graphic: A pictorial illustration of today’s electric car compared to the potential automobile primarily based on quantum battery technologies. Using quantum charging would guide to a 200 instances speedup in a normal EV, which suggests that the charging time would be slash from 10 hrs to about 3 minutes (at dwelling), or 30 minutes to 9 seconds at a charging station.
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Credit rating: Institute for Fundamental Science
No matter if it is photovoltaics or fusion, quicker or afterwards, human civilization ought to turn to renewable energies. This is considered inevitable taking into consideration the ever-increasing energy calls for of humanity and the finite mother nature of fossil fuels. As these kinds of, considerably analysis has been pursued in get to build alternative sources of electrical power, most of which make the most of electricity as the key vitality provider. The considerable R&D in renewables has been accompanied by gradual societal adjustments as the planet adopted new items and equipment running on renewables. The most hanging transform as of just lately is the immediate adoption of electric automobiles. Although they ended up hardly found on the streets even 10 years ago, now tens of millions of electric powered automobiles are getting sold yearly. The electric powered motor vehicle market place is one particular of the most rapidly growing sectors, and it helped propel Elon Musk to turn into the wealthiest person in the world.
Contrary to classic cars which derive electrical power from the combustion of hydrocarbon fuels, electrical cars depend on batteries as the storage medium for their strength. For a prolonged time, batteries had far reduced power density than those people provided by hydrocarbons, which resulted in incredibly lower ranges of early electric powered cars. On the other hand, gradual improvement in battery systems inevitably allowed the travel ranges of electric autos to be within just appropriate concentrations in comparison to gasoline-burning automobiles. It is no understatement that the advancement in battery storage technology was a person of the major technical bottlenecks which had to be solved in buy to kickstart the current electric car or truck revolution.
Nevertheless, inspite of the wide enhancements in battery engineering, right now individuals of electric vehicles encounter a different trouble – sluggish battery charging velocity. At present, autos just take about 10 hrs to totally recharge at house. Even the quickest superchargers at the charging stations have to have up to 20-40 minutes to totally recharge the vehicles. This results in more expenses and inconvenience to the customers.
To address this trouble, scientists looked for responses in the mysterious industry of quantum physics. Their search has led to the discovery that quantum systems may perhaps assure new mechanisms to charge batteries at a more quickly charge. This kind of thought of “quantum battery” has been initially proposed in a seminal paper revealed by Alicki and Fannes in 2012. It was theorized that quantum assets, this kind of as entanglement, can be employed to vastly pace up the battery charging course of action by charging all cells within the battery at the same time in a collective fashion.
This is particularly fascinating as fashionable big-capacity batteries can comprise various cells. Such collective charging is not doable in classical batteries, wherever the cells are charged in parallel independently of 1 a further. The benefit of this collective versus parallel charging can be calculated by the ratio termed the ‘quantum charging advantage’. Later, all around the 12 months 2017, it was found that there can be two achievable resources driving this quantum edge – particularly ‘global operation’ (in which all the cells speak to all many others concurrently, i.e., “all sitting at 1 table”) and ‘all-to-all coupling’ (just about every mobile can discuss with each and every other, but a one mobile, i.e., “many conversations, but each and every dialogue has only two participants”). Nonetheless, it is unclear irrespective of whether both of those these sources are needed and regardless of whether there are any limitations to the charging speed that can be attained.
Recently, researchers from the Centre for Theoretical Physics of Intricate Units within the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) more explored these concerns. The paper, which was picked out as an “Editor’s Suggestion” in the journal Physical Critique Letters, showed that all-to-all coupling is irrelevant in quantum batteries and that the presence of world wide functions is the only component in the quantum gain. The team went further to pinpoint the exact resource of this benefit even though ruling out any other opportunities and even delivered an explicit way of designing such batteries.
In addition, the team was equipped to specifically quantify how a lot charging pace can be obtained in this scheme. Whilst the optimum charging pace boosts linearly with the range of cells in classical batteries, the analyze confirmed that quantum batteries employing world procedure can achieve quadratic scaling in charging pace. To illustrate this, we will think about a normal electrical vehicle with a battery that contains about 200 cells. Employing this quantum charging would guide to a 200 periods speedup about classical batteries, which means that at residence charging time would be reduce from 10 hrs to about 3 minutes. At high-velocity charging stations, the demand time would be slice from 30 minutes to mere seconds.
Researchers say that outcomes can be considerably-achieving and that the implications of quantum charging can go perfectly further than electric cars and trucks and buyer electronics. For instance, it may possibly come across crucial employs in future fusion electricity plants, which require huge amounts of electricity to be charged and discharged in an quick. Of training course, quantum technologies are however in their infancy and there is a lengthy way to go just before these methods can be executed in observe. Research results these as these, nonetheless, make a promising way and can incentivize the funding companies and corporations to even more spend in these technologies. If employed, it is thought that quantum batteries would absolutely revolutionize the way we use vitality and choose us a phase nearer to our sustainable future.
Journal
Physical Assessment Letters
Method of Investigation
Meta-analysis
Subject matter of Investigation
Not applicable
Article Title
Quantum Charging Edge Simply cannot Be In depth With out Worldwide Operations
Post Publication Day
21-Mar-2022
Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the precision of information releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing establishments or for the use of any data by the EurekAlert method.
It’s really hard to choose regardless of whether traveling taxis are arriving quite late or extremely early. On the a person hand, the promise of airborne cabs zipping among skyscrapers has been a science fiction staple for a long time. On the other, it wasn’t extensive back that air taxis were filed in the ‘we’ll see’ folder of foreseeable future technology, alongside hoverboards and motels on the Moon.
But immediately after yrs of wishful pondering, it’s quickly taking place. Financial commitment in innovative aerial mobility (as the sector is recognized) has additional than tripled in the last 12 months, and analysts at Morgan Stanley count on the world-wide air taxi current market to be truly worth £2.7tr by 2050.
Early or late, the future is en-route and will be coming in to land sooner than the vast majority of persons realise. A range of organizations close to the world are at the moment planning eVTOL cars (electric vertical get-off and landing automobiles), which could revolutionise the way we get all-around large cities.
Quiet, at ease and carbon-absolutely free, eVTOLs promise to increase previously mentioned congested roads, easing city transportation concerns whilst having travellers to their places in file time. In the meantime, regulators on the floor are functioning tough to get ready the procedures and infrastructure demanded to make this new form of transportation possible.
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Air taxis
Many builders think their vehicles will be basic safety qualified and cleared for get off by 2025, if not faster. Boeing, Airbus and Hyundai are some of the common names developing air taxis. One more is Joby, which bought Uber Elevate, the trip-sharing giant’s foray into eVTOLs, in December 2020. Meanwhile, British company Vertical claims to have the highest variety of conditional pre-orders with the likes of Virgin Atlantic and American Airlines between the buyers lining up for its VA-X4 motor vehicle.
“It’s heading to be a quiet and pleasurable, quickly and efficient way of obtaining about,” suggests Andrew Macmillan, director of infrastructure at Vertical. “[The VA-X4] lets you to journey 100-additionally miles [160km] at 200mph [322km/h]. It usually takes off vertically and then transitions to fly horizontally, giving you that array.”
The VA-X4 will carry four passengers and a pilot. In the rear, two pairs of people today will sit struggling with every single other like in the back again of a London taxi. As a fare-payer, you can seem out of the home windows and chat with your fellow flyers devoid of the need for ear protection or microphones. That’s for the reason that, like the vast majority of eVTOLS, the VA-X4 flies working with silent electric powered rotors that, for each journey, develop fewer carbon than a Tesla travelling the similar distance on the streets below.
Air taxis are not just the flying autos promised by The Jetsons, Blade Runner and Back To The Foreseeable future, nevertheless. Alternatively, it is electrified air vacation scaled down to black taxi proportions. It is Uber for the skies. Believe helicopters devoid of the emissions or the reliance on a single most important rotor.
“Helicopters are astounding equipment, but they’re very noisy, they’re incredibly pricey and they’re very unsafe as properly,” Macmillan suggests. “One of the reasons the VA-X4 is safe and sound is that you have received 8 rotors, all electrical run, and every single of them has a individual motor. If you eliminate 1, you don’t get rid of the automobile.”
If eVTOLs are revolutionary in what they might do for city transportation, they’re much more evolutionary in phrases of the fundamental technologies. Electric propulsion, super-productive batteries and light-weight composites underpin air taxi structure and all of it comes from systems remaining produced in tandem sectors.
“I consider we have been ready to reap some of the gains of what’s been taking place on the surface facet of electrical propulsion,” suggests Clint Harper, urban air mobility fellow at City Motion Labs, a non-income designed to assist facilitate upcoming transport options in Los Angeles. “The over-all style of the aircraft, how they fly, how they stay in the air, you know, we’re developing off classes that have been learnt more than the final century of air travel.”
The stage is that eVTOLs are not flying cars at all. “This is, in fact, aviation – the next evolution of it: a quieter, cleaner, more sustainable aviation,” claims Harper’s colleague, Sam Morrissey, executive director of Urban Movement Labs. “Once we reframe it back to aviation, I think individuals recognize how and why we’re heading to see these new autos and this new technological know-how as rapidly as we’re likely to.”
Urban Motion Labs is serving to the town of Los Angeles prepare for the introduction of eVTOLs. The famously horizontal town grew by sprawl and its freeways are acknowledged for targeted visitors jams. Morrissey thinks superior air mobility could ease the problems on the ground and “make journey take place in a way that’s not [currently] physically doable.”
His case in point is travelling from downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica, 15 miles [24km] absent. “It’s bodily not possible to make that excursion in below 30 minutes. But, say my child was in a medical center in Santa Monica, with this new technologies I could make that journey in minutes.”
Los Angeles is not the only location that is getting ready for traveling taxis. São Paulo, Osaka and Singapore are some of the sprawling, densely populated, world wide towns at many levels of setting up for state-of-the-art air mobility. Closer to home, Europe’s initially ‘vertiport’ – the name for eVTOL landing web sites – is being crafted in France in time for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Vertiports have also been proposed for the United kingdom, exactly where a range of intercity eVTOL routes have by now been prepared.
Consider travelling cross-country from Liverpool to Hull, or flying in excess of drinking water from South Wales to Cornwall, or Belfast to Glasgow. Even a seemingly pedestrian journey from Heathrow Airport to Cambridge takes two hours or much more by automobile or coach. You could do it in 20 minutes in an air taxi.
In get for individuals journeys to grow to be a truth, even so, a lot a lot more arranging and infrastructure is essential. eVTOLs may possibly plug into present air site visitors regulate constructions and communication frequencies, but regulators will want to develop new licensing and qualifications benchmarks. There is also the relatively pressing query of where by accurately air taxis will land and choose off from.
To begin with, they are likely to fly to and from existing airports and helipads, but they’ll really quickly need to have their very own areas inside our towns, describes Harper. “Once we communicate about integrating these into the city cloth of the neighbourhoods or communities, there is a ton of items to feel of,” he provides. “It’s likely to get committed infrastructure, which includes recharging these automobiles, upkeep and servicing, and storing them overnight.”
In science fiction, traveling automobiles usually dock on skyscrapers, but that’s not likely to be functional in the real planet. Would you want to climb to the prime floor of a tall creating just to capture a taxi? Morrissey believes vertiports could as an alternative be created on top of, or together with, present transport hubs so that passengers can connect from one particular manner to yet another. “We see this as integrating with the current bus, rail and transit networks in places that are certainly multimodal hubs,” he states.
Arranging is vital. In the earlier, new transportation technologies have arrive alongside and shocked society. “The steam locomotive was developed and we experienced to establish tracks and railroads. The bicycle and the inside combustion engine were invented and we experienced to develop roadways,” states Morrissey. Even today’s electric scooters caught governments and town planners napping, with the autos hitting roadways just before principles had been drawn up to govern their utilization.
There is explanation to consider that highly developed aerial mobility will be unique, nevertheless. There is a (metaphorical) runway concerning now and the vehicles’ launch, through which planners have time to operate out how, where by and why eVTOLs really should fly. “I consider, for the really very first time in human record, we’re equipped to establish a transportation technique to serve a new mode of transportation before that method of transportation exists,” claims Morrissey.
As very well as traveling taxis, eVTOLs could be utilized for research and rescue, transporting organs for transplant, as nicely as supply and tourism. Estimates range, but we could see hundreds or even countless numbers of them in the skies earlier mentioned the British isles in the coming decades, with remotely piloted or even automatic motor vehicles coming in time. Even so several there are, gurus now agree that it is not a case of if, but when the know-how will get there.
“Safety certification is the tipping issue,” states Macmillan. “Once you commence observing that transpire, then you know it is serious since you’ll just see them flying via the air.”
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Cars are changing all the time. Every year new technology comes out that rapidly advances our everyday vehicles of choice, adding new technology, improving the existing functions or completely radicalising the design. But what can we expect from the cars of the future? Will they rapidly improve or have we perfected the design? We’ve picked out the most exciting technology, concepts and upcoming models for the future of cars.
It’s not really a roundup of futuristic cars without Tesla’s Cybertruck! This notorious car was unveiled back in 2019 but has recently been delayed yet again with 2023 announced as the new date for deployment.
The Cybertruck is built mostly to be resilient. It uses Ultra-Hard 30X Cold-Rolled stainless-steel structural skin to harden the frame of the car. That’s a complicated way of saying that the frame of the car is seriously strong. It is also what causes the car’s pointy futuristic design, as the cold-rolled metal loses a lot of its flexibility and formability.
Despite a now infamous video of the Cybertruck windows being easily destroyed by Musk at the Cybertruck reveal, Tesla is claiming that the car’s strength extends to the windows. Ultra-strong glass and polymer-layered composite will supposedly absorb and redirect force keeping your windows safe.
Tesla is also claiming that the Cybertruck will be able to tow over 6,350 Kilograms – roughly the weight of the average African bush elephant. That’s a lot of impressive stats but with all of its many delays, it could well succeed in achieving them all… now we just have to see if it will come out in 2023 or be pushed back again.
BMW’s iX Flow was one of the many cars revealed at CES 2022. While it looks incredibly normal, like a car you would pass hundreds of times on a road trip, it has a very special party trick. At the touch of a button, the iX Flow can completely change colour.
This is possible thanks to a colour-swapping e-ink ‘paint. What that essentially means is that this car is covered in a giant e-reader display with millions of microcapsules filled with paint. In each of these capsules, there are negatively charged white pigments and positively charged black pigments. When an electrical field is changed, the chosen pigment rises to the surface to change the colour of the car.
It doesn’t even have to be the entire car that changes colour. BMW showed it off with racing stripes, patches of different colours all over and seamless switches from white to black across the entire car.
While this feels like a car pulled straight from a James Bond movie, it is only a concept right now. Whether BMW will actually bring this technology out is yet to be seen. There would also be questions over how well the millions of microcapsules would fair in a real-world environment.
Heads Up Displays (HUD) are one of those classic science fiction tropes that you see over and over again. At CES 2022 the brand Meta Materials displayed this kind of technology, using holographics to show key information directly in the driver’s eyesight. Meta Materials claim this would help the driver focus on the road without looking down at the display consoles in the car.
A HUD would mean the driver’s eyes wouldn’t have to adjust to different brightnesses when switching from the road to the instruments in the car and would, in theory, improve a driver’s reaction time by always looking at the road. However, like a lot of car technology, this is still a long way away and would likely need a lot of approval before it could be implanted effectively into cars.
Back in 2019 at CES, Hyundai unveiled the ‘Elevate’ concept car. It’s certainly unique as far as concept cars go, offering a vehicle that combines wheels with legs. This would allow the car to move about in ways other cars couldn’t, climbing stairs to allow someone in a wheelchair to get in, fitting into parking spaces better or moving over difficult objects.
With these legs, the car would even be able to climb and ‘walk’ around where wheels aren’t helpful. “When a tsunami or earthquake strikes, current rescue vehicles can only transport first responders to the edges of the debris. They have to travel the rest of the way on foot. ‘Elevate’ can drive into place and climb directly over debris from a flood or pieces of collapsed buildings,” said John Suh, Vice President and Head of Hyundai Cradle.
The Canoo Pickup is another car that looks overall pretty normal. Other than a larger than average front window, it could easily pass as the kind of car you would see day-to-day. It doesn’t have crazy technology or loads of screens, instead Canoo is focusing on functionality. The car is heavily modular, allowing you to change the rooftop accessories, size and features as well as being able to extend or tuck away the pull-out bed, completely changing the size of the car.
This means you can have a smaller car for speeding around the city or, extend out the top and the back for maximum storage on a trip. It has hidden drawers, extra plugs, solar panels and integrated lighting across the outside of the car – nothing particularly advanced but modular features on a car is a great idea we rarely see.
DS Automobiles is yet another company that is going fully fledged futuristic with its concept cars. Following Elon Musk’s naming scheme for kids, this model has been titled the X E-Tense. It’s a three-seat design, looking to use technology that could reform after an impact and windows that can adjust to the level of light outside. Inside the car, there are two seats on one side and one additional seat to the side in the back.
The interior features lots of elaborate designs, bright colours and overall, the kind of stylising that feels futuristic. Obviously, like a lot of other concept cars, most of this technology doesn’t exist yet. Instead, DS is looking to highlight where cars could go in the future.
When Audi revealed the AI: Trail back in 2019, it did feel slightly like a chaotic melting pot of futuristic tech ideas. Drones, detachable hammock seats and a lot of glass are some of the features you can find onboard this concept car, but it does offer some interesting indications of where cars could go. Along with being an electric car, it would feature antibacterial, dirt-repellant coating on arm rests and interior parts of the car.
The seats are detachable style hammocks which can be removed and used on camping trips and allow you to clean easier. There is also the weirder suggestion in this concept of drones that follow the car and light up the route ahead. It does all feel very futuristic but whether Audi’s AI: Trail is a functional model for the future of cars, we’re not so sure.
Another recent concept from the 2022 CES event, Cadillac’s InterSpace design looks just like a car pulled straight from a sci-fi film set in the distant future. Cadillac claims that the point of the InnerSpace concept is to reimagine the experience of a drive, allowing two passengers to focus on their journey and not arduous driving.
The car would feature fully autonomous capability – a feature many car manufacturers have aimed for but none have fully managed – allowing the driver to focus on the scenery or personal tasks. Cadillac aims to take entertainment a step further in this car, using Augmented Reality engagement to keep passengers engaged.
The car goes as far as to feature tyres that reduce sound wave resonance for a quieter and more comfortable journey. Like a lot of the cars on this list, this is very much a concept and therefore Cadillac is only really predicting where cars could go. However, all of this technology does exist – augmented reality, self-driving features, sound mitigation – it’s just a case of developing it effectively into vehicles and doing it safely.
Ever feel like your car doesn’t have enough screens? Like most concept cars these days, Sony seems to be adopting the Pimp My Ride school of thought where the more screens you have, the better the car is. Screens for both rear seats and three displays in the front, Sony is looking to turn cars into media centres. However, it is not just the aims for entertainment that the Vision-S 02 is promising.
The car would feature over 40 sensors to continuously monitor safety issues outside the car, also aiding the passenger in self-driving situations (popularised by Tesla). Sony would also make the change over to digital mirrors, combining cameras and displays. Something Sony’s concept looks to add that hasn’t been seen much in new cars is the use of Time of Flight cameras to measure facial expressions, gestures and fatigue. This aims to assist with temperature control and warnings around sleep or breaks when driving.
You like technology. We like technology. That’s why we rounded up the best cars for those of you who need the biggest screens, smartest systems and coolest gadgets packed into a car. Our editors did the heavy lifting for you, so you have a simple list to browse as you shop for a new car.
And not everything on this list is wildly expensive, either. You can get a lot of tech for a low price, believe it or not. Check out our picks right down below.
Read more:Roadshow’s guide to vehicle subscriptions
Andrew Krok/Roadshow
Whether you’re talking about the cabin tech or the stuff that lives under the body, there’s all sorts of new technology hiding out in Ford’s first electric Mustang, which just so happens to also be a crossover SUV.
Slide into the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E’s cabin and you’re immediately greeted with a honkin’ 15.5-inch portrait display. This screen covers the traditional infotainment duties, but it also hides a wealth of vehicle settings and other related features that let you customize all sorts of vehicle parameters. It’s also Ford’s best iteration of its Sync software to date.
Ford has given the Mach-E’s underlying tech some modularity, too. Want just a single electric motor on the rear axle? Great! If you want all-wheel drive, just slap another one in the front. Want a bigger battery? Don’t worry, Ford can slap one of those in, too. And with even more variants on the horizon, there’s bound to be a Mach-E variant that will fit your needs — and your performance joneses, too.
-Andrew Krok, reviews editor
Mercedes-Benz
Whenever a new Mercedes-Benz S-Class hits the scene, it comes with a whole bunch of new tech. Whether it’s a novel infotainment feature, an important new safety system or just some gee-whiz feature to impress your passengers, the S-Class never ceases to impress. That’s especially true with the new 2021 model.
For the driver, the new S-Class offers a 3D gauge cluster and a huge — and I mean huge — head-up display. The HUD projects the equivalent of a 77-inch diagonal display onto the dashboard, and has augmented reality overlays to ensure you’ll never miss a tricky turn while using the navigation system. There’s also a brand-new version of Mercedes’ excellent MBUX infotainment system, with the ability to share data between other passengers’ screens, including the rear occupants. Audio tech more your jam? There’s an optional Burmester 4D sound system with 30 speakers. And don’t even get me started on the heated, cooling, massaging seats, cabin fragrance integration or the door handles that automatically pop out as you approach.
Arguably more important is the new S-Class’ list of safety tech, which starts with an industry first: a rear-seat airbag. This bag deploys from the back of the front seat and envelops the rear passenger in a wing-shape cushion, preventing injury in the event of a crash. In addition, a whole bevy of driver-assistance goodies come standard on every S-Class, including adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, cross-traffic assist, automatic parking assist and more. Whether your tech preferences surround luxury, entertainment or safety, the 2021 S-Class has you covered.
– Steven Ewing, managing editor
2021 Mercedes-Maybach S-Class raises the bar for luxury sedans
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Tesla
Want the perfect intersection of futurism and function? For me, that’s Tesla. And there’s no better option these days than the 2021 Model Y. The newest interior refresh of this all-electric crossover SUV does away with many of the nitpicks owners zeroed in on (say “goodbye” to the glossy black center console and all the fingerprints that came with it).
Tesla’s always updating its software with new features; far more than any other manufacturer out there, I’d wager. Those over-the-air updates for this EV include a good balance of performance tweaks and fun easter eggs. Even though there’s no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, the 15-inch infotainment screen is loaded with Google Maps and Spotify, so you probably won’t miss much.
The Model Y has also picked up a 5-star safety rating in every category from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, so not only are you getting a crossover that will continue to evolve technologically long after it rolls off the assembly line, you’re getting one that promises to be incredibly safe for you and your family. If you love tech, what better option than a vehicle that is tech, from the ground up?
-Ashley Esqueda, senior video producer, CNET
Nissan
I like low-cost cars, as evidenced by my not buying a brand-new one since 1993 — massive depreciation isn’t a feature I want on my spec sheet. But if I had to buy something new, it might be a 2021 Nissan Versa. Starting at $15,930 including delivery, the Versa is a good-looking car, inside and out, which neutralizes the typical No. 1 turnoff of low-cost cars.
Even on the bottom S trim level, Lane Departure Warning and Automatic Emergency Braking are standard. S is also the only trim that comes with a manual transmission, which I would welcome, not to make some “gasoline in my veins” statement, but to carry through the economic and industrial elegance of the machine. The Versa gets 32 miles per gallon city and 40 mpg on the highway.
An S trim Versa has a 7-inch touchscreen central display, but it doesn’t offer CarPlay or Android Auto. Being an Android user, I won’t actually mind since my phone OS has a car mode that essentially turns the phone into an automotive head unit, a function that CarPlay doesn’t offer. Once I get a high-quality phone mount for my Versa I’ll have a $16,000 car with modern streaming, navigation, communication, and the best voice interface in the world. (For those of you who want embedded CarPlay or Android Auto, you’ll have to pony up for one of the Versa’s higher trims.)
-Brian Cooley, editor at large
Antuan Goodwin/Roadshow
Ford’s F-Series pickup is America’s best-selling new vehicle of any kind, be it truck, car or SUV. It might not seem particularly intuitive that a beast-of-burden pickup truck might also be one of America’s best high-tech models, but in this case, it is — handily so.
One of the best things about the redesigned 2021 Ford F-150 is its available PowerBoost hybrid option, which piggybacks atop the engine range’s top-dog 3.5-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V6. By adding an electric motor to the existing six-cylinder engine, the Blue Oval has created a more fuel-efficient powertrain whose 430 hp and 570 lb-ft of torque can tow 12,700 pounds.
In addition to great tech features like Sync 4 infotainment with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android auto, along with bumper-to-bumper OTA updates. Plus, there’s a trick power folding shifter that creates a large, desk-like work surface and first-class lay-flat seats for naps on the job site. That’s all well and good, but the F-150’s Killer App feature is its available Pro Power Onboard built-in generator. This in-bed power station generates up to 7.2kW of power — enough juice to power many job sites, or potentially even your house in a blackout.
-Chris Paukert, executive editor
2021 Ford F-150 King Ranch PowerBoost matches hybrid smarts with Western flair
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More performance through technology
2022 Porsche 911 GT3
Porsche
The modern Porsche 911 is always a fascinating mix of electronic and good ol’ fashioned mechanical engineering. It’s an exercise in bending physics to your will and it’s also a flagship vehicle for one of the most engineering-focused car companies out there. In short, it’s a tech-geek’s playground.
The 2022 Porsche 911 GT3 is mechanically fascinating in a number of ways, but it’s hard to get around its unbelievable 4.0-liter flat-six engine that revs to 9,000 rpm while making well over 100 horsepower per liter. It does this while offering a warranty and meeting emissions requirements. Also amazing is the inclusion of tech that just a decade ago would have seemed almost like science fiction. This includes stuff like four-wheel steering that operates almost transparently, insanely quick-shifting PDK dual-clutch gearbox and more. This Porsche is as carefully considered and finely fettled as a Swiss watch, and there are few cars that come close to it.
From an electronics standpoint, the 992-generation 911 doesn’t disappoint, either. It offers a gorgeous interior where its large infotainment screen is beautifully integrated. The screen is sharp, and the system running on it is many-layered and granular, yet easy to use and very responsive. Beyond that, the instrument cluster does a brilliant job of taking the 911’s iconic five-dial gauge and bringing it thoughtfully and cleanly into 2021. This is done by keeping the massive, central analog tachometer — something that provides a visceral connection to the car’s drivetrain and surrounding it with multi-information displays. I could go on and on about Porsche Active Suspension Management and this car’s electronically controlled engine mounts and the like, but you get the idea. The 911 GT3 is a true treat for the technologically inclined.
-Kyle Hyatt, news and features editor
A stylish EV with next-generation Android smarts
2021 Polestar 2
Daniel Golson/Roadshow
I had to pick an EV for this one, because they’re just inherently more appealing to those who like to be on tech’s cutting edge. But which one? There are actually a lot to choose from right now, and more will be on the market by the end of the year. But, when it comes to the features I want in a car, Android Automotive is a big one, and the 2021 Polestar 2 is one of the few places to get it.
Android Automotive takes Android Auto to the next level by baking Android right into the car. Now, instead of your phone driving the experience, everything runs natively, relying on the car’s data connection. Google Maps is built right in, as are things like YouTube Music and a bunch of other apps — not enough yet, but it’ll get there. It makes for an intuitive, seamless experience in this Polestar. That is, at least, assuming you’re an Android user. Apple CarPlay support is coming, I’ve been promised.
But it goes beyond infotainment. The Polestar 2 has the modern look and feel that resonates with me. It drives as sharply as an EV should and can even be configured with adjustable Ohlins suspension. Love fiddling with things? It’s perfect.
-Tim Stevens, editor in chief
Jeep
Why the hell is a Jeep Wrangler on this list, with its antediluvian ladder frame and a suspension that’s anchored by a pair of iron logs? Well, the answer is simple: Not all technology needs to be electronic.
This rough-and-tumble SUV offers an abundance of useful features that enhance its off-road capability and make it more enjoyable to drive. Some of the Wrangler’s admittedly low-tech amenities include easily removable doors and a folding soft top so you can bask in nature’s glory while out on the trail. This off-roader also offers a two-speed transfer case for mountain-goat climbing ability, the available EcoDiesel V6 delivers locomotive levels of torque for easy drivability and Rubicon models even feature a disconnecting front sway bar, which provides greater suspension articulation, as well as locking differentials at both ends for maximum traction in even the most trying conditions.
Yeah, the Wrangler is totally old-school, and much of its technology is, well, pretty ancient, but this stuff is nonetheless super useful. If, however, you absolutely must have max circuits and software, this Jeep doesn’t disappoint. A range of electrified mild-hybrid powertrains is offered, along with a new-for-2021 4xe plug-in hybrid model. Plus, you can get a Uconnect infotainment system with an 8.4-inch screen and support for both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus all kinds of modern electronic driving aids are available, including blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, trailer-sway control and even adaptive cruise control, to name a few. Thanks to features like these and its sledgehammer off-road capability, the Wrangler is an unexpectedly techy vehicle.
-Craig Cole, reviews editor
Chevy’s second crack at the Bolt EV delivers
2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV
Steven Ewing/Roadshow
General Motors is hell-bent on democratizing electric cars in the US, and while the first Chevrolet Bolt EV felt like a half-step, the new-for-2022 Bolt EUV feels like it strikes the target far better. And tech? The Bolt EUV is chock full of it.
The highlight of it all is Super Cruise — the first time the hands-free highway driving assistant will be offered in a Chevrolet. So far, the technology that actually lets you take your hands off the steering wheel has been a Cadillac-only ordeal. A lot of attention focuses on Tesla and its Autopilot system, but Super Cruise is truly a hands-free system in the right conditions, and it’s ready to roll on over 200,000 miles of US and Canadian roads.
Not to mention, the Bolt EUV features a typical slew of technology that will fulfill a technophile’s dreams. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both standard, and run on a large 10.2-inch touchscreen. Outside of Super Cruise’s smarts, there’s a sweet of other driver-assist and active safety functions. And an optional rearview camera mirror is a cherry on top. Seriously, you won’t miss a standard mirror. With all the tech mentioned here, you’re also taking about an EV under $40,000. Not only is it a good buy for tech lovers, it’s an affordable purchase if you’re eager to go totally electric.
-Sean Szymkowski, news editor
Antuan Goodwin/Roadshow
If you’re like me, being a fan of tech means having the freedom to upgrade, build-it-yourself and modify. Shiny new tech and mega screens are good, but everything eventually becomes obsolete. The 2020 Toyota 86 began its life as a Scion — a brand born with customization and personalization at its very core. Now, half a decade after Scion’s demise, the admittedly low-tech-for-starters Toyota 86 — and its doppelganger, Subaru’s BRZ — persists as one of the most customizable and easily upgradable new cars you can buy. That makes it ideal for tech-loving tinkerers and performance-loving modders.
Most new cars feature deeply integrated dashboard tech that is typically difficult to upgrade. Pop the radio out (if you even can) and, who knows, maybe the turn signals stop working? Maybe you lose all access to climate controls? The 86 is one of a handful of new cars that still features an honest to goodness, simple and standard-sized double-DIN dashboard receiver. That means that when its tech gets outdated or you just want something new, upgrading is as easy as swapping in an aftermarket unit. No other vital components will stop working; no expensive adapters or dashboard rebuild kits are required. Feeling weird and want to build your own tech powered by an old Android tablet or a Raspberry Pi? No problem, just punch out the Toyota unit, grab your soldering iron and get to modding. Ironically, being comparatively low tech makes the 86 and cars like it perfect for those who prefer a hands-on approach to tech.
The upgrades don’t have to stop in the dashboard, and the 86 is also an ideal candidate for modders who like to turn wrenches. This rear-driver’s well-sorted chassis and off-the-lot performance gets the driver’s car fundamentals right while leaving just enough on the table for you to discover and personalize with suspension, traction and power-adding mods of your own. Whether looking to build a track toy or just hone the performance and style for the streets, if “built, not bought” is your way of life, you’ll find a lot to love in the 86’s unique formula. (Note: While the 86 is a 2020 model year holdover, plenty remain at dealers.)
– Antuan Goodwin, reviews editor
Hyundai
If you’re looking for an affordable compact sedan chock full of technology goodies, look no further than the 2021 Hyundai Elantra. New-for-2021, this wildly styled four-door sports a healthy list of infotainment and safety equipment that make it a tech standout in the competitive segment. Available in standard, Hybrid and higher-performance N-Line guise, the Elantra checks a lot of boxes for a lot of buyers.
In the cabin, a 10.2-inch customizable LCD gauge cluster is available on mid-grade SEL versions and comes standard on the range-topping Limited trims. Handling infotainment on most Elantras is an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capabilities, Bluetooth and an available Bose audio setup. Hyundai’s Digital Key system is available enabling owners to unlock and start their Elantra through a phone app without the key.
An impressive list of standard safety tech comes on the Elantra including forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear-cross traffic alert, lane-keep assist, lane-following assist and Safe Exit Alert. Adaptive cruise control and pedestrian detection are options.
-Jon Wong, reviews editor
Steven Ewing/Roadshow
If you’re a fan of screens and advanced driver’s aids, the 2021 Cadillac Escalade SUV should be at the top of your list. The cabin is dominated by three curved individual OLED panels measuring more than 38 inches across. The colors and graphics on these screens are brilliant and the system is lightning quick, with no lag even when using pinch-to-zoom. Navigation gets a bump with available augmented reality, overlaying directional arrows on a video feed displayed in the gauge cluster, so you’ll never miss a turn again.
In addition to screens galore, this full-size and super-lux Cadillac SUV can be had with Super Cruise, a hands-free driving technology that uses cameras and GPS data to keep the Escalade rolling down the road under certain conditions. This system only works on highways that have been 3D mapped, but the North American network is extensive and it’s likely your commute is covered. The system can change lanes on its own as well. Of course, you’ll have to keep your eyes up and pay attention (a driver-facing camera ensures you do), but Super Cruise is one of the only hands-off driving technologies currently available on the market. We at Roadshow prefer it to Tesla’s Autopilot, and so does Consumer Reports.
The Escalade’s OLED screens are standard on all trims, but if you want Super Cruise you’ll have to start with the Premium Luxury trim and then add almost $9,000 in options, putting the price at $93,140 including $1,295 for destination. Look, nobody said technology was cheap.
-Emme Hall, reviews editor
Best SUVs, trucks and cars for tech lovers for 2021
We drove these cars, trucks and SUVs! Roadshow’s new-car testers and editors are constantly on the road, evaluating a wide variety of vehicles in all conditions and situations (not to mention other gearhead essentials like garage heaters, floor jacks, tool sets and more). It’s our collective experience and decades of knowledge that guides the decisions that turn into these best lists.
The vehicles seen here represent our favorite new SUVs, trucks and passenger cars for tech lovers of all stripes. Whether you’re someone who wants an EV packed with the latest cabin conveniences and advanced driver assist systems; a low-cost DIYer who relishes personalizing your ride with your own brought-in solutions, or just someone who wants an affordable everyday car with commute-easing tech, the Roadshow by CNET editorial team has you covered.
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Erin and Larry Hermann’s 23 year-old son was killed by a driver under the influence in East Hampton, Connecticut. Both parents believe Kyle Hermann would still be alive if new vehicle technology that stops drunk drivers behind the wheel was available in the 2018 crash.
“Passive vehicle technology standards have the potential to eliminate the number one killer on American roads,” Erin Hermann said. “I wish that my son could reap the benefits but we’re so grateful that others would eventually.”
The $1.2 trillion federal infrastructure bill signed by President Joe Biden last month requires all new cars to have the technology installed by 2026. Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal said on Friday, alongside families of victims of drunk driving in his state, that within three years, federal agencies will have to “develop standards for technology that can be implemented promptly by car manufacturers.”
“By 2026, cars rolling off the assembly line should have technology that will prevent drunk driving,” Blumenthal said.
New cars would have sensors placed in the seats and panels that can sense if there’s alcohol coming from the driver. Other sensors could tell if the driver’s eyes aren’t on the road, if they start closing their eyes, if their head starts nodding, or if the car starts swerving. This technology would also work with drivers falling asleep behind the wheel. It will either slow the car down or immobilize it.
“It’s not some promise in the future. It’s not hope,” he said. “It’s now a law that cars will have to include this preventive technology that will stop drunk driving.”
About 10,000 deaths every year in the United States happen as a result of drunk driving. Blumenthal estimated this technology will save about 9,400 lives.
“On average, 28 people will be killed as a result of someone making the wrong decisions and it’s 100{4224f0a76978c4d6828175c7edfc499fc862aa95a2f708cd5006c57745b2aaca} preventable,” said Bob Garguilo, executive director for Mothers Against Drunk Driving of New England. “This technology will obviously do something that we as humans could not do, which was control ourselves and make the right decision.”
Garguilo said the holidays are a time to celebrate and live life to the fullest but it’s important that no one gets behind the wheel of a car. He encourages using Uber, Lyft or public transportation and to have a plan before you leave your house.
“The most important thing you can do this holiday season is to have a plan,” Garguilo said. “If you’re going to an office party or you’re going to a family occasion, just have a plan, who’s the designated driver.”
“The holiday season is coming up and we don’t get to hide from that,” Larry Hermann said. “That’s something that’s there every single day for us. All we’re asking is for people to take the time to think. Enjoy your families and tell your loved ones you love them every single day because we take everything for granted.”
Blumenthal said he hopes putting this technology into cars will be a ripple effect. He wants trains and other forms of public transportation to have this technology installed soon after it’s available to cars.
Other challenges may slow the electric road of the future. “To put this in context, inroad charging while driving is not likely to be a broad solution for all electric vehicles, but it could play an important role for some applications,” said Jeremy J. Michalek, professor of engineering and public policy and director of the vehicle electrification group at Carnegie Mellon University.
“For passenger cars, most drivers will leave home on most days with a full tank of electricity, and EV range is growing large enough that most drivers won’t need public charging except on rare long-distance travel days,” he said.
But there is a bigger problem that these kinds of roadways can solve. “For long-haul trucking, inroad charging aims to address a real problem with electrifying trucks,” Mr. Michalek said. Electric trailer trucks require large battery packs that reduce payload; inroad charging could help, though that amount of long-distance travel would require a huge investment in infrastructure.
Inroad charging will also need to “withstand all of the weight and weather abuse that tears up our roads today. There may be particular applications where inroad charging infrastructure could be targeted to select locations, such as bus stops or fleets with fixed routes and known stops,” he said.
The Purdue team is mindful of these challenges, but optimistic. “The technical obstacles that we need to overcome are not insurmountable,” Mr. Aliprantis said. “Those can be overcome with proper design.”
There are, however, regulatory barriers, he said. “For example, in Indiana if you’re not a utility, you cannot resell electricity. So, if you’re the roadway operator, you cannot charge the vehicles for the electricity they consume. Also, there are obstacles to using the interstate right of way right now to install this infrastructure. There are certain regulations that need to change before this becomes a reality, at least in this country.”
Moreover, electric grids will need to increase capacity to guarantee they can cover the demand that will be created. “Especially if we want to implement this technology at scale, because we’re not charging cellphones, we’re charging big vehicles moving at freeway speeds, which require a significant amount of power,” he said.
For the Purdue project, it’s the start of the road trip.
“We see this technology as a great opportunity to align with the vision from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration of alternative fuel corridors along major national roadways that support plug-in electric vehicle charging, hydrogen, propane, and natural gas refueling with existing or planned infrastructure,” Ms. Gkritza said. “We are not proposing that all roads will be 100 percent electrified.”
