Cars

we-drive-mini’s-first-electric-crossover,-the-2025-countryman-se-all4

We drive Mini’s first electric crossover, the 2025 Countryman SE ALL4

car review, Cars, First drive, Mini Countryman / /

better than the JCW —

The Countryman SE goes on sale later in 2024, starting at $45,200.

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A blue-grey mini countryman SE

Enlarge / Mini has made a fully electric version of its Countryman compact crossover, replacing the outgoing plug-in hybrid Countryman.

Jonathan Gitlin

Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve brought you test drives of a pair of related small cars, the 2024 BMW X2 M35i and the 2025 Mini JCW Countryman. Today it’s time for the third member of the family destined for US sales, and the one that we think Ars readers will be most interested in—the fully electric Mini Countryman SE ALL4.

This is the third-generation Mini Countryman, replacing the plug-in hybrid version we last tested in 2017. It’s a little larger now, although not by much: at 174.5 inches (4,433 mm) long, 72.6 inches (1,843 mm) wide, and 65.2 inches (1,656 mm) tall, it is still a pretty small car by most standards. It’s also a pretty aero-efficient one; the drag coefficient is just 0.26.

As the ALL4 name might suggest, this is an all-wheel drive electric vehicle, with a combined 313 hp (230 kW) and 365 lb-ft (494 Nm), fed by a 66.5 kWh lithium-ion traction battery. That makes it nearly as peppy off the line as a Ferrari Testarossa, capable of reaching 62 mph (100 km/h) from a standing start in 5.6 seconds. (The Ferrari took 5.2 seconds to reach 60 mph.) Top speed is limited to 112 mph (180 km/h).

  • The Countryman SE ALL4 should have a range of just under 250 miles.

    Jonathan Gitlin

  • It really is still quite small

    Mini

  • Mini has ditched the union flag taillights.

    Jonathan Gitlin

  • The ride is noticeably better than the gasoline version we drove.

    Mini

  • Although it’s big for a Mini, it was the perfect size for small Portuguese villages.

    Mini

Although Mini doesn’t have an official EPA range estimate yet, it thinks the Mini Countryman SE ALL4 should be able to travel about 245 miles (394 km). There’s an onboard AC charger capable of rates up to 22 kW, although you’ll probably only encounter such powerful level 2 chargers in Europe, where they can take advantage of three-phase electricity. DC fast charging tops out at 130 kW, which should take the battery from 10–80 percent state of charge in 30 minutes.

The styling is virtually identical to the JCW Countryman we wrote about a couple of weeks ago. The differences are subtle—a filled-in grille, no quad exhaust pipes (for this is a Mini, not a Dodge), and bronzish-goldish accents here and there. The 20-inch alloy wheels are made from 70 percent recycled aluminum, Mini told us.

The interior uses a different mix of materials than the JCW Countryman, but it has the same layout and the same pluses and minuses. The interior makes heavy use of recycled polyester, which Mini says significantly reduces the carbon emissions of its supply chain and also uses less water than cotton.

There’s the same bright, circular OLED infotainment display with the same user interface that is again hobbled by what feels like an underpowered graphics chip. There are still a smattering of physical controls, and I still think the cubby between the driver and passenger seats could be larger.

On the road, the Mini Countryman SE ALL4 feels noticeably different to drive than the gasoline-powered JCW version. Some of that is down to the steering, which is geared differently to the JCW car and feels slightly less direct. The suspension also contributes to the SE ALL4 feeling different, as it’s better damped against bumps and jolts—no doubt as a result of having to control a heavier car thanks to the battery pack. (Mini has not given us a curb weight for either JCW or SE ALL4, however.)

  • The interior is stylish and tactile.

    Jonathan Gitlin

  • The augmented reality view for navigation is very useful on unfamiliar roads.

    Jonathan Gitlin

  • Spike is rather cute.

    Jonathan Gitlin

  • This cubby is too small to be very useful.

    Mini

  • Recycled aluminum for the alloy wheels helps Mini keep the Countryman SE’s carbon footprint as small as possible.

    Jonathan Gitlin

Perhaps my highlight of the Countryman SE ALL4 was the synthetic driving sounds it makes in the cabin, which are rather over the top. I’m also quite aware many of our readers will dislike this aural exuberance and will be glad to know that it can be turned off.

Mini says the 2025 Countryman SE ALL4 will be available in the US this fall, starting at $45,200.

We drive Mini’s first electric crossover, the 2025 Countryman SE ALL4 Read More »

tesla’s-berlin-factory-shuts-down-after-suspected-transformer-arson

Tesla’s Berlin factory shuts down after suspected transformer arson

Cars, Tesla / /

🔥 —

The Volcano Group, which set fires at the plant in 2021, claimed responsibility.

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A Tesla Inc. electric vehicle near the Tesla Inc. Gigafactory in Gruenheide, Germany, on Tuesday, March 5, 2024.

Enlarge / Tesla halted production at the factory near Berlin and sent workers home after a fire at a high-voltage pylon caused power failures throughout the region.

Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Tesla has had to suspend operations at its factory in Berlin, Germany, today. Early this morning there was a suspected arson attack on a nearby electrical transformer that led to the factory being evacuated, according to the German publication BZ. The fire has also left parts of Berlin without power, as well as towns in Brandenburg.

According to BZ, the transformer fire happened at 4: 50 am CET, with Tesla’s factory losing power an hour before the start of today’s shift. Other companies based at the industrial estate next to the Tesla factory have also had to suspend work.

The fire brigade and power company’s work to restore power was slowed by the discovery of a tent apparently occupied by climate activists protesting water pollution at Tesla’s factory, as well as a planned expansion of the site. A sign warning of unexploded ordnance resulted in the first responders calling in the bomb squad.

Power has since been restored to the surrounding communities but remains out at the industrial estate.

“If the first findings are confirmed, it is a perfidious attack on our electricity infrastructure, this will have consequences,” said Brandenburg’s minister of the interior, Michael Stübgen. “The rule of law will react to such an act of sabotage with all severity,” he said.

A left-wing organization called the Volcano Group has claimed responsibility for the fire. The same group committed a previous arson attack on the Tesla factory in May 2021, claiming that the automaker is “neither green, ecological nor social.”

It’s unwelcome news for the EV company, which saw its share price slide heavily on Monday after news that Tesla’s sales in China dropped 19 percent year on year in February.

Tesla’s Berlin factory shuts down after suspected transformer arson Read More »

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European crash tester says carmakers must bring back physical controls

Cars, road safety / /

do that here, too —

In 2026, Euro NCAP points will be deducted if some controls aren’t physical.

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man pushing red triangle warning car button

Enlarge / A car’s hazard warning lights will need a physical control to get a five-star EuroNCAP score in 2026.

Some progress in the automotive industry is laudable. Cars are safer than ever and more efficient, too. But there are other changes we’d happily leave by the side of the road. That glossy “piano black” trim that’s been overused the last few years, for starters. And the industry’s overreliance on touchscreens for functions that used to be discrete controls. Well, the automotive safety organization European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) feels the same way about that last one, and it says the controls ought to change in 2026.

“The overuse of touchscreens is an industry-wide problem, with almost every vehicle-maker moving key controls onto central touchscreens, obliging drivers to take their eyes off the road and raising the risk of distraction crashes,” said Matthew Avery, Euro NCAP’s director of strategic development.

“New Euro NCAP tests due in 2026 will encourage manufacturers to use separate, physical controls for basic functions in an intuitive manner, limiting eyes-off-road time and therefore promoting safer driving,” he said.

Now, Euro NCAP is not insisting on everything being its own button or switch. But the organization wants to see physical controls for turn signals, hazard lights, windshield wipers, the horn, and any SOS features, like the European Union’s eCall feature.

Tesla is probably at greatest risk here, having recently ditched physical stalks that instead move the turn signal functions to haptic buttons on the steering wheel. (Ferrari also has its turn signals on the steering wheel, but Ferrari does not appear in Euro NCAP’s database so probably doesn’t care.)

Euro NCAP is not a government regulator, so it has no power to mandate carmakers use physical controls for those functions. But a five-star safety score from Euro NCAP is a strong selling point, similar to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s coveted Top Safety Pick program here in the US, and it’s likely this pressure will be effective. Perhaps someone should start bugging IIHS to do the same.

European crash tester says carmakers must bring back physical controls Read More »

2024-porsche-911-s/t-review:-threading-the-needle

2024 Porsche 911 S/T review: Threading the needle

car review, Cars, Features, Porsche 911, Porsche 911 S/T / /

yet another 911 review —

The S/T celebrates the 60th anniversary of the 911 and is limited to just 1963 examples.

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A porsche 911 S/T

Enlarge / I wouldn’t blame you if you lost track of all the different variations on the Porsche 911. This is the latest, and currently, the most desirable.

Bradley Iger

Although Porsche is in the midst of taking its BEV technology mainstream, the company hasn’t lost sight of the fact that its high-performance reputation was built on the 911.

Over the past few years, the automaker has developed a myriad of different versions of the iconic sports car, resulting in offerings that currently range from plush open-top cruisers to hardcore track monsters, along with special edition models like the off-road-tuned Dakar and heritage-inspired Sport Classic. You might be wondering, then, if there’s really an opportunity for a new performance-focused model to stand out in the 911 lineup.

On the surface, the S/T seems to tread much of the same ground already occupied by the GT3 Touring, an iteration of the track-ready GT3 that ditches the large fixed rear wing for the smaller, aesthetically subtler active rear spoiler found on Carrera models. But as lovely to drive as the GT3 Touring is, it feels like a conceptual afterthought.

Because of its reduced downforce, Porsche has always considered the Touring to be a GT3 intended for the street rather than the track, yet the model’s tuning has otherwise remained unchanged from the standard GT3. This, along with a number of other crucial updates, allows the S/T to stand out from the crowd not just among fast 911s but among sports cars in general.

The canyon roads around Los Angeles are natural hunting territory for the S/T.

Enlarge / The canyon roads around Los Angeles are natural hunting territory for the S/T.

Bradley Iger

The name is a nod to a racing version of the 911 S from the late 1960s: Internally known as the ST, the package included modifications to the chassis, engine, and body to improve performance. But unlike the iconic Carrera RS 2.7 that would debut a few years down the road, the ST lacked the aggressive aerodynamic elements that would later come to define the look of track-tuned 911s.

The core hardware involved is an interesting amalgamation of components from the current GT division lineup. In a purposely old-school approach not unlike the Sport Classic, the S/T pairs the GT3 RS’s naturally aspirated 518 hp (386 kW) 4.0-liter flat-six engine with the GT3’s six-speed manual gearbox—a combination that can’t be had in any other factory-produced 911.

Like the GT3 RS, the S/T’s hood, front fenders, doors, and roof are made from carbon fiber, and thanks to its magnesium wheels, fixed-back carbon bucket seats, and other weight-reducing components that are equipped as standard, it manages to tip the scales at a svelte 3,056 lbs (1,390 kg), making this the lightest 911 of the current generation.

No ducktail for the S/T. But there is plenty of lightweighting.

Enlarge / No ducktail for the S/T. But there is plenty of lightweighting.

Bradley Iger

Adding power and cutting weight are certainly welcome developments for performance enthusiasts, but it’s the raft of subtle, less quantifiable changes that make the S/T such an incredibly compelling sports car. Porsche’s goal was to create the ultimate canyon carver rather than an apex-hunting track machine, and as such, it has tossed the GT3’s rear axle steering system and retuned the suspension dampers for the less-than-perfect tarmac that’s typical of twisty backroads.

To further ratchet up driver engagement, engineers reduced the height of the shift lever by 10 mm, resulting in even shorter, more precise throws. The transmission’s gear ratios were shortened by 8 percent to allow the engine to climb to its searing 9,000 rpm redline more rapidly, resulting in more frequent shifting. There’s a new lightweight clutch and single mass flywheel on board, too.

The latter plays a surprisingly big role in the S/T’s distinctive character, allowing the engine to sweep through the revs with a level of manic urgency that makes the GT3 Touring seem almost lazy by comparison. And thanks to the S/T’s reduced sound deadening compared to the GT3 (which already has significantly less sound deadening than a 911 Carrera), every mechanical process that normally takes place behind the scenes is brought to the forefront. It can equate to noisy steady-state driving at times, but the soundtrack that the S/T delivers when you’re rowing through the gears easily makes up for it.

2024 Porsche 911 S/T review: Threading the needle Read More »

smallish-car,-biggish-price—we-try-out-the-2024-bmw-x2-m35i

Smallish car, biggish price—we try out the 2024 BMW X2 M35i

bmw, BMW X2 M35i, car review, Cars, First drive / /

bring us the ev —

We drive the new Sports Activity Coupe, but there’s no EV version for the US market.

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A green BMW X2 parked next to the sea

Enlarge / BMW calls the X2 a Sport Activity Coupe.

Jonathan Gitlin

Last week, we told you about our first drive in the new Mini Countryman John Cooper Works, Mini’s new little crossover. This week, it’s the turn of a related model, built on the same vehicle architecture: BMW’s new X2 crossover, or “Sports Activity Coupe” in BMW-speak. As we’ll find out, the BMW shares more than one trait with the Countryman JCW.

BMW had an array of X2 M35is, all painted the same “Frozen Tampa Bay” shade of green, which starts in the US at $51,400. There’s a less-powerful $42,000 X2 xDrive28i coming here as well, but North American customers will not be offered the battery-electric iX2—BMW’s product planners evidently didn’t think importing the diminutive EV would be profitable. Outside the US, BMW expects 1 in 5 X2s to be electric.

The first-generation X2 (and the more upright-looking X1) were divisive cars even by BMW standards. The new one is slightly bigger than before, at 179.3 inches (4,554 mm) long, 72.6 inches (1,844 mm) wide, and 62.6 inches (1,590 mm) tall. That translates to more rear legroom and more cargo volume at the back, but it’s not a massive machine—a touch bigger than the Audi Q3 but a bit smaller than a Mercedes-Benz GLB.

Each of those exhaust pipes is almost 4 inches wide, yet all the sound is synthesized by speakers in the cabin.

Enlarge / Each of those exhaust pipes is almost 4 inches wide, yet all the sound is synthesized by speakers in the cabin.

Jonathan Gitlin

It’s not the most elegant car to emerge from BMW’s design studio in recent years, although the styling tweaks for the M35i version—a different front splitter, quad exhaust pipes, an M-specific rear spoiler, and an illuminated kidney grille—are visually rather bold. The three-dimensional light cluster details are rather interesting.

The X2 M35i is powered by a turbocharged 2.0 L four-cylinder gasoline engine that generates 312 hp (233 kW) and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm), sufficient to propel it to 60 mph (98 km/h) in 5.2 seconds via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission that sends power to all four wheels.

BMW says it has heavily revised the suspension of the new X2, which shares a similar layout to the old model but with very little parts carryover. On the road, the main thing you notice is that the ride is quite firm, with a lot of lateral jostling at low speeds over bumps or potholes despite adaptive dampers as standard.

It’s also not particularly engaging to drive on a twisty road, with little feel communicated through the fat-rimmed steering wheel. The gearbox’s control logic was good enough not to need to bother with shifting manually via the paddles, but a long pull on the left paddle engages an overboost function for a short time.

The taillights (and headlights) have a rather interesting 3D design.

Enlarge / The taillights (and headlights) have a rather interesting 3D design.

BMW

As with the Mini Countryman JCW, the noises that accompany spirited driving are quite artificial in nature, being played to the occupants via the car’s internal speakers. This keeps noise levels low for bystanders, and while many of my colleagues found the sounds too contrived for their tastes, I actually quite liked the pops and crackles.

While the car wasn’t that thrilling to drive, I was impressed with how well it coped during a violent rainstorm. It handled puddles of standing water without a hint of hydroplaning, although a rear windshield wiper would be a welcome addition.

The cabin design is a little fussy, and there’s a big blind spot from the driver’s side A pillar that mars otherwise good forward visibility. The rear windshield is a little small, on the other hand. And on the topic of complaints, the cubby built into the armrest between the front seats is too weirdly shaped to be able to accommodate a smartphone—I’m not sure what you’re supposed to be able to store there other than pens, pencils, and maybe short rulers.

  • There are some design touches and details that you’ll also recognize in larger BMWs, like the M steering wheel or the intricately cut speaker fascias.

    Jonathan Gitlin

  • The rear seat is less cramped than the outgoing model.

    Jonathan Gitlin

  • There is between 25.3–51.7 cubic feet (716–1,464 L) of cargo room.

    BMW

  • BMW’s X2 does away with the rotary iDrive controller, so you can only interact with the infotainment via voice or touchscreen.

    BMW

The X2 uses BMW’s latest operating system 9, like the bigger and more expensive cars in the lineup. I’m normally a big fan of the latest version of iDrive, which offers excellent voice recognition and a UI that mostly helps the driver out. But like the Mini Countryman, in the X2 it feels as if the infotainment system is underpowered.

However, I did finally check out BMW’s in-car gaming, which also appeared in the BMW i5 we tested last year. It’s called AirConsole, and you use your phone as a controller, pairing it to the system via a QR code. There’s a Mario Kart clone that’s passable, and my drive partner and I tried a trivia game, too.

While I’m talking tech, I should also praise the augmented view for the navigation system, which overlays big arrows onto a video feed to show you exactly which turn it wants you to take. The My BMW App integration is also rather well implemented—you can use an Android or iOS phone as a digital key for the car, as well as remotely lock and unlock the doors or the cargo hatch.

If all of that sounds compelling, you should already be able to find the X2 M35i in stock at BMW dealerships.

Smallish car, biggish price—we try out the 2024 BMW X2 M35i Read More »

after-a-decade-of-stops-and-starts,-apple-kills-its-electric-car-project

After a decade of stops and starts, Apple kills its electric car project

AI, Apple, car, Cars, John Giannandrea, Project Titan, Tech / /

Project Titan —

Report claims Apple leadership worried profit margins simply wouldn’t be there.

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An enormous ring-shaped building on a green campus.

Enlarge / Apple’s global headquarters in Cupertino, California.

After 10 years of development, multiple changes in direction and leadership, and a plethora of leaks, Apple has reportedly ended work on its electric car project. According to a report in Bloomberg, the company is shifting some of the staff to work on generative AI projects within the company and planning layoffs for some others.

Internally dubbed Project Titan, the long-in-development car would have ideally had a luxurious, limo-like interior, robust self-driving capabilities, and at least a $100,000 price tag. However, the ambition of the project was drawn down with time. For example, it was once planned to have Level 4 self-driving capabilities, but that was scaled back to Level 2+.

Delays had pushed the car (on which work initially began way back in 2014) to a target release date of 2028. Now it won’t be released at all.

The decision was “finalized by Apple’s most senior executives in recent weeks,” according to Bloomberg’s sources. Apple’s leadership worried that the car might never find the profit margins they previously hoped for. This development won’t surprise many who have been following closely, though. The project has been known to be troubled for a while, and Apple would have had to face high startup costs and a difficult regulatory environment even had it been able to get a product together.

The shift in focus was announced to staff by Apple executives Jeff Williams and Kevin Lynch. Many employees who were working on the self-driving feature of the car will be moved under AI chief John Giannandrea to work on various projects, including generative AI. However, the fates of others who worked on other aspects of the car, like automobile engineering and design, are less certain. The report says layoffs are likely but doesn’t specify how many or on what timeline.

For a long time, it was known that Apple was investing in two major expansions: one into the automobile space and one into augmented reality. The first step in the latter was rolled out in the form of the Vision Pro headset a few weeks ago. With the car project canceled, Apple’s known areas of planned future expansion include mixed reality, wearables, and generative AI.

After a decade of stops and starts, Apple kills its electric car project Read More »

new-data-shows-which-states-were-more-deadly-for-pedestrians-in-2023

New data shows which states were more deadly for pedestrians in 2023

Cars, pedestrian deaths, road safety / /

please watch out —

Preliminary road-safety data for the first half of 2023 has been published.

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New data shows which states were more deadly for pedestrians in 2023

Getty Images

American pedestrians were at slightly less risk of being killed by a car last year. The Governors Highway Safety Association has just published a preliminary analysis of road safety data for the first half of 2023, and it has found a “modest” reduction in pedestrian fatalities, which have been all too high in recent years.

As with last year’s study, the GHSA found some states were much safer than others. In fact, 29 states and the District of Columbia recorded declines in the number of pedestrian traffic deaths for the first half of 2023, with Vermont recording no pedestrian deaths at all.

In total, the GHSA estimates that 3,373 pedestrians died on US roads between January and June 2023, which it says is a 4 percent decrease compared to the first six months of 2022. However, the report points out that even though this year saw a small decline, the number of pedestrian deaths for the first half of 2023 is 14 percent higher than the same time period in 2019.

“After witnessing pedestrian deaths rise each year, it’s encouraging to finally see a small decrease,” said Jonathan Adkins, GSHA’s CEO. “But the fact remains that 18 people go for a walk every day and don’t return home due to preventable crashes. The only acceptable number of traffic deaths is zero. We must seize on this recent momentum and continue to push for a safer system that protects people on foot from the dangerous driving behaviors that are all too prevalent.”

GHSA

The largest overall reduction in pedestrian deaths in absolute numbers occurred in California, which saw 66 fewer pedestrians die between January and June 2023 compared to the same six months in 2022. Colorado saw the greatest increase in real numbers, with 19 additional pedestrians dying versus the first half of 2022.

When expressed as a percentage change in pedestrian deaths, less populous states jump out—as well as Vermont, which recorded no pedestrian deaths during the time period and therefore saw a 100 percent decrease, and Nebraska, which also logged a 70 percent reduction. Meanwhile, Idaho saw a 150 percent increase in pedestrian deaths due to an additional six deaths.

When the GHSA data is normalized to population size—in this case, the rate of pedestrian deaths per 100,000 inhabitants—an interesting picture emerges. Eighteen states have a rate of pedestrian deaths above 1.0 per 100,000 inhabitants, and almost all of them are in the Sun Belt.

GHSA

Here, we can see the influence of both the natural and built environments at work—the report points out that these states have both warmer climates, which prompt more people to walk, and urban areas that were developed after the ascendency of the automobile, meaning more car-centric urban design. New Mexico fares worst of all on this measure, with a pedestrian death rate of 1.99 per 100,000 inhabitants during the first half of 2023, far higher than the nationwide average of 1.01 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants.

The GHSA report has some recommendations to make things safer for our most vulnerable road users. More mid-block crossing infrastructure would help, as only 22 percent of pedestrian deaths occurred at crossings in 2021. Lower speed limits are lifesavers, too, and already some US cities have moved to a default 20 mph (32 km/h) limit. Better street lighting would also help this problem, as a disproportionate number of crashes occur in poor light conditions.

We can expect the GHSA report for the full year to be published sometime around June.

New data shows which states were more deadly for pedestrians in 2023 Read More »

it’s-no-accident:-these-automotive-safety-features-flopped

It’s no accident: These automotive safety features flopped

auto safety, Cars, Features, retrotech / /

safety first —

Over the years, inventors have had some weird ideas about how to make cars safer.

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a toy car crashing into another toy car

Aurich Lawson | Getty Images

Turn signals have been a vehicle safety staple since they first appeared on Buicks in 1939. Of course, many drivers don’t use them, perhaps believing that other motorists can telepathically divine others’ intentions.

More people might use turn signals if they knew that drivers’ failure to do so leads to more than 2 million accidents annually, according to a study conducted by the Society of Automotive Engineers. That’s 2 percent of all crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. And not using turn signals increases the likelihood of an accident by 40 percent, according to the University of Michigan Research Institute.

Human nature could be to blame—death and injury will never happen to us, only others.

You wish.

So, is it any wonder that during the first six decades of automobile production, there were few safety features? The world into which the automobile was born was one in which horses powered most transportation, but that didn’t mean getting around was safe. Say a horse got spooked. If the animal was pulling a carriage, its actions could cause the carriage to barrel away or even overturn, injuring or killing its occupants. Or the horse could cause death directly. In fact, a surprising number of kings met their end over the centuries by a horse’s swift kick. And rail travel proved even deadlier. Studies comparing modern traffic accidents with those of the early 20th century reveal that death from travel is 90 percent less likely today than it was in 1925.

Yet America’s passive acceptance of death from vehicle travel in the late 19th and early 20th century explains why auto safety was sporadically addressed, if at all. Sure, there were attempts at offering basic safety in early automobiles, like windshield wipers and improved lighting. And some safety features endured, such as Ford’s introduction of safety glass as standard equipment in 1927 or GM’s turn signals. But while other car safety features appeared from time to time, many of them just didn’t pan out.

Dead ends on the road to safer cars

Among the earliest attempts at providing safety was the O’Leary Fender, invented by John O’Leary of Cohoes, New York, in 1906. “It is made of bands of iron of such shape and design that falling into it is declared to be like the embrace of a summer girl on a moonlit night on the shore,” wrote The Buffalo News in 1919, with more than a little poetic license.

Advertisement for Pennsylvania Vacuum Cup Tires by the Pennsylvania Rubber Company in Jeannette, Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Auto Tube is pictured, 1919.

Enlarge / Advertisement for Pennsylvania Vacuum Cup Tires by the Pennsylvania Rubber Company in Jeannette, Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Auto Tube is pictured, 1919.

Jay Paull/Getty Images

According to the account, O’Leary was so confident of the fender’s ability to save lives that he used his own child to prove its safety. “The babe was gathered up on the folds of the fender as tenderly as it had ever been in the arms of its mother,” the newspaper reported, “and was not only uninjured but seemed to enjoy the experience.”

There’s no word on what Mrs. O’Leary thought of using the couple’s child as a crash test dummy. But the invention seemed worthy enough that an unnamed car manufacturer battled O’Leary in court over it and lost. Ultimately, his victory proved futile, as the feature was not adopted.

Others also tried to bring some measure of safety to automobiles, chief among them the Pennsylvania Rubber Company of Jeanette, Pennsylvania. The company’s idea: make a tire tread of small suction cups to improve traction. Called the Pennsylvania Vacuum Cup tire, the product proved to be popular for a while, with reports of sales outnumbering conventional tires 10 to 1, according to the Salt Lake Tribune in 1919. While Pennsylvania wasn’t the only rubber company to offer vacuum cup tires, the concept had its day before fading, although the idea does resurface from time to time.

Nevertheless, safety remained unaddressed, even as the number of deaths was rising substantially.

“Last year more than 22,000 persons were killed in or by automobiles, and something like three quarters of a million injured,” wrote The New Republic in 1926. “The number of dead is almost half as large as the list of fatalities during the nineteen months of America’s participation in the Great War.”

“The 1925 total is 10 percent larger than that for 1924,” the publication added.

The chief causes cited were the same as they are today—namely, speeding, violating the rules of the road, inattention, inexperience, and confusion. But at least one automaker—Stutz—was trying to put safety first.

It’s no accident: These automotive safety features flopped Read More »

here’s-what-we-know-after-three-days-of-formula-1-preseason-testing

Here’s what we know after three days of Formula 1 preseason testing

Cars, F1, Formula 1, racing / /
Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 on track during day one of F1 Testing at Bahrain International Circuit on February 21, 2024 in Bahrain, Bahrain.

Enlarge / While it’s hard to read too much into preseason testing times, it’s also hard to see anyone really challenging Red Bull or Max Verstappen for outright speed.

Mark Thompson/Getty Images

The sixth season of Drive to Survive, Netflix’s blockbuster behind-the-scenes sportumentary, went live today. This isn’t a review of that. Instead, for the past few days my attention has been turned to Formula 1’s preseason testing, which got underway on Wednesday morning at the Bahrain International Circuit in Bahrain.

In the olden days, preseason testing was a thing you’d read about in the specialty press—a reason to buy a copy of Autosport in February, if you will. There was a lot more of it back then, too; up to five official preseason tests, although it was unusual for a team to attend all of them.

In F1’s current era, there isn’t really time for so much testing, even if it weren’t strictly limited by the rules. The first race of what should be a 24-race calendar takes place next Saturday (March 2), with the final round, also in the Middle East, not scheduled until December 8. Contrast that with the early 2000s, when a season might run for 16 or 17 races between early March and mid-October.

This year the teams get three test days ahead of 24 race weekends.

Enlarge / This year the teams get three test days ahead of 24 race weekends.

Mark Thompson/Getty Images

Back then, none of the preseason testing would be broadcast to fans, either. Now, thanks to F1’s streaming platform, there are 24 hours of coverage to keep you occupied, with each eight-hour day covered by an English-language commentary team that combines some of F1’s own (yay, Sam Collins!) with some voices more familiar to Sky’s (and therefore ESPN’s) coverage, like the always-excellent Anthony Davidson.

While I imagine the committed F1 fan will also add in all 10 hours of DtS season six, you’re unlikely to get nearly as good of a technical insight into the new cars or come away with a better understanding of what the drivers are doing in the cars to extract such speed so consistently.

Don’t read much into the times

An important thing to know about preseason testing is that it’s very difficult to read much into any of the lap times. The cars aren’t subject to scrutineering checks the way they are during a race weekend, and some teams aren’t above putting together a so-called glory lap to top the timesheets and maybe attract a sponsor or two.

These days, that’s far less likely than sandbagging—intentionally driving a car slowly at certain points during a lap, perhaps—to hide one’s true pace. Instead, each team has its own run plan designed to satisfy the needs of the engineers.

Rarer still is the team that shows up with something revolutionary that blows everyone else into the weeds. But it does happen—check out Keanu Reeves’ Brawn: The Impossible F1 Story for a 21st-century example of such a sporting fairytale.

What’s changed in the offseason?

There have been no real changes to the technical regulations for this year, but every team has a new car that reflects their better understanding of how the current ruleset needs to be best exploited.

The key to generating useful aerodynamic downforce from a current F1 car’s ground effect is to keep the car as stable as possible under both braking and accelerating, which means controlling dive at the front axle and countering lift at the rear axle. For 2024, some teams have had a fundamental rethink of how they do that.

  • George and Lewis will push the WhatsApp button to talk to their race engineers.

    Kym Illman/Getty Images

  • Ferrari topped the time sheets on days two and three, and the car looks fast in long runs as well as qualifying simulations.

    Mario Renzi – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images

  • Mercedes (and the teams it supplies engines to) have moved to rear pushrod suspension.

    Peter Fox – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images

  • Sauber is a good example of a team that’s kept as much of the car bare carbon as possible.

    Mark Thompson/Getty Images

  • Visa Cash App RB is a daft name for a team. And while I’m complaining, should Red Bull really be allowed to own two teams? I can’t think of another sport where someone can own more than one franchise.

    Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images

  • Long-serving Red Bull team boss Christian Horner is looking less secure in his position thanks to an ongoing internal investigation regarding inappropriate behavior towards a subordinate.

    Mark Thompson/Getty Images

  • There’s a new boss at Haas, Ayao Komatsu.

    NDREJ ISAKOVIC/AFP via Getty Images

  • Aston Martin’s car looks like it handles well, but might not have the pace of either Ferrari or Mercedes.

    Mark Thompson/Getty Images

  • You’d think two French teammates in a French team might be a recipe for harmony, but Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly don’t really have the best relationship.

    Clive Mason/Getty Images

  • Alex Albon drove last year’s Williams into some points-paying positions when the track suited the car. This year Williams says it has a car with a much wider operating window.

    Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images

Kick Sauber and RB (yes, those are real names) are joining Red Bull and McLaren in using pullrods (instead of pushrods) for their front suspension. Meanwhile, Mercedes, Aston Martin, and Williams have switched to rear pushrods, which interfere less with the underbody aerodynamics, leaving just Ferrari and their client Haas sticking with rear pullrods.

The floor might generate more of the downforce now, but that doesn’t mean bodywork isn’t important. Red Bull’s looks significantly different, incorporating ideas tried with varying success at other teams like Ferrari’s “bathtub sidepod” or Mercedes’ “zero sidepod.”

Truthfully, the most immediately noticeable difference from last year has been more teams opting to forgo a full-body paint job, preferring large expanses of bare carbon fiber in the name of saving another kilo or two. And if you’re looking for nerd trivia to bore impress someone with, the Mercedes drivers now have a WhatsApp button on their steering wheel to use to radio back to the pits.

Here’s what we know after three days of Formula 1 preseason testing Read More »

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Car dealers step up opposition to White House fuel efficiency targets

CAFE standards, car dealerships, Cars, EV adoption / /
A row of empty EV charging spaces

Richard Newstead/Getty Images

Electric vehicle sales had a pretty good 2023 in North America, with more than 1.1 million battery EVs and just under 300,000 plug-in hybrid EVs finding new homes. That’s a 50 percent increase on 2022, yet the last few months have seen the trade and business presses report a string of negative stories about EV adoption. And it’s not just news stories—major automakers are scaling back their EV ambitions, and together with auto dealerships, they’re lobbying the White House to water down its plan to reduce transportation-related carbon emissions.

While US car buyers are still choosing EVs in greater numbers, the rate of increase is beginning to slow. According to a report from S&P Global, EV registrations grew by 23 percent in December, faster than the general increase in new light vehicle sales (15 percent year over year). But market leaders did not do so well. Tesla only grew sales by 11 percent; at Ford, they rose by 13 percent. Chevrolet saw EV sales drop by 26 percent as it finally exhausted its supply of the low-cost Bolt EV.

Car buyers’ concerns

Similarly, a survey from Deloitte provides a little more pessimism when it comes to EV adoption. It has found that only 6 percent of buyers are now considering a battery EV, down from 7 percent in 2023. Demand for plug-in hybrids has also fallen, from 7 percent in 2023 to 5 percent in 2024. Instead, more buyers want gasoline- or diesel-powered vehicles, a full two-thirds in 2024 compared to 58 percent last year.

The high cost of new plug-in vehicles doesn’t help, despite government subsidies in the form of a tax credit. Deloitte’s data shows that among people intending to buy an EV, 74 percent of them want to pay $50,000 or less.

“Despite availability of government incentives, the rise in interest rates is adding stress to people’s wallets,” said Masa Hasegawa, Deloitte’s principal for the US automotive sector. “In addition to affordability, our study shows that there are several key apprehensions consumers still have about purchasing and owning BEVs, such as the consistency and reliability of charging experience and range anxiety. This will evolve over time, but they remain at the top of mind for many consumers today.”

Misinformation abounds

Some of those apprehensions are well-founded; 40 percent cite a lack of home charging, for instance, and half are concerned about the time it takes to recharge an EV. Range anxiety continues to be a problem, too; 49 percent worried about driving range, one in three worried about cold-weather performance, and 28 percent were concerned about trips requiring more advanced planning than they were used to.

However, some other concerns suggest a real lack of knowledge among the general public regarding some aspects of EVs. Sixty-nine percent of people intending to buy an EV were somewhat or very concerned about the end-to-end environmental impact of an EV—higher than the 56 percent of people who intend their next car to have an internal combustion engine.

While it is correct that an EV requires more energy to build, an electric powertrain is so much more efficient than even the best hybrid powertrains that it only requires a few years of driving for the EV to come out ahead.

There are some unrealistic expectations out there, too. Forty-six percent of Deloitte’s survey respondents said they would need an EV with at least 400 miles of range before they’d consider purchasing one, a proportion that grew to 60 percent when just taking into account those living in suburban and rural areas. While battery energy density and EV powertrain efficiency both continue to improve, currently only Lucid sells an EV with more than 500 miles of range, while Tesla claims its Model S has a 405-mile range (something Tesla owners might dispute.)

Car dealers step up opposition to White House fuel efficiency targets Read More »

chevrolet-announces-model-year-2024-equinox-ev-pricing

Chevrolet announces model year 2024 Equinox EV pricing

Cars, Chevrolet Equinox EV / /

hope it goes better than the blazer —

We’ve known the 1LT will start at $34,995, but a 2LT will cost at least $43,295.

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Driver’s side view of 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV 1LT in Galaxy Gray Metallic driving down the road.

Enlarge / This is what the entry-level Chevrolet Equinox EV 1LT will look like.

Chevrolet

Chevrolet’s next battery electric vehicle on its troubled Ultium platform will be the Equinox EV, a compact crossover that slots in below the recently released Blazer EV. Chevy has been pitching the Equinox EV as affordable, originally with a starting price of just under $30,000. That gave the automaker the cover it needed to kill off its affordable EV, the Bolt, an act of corporate ax-swinging that looked even more cruel when it emerged that the electric Equinox would start at $34,995.

At least, if you want—or can even find—the 1LT base model. Now, Chevrolet has finally released pricing for the other trim levels, and there’s a steep jump from the bare bones 1LT even to the 2LT, which will cost $43,295. That $8,300 buys some conveniences like heated and power-adjustable front seats, heated side mirrors, and a powered rear liftgate, as well as some styling tweaks. Adaptive cruise control and Super Cruise are also available, but only as cost options.

Early adopters won’t actually be able to buy either of those because Chevy is starting with the 2RS as the initial trim level when the car goes on sale later this year. The 2RS starts at $44,795 and is a slightly sportier take on the Equinox than the 2LT, albeit with much the same standard features and options.

There are also 3LT ($45,295) and 3RS ($46,795) Equinox EVs, which come with more standard equipment and a wider options list, including 19.2 kW AC charging on the 3RS.

There’s a $1,395 destination charge for all the versions, and all these prices are for the front-wheel drive Equinox EV, which will offer 213 hp (159 kW) and have a range of 319 miles (513 km)—presumably when fitted with the smallest wheels. An all-wheel drive option is coming, which has a combined 288 hp (215 kW) and a range of 285 miles (489 km), but for now, the automaker hasn’t said how much the eAWD option will cost.

  • This is an Equinox EV 3LT, which will probably be a far more common sight on dealership forecourts than the sub-$40,000 version.

    Chevrolet

  • The 3RS is the most expensive trim level.

    Chevrolet

  • Here’s a look at the 1LT’s interior.

    Chevrolet

  • The 3LT interior, with Super Cruise active, judging by the green LED on the steering wheel. Like the rest of Chevy’s EV range, the infotainment system uses Google Automotive Services but lacks Apple CarPlay, a deal-breaker for many potential buyers.

    Chevrolet

  • The 3RS interior.

    Chevrolet

There is some good news, though: Chevrolet confirmed that the Equinox EV will be eligible for the full $7,500 IRS clean vehicle tax credit, at least for model year 2024.

Chevrolet announces model year 2024 Equinox EV pricing Read More »

canada-declares-flipper-zero-public-enemy-no.-1-in-car-theft-crackdown

Canada declares Flipper Zero public enemy No. 1 in car-theft crackdown

Biz & IT, Canada, car theft, Cars, flipper zero, hacking, Policy, radio, Security / /

FLIPPING YOUR LID —

How do you ban a device built with open source hardware and software anyway?

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A Flipper Zero device

Enlarge / A Flipper Zero device

https://flipperzero.one/

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has identified an unlikely public enemy No. 1 in his new crackdown on car theft: the Flipper Zero, a $200 piece of open source hardware used to capture, analyze and interact with simple radio communications.

On Thursday, the Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada agency said it will “pursue all avenues to ban devices used to steal vehicles by copying the wireless signals for remote keyless entry, such as the Flipper Zero, which would allow for the removal of those devices from the Canadian marketplace through collaboration with law enforcement agencies.” A social media post by François-Philippe Champagne, the minister of that agency, said that as part of the push “we are banning the importation, sale and use of consumer hacking devices, like flippers, used to commit these crimes.”

In remarks made the same day, Trudeau said the push will target similar tools that he said can be used to defeat anti-theft protections built into virtually all new cars.

“In reality, it has become too easy for criminals to obtain sophisticated electronic devices that make their jobs easier,” he said. “For example, to copy car keys. It is unacceptable that it is possible to buy tools that help car theft on major online shopping platforms.”

Presumably, such tools subject to the ban would include HackRF One and LimeSDR, which have become crucial for analyzing and testing the security of all kinds of electronic devices to find vulnerabilities before they’re exploited. None of the government officials identified any of these tools, but in an email, a representative of the Canadian government reiterated the use of the phrase “pursuing all avenues to ban devices used to steal vehicles by copying the wireless signals for remote keyless entry.”

A humble hobbyist device

The push to ban any of these tools has been met with fierce criticism from hobbyists and security professionals. Their case has only been strengthened by Trudeau’s focus on Flipper Zero. This slim, lightweight device bearing the logo of an adorable dolphin acts as a Swiss Army knife for sending, receiving, and analyzing all kinds of wireless communications. It can interact with radio signals, including RFID, NFC, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or standard radio. People can use them to change the channels of a TV at a bar covertly, clone simple hotel key cards, read the RFID chip implanted in pets, open and close some garage doors, and, until Apple issued a patch, send iPhones into a never-ending DoS loop.

The price and ease of use make Flipper Zero ideal for beginners and hobbyists who want to understand how increasingly ubiquitous communications protocols such as NFC and Wi-Fi work. It bundles various open source hardware and software into a portable form factor that sells for an affordable price. Lost on the Canadian government, the device isn’t especially useful in stealing cars because it lacks the more advanced capabilities required to bypass anti-theft protections introduced in more than two decades.

One thing the Flipper Zero is exceedingly ill-equipped for is defeating modern antihack protections built into cars, smartcards, phones, and other electronic devices.

The most prevalent form of electronics-assisted car theft these days, for instance, uses what are known as signal amplification relay devices against keyless ignition and entry systems. This form of hack works by holding one device near a key fob and a second device near the vehicle the fob works with. In the most typical scenario, the fob is located on a shelf near a locked front door, and the car is several dozen feet away in a driveway. By placing one device near the front door and another one next to the car, the hack beams the radio signals necessary to unlock and start the device.

Canada declares Flipper Zero public enemy No. 1 in car-theft crackdown Read More »