Car News

Nissan Leaf drivers in Japan can now pay for parking with electricity from their vehicle. The proof-of-concept experiment, at Nissan’s Pavilion exhibition space in Yokohama, allows EV owners to pay for their stay by feeding battery power back into a localised grid. The Pavilion opened on August 1, 2020, and will run until October 23. It is an arena for the Japanese manufacture to show off new technologies.

BMW will debut a remote engine start function on its upcoming 4 Series, 5 Series, and M5 Competition vehicles. The technology will allow operators to start the car's engine remotely – using a smartphone app – for up to 15 minutes before driving. During this time the interior can be heated or cooled and the seat warmers can be activated. Drivers can activate the function from any location through the BMW ConnectedDrive app.

An innovative active suspension system – capable of adjusting wheel alignment while driving – has been developed by Victorian-based company Doftek. The active wheel alignment system (AWAS) is designed to be retrofitted to a car's existing suspension. The vehicle's standard suspension mounts and tie rods are replaced with electromechanical components that, via a control unit, can adjust the angle of the wheels (camber, toe-in, and caster) to suit road conditions and driver preferences.

Audi is out to prove electric cars don’t need to be boring, or slow. The German car maker has released details on the Audi E-Tron S electric SUV range ahead of its Australian arrival in the second half of next year. It promises sports-car performance – with a 0 to 100kmh time of 4.5 seconds – and has an “overboost” mode that delivers a phenomenal 370kW/973Nm output for up to eight seconds, designed for safer overtaking.

Kia has revealed details of its new clutch-by-wire technology that allows use of a conventional manual transmission with mild-hybrid and start-stop systems. Modifying the traditional hydraulic system used to actuate clutches in manual cars – which is connected directly to the vehicle’s clutch pedal – Kia’s ‘intelligent manual transmission’ (iMT) places a module between the pedal and the hydraulics.