Friday, 30 September 2016

Volvo Plans to Launch Self-Driving Tech by 2021 as a $10K Option

Volvo Plans to Launch Self-Driving Tech by 2021 as a $10K Option


Volvo Plans to Launch Self-Driving Tech by 2021 as a $10K Option

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Volvo is planning to sell a fully self-driving car within five years and the brand will charge around $10,000 to equip the technology.

Volvo's autopilot will be optional and allow drivers to turn over full control to the vehicle according to CEO Hakan Samuelsson. Volvo is already testing self-driving cars on Swedish roads and by 2017 there will be 100 self-driving XC90s sold to specific customers as part of a pilot program, though the self-driving tech will only be available in certain areas.

SEE ALSO: Volvo's Self-Driving Car Project has Begun Using Real People on Public Roads

Volvo is pushing to offer to offer autopilot by 2021, likely making it one of the first companies to offer a fully self-driving vehicle for sale. Other automakers such as Ford are focusing on bringing self-driving vehicles to ride sharing businesses, rather than selling the cars outright.

Volvo is also in on this market and recently announced a partnership with Uber in Pittsburgh.

Besides being able to spend your time on something other than driving, Volvo also claims that its self-driving vehicles will be up to 50 percent more efficient thanks to a better driving style.

Discuss this story at our Volvo Forum

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Gallery: Look at All These Neat Cars North Americans Can’t Buy

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Wandering the floor of the 2016 Paris Motor Show and driving around the streets of Paris, we were constantly reminded of all the cool/weird/obscure cars we can't buy as North Americans.

From Citroens and Peugeots to Suzukis and Renaults, there are many entire brands we can't buy, but there are also a lot of vehicles from automakers like Mercedes, Audi, and BMW that aren't shipped to our shores.

For example, we can't buy an Alfa Romeo Mito or Giulietta, a BMW 1 Series, an Audi Q1, Q2, or RS6 Wagon, a Mercedes-Benz CLA Wagon, Mazda6 Wagon, Ford Fusion Wagon or even an Opel Insignia Wagon. (That's a lot of wagons.)

Flip through the gallery above to check out some of the cars we saw roaming around the Paris Motor Show that North Americans can't buy. And remember, this is just a tiny fraction of cars we saw that we can't get … we ate too many croissants to take more photos.

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Top 5 Best Concept Cars from the 2016 Paris Motor Show

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The 2016 Paris Motor Show is coming to an end and the French automakers really dazzled on their home turf this year. 

French automakers are known for getting really creative with their concept car designs, and they didn't disappoint. While other automakers went hyper aggressive with their designs, the French kept it classy with flowing lines and simple proportions.

Here are AutoGuide.com's picks for the best five concepts that debuted at this year's Paris Motor Show.

ALSO SEE: 2016 Paris Motor Show Coverage

5. Volkswagen I.D.

I.D.

Volkswagen is focusing on creating a new identity in its post-Dieselgate world, and electric vehicles are a huge part of that. The I.D. concept revealed in Paris shows an all-new design language that informs how future electric cars from VW will look. The concept is powered by an electric motor with 167 horsepower. The EV will have a driving range of between 248 miles (400 kilometers) to 372 miles (600 km).


4. Hyundai RN30

Hyundan RN30 Concept Paris-15

The Hyundai RN30 concept is exciting because it previews what the Korean automaker's N performance brand has in store. Hyundai doesn't have a performance car now that the Genesis Coupe has been discontinued, so this is our best look at the car that will soon carry that flame. This aggressive-looking concept is powered by high-performance turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, which is actually under development for N production models.


3. Lexus UX

Lexus UX COncept

The Lexus UX was a polarizing concept this year, but people definitely agreed that its design was extreme. For better or worse, Lexus is making its cars even more aggressive and angular and this latest concept takes that styling to the next level. The inside is even crazier than the outside, with a design that looks inspired by aliens. A toned-down version of this concept will likely see production sometime in the next year or two.


2. Citroen CXperience

Citroen cXperience

French automaker Citroen debuted a funky-looking wagon concept called the CXperience in Paris and the coolest features are the suicide doors and the unique yellow interior that is contrasted by walnut trim. The concept is a plug-in hybrid with a 300-hp output and has a zero-emissions range of 37 miles. The design mixes elements of wagons and sedans, but it somehow works and was drawing quite the crowd at the Paris show.


1. Renault Treznor

Renault Treznor

Easily the most unique and stunning concept car at this year's show, the Renault Treznor made its global debut in Paris. The concept's proportions are classic, and it looks good from every angle. One of the coolest features, however, is how you get in – the entire top canopy including the wraparound red windshield lifts and moves backwards and you climb in. The French automaker says this concept is all-electric and can be driven fully autonomously. Power output is rated at 350 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque.

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UAW Rep Confirms New Ford Ranger, Bronco Will be Built in Michigan

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A representative for the United Automobile Workers (UAW) has confirmed what has been believed for quite some time: a new Ford Ranger and Bronco are coming and they will be built in the U.S. 

"We hate to see the products go to Mexico, but with the Ranger and the Bronco coming to Michigan Assembly that absolutely secures the future for our people a lot more than the Focus does," Bill Johnson, who is the chairman of UAW Local 900 which represents the Wayne plant, told Detroit Free Press.

SEE ALSO: 2017 Ford Raptor's EcoBoost V6 Cranked up to 450 HP

No timeline has been offered for when production of the new midsize pickup truck and SUV would start, though Ford has confirmed that it plans to begin small car production in Mexico by 2018. It is expected that the Ranger will launch first in 2018 with the Bronco coming in 2019 or 2020.

The move of Focus and C-Max production to Mexico has been in the news recently after presidential candidate Donald Trump condemned Ford for moving jobs out of the U.S., though Ford has said all along that no jobs will be lost. Until now, it wasn't clear which products would be moved into Wayne Assembly to take the place of the Focus and C-Max.

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

Discuss this story at our Ford Forum

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2018 Kia Rio Debuts with New 3-Cylinder Engine, More Mature Style

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The redesigned Kia Rio isn't the most flashy debut at this year's Paris Motor Show, but it is a significant model that a lot of people will actually buy.

The Kia Rio is the Korean automaker's best-selling car worldwide, so this was a big debut for the brand. Kia promises the fourth-generation model is better to drive and that it has more advanced safety features than the one it replaces, all while still being efficient and affordable.

The car has been redesigned to give off a more mature vibe and it has definitely grown up in a lot of ways, besides being physically bigger than the one replaces. That size increase means the hatch has a larger cargo capacity than before.

ALSO SEE: 2016 Paris Motor Show Coverage

The dashboard and center stack controls have also been redesigned and are now angled towards the driver, while Kia's new infotainment interface allowed the number of buttons on the center console to be cut down for a dashboard that's less cluttered. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will be offered. Kia says the Rio has the most spacious cabin in its class and also that it's also the first car in its class to offer automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection.

North American powertrain details weren't released at the Paris show, but Kia did say it will be powered by a turbo three-cylinder 1.0-litre engine and a diesel motor in other parts of the world. The gas engine gets 100 horsepower and 127 pound-ft of torque and is crazy fuel efficient.

Unfortunately, it's not known if North Americans will get either engine, but do know that the 2018 Kia Rio will go on sale around the world in early 2017.

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POLL: What’s the Best Mazda MX-5 Miata Ever?

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With every Mazda MX-5 Miata being such a joy to drive, picking the best is an impossible task. What's your favorite Mazda MX-5 Miata ever?

Take the poll right here—and if you need help making your choice, read what makes each model special just below.

 

1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata

1990 Mazda MX-5 MiataThe 1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata changed the sports car game completely as a two-seat roadster weighing just over 2,000 lbs. with a 1.6-liter engine and 116 HP. Super responsive and properly balanced, the average person could easily drive the MX-5 near its limit. Since it was so light, the suspension didn't have to be stiff, which created a genuinely comfortable ride. This is the MX-5 Miata that started it all.


2004 Mazdaspeed MX-5 Miata

2004 Mazdaspeed MX-5 MiataAside from its 1.8-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine, what made the Mazdaspeed so special was its complete package: Bilstein shocks, beefier springs, wider tires, thicker anti-roll bars and a strut tower brace as well as a tasteful skirt package, 17-inch wheels and a rear spoiler. It was all just gravy, bolstering the MX-5's already amazing driving experience.


2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata

2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata

Great steering, amazing grip and the one of the best transmissions of any MX-5, the "ND" MX-5 is continuing proof that for the folks at Mazda, driving matters. Weighing 2,332 lbs., this MX-5 refocused the Miata graham strategy, making the most of its 155-hp engine in a package that brought its cornering capabilities into a new era.


2013 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club

2013 Mazda MX-5 MiataAlthough it was near the end of the third generation MX-5 Miata, it didn't stop Mazda from adding more performance to its incredible handling. Called the Club, this model featured Bilstein dampers, a limited-slip differential and larger front and rear splitters—and all of the responsiveness MX-5 fans had come to expect from this great roadster.


1996 Mazda MX-5 Miata

1996 Mazda MX-5 MiataIn 1996, the most powerful version of the first generation MX-5 Miata was introduced. Adding to its responsiveness and unbelievable cornering ability, the 1.8-liter four cylinder received a slight bump in output to 133 HP.


2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata PRHT

Mazda MX-5 Miata PRHTIn 2007, the third generation MX-5 Miata featured a new feature not offered on any previous version. A three-piece, Power Folding Retractable Hard Top convertible roof was now available that also added a new level of all-weather capability and practicality.


2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF

Mazda MX-5 Miata RFWith its gorgeous and revolutionary Retractable Fastback, unmistakable styling and naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, the 2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF might just be the greatest Miata ever—and certainly takes the MX-5 Miata philosophy of being a joy to drive to the next unmistakable level. It also might just be the best looking Miata ever!

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