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Automated emergency braking, known by many names at different automakers, is almost universally standard on new vehicles in the U.S. today, but that doesn’t mean they prevent all types of rear-end collision.Official AEB tests are done at just 12 and 25 miles per hour. AAA decided to see if they worked as well at 30 and 40 mph. They did not.AAA’s results are extremely similar to a test we did three years ago on these systems.Automated emergency braking might sound like a technology that automatically brakes your car in an emergency. Logical, sure, but the AAA just released results of a test that it performed showing that relying on AEB isn’t as predictably safe as drivers might expect. Especially when moving at speeds above 40 mph, AEB’s full functionality dropped to worrying levels, the not-for-profit association said. This came as no surprise to us, as we performed a test of these systems three years ago and found them similarly lacking.Different automakers sometimes call their AEB technology by different names, but they all work similarly. Forward-facing sensors, which can include radar and cameras, scan the road ahead and when they detect something the moving vehicle might crash into, the system applies the brakes in an attempt to, well, not crash.In 2016, the majority of major automakers agreed to make AEB technology standard on their vehicles by 2022. Today, 20 automakers, builders of more than 99 percent of the new vehicles in the U.S., have made AEB standard equipment on all models. AAA and other safety groups acknowledge that AEB works. Last year, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) released a new study that found rear AEB helped reduce the number of insurance claims more than any other safety technology the group had studied. But preventing rear-end crashes at slower speeds, which is what AEB was originally designed to do, is not the only thing that AEB could be used for. AAA said that, between 2016 and 2020, almost 40 percent of all fatalities involving two passenger vehicles, when the striking vehicle did not lose traction or leave the road before the collision, were T-bones and left turns in front of oncoming vehicles. AEB systems also have difficulty working at night, as IIHS discovered earlier this year. “Automatic emergency braking does well at tackling the limited task it was designed to do,” Greg Brannon, director of AAA’s automotive engineering and industry relations, said in a statement. “Unfortunately, that task was drawn up years ago, and regulators’ slow-speed crash standards haven’t evolved. Testing requirements for this technology, or any vehicle safety system for that matter, must be updated to handle faster, more realistic speeds and scenarios with the greatest safety benefit for drivers.”AAAAAATo figure out how well AEB technologies work at intersections and at higher speeds, AAA decided to conduct a new series of tests using vehicles from four automakers: a 2022 Chevrolet Equinox LT, a 2022 Ford Explorer XLT, a 2022 Honda CR-V Touring and a 2022 Toyota RAV4 LE. Current crash standards require AEB tests to be conducted at 12 and 25 mph, not exactly highway speeds. AAA instead ran tests where a vehicle moving at 30 or 40 mph hit a stationary vehicle. The group also ran T-bone and unprotected-left-turn tests.AEB prevented a rear-end collision 85 percent of the time when tested at 30 mph. This number dropped to just 30 percent for tests at 40 mph. In the intersection tests, AEB completely failed. Crashes occurred in 100 percent of AAA’s tests because “AEB failed to alert the driver, slow the vehicle’s speed, [or] avoid the crash.”It Still Helps in Some WaysDespite these low success rates, AEB is still a valuable technology to have, AAA found, because even if it can’t completely avoid a crash, AEB systems can still slow a car down enough to reduce the severity of a crash. In the 30-mph test, impact speed was reduced by 86 percent; at 40 mph, it was by 62 percent.Automakers have been adjusting their AEB technologies in response to customer complaints about “inadvertent activation” and for other reasons. Test results in hand, AAA is now calling on automakers to get their safety systems “to better handle the types of crashes when injuries and fatalities commonly occur,” including getting AEB to handle intersection-based crash scenarios. Just as important is the message that drivers should not rely on an AEB system working as promised in an emergency.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

For 2023 Audi will offer 333 special-edition RWD R8 GTs. The Audi R8 GT RWD gets a bump in power for its 5.2-liter V-10, from 562 to 602 hp. To better manage wheel slip from the rear axle, the electronic stability control now offers seven settings, from minimum to maximum slide. Until now, if you wanted the big power from an Audi R8, you had to step up to an all-wheel-drive model. For 2023, Audi will offer a special-edition R8 GT, a rear-wheel-drive coupe with the more powerful version of the 5.2-liter V-10 with 602 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque that was previously only available in the Quattro. Audi says the GT will get to 62 mph in 3.4 seconds and have a top speed of 199 mph.The R8’s shifts will be faster too, with new gearing for the 7-speed dual-clutch transmission to allow for the increased top speed, and quicker gear changes along the way. What’s Special about the Special EditionThere will only be 333 special-edition R8 GT RWD coupes available, distinguishable from other R8s through black badges including a new R8 GT emblem. For wind-tunnel-tested stability and increased car-show cred, the GT comes with a glossy carbon-fiber front splitter, side spats, rear scoops, a diffuser, and a high gooseneck rear wing. Not only are the badges and aero elements menacingly midnighted, but should you peer through the rear hatch at the V-10 engine, even the intake manifold on the GT is black. Basically, it looks like the ZL1 1LE of R8s.Inside, it reflects the first-generation R8 GT with a black and red interior, including red seatbelts. Floor mats and seats declare the GT’s special status, and owners can figure out their place in the order line with a sequential special edition build number embedded in the carbon-fiber center console. Rear Drive, Now with More Slip-N-SlideWe’ve liked the RWD R8 for its more playful driving characteristics, and Audi is leaning into that with the R8 GT. The rear axle now offers Torque Rear Mode which allows the traction- and stability-control system to be set in one of seven different programmed curves, from more to less slippage. This is controlled by a knob on the steering wheel, for those last-minute drift decisions. Jokes aside, the customizability of the stability controls means that the R8 can adjust for different drivers, or increasing track confidence. Lighter SideThe GT will weigh 44 pounds less than the R8 Coupe Performance RWD. This is partially due to lightweight forged 20-inch wheels, wrapped in Michelin Sport Cup 2 rubber. Ceramic brakes are standard in the GT, as are sports seats and the performance sport suspension with a carbon-fiber-reinforced-plastic anti-roll bar. The lightweight bar and aluminum suspension components also help the GT achieve its weight loss. More on the R8The real loss here is what Audi only hints at with a header in its press release that reads, “Goodbye to the V-10 Engine.” It’s no real surprise that the V-10’s days are numbered, but if this is the start of Audi’s last year festivities, can we expect some additional special R8s for 2023? This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

The lack of high-performance-sports-car plans is glaring at Audi, but Car and Driver has learned that an EV replacement for the R8 is in the works.Don’t get too anxious, though: the launch date for this new model, currently called the Rnext, has been pushed back to 2029. Whether Audi will design its own platform or use a Porsche matrix is still unclear, but if Ingolstadt can have things its way, Lamborghini and Bentley are likely to get bespoke spinoffs.Imagine Audi competing in Formula 1 in 2026 without a high-performance sports car in its portfolio to reap the motorsports rub-off. How silly would that be? And yet, at the moment, the brand’s future road map has no successor to the TT, no replacement for the R8, or in fact any other ultrafast, high-visibility, big-margin, image-building product.While elsewhere in the Volkswagen Group, Lamborghini has the next Aventador and Huracán pretty much cast in stone, Rimac is preparing a follow-up to the Bugatti Chiron fitted with an awesome 1800-hp hybrid V-8, and Porsche is seriously contemplating an electric supercar and hypercar, Audi’s think tank harbors plenty of great ideas but not enough hard plans.To date, the duel between Markus Duesmann (wearing the four-rings livery as Audi chairman) and Oliver Blume (with Porsche embossed in his armor as the brand’s CEO) has ended in a dead heat, but now that Blume has stepped into the hot seat recently vacated by Herbert Diess, the young CEO is calling the shots. Will he let the Audi CTO Oliver Hoffmann develop his own bespoke sports-car architecture as planned? Or is he going to urge the group’s Bavarian satellite to use the SSP6 componentry being compiled exclusively for Porsche? “A decision won’t be made before next spring,” claims one insider. “Blume will keep the brands on a long leash to stimulate creativity and differentiation,” believes another. “In the end, the bottom line is all that matters,” quips a third.Let’s assume for a moment that Audi has free rein and can push ahead with AU634/0, which is the code name for Rnext. While the car at this point does not share a single item with the Huracán replacement, the high-voltage effort is destined to spawn a Lamborghini model late in the decade and a Bentley offspring in the early 2030s. There is still a long way to go, but that’s the plan. We expect three body styles to make it into production: a two-seat coupe and spyder as well as a roomier 2+2, the latter perhaps as a shooting brake. Porsche Batteries, Slim PackagingModularity and scalability are key to keeping the costs down, which is why all models allegedly will use Porsche-sourced high-performance batteries. Will the construction be aluminum or carbon fiber? Perhaps a bit of both, with a synthetic weave for the tub and lightweight metal for the suspension. A cell-to-chassis concept, where the battery pack is a stressed component, promises even fewer calories, slimmer packaging, and extra rigidity.What we have so far is yet another electric supercar to be positioned in the $250,000-to-$300,000 range that may be eaten for breakfast by the less pricey Tesla Roadster, if that ever comes. In all likelihood, not even breathtaking design, extraordinary efficiency, and superb quality will make the Rnext a sure-fire success guaranteed to eclipse the competition. True, admits Audi’s Hoffmann. What defines the difference between greatness and mere competence is how such a car drives. No, we’re not talking 1000 watts of power here, because 1000 horsepower can already be taken for granted when the next RS6 e-tron bows. Instead, the vehicle dynamics specialists are waxing lyrical about their breakthrough neuronal Quattro system that shares its massive brain power with the steering, brakes, and suspension for, to quote Hoffmann, “total control and absolute excitement.”Branding Is EverythingThat’s the good news. The bad news is that AU634/0 is conspicuous by its absence from the latest cycle plan, which does show the next-gen e-tron GT with a Porsche SSP6 platform moniker and a 2029 release date. We asked around and were told that the Rnext will appear in the not yet finalized Planning Round 72 in early 2023. So, at this point, it seems anything is possible. Porsche still could allow Audi to use the Cayman/Boxster platform for a 2027 TT replacement. And it could design the dramatically different electric future 911, code-named PO998, around a component set flexible enough to also accommodate the Rnext. Porsche could, but we wouldn’t bet on it. Brand identity is key when a premium nameplate trades on the stock exchange. And let’s face it: After three years of fierce good cop/bad cop rivalry, isn’t it about time for the new King of Wolfsburg to show some leniency and tolerance towards the Duke of Ingolstadt?This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

The 2023 Fisker Ocean is almost ready for production, with 95 prototypes built so far by assembly partner Magna Steyr in Austria.Fisker is aiming to begin building the Ocean SUV on November 17.The top trim will cost nearly $70,000 and travel 350 miles on a charge, according to Fisker, while the base model will start under $40,000 and have a 250 mile range. Tesla has spawned a surge of electric startups with flashy designs, bold performance claims, and ambitious production dates. Most of these EVs never move beyond renderings, but Fisker appears poised to take the plunge into full-scale production. A revival of the brand that built the range-extender Karma sedan in the early 2010s, Fisker announced late last week that its Ocean SUV remains on track for production in November and that the company has already cranked out 95 prototypes of its electric crossover.FiskerThe 2023 Ocean was fully revealed at the 2021 Los Angeles auto show, when Fisker pledged production would start by November of 2022. The Ocean will be assembled by Magna Steyr in Austria, where the 95 prototypes were already built. Outsourcing production could help Fisker avoid the “production hell” that companies such as Tesla and Rivian have experienced at their own proprietary manufacturing facilities. Fisker says the prototype Oceans are being utilized for testing, training for service employees, and to display the vehicle in the nine markets the automaker will launch in. More on FiskerFour versions of the electric crossover will be available: Extreme, Ultra, and Sport trim levels accompany the limited-edition Ocean One launch model. The One, Extreme, and Ultra all feature a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive setup, with the One and Extreme capable of 350 miles of range and a claimed 60-mph sprint of 3.6 seconds. The Ultra still can run a respectable 340 miles on a charge and hit 60 mph in 3.9 seconds, while the single-motor, front-wheel-drive Sport’s battery can last 250 miles, and its 60-mph sprint should be closer to seven seconds. These numbers are still all unverified claims by Fisker, with the Ocean yet to receive an official rating from the EPA.Fisker says the Ocean Extreme will start at $68,999 before destination fees, while the base Sport model will cost just $37,499, and Fisker is aiming to begin production on November 17. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Subaru has announced updated pricing for the 2023 Forester, which now starts at $27,620.Other than the jump in price, the Forester is not gaining any additional features over the refreshed 2022 model. The new base price is $1300 more than the 2022 Forester was at the start of the model year, but only $550 more than its $27,070 base price after a midyear price hike.Adding another to the growing list of vehicles that keep getting more expensive, the 2023 Subaru Forester is the latest model on the market to see a noticeable price increase. Despite no changes or added equipment for the new model year, the 2023 Forester will cost $1300 more than the 2022 version did when it originally went on sale. Midway through 2022, Subaru increased pricing of the refreshed Forester by $750, so the 2023 is actually only $550 more than the current 2022’s base price. The base price for 2023 is now $27,620, ranging up to $37,720 for the top Touring trim.Subaru gave the Forester a comprehensive refresh for 2022, reworking the front end and updating the interior. The 2022 model year also saw the addition of a more rugged Wilderness trim level that, like the Outback Wilderness, adds ground clearance over other trim levels. Subaru StoriesRegardless of trim, each Forester is powered by the same 2.5-liter flat-four engine which makes 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque, paired to a continuously variable automatic (CVT). We managed 28 mpg in our 75-mph highway driving test, but that number fell to an observed fuel economy of 22 mpg through our testing of the 2022 version. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More