Chinese Startup NIO Wants to Sell Global Crossover With Adorable A.I. Over the Phone

Nio, the Chinese electric vehicle startup that uses swappable batteries and implements a full-time digital assistant, wants to launch a global model that would make its way to the United States by 2020. To do it, it needs an alternative to the traditional dealer network most brands rely upon. Fortunately for Nio, it already has […] The post Chinese Startup NIO Wants to Sell Global Crossover With Adorable A.I. Over the Phone appeared first on The Truth About Cars. from The Truth About Cars https://ift.tt/Jh8LjA

Ford’s Plan to Buy Towering Detroit Pigeon Coop Isn’t BS

There's been much made about Ford's secret/not-so-secret plan to purchase a major chunk of Detroit's Corktown neighborhood, including its greatest landmark — the monstrous, long-abandoned Michigan Central Station. Until now, however, the only words we had to go on were whispered by sources who preferred to keep their names out of the media. Thankfully, Edsel […] The post Ford's Plan to Buy Towering Detroit Pigeon Coop Isn't BS appeared first on The Truth About Cars. from The Truth About Cars https://ift.tt/Jh8LjA

Ford’s Stopping Production of Cars Sooner Than You Probably Imagined

The biggest automotive news story of the last week was Ford's decision to abandon almost all passenger cars in the North American market. Whether you think it's a smart business decision as consumers shift toward crossovers or a colossal misstep, you were probably envisioning a gradual phase-out as the company bolsters its domestic truck and SUV lineup […] The post Ford's Stopping Production of Cars Sooner Than You Probably Imagined appeared first on The Truth About Cars. from The Truth About Cars https://ift.tt/Jh8LjA

Large Fiat Chrysler Cars Suffer Production Setback as Supplier Goes on Strike

If every full-size car built by Fiat Chrysler was a Dodge Demon, the automaker's limited supply of seats wouldn't be as big an issue. Well, the Demon's dead, and all of the Chrysler 300s, Dodge Chargers, and Dodge Challengers built at FCA's Brampton, Ontario assembly plant need a place for five occupants to plant their […] The post Large Fiat Chrysler Cars Suffer Production Setback as Supplier Goes on Strike appeared first on The Truth About Cars. from The Truth About Cars https://ift.tt/Jh8LjA

Lincoln Says It’s ‘Committed’ to Sedans, but for How Long?

Man, how about that upcoming Lincoln Aviator? Pretty sharp-looking SUV, ain't it? And then there's the new Navigator. Kinda big, though, but the 2019 Nautilus should be just the ticket for the front-drive midsizer crowd. Oh, right — we were talking about sedans. Lincoln loves 'em, apparently, and it's not having any of this Ford's-killing-all-the-cars talk. […] The post Lincoln Says It's 'Committed' to Sedans, but for How Long? appeared first on The Truth About Cars. from The Truth About Cars https://ift.tt/Jh8LjA

GM Revamps OnStar: Take a Long Look In the Mirror

When General Motors first deployed OnStar, it was a little more than an emergency services hotline. Drivers in need could tap a blue button on their rearview mirror and immediately get in contact with an operator. The system could also do this automatically in the event of a crash. OnStar later introduced anti-theft measures, turn-by-turn navigation, […] The post GM Revamps OnStar: Take a Long Look In the Mirror appeared first on The Truth About Cars. from The Truth About Cars https://ift.tt/Jh8LjA

Could Pentagon’s Direct Energy Ray Gun Put an End to High Speed Police Chases?

There are many people who feel every federal agency does not require the kind of machine gun-toting SWAT teams that have proliferated in Washington over recent decades. Also, for 140 years, since the passing of the Posse Comitatus Act, Americans have thought that keeping military and police functions separate is a good idea. In recent […] The post Could Pentagon's Direct Energy Ray Gun Put an End to High Speed Police Chases? appeared first on The Truth About Cars. from The Truth About Cars https://ift.tt/Jh8LjA

QOTD: Who Are the Biggest Road Buffoons?

Yesterday, Matt brought us a story about one Bhavesh Patel, a man who was found was sitting in the passenger seat of his Tesla Model S while his vehicle traveled down the motorway. He pleaded guilty and was slapped with a driving suspension, community service, and monetary fine. Far from the only individual on this earth to […] The post QOTD: Who Are the Biggest Road Buffoons? appeared first on The Truth About Cars. from The Truth About Cars https://ift.tt/Jh8LjA

2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback First Drive – Doing It Right the Second Time

Toyota's Corolla iM was an orphan almost from birth. Conceived by Scion, the compact hatchback joined the Toyota clan after its youth-focused parent brand took an eternal dirt nap. Despite styling that bordered on edgy, the iM failed to elevate drivers' enthusiasm to a point where its sales numbers played much of a role in […] The post 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback First Drive – Doing It Right the Second Time appeared first on The Truth About Cars. from The Truth About Cars https://ift.tt/Jh8LjA

Junkyard Find: 2000 Ford Focus ZX3 Kona Edition

During the middle 1990s, Volkswagen partnered with Wisconsin bicycle manufacturer Trek and sold Trek Edition Jettas, complete with a Trek mountain bike and roof rack. Ford marketers saw an opportunity to out-cool Volkswagen in the bicycle-car pairing department, and figured they'd go to the Pacific Northwest for the bike to include with their biked-up Focus. […] The post Junkyard Find: 2000 Ford Focus ZX3 Kona Edition appeared first on The Truth About Cars. from The Truth About Cars https://ift.tt/Jh8LjA

Tesla Driver Offers Further Proof People Are Complete Idiots

If you're wondering how many times this website has complained about people mishandling semi-autonomous driving systems, we've completely lost count. However, if you want further evidence that we are justified in constantly wringing our hands over the matter, you're in luck. On April 20th, Bhavesh Patel plead guilty to "dangerous driving" at St. Albans Crown Court in […] The post Tesla Driver Offers Further Proof People Are Complete Idiots appeared first on The Truth About Cars. from The Truth About Cars https://ift.tt/Jh8LjA

Los Angeles Finally Snubs Electric Vehicles, Clean Air Cars Have to Pay for HOV Lane

California has been bending over backward to encourage commuters to adopt zero-emission vehicles. Los Angeles County even went so far as to offer EV drivers the opportunity to become certified to access the express lane, even when riding solo, free of charge. This immediately caused issues and transportation officials announced on Thursday they were going to […] The post Los Angeles Finally Snubs Electric Vehicles, Clean Air Cars Have to Pay for HOV Lane appeared first on The Truth About Cars. from The Truth About Cars https://ift.tt/Jh8LjA

Marchionne: 2019 Ram Production Is a Headache, Levante Launch ‘Sucked’

Candid as always, Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne let off some steam during a first-quarter earnings call this week. The chief executive, due to retire early next year, revealed the launch of the next-generation 2019 Ram 1500 was not the smoothest process in the world, with the company taking on additional costs to get the […] The post Marchionne: 2019 Ram Production Is a Headache, Levante Launch 'Sucked' appeared first on The Truth About Cars. from The Truth About Cars https://ift.tt/Jh8LjA