cars

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Legendary Batmobile Creator Dead at 89
 Legendary Batmobile 
 Creator Dead at 89 
OBITUARY
Nov 6, 2015 8:16 AM CST

Legendary Batmobile Creator Dead at 89

George Barris created cars for Hollywood's elite

(Newser) - George Barris, the legendary custom car builder who created television's original Batmobile and helped define California's car culture with colorfully designed vehicles ranging from the stunningly beautiful to the simply outrageous, died Thursday. He was 89. Barris, who had been in declining health, died at his Los Angeles...

In-Car Infotainment Distracts You for Up to 27 Seconds

Research finds issuing voice commands can be distracting, deadly

(Newser) - Think it's safe to use a voice-activated in-car system to call your friend Dave or play the new Taylor Swift single? Think again. In two studies published Thursday, researchers found it can take nearly half a minute to regain full focus on the road after giving voice commands to...

Tesla's Autopilot Mode Does the Driving for You, Mostly

New system takes care of highway driving, lane changes, even parallel parking

(Newser) - It's not the completely autonomous self-driving system found in Google's cars , but with Tesla's new "Autopilot" mode—included in a software update for its Model S and new Model X cars and available in North America starting Thursday—drivers will be able to "automatically steer...

Guy Sets Car on Fire to Save It From Tow: Cops

New Hampshire man's alleged plan didn't turn out so hot

(Newser) - No one wants their car towed, but Shad Badeau really didn't want his car towed, police say. The 40-year-old New Hampshire man was arrested Sunday evening after cops in Manchester say he approached a tow truck that had been called to take away an illegally parked vehicle—his own—...

We're Becoming Less Satisfied With Our New Cars

Customers most disappointed by Chrysler, Fiat, and Jeep

(Newser) - Americans' level of satisfaction with their new cars is at its lowest point in more than a decade, and experts are blaming a record number of recalls and rising prices. The results of a national survey of more than 4,000 car buyers released today show an overall satisfaction level...

Top 10 Car Brands for Quality

JD Power rankings put Porsche on top

(Newser) - If you hate spending time at the mechanic, you'll need a Porsche. Or at least a Kia. JD Power and Associates is out with its annual rankings on new-vehicle quality, and those brands are at the top of the list, reports AP . The results factor in problems reported by...

Teen's Death Exposes Dangers of 'Car Surfing'

Shana Chavez, 16, fell while riding on an SUV's back bumper

(Newser) - A family is warning about the dangers of "car surfing" after a 16-year-old died in Iowa. Shana Chavez had just gotten off work at a Theisen's farm supply store last Friday when she and another girl hopped on the back bumper of an SUV while a 17-year-old male...

Costco Claims Another Surprising Title

Watch out, AutoNation—the warehouse club may soon sell as many cars as you

(Newser) - Costco made headlines this week with the revelation that it's America's No. 1 seller of organic food ; now it's revving up to grab the top spot in another category: car sales. Nearly 400,000 vehicles were sold through the warehouse club last year—double the amount sold...

Contestants: 'Pimp My Ride' Was Pretty Fake

They complain about shoddy work and fat-shaming

(Newser) - Ever dream of getting your vehicle souped up on the MTV show Pimp My Ride? Then consider former contestants who say that the program—in which rapper Xzibit oversaw crazy car upgrades—faked quite a bit to entertain viewers, the Huffington Post reports. According to contestants, vehicle add-ons were removed...

New Law in England: No Smoking in Cars With Kids

It goes into effect later this year

(Newser) - Brits will be breaking the law if they light up while driving—if there's a child riding as a passenger. England's Department of Health announced today that the law, which will go into effect Oct. 1, is similar to a ban in Wales, the BBC reports. Scotland is...

Latest Viral Prank: 'Put 'Em in a Coffin'

ThotBoyz Vine video shared online, costs one guy $4K in damage

(Newser) - The latest prank that all the kids are into is a little more destructive than the toilet paper of yesteryear: Called "Put 'em in a coffin" and based on a Vine video from May that's gone viral, it involves throwing yourself back-first onto the tops of cars...

You Don't Need to Warm Up Your Car in Winter

And it's costing us $5.9B per year

(Newser) - Warming up the car before hitting the road is a pervasive winter ritual, but it's a pointless exercise for most modern vehicles, the Washington Post reports. What's more, a 2009 study found that idling of all types accounts for 1.6% of the country's greenhouse gas emissions—...

Times Probe Unveils Next Subprime Bubble

Used-car loans look a lot like old subprime mortgages

(Newser) - Hey, it's great if you're a car repossessor—but for borrowers, the new subprime bubble in used-car loans could become a major headache. According to a New York Times investigation, more Americans with poor credit are taking on unaffordable car loans at high interest rates. The loans usually...

Sunken in Houston's Bayous: Cars, and Bodies?

Texas Equusearch claims police tried to hush them up

(Newser) - Houston is known as the Bayou City, and those bayous are hiding at least 127 sunken cars—and, possibly, bodies in them. Texas Equusearch, the volunteer organization that assists in searches for missing persons, revealed sonar pictures from portions of three of the city’s bayous showing those cars, the...

1M Nissans Recalled Over Airbag Issue

Software problem may prevent inflation

(Newser) - Nissan is calling back about a million of its 2013 and 2014 vehicles: Thanks to a software issue, the passenger airbag may not expand during an accident. The problem is related to the car not recognizing that there is a passenger in the seat, the Los Angeles Times explains. Affected...

Most, Least Reliable Cars
 Most, Least Reliable Cars 
Feb 12, 2014 4:55 PM CST

Most, Least Reliable Cars

Lexus is best, Mini is worst

(Newser) - Lexus is atop JD Power's list of the most reliable cars, a spot it's held for three straight years, reports Automotive News . The annual survey asks owners of 3-year-old cars about their maintenance issues over the previous 12 months. Some highlights:
  • Top five: Lexus, with 68 problems per
...

Future Car Accessory: A Drone?

Renault's concept car Kwid envisions 'flying companion'

(Newser) - A new Renault concept SUV comes with a buddy: a drone that soars out of a roof hatch to investigate traffic conditions or maybe off-roading hazards. Were the "flying companion," as the company calls it, to be produced, it would be about the size of a small bird,...

This Guy Has Driven 3M Miles in 1966 Volvo

74-year-old sets new record in Alaska

(Newser) - When Irv Gordon, 74, had driven his 1966 Volvo P1800 1.69 million miles, he set a record; now, he's made a new mark in the Guinness Book. The Long Island man has as of Sept. 17 driven the car 3 million miles, the highest mileage in history by...

Hate Driving Stick? Meet Vibrating Shifter

3D-printed device made using Xbox parts

(Newser) - A young engineer at Ford is on a mission to demystify the manual transmission—and his tools include a 3D printer, a tablet computer, and an Xbox 360 controller. Zach Nelson printed out a shift knob and popped the Xbox's vibrating mechanism inside. Using Ford's open-source software and...

GM, Ford Join Forces to Build Better Transmission

But they say collaboration won't compromise the 'DNA' of either brand

(Newser) - Ford and GM are setting aside their rivalry to jointly develop a new generation of more fuel-efficient transmissions, the companies revealed today. The companies have actually been working on the technology in secret for a while, the Detroit Free Press reports, but they've now decided to make it public....

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