Apple CarPlay will soon let you use Google Maps, Waze, and other third-party maps

Starting in iOS 12 later this year, Apple’s CarPlay will no longer force you to use Apple Maps to get directions. Instead, you’ll be able to use navigation from any third-party app, like Google Maps, Waze, or whatever your mapping app of choice is. CarPlay already supported third-party apps in other scenarios, however mapping has… Continue reading Apple CarPlay will soon let you use Google Maps, Waze, and other third-party maps

Tesla can change so much with over-the-air updates that it’s messing with some owners’ heads

When Consumer Reports recently found that the braking distance on the Tesla Model 3 was worse than that of a Ford F-150, CEO Elon Musk took the criticism and found a solution. Days later, Tesla shipped an over-the-air update that, according to CR’s testing, improved the braking distance by 19 feet. It’s a wild idea:… Continue reading Tesla can change so much with over-the-air updates that it’s messing with some owners’ heads

Tesla Model 3 drives 606 miles on a single charge in hypermiling record

It only took 32 hours of continuous driving in sweltering temperatures, but two Colorado residents have set a new “hypermiling” record by driving their Tesla Model 3 606.2 miles (975 km) on a single charge. It beat a previous record of 560 miles from a Tesla Model S P100D, but it fell slightly short of… Continue reading Tesla Model 3 drives 606 miles on a single charge in hypermiling record

Tesla needs to sell more expensive Model 3s so the company doesn’t ‘die,’ Musk says

Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced the final details of the dual-motor, all-wheel drive version of the Model 3 over the weekend, including a top-of-the-line variant that is more expensive than a base-level Model S or X. While we’ve known for a long time that these were coming, this is the most clarity Tesla’s offered yet… Continue reading Tesla needs to sell more expensive Model 3s so the company doesn’t ‘die,’ Musk says

Entire Nest ecosystem of smart home devices goes offline 

For at least a few hours overnight, owners of Nest products were unable to access their devices via the Nest app or web browsers, according to Nest Support on Twitter. Other devices like Nest Secure and Nest x Yale Locks behaved erratically. The as of yet unexplained issues affected the entire lineup of Nest devices,… Continue reading Entire Nest ecosystem of smart home devices goes offline 

Uber CEO: our future won’t just be cars

To get to the Uber conference on flying cars in Los Angeles last week, where I was scheduled to interview Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, I hailed a Lyft. My driver was understandably amused about where I was going. “Flying cars?” he said, laughing. “That makes more sense than the self-driving ones.” My driver was right:… Continue reading Uber CEO: our future won’t just be cars

Tesla rejected more advanced driver monitoring features on its cars

Engineers inside Tesla wanted to add robust driver monitoring systems to the company’s cars to help make sure drivers safely use Autopilot, and Tesla even worked with suppliers on possible solutions, according to The Wall Street Journal. But those executives — Elon Musk included — reportedly rejected the idea out of worry that the options… Continue reading Tesla rejected more advanced driver monitoring features on its cars

Inside Waymo’s strategy to grow the best brains for self-driving cars

Right now, a minivan with no one behind the steering wheel is driving through a suburb of Phoenix, Arizona. And while that may seem alarming, the company that built the “brain” powering the car’s autonomy wants to assure you that it’s totally safe. Waymo, the self-driving unit of Alphabet, is the only company in the… Continue reading Inside Waymo’s strategy to grow the best brains for self-driving cars

Drive.ai will launch an autonomous ride-hailing service in Texas

California-based Drive.ai is set to launch a self-driving ride-share service in a Texas city this summer to test how well the vehicles work with traffic as well as how the public reacts to them. In its announcement on Monday, Drive.ai said it will offer rides to over 10,000 people in Level 4 self-driving vehicles within… Continue reading Drive.ai will launch an autonomous ride-hailing service in Texas

New Volvos will have Google Maps, apps, and Assistant — even if you don’t have an Android phone

Google’s previously announced integration with Volvo cars is finally solidifying. Ahead of this week’s I/O developer conference, the company announced today that it will add Google Maps, Assistant, and Google Play Store to the Sensus infotainment system in Volvo’s next-generation cars over the next few years. Volvo announced at last year’s conference that it was… Continue reading New Volvos will have Google Maps, apps, and Assistant — even if you don’t have an Android phone