that received independent rear suspension and a complete redesign inside and out. You might expect that with the car only having been on the market for a single year model, the 2016 model would be identical.Ford has announced that it is making some changes to the 2016 version of the Mustang in the form of new option packs.

One of the new features that the 2016 model will get is a throwback to the 1967 Mustang, and that feature is turn signals in the hood vents. Hood vent turn signals will be standard for all 2016 Mustangs. Ford has also announced the return of the California Special package for the Mustang GT Premium.

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https://www.slashgear.com/2016-mustang-gets-hood-vent-turn-signals-and-new-option-packs-11382946/

Chevrolet in full tease mode ahead of 2016 Camaro reveal

There’s a whole lot riding on the 2016 Camaro, and Chevrolet is leaving little to chance, kicking off a teaser campaign for the upcoming coupe ahead of its big reveal on Saturday. Unofficially dubbed “Camaro Six”, as it’s the sixth-generation of car to wear the now-iconic nameplate, the 2016 car promises to be more aerodynamically slippery than ever before. In fact, Chevrolet has turned to some extreme aero refinements in order to keep the car planted on the asphalt.

That’s required 350 hours in the wind tunnel, Chevrolet says, with the engineers sometimes testing the new Camaro’s airflow around the clock.

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https://www.slashgear.com/chevrolet-in-full-tease-mode-ahead-of-2016-camaro-reveal-11383023/

I still trust autonomous cars more than I trust you

It makes for good headlines, certainly. According to California road stats, self-driving cars were involved in four incidents since September 2014, all of which took place when the computer was manning the wheel.

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https://www.slashgear.com/i-still-trust-autonomous-cars-more-than-i-trust-you-12383241/