A Future with Zero Car Crashes? Not so Fast

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By: Daniel Patrascu

Carmakers are, generally speaking, very serious organizations, and this means that most of the time you can trust what they say. Yet, I have a very hard time wrapping my head around the mission General Motors (and others over the years) embarked on for a future with zero car crashes, no matter how many studies it throws my way.

The latest gimmick the American carmaker pulled to convince us it’s on a path to realizing a crashless future is a study conducted by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) that showed, if there was any need for that, that safety features in cars deliver statistically significant reductions in crashes and injuries on public roads.

More specifically, researchers from UMTRI looked at data from 12 million GM cars made between 2020 and 2024 and compared that with over 700,000 police-reported crashes across 18 American states. A limited number of crash types were looked at intensely, including rear-end, roadway departure, pedestrian, lane-change, and backing crashes.

For the purposes of the study, the rate of system-relevant crashes was compared to control crashes, meaning ones unaffected by the system, and accounted for things like driver behavior, road conditions, and vehicle type.

The results are encouraging, and, might I add, as expected. For instance, UMTRI says backing crashes plunged by 86 percent when the full suite of backing technologies (reverse automatic braking, rear cross traffic alert, rear park assist, and rear vision camera) is used.

Then, rear-end crashes dropped by 57 percent when the automatic emergency braking was on deck, while front pedestrian braking helps cut the number of pedestrian crashes that resulted in injury by 35 percent.

Finally, the use of lane keep assist resulted in a reduction in roadway departure crashes by 15 percent, while the lane change alert reduced the number of crashes that resulted from changing lanes by 13 percent.

"These findings give us real-world evidence that GM's safety technologies are doing exactly what they're designed to do: helping drivers avoid crashes and reducing injuries in everyday driving environments," said Susan Owen, GM technical fellow, safety data analytics and field research, in a statement announcing the study.

The study is part of a broader effort by GM and UMTRI, that already includes seven other studies, to showcase the merits of these extra safety features. And while they do paint a picture of clear progress made to reduce the number of crashes, it’s by no means a sign of a future with none of them.

As you know, driving is a pretty unpredictable proposition, for the simple reason that there are too many variables involved. And while, statistically speaking, certain safety features will reduce the number of certain types of crashes, they will by no means bring them down to zero.

For the full article, please continue reading on our site.

By: Sergiu Tudose

The last time I put together such a list was 2021, and unless it hasn’t been painfully obvious enough for you, we live in completely different times now. The entire car industry has changed, and legacy carmakers have shifted into overdrive when it comes to design. It hasn’t been pretty.

When I wrote that original story five years ago, the G20 3 Series had yet to receive a facelift, and the G60 5 Series wasn’t even on the radar. Little did we know that BMW would go through two different design language changes over the span of just a few years, which is something that almost never happens.

This changes things, as far as I’m concerned. It doesn’t necessarily make older designs even more appealing as much as it makes recent and modern designs look more grounded and identity driven.

I think the G20 3 Series is the best example. I thought it was too pretty in non-LCI form initially, and I stand by that statement. The LCI upgrade sharpened and tightened everything up. Coupled with everything we know about the Neue Klasse design language, well, let’s just say that these rankings are going to look very different than the ones from five years ago.

Before we start counting down, let’s recap the rules. We’re only ranking traditional three-box sedan models with the M Sport package. This means no Gran Coupes, so the 4 Series and the 8 Series are out.

The 7 Series didn’t make the cut either, but for different reasons. It’s just not as handsome as its more reasonably sized brothers, the 3er and the 5er.

I really shouldn’t have to explain why the G70 7 Series isn’t on this list. It looks like a totem pole. Meanwhile, the G11 7 Series simply falls short of the mark – I did consider it over the G60 5 Series, but I guess the latter has really grown on me in M Sport spec. The fact that it doesn’t have a massive grille helps.

Without further ado, let’s kick things off with the G60, which makes the cut in a rather unconventional way, as an honorable mention.

You have to understand that the G60 was designed to bridge the gap between the 5 Series and the 6 Series GT, while also appealing to a global audience, from Europe all the way to North America and especially China – it's why BMW didn’t originally intend to make a long-wheelbase variant (for China) of the 5er anymore. The G60 was big enough on all counts.

I drove it thousands of miles, overall, and I can tell you that in some ways, it’s closer to a 7 Series than a 5 Series, but that’s neither here nor there. We need to simply consider its aesthetics with the M Sport package, and that’s where it scores big. The non-M-Sport variant looks a bit too awkward for my taste, but once you strap on the more aggressive bumpers and skirts, the G60 becomes a different animal.

For the full article, please continue reading on our site.

By: Cristian Agatie

Everyone is talking about Chinese carmakers and their EVs that have taken markets by storm. However, many Chinese cars sold in Europe are more expensive and less capable than their Chinese variants. They are also poorly adapted to European customer preferences, which shows that the Chinese auto industry might have a better PR machine than cars.

Once the laughingstock of the modern world, Chinese carmakers have become quite good at building cars. Technology transfer, thanks to partnerships with Western companies, has certainly helped, as did hiring retired Western engineers from reputable carmakers like Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and BMW.

However, what put everything into overdrive was the EV revolution, which allowed China's auto industry to flourish thanks to controlling all the layers of the supply chain. From the raw materials to battery cells and from rare earths to electric motors, Chinese carmakers had everything already sorted out. Putting everything together and adding the software magic was the easiest part once they figured out how to build great cars.

It wasn't long before carmakers were not only producing cars that could compete with their Western rivals but seriously beating them at their own game. China embraced electrification like no other country, with plug-in hybrids and extended-range vehicles as a stopgap solution. Soon, selling gas cars in China became almost impossible, and Western carmakers are now grappling with the new reality.

Tesla was the sole exception, as the only Western company able to compete with Chinese EV makers. However, the Tesla-China relationship has been a two-way street. Tesla benefited from seemingly unfettered access to the vast Chinese market. At the same time, Chinese carmakers learned a lot from Tesla.

Chinese EVs have become shockingly good

Over the past few years, Chinese EVs have become shockingly good thanks to superior battery tech and advanced software. They are also better equipped than Western cars, even when comparing mainstream local brands with luxury German carmakers. No wonder Western companies are now struggling in China and need local partners to survive.

In a way, the technology transfer continues, but in the opposite direction. We taught China how to build cars, and China teaches us how to make good EVs. In many cases, Western carmakers have started to use Chinese EV platforms for their cars sold in China. In others, some even plan to start importing complete Chinese cars into Europe and sell them under their own brands.

For the full article, please continue reading on our site.

By: Sergiu Tudose

I know there are one or two faster electric cars than the Tesla Model S Plaid, and you’ll certainly find more luxurious EVs out there. Better-built ones, too. But if you grew up watching Knight Rider, you’ll understand why there was never really any other choice for this comparison.

The way I see it, the Model S Plaid is the closest thing America has to replicating KITT out here in the real world. Obviously, the visuals are way off. KITT was a wedge-shaped Firebird that stood for 80’s futurism, whereas the Tesla looks like something a software engineer would design. But philosophically? There are some parallels.

Check this out: both are American, both are computers pretending to be cars, both can speak, both steer themselves, both have yokes, and both will embarrass supercars in a straight line. Not only that, but when you start comparing the actual numbers, the gap between 80’s fiction and reality becomes surprisingly small. In a matter of speaking. Let’s dive into the specs.

The problem with KITT is that the show treated physics the same way superhero movies treat residential buildings – something for the likes of Superman to accidentally destroy while getting tossed around Metropolis like a ragdoll. KITT’s specs changed depending on episode, but there are some broadly accepted figures that can be considered canon.

Thanks to Joseph Huth from the Knight Rider Historians, I can share with you a 1982 promotional mail-away flyer (see the full article), which displays KITT’s specs against that of the General Lee from the Dukes of Hazzard.

Spoiler alert: Most of this stuff is complete nonsense, but not quite all of it.

For starters, KITT was based on a Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, and a so-called „turbojet engine” with modified afterburners would have simply melted the car. Not to mention all the cooling requirements, such as a massive air intake that’s nowhere to be found. Can you imagine a squirrel darting behind KITT just as the latter was setting off? Squirrel vaporized.

Then there’s the “fact” that KITT will cover a quarter mile in 4.286 seconds at 300 mph (482 kph). That’s nearly on par with a modern Top Fuel dragster, which requires gigantic slicks and a dedicated drag chassis. Plus, those engines are pretty much toast after a few runs. Could KITT pull off something like this while still looking (for the most part) like a stock Trans Am? Not a chance.

And it’s not clear whether KITT could go even faster than 300 mph, but assuming that was its top speed, it means you could actually outrun it with something like a Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut, with its 330 mph (531 kph) estimated top speed.

For the full article, please continue reading on our site.

By: Mircea Panait

Anticipated to hit American dealers for the 2028 model year, the next Corolla is a stylistically different animal from its predecessor. Drawing heavy inspiration from the Toyota Corolla Concept showcased at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show, the thirteenth generation abandons the bland look of the outgoing sedan for a hammerhead-like front end.

Masterfully rendered by Top Electric SUV's pixel master, the 2028 Toyota Corolla is a futuristic design with a flowing roofline and C-shaped running lights. The fastback-style rear end is a nice touch as well, and the same can be said about its flush pull-up handles.

Based on the next version of the TNGA-C platform, the thirteenth generation was previewed by a multi-pathway concept with battery-electric muscle. Hybrid and purely combustion options are certain to happen, but alas, Toyota hasn't confirmed whether the Corolla will follow in the footsteps of the redesigned Lexus ES with full-electric powertrains.

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Audi Sport isn't going down this route with the RS 6, which is due for the 2027 model year with a twin-turbo V8 and plug-in assistance. Originally intended to be joined by the full-electric RS 6 e-tron, the plug-in hybrid RS 6 also strikes a discordant note from the Corolla due to its evolutionary rather than evolutionary design language.

Rendered by Kolesa, the pictured sedan will be sold in tandem with a family-sized wagon. Both feature digital OLED headlights that can display warning symbols to following traffic if the car detects a hazard or an accident ahead. No fewer than eight digital lighting signatures are available at one's fingertips through the MMI infotainment system.

The most powerful RS 6 ever is likely packing in excess of 700 horsepower and plenty of electric driving range. Not only does it have to fend off the 717-horsepower BMW M5 sedan and wagon, but also comply with Euro 7 regulations in the Old Continent. As far as the V6-powered RS 5 is concerned, its full-electric range tops 84 kilometers (52 miles) in the WLTP.

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BMW may have decided against developing a new generation of the X4, yet the iX4 is on track for a 2026 debut. Production is scheduled to begin in November 2026 at the Debrecen plant in Hungary, and this rendering wouldn't have been possible without spy photos of camouflaged prototypes with mostly production-intent exterior components.

Internally designated NA7 as opposed to NA5 for the iX3 and NA6 for the China-specific iX3 Long Wheelbase, the coupe-ified SUV is very much an iX3 with a swoopy roofline that may not offer an aerodynamic advantage over the iX3. Based on preliminary information that hasn't been confirmed or denied by the Bavarian automaker, three dual-motor options are in store.

At launch, all markets will receive the 40 xDrive and 50 xDrive. No later than March 2027, the M60 xDrive will enter production with more power and torque at its disposal. Imagined by Nikita Chuyko from Kolesa, the 2027 BMW iX4 could also surprise us with a full-blooded M spec. In the iX3 M's case, four electric drive units will do the talking.

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Our final rendering of the week builds on the Boulder concept with an adequately sized bed. Hyundai intends to launch its mid-size pickup by 2030 as part of the South Korean manufacturer's North American expansion, positioning it as the indirect successor of the Santa Cruz.

The box-first proportions of the rendered truck, which is the work of Nikita Chuicko as well, benefit from the Art of Steel surfacing language that makes the body panels appear deliberately flat. Hyundai's intent is visual durability. Combined with the chunky wheel arches and upright greenhouse, the mid-sized Hyundai pickup truck sure is a looker.

Abandoning the Santa Cruz's philosophy in its entirety, the body-on-frame model is rumored with a variety of powertrains, including an extended-range electric option. In stark contrast to a plug-in hybrid, an EREV's internal combustion engine is connected to a generator that feeds the high-voltage battery and the drive units.

By: Bogdan Popa

This year's I/O developer conference was the moment all Android Auto users were waiting for, and there's almost no reason to be disappointed. Many of the features we've spotted in beta builds have come to fruition, and they're now ready for the production rollout. 

One of them is support for widgets. That's right, Android Auto is getting widgets as part of the biggest update since the Coolwalk era. Widgets will be displayed side-by-side with the rest of the UI elements, converting Android Auto to a three-panel layout. 

Additionally, Android Auto will finally allow users to watch YouTube videos. We've known for a while that video apps were coming to the car, but Google has now confirmed that the rollout will begin later this year. YouTube will only be available while parked and will switch to an audio-only experience when you begin driving. A Premium subscription to unlock background audio will be needed. 

Gemini Intelligence is also on its way to Android Auto. It will allow users to do more complex things hands-free, such as extracting data needed to answer messages received while driving. 

All these goodies will become available for the first users later this year, but as we learned the hard way, we'd better not hold our breath for this.

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