Technology

The Lexus LF-30 electrified concept may be far from a production car, but you can consider it a blueprint for the multitude of electrified models the Japanese marque plans to roll out before 2030. First shown at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show, the LF-30 made its way to Melbourne, Australia, for the first time in November 2020 to serve as a guest of honour at the 2020 Melbourne Cup Carnival.

When the President of the United States is travelling in a highly protected motorcade, the convoy must maintain secure communications with the White House and Pentagon – the US military's headquarters in Washington DC.

Skoda claims to have trialled a smartphone app capable of diagnosing vehicle faults through audio analysis. This – according to the Volkswagen-owned manufacturer – could potentially lead to cheaper, shorter, and more effective servicing in the future. The system works by recording noises made by the car during operation, and then comparing these with a stored bank of referential sound patterns.

The 2021 Hummer EV will be capable of driving diagonally thanks to a 'crab mode' four-wheel steering system, GMC has revealed. In a promotional video posted to YouTube, the General Motors truck division demonstrated the technology alongside a less-than-cryptic slogan “Sometimes the biggest leaps forward are actually diagonal”. However, the clip indicates the feature will be an optional extra, rather than fitted as standard.

A “flying car" built by Japanese developer SkyDrive has been publicly demonstrated for the first time. The SD-03 vehicle is powered by eight independent electric motors and has been in development since 2014. While no one can dispute its sound aeronautical capabilities, the vehicle’s status as a “car” remains slightly more controversial – this prototype doesn’t even have wheels, meaning it is less manoeuvrable on the ground than most planes.