Of the countless technologies invented over the past half century, high-temperature superconductors are among the most promising and yet also the most frustrating. Decades of research has yielded an assortment of materials that superconduct at temperatures as high as –140 °C (133 kelvins) at ambient pressure. And yet commercial applications have been elusive. Now, though,… Continue reading Superconducting Motor Could Propel Electric Aircraft
Author: IEEE_Spectrum
Why Pilots Will Matter in the Age of Autonomous Planes
In August 2001, an anonymous guest posted on the forum at Airliners.net, a popular aviation website. “How Long Will Pilots Be Needed?” they wondered, observing that “20 years or so down the road” technology could be so advanced that planes would fly themselves. “So would it really be useful for a person to go to… Continue reading Why Pilots Will Matter in the Age of Autonomous Planes
Anti-Distraction Systems Shut Down Smartphone Use
As mobile phone use continues to be a leading cause of vehicle accidents, a range of technologies has emerged designed to combat distracted driving. From mobile apps to hardware-integrated systems, these tools aim to limit phone use behind the wheel. But a closer look reveals significant differences in how effectively they prevent distractions—especially in fleet… Continue reading Anti-Distraction Systems Shut Down Smartphone Use
BYD’s Five-Minute Charging Puts China in the Lead for EVs
A five-minute charge for an EV, virtually as quick as a gasoline fill-up, has long seemed a quixotic dream. Now electric Don Quixotes can save critical time on their quests, at least in China. BYD’s “megawatt charging” is here. And the company’s 1,000-kilowatt fast chargers could eliminate perhaps the biggest consumer gripe over EVs: That… Continue reading BYD’s Five-Minute Charging Puts China in the Lead for EVs
Look for These 7 New Technologies at the Airport
Take a look around the airport during your travels this summer and you might spot a string of new technologies at every touchpoint: from pre-arrival, bag drop, and security to the moment you board the plane. In this new world, your face is your boarding pass, your electronic luggage tag transforms itself for each new… Continue reading Look for These 7 New Technologies at the Airport
Hyundai’s Metaplant Seeks Hard-Working Robots
Less than three years ago, these were bare fields in humble Ellabell, Georgia. Today, the vast Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant is exactly what people imagine when they talk about the future of EV and automobile manufacturing in America. I’ve driven the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq9 here from nearby Savannah, a striking three-row electric SUV with everything… Continue reading Hyundai’s Metaplant Seeks Hard-Working Robots
LTA Research Airship Flies Over San Francisco Bay
The age of the airship is back, kind of. On 15 May, startup LTA Research flew its Pathfinder 1 airship outside Silicon Valley’s Moffett Federal Airfield for the first time. The 124-meter-long helium airship took two loops over the waters of San Francisco Bay before safely returning to base. That makes it the largest aircraft… Continue reading LTA Research Airship Flies Over San Francisco Bay
One Driver, Two Trucks: Is This the Future of Freight?
The pair of semi trucks cruising down Interstate 70 between Columbus, Ohio, and Indianapolis may seem unremarkable at first glance. But these rigs are part of a groundbreaking pilot project that could reshape America’s freight industry. Launched in April through a joint initiative between the Ohio and Indiana Departments of Transportation (DOTs), the project tests… Continue reading One Driver, Two Trucks: Is This the Future of Freight?
Why This Combustion-Engine Expert Returned to Ford
As a Ford powertrain engineer for 30 years, Lem Yeung helped shepherd the company’s internal-combustion engines (ICEs) to new heights of performance, durability, and efficiency. But a lifetime of hard-won expertise didn’t matter when Ford shifted to electric vehicles, making Yeung and hundreds of fellow engineers expendable. In 2021, at age 52, Yeung agreed to… Continue reading Why This Combustion-Engine Expert Returned to Ford
ChargePoint’s EV Chargers Can Transform the Game
Public DC fast charging hogs the EV spotlight. Automakers and charging providers vie for bragging rights and ever-shorter recharging stops, with the latest models topping out at 1 megawatt. But for a vast majority of EV owners, home is where the charging happens, often at a thumb-twiddling pace. And ChargePoint has unveiled a lineup of… Continue reading ChargePoint’s EV Chargers Can Transform the Game