As writers explore the future of autonomous transportation, there has alway been the question of what to do with the steering wheel. It will likely be as obsolete as the buggy whip was after Henry Ford released the Model T. Most automakers have already shown us futuristic interior designs where all the passengers face one another with zero concern for the road. Some commercial transit companies have suggested that their driverless pods (or shuttle buses) would still employ someone who is responsible for trip. However, an announcement this week involving billions in investment funding may provide clues as to what the future could look like. SoftBank Group, a Japanese telecommunications conglomerate and parent company of SoftBank Robotics, struck a deal with Uber to invest $10 billion...

The semi-final rounds of the Countdown to the Championship at the Auto Club NHRA Finals in Pomona were filled with excitement. Having entered the Championship in last place as the sixth-seeded driver in Top Fuel, Brittany Force stepped up her game. When she eliminated Richie Crampton in the second round after season-favorite Steve Torrence had just lost to Antron Brown, the Mello Yello Top Fuel championship was hers. Force joins Shirley Muldowney (1982) as the second woman in NHRA history to win the championship, and gave John Force Racing its first Top Fuel crown. In Funny Car, Robert Hight continued to show why he is one of the fastest drivers on the planet defeating Tim Wilkerson with a 3.839 pass at 332.51 mph in the first round of eliminations. When his nearest competitor, Ron...

Bob Lutz has worked for automotive giants like Ford, GM, Chrysler and BMW, so his credentials far exceed those of the average car enthusiast. The "semi-retired" Lutz is currently working with Henrik Fisker at VLF Automotive on the development of America's next upper-end supercar that will compete in the quarter million dollar and up price range. As one of the industry's legendary executives, his comments in a recent Business Insider article created quite a buzz. Most car geeks were surprised when a person who spent his lifetime at the top of the automotive industry suggested that the end of the automobile could arrive in 20 years. As a straight talking car guy, Lutz compared the acceleration toward change to that experienced in the early 1900s when travel rapidly transition from the...

Some of the biggest tire manufacturers on the planet have joined forces in a quest to end the use of fossil resources in tire manufacturing by using 100% sustainable materials. With the initial focus on raw materials, Bridgestone has created a plant-derived synthetic rubber and Goodyear is experimenting with soybean oil to replace petroleum-based products. In keeping, Continental and Michelin are looking at plants that can be grown and harvested more efficiently for a viable, eco-friendly alternative. Commitment to a Smaller Footprint However, when we seek to make a smaller footprint in anything we do, there is always more than one element or component involved. When it comes to tires, the most obvious starting point is raw material as well as the resources consumed in manufacturing...

Ponte Vedra, FL (November 6, 2017)…E3 Spark Plugs, known for their line of high performance spark plugs, now offers a natural gas spark plug that provides greater durability and ignition capacity for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) powered vehicles. The E3 Natural Gas Spark Plug is a modification of plugs developed for race applications where heat and extreme use can affect durability and ignition capacity.   Low emission natural gas vehicles require a much higher ignition point. The ignition point for CNG and LNG is almost double that of traditional gas-powered vehicles. To achieve low NOX and Carbon emissions the plug must be able to achieve robust ignition while also withstanding extreme heat. E3’s experience and years of R&D for...

If you look in your AAA Las Vegas travel guide, you will find multiple shuttle routes leading to many of the city's top attractions, such as the Neon Museum, Stratosphere Tower or Hoover Dam. Now, AAA has partnered with a couple of French companies that manufacture and run public bus systems in the city to launch the first "driverless shuttle" bus. The bright blue, bubble shaped autonomous vehicles can't be missed as the decorative body panels read, "The Future Is Here" and "Hop On with AAA". Sponsors of the downtown transportation project are providing free rides for residents and tourists to raise money for the Las Vegas Victims Fund that was established after the October 1 mass shooting at the site of a country music festival adjacent to the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. ...

  Ponte Vedra, FL (October 31, 2017)…E3 Spark Plugs, manufacturer of the new line of DiamondFIRE ignition products, introduces the E3.112 DiamondFIRE racing spark plug.  Designed specifically for late model Ford Coyote and Chrysler Hemi engines, the new race plug has been under development by E3 for two years. Tailored for high hp boosted (turbo, nitrous or supercharged) applications, the plug features E3’s patented diamond-shaped ground electrode for maximum combustion and edge-to-edge spark, as well as a resistor to keep stock electronics functional.  The E3.112 improves power for the 5.0L Ford Coyote and Chrysler Hemi muscle and race cars while reducing both fuel consumption and emissions.   The E3.112 is the 13th SKU in the E3 racing spark plug...

Ponte Vedra, FL (October 31, 2017)…E3 Spark Plugs, manufacturer of DiamondFIRE spark plugs and performance ignition products, announces a four year series title sponsorship of NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing and Sportsman Contingency.   The contingency sponsorship applies to racers using E3 spark plugs and wire sets.  Finalists in the Pro Mod class that display the E3 decal and use both E3 products will qualify for $1,000 for the winner and $500 for the runner-up.   The E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service will feature 12 races for the season beginning with Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, FL on March 15 and concluding in October in Las Vegas at the NHRA Toyota Nationals.   “Pro Mod racing is the...

According to Wikipedia, fuel efficiency is a form of thermal efficiency, meaning the efficiency of a process that converts chemical potential energy contained in a carrier fuel into kinetic energy by putting it to work. Form the very beginning, E3 Spark Plugs has been about the energy, efficiency and ecology represented by our complete line of ignition products for your car, truck, motorcycle, powersports and lawn & garden needs. The open-end design of our spark plugs allows the flame kernel to travel more directly toward the air/fuel mixture in your engine's compression chamber. After years of research and development, we determined that our edge-to-edge spark could significantly improve the efficiency of that burn. Worst Polluter in Your Garage Is Not Your Car When we learned...

You may or may not believe in the classic literary verse of 19th-century British poet Violet Fane, "Good things come to those who wait." But, Terry McMillen does. After 195 career starts in Top Fuel dragster, McMillen hoisted a Wally Sunday at the 17th annual NHRA Toyota Nationals. With only two rounds remaining in the 2017 Countdown to the Championship, McMillen defeated Richie Crampton, Clay Millican and Shawn Langdon on his way to the final round at Las Vegas Motor Speedway's "The Strip." It was a long time coming but was meant to be as he literally coasted to win in his AMALIE Motor Oil XTERMINGATOR after Brittany Force left the line staring at a red light. In Top Fuel Funny Car, Matt Hagan piloted his Pennzoil Dodge Charger R/T to first career win at the The Strip. After...