Author: The Verge Online News

Apple is trying to lock down battery components before electric carmakers get them

Apple is in talks to buy cobalt directly from miners to help shield it from any shortages sparked by the boom in electric cars, according to a report from Bloomberg. Cobalt is a key mineral used in lithium-ion batteries, and Bloomberg says that Apple is looking to secure contracts for several thousand metric tons of… Continue reading Apple is trying to lock down battery components before electric carmakers get them

The Smart car goes electric before it plans its autonomous future

Look at some of the autonomous vehicle concepts, predicting a future of us being able to treat a car as a lounge or work area when we don’t want to actually drive, and you’ll notice one thing: space. By that, I mean the space they take up on the road. Everyone seems to be designing… Continue reading The Smart car goes electric before it plans its autonomous future

Airbus’ autonomous ‘air taxi’ Vahana completes its first test flight

Airbus conducted the first successful test flight of its Vahana electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft on January 31st, the aerospace giant announced. At 8:52AM, the full-scale vehicle reached a modest height of five meters (16 feet) before descending safely. The self-piloted flight only lasted 53 seconds, but it is a reminder that “flying… Continue reading Airbus’ autonomous ‘air taxi’ Vahana completes its first test flight

Faraday Future’s HR head resigns as cultural rift in the workforce deepens

Troubled EV startup Faraday Future scrounged up new funding at the end of 2017, and even made a surreptitious appearance at CES, wooing CNET and a few paid YouTube influencers with the intoxicating speed of its electric car. But turmoil still exists inside the company, and the latest casualty is company’s head of HR, Crystal… Continue reading Faraday Future’s HR head resigns as cultural rift in the workforce deepens

Is BMW going to make you pay for Apple CarPlay every year?

Unlike many automakers that offer Apple CarPlay in their new cars, BMW makes you pay for it on all of their models. That’s unlikely to change, but it may soon cut a break to those who don’t use iOS or don’t like Apple’s smartphone integration system for the car. The automaker next year will turn… Continue reading Is BMW going to make you pay for Apple CarPlay every year?

BMW and Mercedes-Benz will also try out subscription plans for new cars

Not to be left out by rivals, BMW and Mercedes-Benz appear to be joining the world of automotive subscription models that cover all of the fees required with car ownership or leasing under one payment. Both BMW and Mercedes are expected to announce pilot programs for a subscription service that covers not only car payments,… Continue reading BMW and Mercedes-Benz will also try out subscription plans for new cars

Ford teases an all-electric performance car called the ‘Mach 1’

Ford just rolled out a new Ranger pickup truck, Edge crossover, and Bullitt Mustang here at the North American International Auto Show, all of which were either rumored or expected. But the company teased something totally out of the blue at the very end of its press conference: an all-electric performance car called the “Mach… Continue reading Ford teases an all-electric performance car called the ‘Mach 1’

This timelapse shows how NASA puts a giant telescope into a deep freeze

NASA’s next big space observatory, the James Webb Space Telescope, has a little over a year before it launches — and until then, the spacecraft has been going through rigorous amounts of testing to prepare for its journey. It recently finished up its latest testing round at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, where it… Continue reading This timelapse shows how NASA puts a giant telescope into a deep freeze

I rode in the Mercedes concept car that shut down the Las Vegas Strip

Self-driving cars are a long way from the hands of customers, but the race to get there is fierce, and no company wants to look like it’s been left behind. The biggest automakers seem especially eager to remind us constantly that they’re just as focused on the future as Silicon Valley. That’s why Mercedes-Benz shut… Continue reading I rode in the Mercedes concept car that shut down the Las Vegas Strip