Trump official: Self-driving cars must benefit rural communities, not just cities

Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.(Photo: Brendan Smialowski, AFP/Getty Images) DETROIT — A top Trump administration official said it’s vital for the auto industry to ensure that self-driving cars help improve life in rural communities and not just urban areas. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao also hailed the “tremendous potential” of self-driving vehicles to improve automotive safety and drive economic… Continue reading Trump official: Self-driving cars must benefit rural communities, not just cities

Car hacking remains a very real threat as autos become ever more loaded with tech

CLOSE Should you be worried about a car being hacked? USA TODAY’s Jefferson Graham and Chris Woodyard break it down. Model cars run in a city miniature at the Elektrobit booth to show how software for highly automated driving works during CES 2018 on January 9, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo: Alex Wong, Getty… Continue reading Car hacking remains a very real threat as autos become ever more loaded with tech

Detroit auto show: The Gallery event at Cobo Center

None Alan Peters of Troy, right, checks out the Bentley Bentayga SUV as his brother Matt Peters, left, also of Troy, takes a pogo of the Bentley logo during the Gallery held at Cobo Center in downtown Detroit on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2018. Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press

Ford sued in federal court over claims of diesel emissions cheating

CLOSE Pushing the price boundaries again, Ford debuted the 2018 F-Series Super Duty Limited pickup truck Thursday at the State Fair of Texas that inches the once-humble haulers closer to the $100,000 mark. USA TODAY Ford Motor Co. is being sued over allegations that it cheated on diesel emissions testing.(Photo: Ford Motor Company) Super Duty… Continue reading Ford sued in federal court over claims of diesel emissions cheating

Fiat Chrysler turbo engine built in Trenton is built for the future

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is producing a new turbocharged 4-cylinder engine in Trenton, Mich.(Photo: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) Is Fiat Chrysler building a future-proof engine? The new 2.0-liter inline turbocharged 4-cylinder engine now being built at the company’s Trenton Engine Complex could be close, according to one expert, who notes its adaptability. “It’s almost future proof,” said Bill… Continue reading Fiat Chrysler turbo engine built in Trenton is built for the future

The future of Ford: Connecting cars, bikes, stoplights

CLOSE A mobile wifi hot spot for the car at just $15 monthly and a new neighborhood app that ties together all the security cameras top Jefferson Graham’s list of even more cool gadgets on display from the Consumer Electronics Show. USA TODAY Buy Photo Ford CEO Jim Hackett, keynote speaker on Tuesday, Jan. 9,… Continue reading The future of Ford: Connecting cars, bikes, stoplights

GM designers’ personal collector cars hint at future classics

GM designers’ personal collector cars hint at future classicsGM designers’ personal collector cars hint at future classics FullscreenPosted!A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.
Buy PhotoA little-known Oldsmobile Cutlass F-85 shows off its sharply creased sheet metal at the General Motors Design staff car show during Dream Cruise week.Buy PhotoFullscreenBuy PhotoA little-known Oldsmobile Cutlass F-85 shows off its sharply creased sheet metal at the General Motors Design staff car show during Dream Cruise week.Buy PhotoFullscreenBuy PhotoA little-known Oldsmobile Cutlass F-85 shows off its sharply creased sheet metal at the General Motors Design staff car show during Dream Cruise week.Buy PhotoFullscreenBuy PhotoA little-known Oldsmobile Cutlass F-85 shows off its sharply creased sheet metal at the General Motors Design staff car show during Dream Cruise week.Buy PhotoFullscreenBuy PhotoA little-known Oldsmobile Cutlass F-85 shows off its sharply creased sheet metal at the General Motors Design staff car show during Dream Cruise week.Buy PhotoFullscreenBuy PhotoA little-known Oldsmobile Cutlass F-85 shows off its sharply creased sheet metal at the General Motors Design staff car show during Dream Cruise week.Buy PhotoFullscreenBuy PhotoA rare Oldsmobile 442 at the General Motors Design staff car show during Dream Cruise week.Buy PhotoFullscreenBuy Photo1965 Chevy Impala at the General Motors Design staff car show near Woodward Avenue in Royal Oak.Buy PhotoFullscreenBuy Photo1965 Chevy Impala and a 1970 Ford Mustang Mach One at the General Motors Design staff car show near Woodward Avenue in Royal Oak.Buy PhotoFullscreenBuy Photo1970 Ford Mustang Mach One at the General Motors Design staff car show during Dream Cruise week.Buy PhotoFullscreenBuy PhotoThe profile and high roof of this classic Chevy station wagon hints at how designers can create unique looks and personalities for the next generation of car-SUV crossovers.Buy PhotoFullscreenBuy PhotoThe profile and high roof of this classic Chevy station wagon hints at how designers can create unique looks and personalities for the next generation of car-SUV crossovers.Buy PhotoFullscreenBuy PhotoThe profile and high roof of this classic Chevy station wagon hints at how designers can create unique looks and personalities for the next generation of car-SUV crossovers.Buy PhotoFullscreenBuy PhotoCollectible and customized pickups are a growing trend at the General Motors Design staff car show during Dream Cruise week.Buy PhotoFullscreenBuy PhotoCollectible and customized pickups are a growing trend at the General Motors Design staff car show during Dream Cruise week.Buy PhotoFullscreenBuy PhotoCollectible and customized pickups are a growing trend at the General Motors Design staff car show during Dream Cruise week.Buy PhotoFullscreenBuy PhotoCollectible and customized pickups are a growing trend at the General Motors Design staff car show during Dream Cruise week.Buy PhotoFullscreenBuy PhotoCollectible and customized pickups are a growing trend at the General Motors Design staff car show during Dream Cruise week.Buy PhotoFullscreenBuy PhotoCollectible and customized pickups are a growing trend at the General Motors Design staff car show during Dream Cruise week.Buy PhotoFullscreenBuy PhotoCollectible and customized pickups are a growing trend at the General Motors Design staff car show during Dream Cruise week.Buy PhotoFullscreenBuy PhotoThe Dodge Neon SRT-4: An under-appreciated performance compact gets its due at the General Motors Design staff car show during Dream Cruise week.Buy PhotoFullscreenBuy PhotoThe Dodge Neon SRT-4: An under-appreciated performance compact gets its due at the General Motors Design staff car show during Dream Cruise week.Buy PhotoFullscreenBuy PhotoThe Dodge Neon SRT-4: An under-appreciated performance compact gets its due at the General Motors Design staff car show during Dream Cruise week.Buy PhotoFullscreenBuy PhotoA Cadillac CTS wagon at the General Motors Design staff car show near Woodward Avenue in Royal Oak.Buy PhotoFullscreenBuy PhotoA Cadillac CTS wagon at the General Motors Design staff car show near Woodward Avenue in Royal Oak.Buy PhotoFullscreenBuy PhotoFun and sporty SUVs are nothing new, as evidenced by the lifted open-topped Chevrolet K5 Blazer at the General Motors Design staff car show during Dream Cruise week.Buy PhotoFullscreenBuy PhotoFun and sporty SUVs are nothing new, as evidenced by the lifted open-topped Chevrolet K5 Blazer at the General Motors Design staff car show during Dream Cruise week.Buy PhotoFullscreenBuy PhotoFun and sporty SUVs are nothing new, as evidenced by the lifted open-topped Chevrolet K5 Blazer at the General Motors Design staff car show during Dream Cruise week.Buy PhotoFullscreenBuy PhotoFun and sporty SUVs are nothing new, as evidenced by the lifted open-topped Chevrolet K5 Blazer at the General Motors Design staff car show during Dream Cruise week.Buy PhotoFullscreenReplay1 of 292 of 293 of 294 of 295 of 296 of 297 of 298 of 299 of 2910 of 2911 of 2912 of 2913 of 2914 of 2915 of 2916 of 2917 of 2918 of 2919 of 2920 of 2921 of 2922 of 2923 of 2924 of 2925 of 2926 of 2927 of 2928 of 2929 of 29AutoplayShow ThumbnailsShow CaptionsIf you’d like to know what tomorrow’s classic cars will look like, you could do worse than to see the vehicles that today’s auto designers collect, rebuild and restore.
That’s part of the attraction of Design on Woodward, the annual car show featuring classics and performance cars owned by members of General Motors’s design staff.
Designers, model makers, sculptors and more parade their vehicles from Design HQ at the GM tech center in Warren to Memorial Park on the corner of Woodward Avenue and 13 Mile Road during Dream Cruise week each year.
Refreshingly, the show isn’t a GM-only affair. This year’s display included performance cars of all stripes, from a Dodge Neon SRT-4 to a $100,000-plus Audi R8.Anybody who thinks the idea of high-roofed family vehicles like the Chevy Traverse and Ford Explorer are new might change their mind after walking around a spacious and ornate 1950s Chevrolet station wagon. The proportions of ‘50s classics may hold many clues to automakers’ design plans for the next generation of SUV-passenger car crossovers.The best of frenemies, a 1965 Chevrolet Impala with a 283 V8, was parked next to a 1970 Ford Mustang Mach One next to Woodward, where the brands have competed for bragging rights for decades. Pickups are a rising trend in car collecting, performance and customization. A blue-green 1970 Chevy pickup looked prehistoric compared to a modern Silverado. A lifted, chopped-top Blazer SUV proved the idea of fun, sporty SUVs is nothing new.Contact Mark Phelan: mmphelan@freepress.com or 313-222-6731. Follow him on Twitter @mark_phelan.
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