The all-electric Polestar 2 will be the first car with Google’s native Android Auto

Volvo’s futuristic performance brand Polestar released the first teaser image of its second car this week (seen above). The aptly named Polestar 2 will be Volvo’s first all-electric car, and has specs (on paper, at least) that match up with some of the best EVs that are about to hit the road. It will also… Continue reading The all-electric Polestar 2 will be the first car with Google’s native Android Auto

Exclusive: Amazon says 100 million Alexa devices have been sold — what’s next?

More than 100 million devices with Alexa on board have been sold. That’s the all-too-rare actual number that Amazon’s SVP of devices and services, Dave Limp, revealed to me earlier this week. That’s not to say Amazon has finally decided to be completely transparent about device sales, however. While the company claims it outstripped its… Continue reading Exclusive: Amazon says 100 million Alexa devices have been sold — what’s next?

Tesla allows people in Europe and China to start configuring Model 3s

Tesla started taking reservations for the Model 3 in Europe and China at the end of 2018, which meant that interested buyers were able play around with the company’s online configurator after plunking down a $1,000 deposit. But now anyone in those markets can tinker with the company’s “design studio,” as Tesla announced on Friday… Continue reading Tesla allows people in Europe and China to start configuring Model 3s

Hundreds of German politicians’ chats, financial details, and other personal information leaks online

An unknown person leaked German politicians’ credit card details, private communications, and other data last month — along with data from rappers and other media figures. The leak includes information from the office of Chancellor Angela Merkel and reportedly from people across all political parties in Germany’s parliament, except the far-right party Alternative for Germany.… Continue reading Hundreds of German politicians’ chats, financial details, and other personal information leaks online

Google’s Project Soli radar is sensitive enough to count sheets of paper and read Lego bricks

What does the computer interface of the future look like? One bet from Google is that it will involve invisible interfaces you can tweak and twiddle in mid-air. This is what the company is exploring via Project Soli, an experimental hardware program which uses miniature radar to detect movement, and which recently won approval from… Continue reading Google’s Project Soli radar is sensitive enough to count sheets of paper and read Lego bricks

GM’s Cruise partners with DoorDash to test autonomous food delivery

Cruise Automation, the self-driving unit of General Motors, is teaming up with DoorDash to test a food delivery service in San Francisco using autonomous vehicles. The pilot will commence in “early 2019,” the companies said, but it will only be available in the section of the city where Cruise has been testing its vehicles. The… Continue reading GM’s Cruise partners with DoorDash to test autonomous food delivery

Volkswagen’s mobile charging station will help solve a key problem with EVs

Volkswagen has an interesting solution to the dilemma of owning an electric vehicle without a permanent place to charge it: they’ll bring the charging station to you. The German automaker offered a glimpse of its new mobile charging strategy last week, which envisions mobile charging units that can be delivered directly to electric cars in… Continue reading Volkswagen’s mobile charging station will help solve a key problem with EVs

Google’s project to control gadgets with touchless hand gestures is moving forward

Google just got one step closer to the possibility of controlling a smart device through hand gestures from afar. It won federal approval to continue its tiny radar project from 2015, “Project Soli,” at higher power levels for better accuracy. Google has been working on this in its experimental division for years. Instead of tapping… Continue reading Google’s project to control gadgets with touchless hand gestures is moving forward

Tesla cuts vehicle prices by $2,000 to offset shrinking EV tax credit

Tesla knocked $2,000 off of the prices of its cars in the US on Wednesday to help offset a recent reduction of the federal electric vehicle tax credit. The automaker also announced initial delivery and production numbers for the fourth quarter of 2018, showing that the frenzied pace it carried through most of the year… Continue reading Tesla cuts vehicle prices by $2,000 to offset shrinking EV tax credit

Sony promises better face identification through depth-sensing lasers

Sony, the global leader in imaging sensors — both for smartphones and professional DSLR and mirrorless cameras — is eager to establish itself as the go-to supplier for the next generation of visual-processing chips with a set of new 3D sensors. Speaking with Bloomberg last week, Sony’s sensor division boss Satoshi Yoshihara said Sony plans… Continue reading Sony promises better face identification through depth-sensing lasers