New video of the Tesla Cybertruck concept driving around L.A. Saturday night, reportedly with Elon Musk himself at the wheel, shows the prototype has quite a bit of body roll through corners, more than youd expect for a vehicle weighed down by a floor full of batteries. Maybe chalk it up to the suspension design on the demonstration vehicle not being quite finalized?The video, of Musk leaving high-end Japanese restaurant Nobu in the Cybertruck, was posted by celebrity blog TMZ, and ends with the truck clipping a pylon or traffic sign as it rolls through a red light.While many have speculated Musk either didnt hear the clunk of the strike, or didnt care, we figure its much more likely Musk did it on purpose as a faux PR gaffe to draw media attention to the truck, since nothing Musk does ever happens by accident.Whos driving @ElonMusk or the Auto-Pilot?$TSLA pic.twitter.com/xvmyHPG8Ol GuruLeaks (@Guruleaks1) December 8, 2019UPDATE: It’s being reported the truck did not technically run a red light, as there is no traffic signal specifically facing that restaurant exit; and that the sign the truck knocked over is a “Right turns only” warning sign.Later on in the night, the Cybertruck was also seen driving down a California highway.In video from YouTube user Roberto Cruz, the truck cruises down the 405 South, a main public highway. We mention the public highway part because, as a prototype, the vehicle and its manufacturer plates only technically clear its use for testing purposes, and were not quite sure a night out at Nobu and a drive back on the 405 counts, there.The Cybertrucks tires are wider than the body, something also not allowed for new vehicles. Plus it lacks physical rearview mirrors, as you couldve guessed from Musk hitting that pylon.So, a whole bunch of no-nos from the CEO and his wild Blade Runner truck. But, once again, it was likely done to make us journalists take notice, and write a bunch of articles about it. Pretty clever for a guy that breaks the windows of his own truck and knocks over traffic
Origin: Watch: Tesla Cybertruck rolls into intersection, knocking over traffic sign
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Bentley rolls out augmented-reality app for new Flying Spur
Bentley has introduced an app for its third-generation Flying Spur that allows users to virtually experience the luxury sports saloon ahead of first deliveries in early 2020. The app, which is free to download on Google Play and Apple’s App Store, is targeted at prospective customers. However, Bentley also anticipates that it will appeal to enthusiasts and fans of the brand. Users can explore the outside and interior of two versions of the car, once they are logged into the app: the luxury spec, which features a gun-metal exterior and bespoke interior linings; and the more driver-focused chrome ‘performance’ version. The performance variant can also be toured with a recently added black accent. Bentley launched a similar app for its centenary concept car, the EXP 100 GT, allowing users to tour the car and superimpose it onto various locations, including their own driveway. This feature is also on the Flying Spur app, as well as a new option to get behind the wheel and take a virtual drive. For users looking to purchase the car, Bentley’s configurator and dealer contacts can be accessed through the
Origin: Bentley rolls out augmented-reality app for new Flying Spur
BMW, Rolls and Toyota Supra backup camera recall impacts 250,000 new vehicles
2020 Toyota SupraHandout / Toyota BMW is recalling more than a quarter of a million cars in North America for a software glitch that may prevent the backup camera feed from displaying when the car is put in reverse.There may be up to 51 affected BMW-built models stretching back to model year 2020, including the 2018 Rolls-Royce Phantom and 2019 Cullinan SUV; the 2020 Toyota Supra and twin BMW Z4; and various trims of the BMW 3 Series, 5 Series, 6 Series, 7 Series and 8 Series from 2018 to 2020, including some M performance and xDrive variants.The model year 2018 thru 2020 BMW X3 SUV is also affected, as is the 2019 and 2020 BMW X4, X5, X6 and X7 SUV. Adjusting the back-up camera display settings in some of these vehicles will render the rearview image no longer visible, and it may keep that setting the next time the car is put into reverse, too. Owners of affected vehicles will be notified beginning in November, and dealers will update the cars software.Nissan and Infiniti recently recalled more than 1.2 million vehicles for a similar
Origin: BMW, Rolls and Toyota Supra backup camera recall impacts 250,000 new vehicles
This new tire concept captures electricity as it rolls
Tire company Sumitomo hasn’t reinvented the wheel, quite, but it has come up with a pretty brilliant way for your car’s tires to recuperate a bit of energy as they roll along. Developers at Sumitomo Rubber Industries got a hand from researchers at Kansai University in Osaka, Japan to develop a tire concept that uses a device called an “Energy Harvester” to gather small bits of static electricity (a.k.a. “frictional charging”) generated within the tires. Inside the tire are two layers of rubber with an electrode for each, and a negatively and positively charged film that interfaces the two and rubs together when the tire rolls down the road and repeatedly deforms. Now, these tires aren’t going to add range to the next-gen Tesla or anything, but Sumitomo suggests the Energy Harvester could eventually replace batteries as a power source for small things like tire pressure monitors or “other automotive devices.” The Japan Science and Technology Agency, a national research and development agency, has recently signed on to help support the project, so it may not be too long before they roll out some sort of
Origin: This new tire concept captures electricity as it rolls
BMW rolls out over-the-air updates in certain markets
Earlier this week, BMW dipped a tentative toe into some new technological waters. Following in the footsteps of Tesla, it rolled out an over-the-air software update to some vehicles in Europe, remotely endowing them with the company’s new Intelligent Personal Assistant. Just like an Amazon or Google speaker pod which can be summoned by uttering a certain phrase, the assistant wakes to the sound of “Hey, BMW.” Once activated, the digital co-pilot can perform any number of vehicle functions, from adjusting the cabin temperature to fiddling with the radio. The system goes a step further, making the promise that it’ll understand commands such as “I’m tired,” responding with adjustments to the tunes and ventilation air flow in an effort to keep all hands alert. No word on if a giant comedy glove emerges from the dashboard and slaps the driver across their brow. Luddites point to OTA upgrades as yet another example of daddy government or big business poking their noses into the private lives of citizens without asking. However, gearheads who are slightly more switched on to the ways of the world opine that these automatic updates keep a car’s infotainment system fully upgraded over the life of the car. If one was available to improve the prehistoric system in my old Ram pickup, I would have surely jumped at the opportunity. The additional functions of BMW’s Intelligent Personal Assistant, whose acronym is hilariously shared with a popular type of beer, can be activated for models like the new X5, 3 Series and 8 Series fitted with OS 7.0 from the introduction of Remote Software Upgrade. Allegedly, the Z4 is slated to receive the tech as well, which should make for interesting driver-to-car conversations when the top is down on a windy day. Future upgrades will regularly expand and improve the system’s skills thanks to software adaptations or function extensions. The exact timing of these updates will vary by
Origin: BMW rolls out over-the-air updates in certain markets
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