Cars Archive

Probably too soon to say for sure, but proposed new rules aimed at reducing pedestrian deaths could require bigger vehicles with tall hoods, like trucks and SUVs, to be redesigned.

Tesla vehicles come with Sentry Mode that can act like surveillance cameras on wheels if triggered, so police in the Bay Area (lots of Teslas around) have been getting warrants to tow them to retrieve footage because it may have recorded a crime. In one case with Oakland Police, it helped catch some alleged murderers.

The SUV pioneer that is now owned by Volkswagen plans on revealing its first battery-powered vehicle on October 24th, according to a banner on the company’s site. No specifics yet, but we’re likely to get a truck and/or an SUV, something designed for off-roading, while also being perfectly at home in a Target parking lot. Expect lots of “chunky” buttons.

That stands for “Actually Smart Summon,” which is the new name for the automaker’s automated parking lot feature that kind of got lost in the shuffle. You press down on the button in the app, and the car will theoretically come to where you are in the parking lot. (The only videos I could find on YouTube so far take place at night in empty parking lots, which says a lot.) Hilariously, Tesla owners still assume full liability if their empty car runs over someone while being summoned. So summon at your own risk.