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Automotive technologies

Volkswagen adds ChatGPT voice recognition to some models

Volkswagen At CES 2024, Volkswagen announced that it will integrate ChatGPT into the voice-recognition systems of some future vehicles, something the automaker claims will provide greater functionality than standard voice recognition. ChatGPT is scheduled to become available in the second quarter of 2024 and is “being considered for the U.S.,” according to a VW press release. VW is using Cerence Chat Pro to integrate ChatGPT, which will allow drivers to access the chatbot without having to separately activate it,…

How to get Drift Tuning in GTA Online

Technically, there are hundreds of ways to get around in GTA Online besides driving, but they don’t call it Grand Theft Auto for nothing. This game is all about cars, whether that be stealing, buying, racing, crashing, or modifying them. You’ve always been able to outfit and customize your car in dozens of ways, but The Chop Shop update added a new Drift Tuning mechanic alongside a new set of vehicles. Not all cars are eligible for this upgrade, and your usual mechanic isn’t up for the job. Here are the blueprints on…

Watch Tesla’s synchronized light show using five Cybertrucks

Tesla has shared a video of five Cybertrucks performing a synchronized light show. It’s not clear why the automaker has done this, but with the Cybertrucks’ frunks lit up red, and the vehicles front lights shining bright white, there’s a definite nod to the festive season here. During the 100-second show, the lights flash and dim and pulsate in various coordinated patterns to a music track called The Arrival. Don't Miss In a message accompanying the video, the automaker suggests getting…

Toyota recalls 1M vehicles over potential airbag issue

Toyota is recalling just over 1 million vehicles in the U.S. over an issue with the airbags. In a notice posted online on Wednesday, Toyota said a potential defect in the front passenger seat airbag could prevent it from properly deploying in a crash, increasing the risk of injury, or worse. The recall involves various Toyota and Lexus vehicles with model years from 2020 to 2022, specifically: Don't Miss Toyota:Avalon, Avalon Hybrid / 2020-2021Camry, Camry Hybrid / 2020-2021Corolla /…

Ford and GM EV drivers will be able to charge at Superchargers in February

Joel Patel / Digital Trends General Motors and Ford are getting Supercharger access quicker than we thought. According to a Tesla employee who recently spoke at a city planning committee meeting about a new Supercharger station, Ford and GM will get Supercharger access as early as 2024. Almost all major automakers have announced that they’ll switch to NACS (the same Tesla connector that Tesla uses) by 2025 — meaning that we should start to see non-Tesla cars with the connector sometime in mid-2024. Of course, it’s…

Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV vs BMW i7: ultra-luxury, head to head

If you’re looking for a luxury electric vehicle, you have many more options available to you than buyers looking for budget options. Sure, there are options from the new companies, like Lucid, but there’s still something to be said for options from the likes of BMW and Mercedes-Benz, which have both been building solid electric cars for some time now. Excellent examples of these include the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV and the BMW i7. Both of these cars are among the most luxurious in their respective lineups, offering…

Why Tesla (and other) cars are losing tax credit status

Tesla It looks like Tesla’s federal tax credit status could change pretty significantly in the near future. On the order page for the Tesla Model 3, the company says that “all new Model 3 vehicles currently qualify for a federal tax credit for eligible buyers. $7,500 tax credit will reduce to $3,750 for Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive and Model 3 Long Range on Jan 1, 2024.” That’s not good news for those that might be interested in buying a Tesla in 2024. It gets worse though — only 10 electric cars will qualify for the…

Tesla Model X vs Lucid Gravity: electric SUV battle

Lucid Group. Finally, new electric SUV options are on the way. Some of them, like the Kia EV9, are relatively inexpensive. Some, however, are luxury options — like the Lucid Gravity. It joins the Lucid Air in Lucid’s growing lineup as a top-tier, premium electric SUV that could be the car to beat. But it has some tough competition — like the more established Tesla Model X. The Tesla Model X has long been one of the go-to electric SUVs (although you could debate if it’s actually an SUV) — and for good reason. It…

Tesla’s latest recall shows we need a new word for OTA fixes

Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends Tesla has been forced to “recall” some 2 million cars — pretty much all of them in the U.S. and Canada — because of problems with the “Autosteer” feature, which more often than not is incorrectly referred to as “Autopilot.” But before you get a picture of endless lines of four-wheeled Elon babies waiting outside Tesla repair centers, it’s worth considering the following: There are recalls, and then there are recalls. Here, according to the National High Transportation Safety…