Porsche has unveiled two new options for those looking to get one of its Taycan EVs: A Taycan with the legendary GTS moniker and a third body model called the GTS Sport Turismo. Kevin Giek, VP of the Taycan model line, said the GTS "is positioned above the Taycan 4S and below the Taycan Turbo derivatives, so it represents a real sweet spot in the range." As TechCrunch notes, with the addition of these two, there are now 10 Taycan variants in all.

The luxury automaker calls the GTS version the "sporty all-rounder" of the line. It has a range of 504 km or 313 miles, making it the first Taycan to break the 500 km mark. The model's adaptive air suspension was specifically adapted to the GTS, and it has Black or dark details on the exterior — including the front apron, the bases of the exterior mirrors and the side window trims — as is traditional for a GTS car. 

Meanwhile, the Taycan Sport Turismo is a mix between the Cross Turismo and the sports saloon, though it doesn't have off-road elements. It has the sporty silhouette and the rearward-sloping roofline of the Taycan Cross Turismo, and its rear headroom is 45mm (around 1.7 inches) greater than the Taycan sports saloon. Both the GTS and the Sport Turismo can go from 0 to 100 kmh (62 mph) within 3.7 seconds and have a maximum speed of 250 kmh (155mph). 

The Taycan GTS and Sport Turismo will have prices that start at EUR131,834 (US$149,000) and EUR132,786 (US$150,000), respectively. They will both be heading to dealers in the spring of 2022, and more engine options for the Sport Turismo will follow. Porsche will also be showcasing the new EVs at the LA Auto Show, which will take place from November 19th through the 28th, so we'll hear more about the new vehicles in the coming days.

At CES 2018, Honda revealed several companion mobility robot concepts. It's moving forward with at least one of them, an autonomous vehicle that can go off road. Honda and engineering company Black & Veatch have been putting the second-gen Autonomous Work Vehicle (AWV) through its paces at a solar panel construction site.

This was the first field test in which several AWVs were working together. The vehicles towed trailers and carried construction materials, water and other supplies across the 1,000-acre worksite. The AWV can carry a payload of up to 399kg (880 pounds) and tow a trailer with a total weight of 750kg (1,653 pounds).

In a video that shows off the AWVs, a Black & Veatch employee notes that it can take a while to travel across such a large site. So loading up the vehicles with materials and sending them to another location can make things more efficient and cut down on employees' travel time, freeing them up to work on other things.

Honda created a high-definition map of the site so operators could set start and end points for the AWVs. It says the vehicles stopped within centimeters of their destinations. Along with operating autonomously, the AWV can be remotely controlled.

The company claims the vehicle can run for up to eight hours on a single charge, even in a high-temperature environment. The AWV uses a number of sensors for navigation, including GPS, radar and LiDAR, as well as 3D cameras for remote monitoring. Honda says that even with a maximum payload capacity, the AWV has a range of up to 27.9 miles, depending on the use case.

The automaker is aiming to improve the performance and design of the AMV as it iterates on the prototype (it looks kinda cute as is). It might offer the ability to add attachments and tools as well. Honda hasn't revealed plans to release a commercial version of the AMV just yet, though.

Are you uncomfortable with the idea of Tesla letting owners test Full Self-Driving betas on public streets? You're not the only one. Reutersreports the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating a driver's complaint that the FSD beta led to a November 3rd collision in Brea, California. The owner alleged that his Model Y entered the wrong lane, leading to impact with another car and serious damage on the left side.

The EV offered an alert partway through the turn, according to the driver. However, the FSD software supposedly wouldn't let the driver regain control, forcing the car into the wrong lane. Tesla hasn't commented on the incident and is believed to have disbanded its PR team. The automaker has usually limited the beta to volunteer drivers with high safety scores and warned that testers must be ready to take over on short notice.

The investigation won't necessarily conclude that FSD was responsible for the collision, or lead to major action against Tesla. It does, however, represent the latest in a growing number of run-ins between Tesla and regulators. The NHTSA launched a probe into Autopilot this August following a string of emergency vehicle crashes, and it expressed concern in October that Tesla was using a beta "on public roads." Officials aren't thrilled that Tesla is testing in real traffic, and the investigation might support their case.

Tesla may be thriving despite chip shortages, but those shortcomings are apparently making an impact on the cars people get. Electrek has learned numerous Model 3 and Model Y buyers are receiving their electric vehicles without USB-C ports in the center console or rear seating areas. Some customers said they were alerted in advance, but others only found out when they took their EVs home.

Delivery specialists and others at Tesla have pinned the missing USB ports on chip shortages. Some customers have heard Tesla would install the missing connectors in December, but it's not clear if this applies to every affected owner. Tesla has long stopped responding to requests for comment and is believed to have disbanded its PR team.

This isn't the first time brands have shipped cars without parts, including Tesla. BMW recently removed touchscreen features from some models, while that company and Tesla have both removed passenger lumbar support options. And there aren't many great alternatives — automakers have delayed orders, halted production and otherwise asked customers to wait longer than usual.

Even so, this could leave more than a few Tesla buyers upset. The absence of USB ports breaks not only connectivity, but wireless charging. That's a luxury, to be sure, but it's one you'd expect given Tesla's price tags. It might also sour customers worried Tesla might be sacrificing quality to meet its quarterly delivery targets.

Congress is making its biggest push ever to stop drunk driving with President Biden's huge infrastructure bill. As we previously reported, one of the provisions included a mandate for anti-drunk driving technology in new cars. Now, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has passed Congress with the measure intact, Autoblog (AP) reports, and it's expected to be signed by the President soon. As part of the legislation, carmakers will have to include technology to detect and stop drunk drivers by as early as 2026.

First, though, the Department of Transportation will have to determine the best solution to curtail intoxicated drunk driving. Specifically, the bill requires something that will “passively monitor the performance of a driver of a motor vehicle to accurately identify whether that driver may be impaired.” That sounds similar to infrared camera solutions already used today by GM, Nissan and others, Sam Abuelsamid, principal mobility analyst for Guidehouse Insights, tells the AP. It goes without saying that we'd need something more advanced than breathalyzers, which are already used as a punishment for convicted drunken drivers.

Around 10,000 people die every year in the US from drunk driving accidents, the NHTSA says. Now that we have smarter sensors and plenty of camera technology to monitor driver behavior, it makes sense to explore solutions that could help prevent those sorts of accidents. Within a decade, it should feel as commonplace as seatbelts. 

The infrastructure bill also includes other safety measures, like rear seat reminders that could notify parents about children left in carseats. Additionally, Congress will also require automatic emergency braking and lane departure warnings, features that many new cars already offer. It's unclear when true self-driving cars will be a reality, but until then, at least human drivers can look forward to more ways to prevent accidents. 

Uber might compensate for driver shortages by reviving an old feature. The New York Postreports Uber has lobbied the chief of New York City's Taxi and Limousine Commission on the "potential" of dispatching the area's legendary yellow taxis. The details of the lobbying weren't revealed in the public disclosure, but the description suggested you would hail a taxi from the Uber app like you could in the company's earlier days.

We've asked Uber for comment, although it declined to speak to The Post. A TLC spokesperson shied away from discussing details, saying only that the Commission "meets frequently" with licensees to explore ideas and that it was focused on relief efforts for drivers struggling with taxi medallion debt.

Yellow cab hailing might seem an unusual choice for a company that has routinely clashed with the taxi industry and is frequently blamed for gutting NYC's cab demand. Uber would likely have to rethink its commissions to compensate taxi drivers who pay steep costs to operate in the city, and it could still face political opposition given its history.

Even so, it's easy to see why Uber might consider offering NYC taxis. The revival would increase the chances of passengers scoring some kind of ride through the Uber app, even if there aren't enough ridesharing drivers to go around. That could keep New Yorkers using the Uber app and increase the chances they'll use the company's more familiar options.

Italian automaker Alfa Romeo is developing an all-electric version of its four-door Giulia sedan. In an interview with Auto Express, Jean-Philippe Imparato, the company’s CEO, said Alfa Romeo would debut the EV sometime in 2024. Additionally, he revealed the car will be built on the STLA Large platform from its parent company Stellantis.

The conglomerate announced the architecture this past summer. At the time, it said it would allow its cars to go from zero to 60 in as little as two seconds, and allow for a potential range of up to 500 miles. Dodge, one of the other automakers under the Stellantis umbrella, will use the platform in the all-electric muscle car it plans to debut in 2024. Alfa Romeo could also offer a Quadrifoglio variant of the Giulia, but Imparato said that will depend on whether it can get the kind of performance that’s associated with the moniker.

The Guilia is one part of a more extensive foray into EVs Alfa Romeo has planned for the second half of the decade. “The first full EV will come in 2024 and we’ll see a big launch in 2025, 2026, and we’ll see Alfa Romeo as a full BEV in 2027. This is validated and funded,” Imparato told Auto Express. If it can go fully electric by 2027, Alfa Romeo would be the first Stellantis brand to do so.

Wouldn't it be better if your car could recommend service based on when you're likely to need it, not just a fixed schedule? It just might. Porsche is developing a "digital twin" (that is, a virtual copy) that helps predict service requirements based on driving styles. Algorithms can parse a combination of sensor data and "big data" to recommend service based on your driving style. You may need early work on your suspension if you take your car to the track, or the engine if you have a long highway commute.

The system can even anticipate faults before they happen. That will please mechanics, of course, but it could also keep you safe (and spare you additional repair costs) by scheduling maintenance long before there's a crisis.

Porsche doesn't officially launch its first digital twin until 2022, and then only using sensor data. Field testing is already underway however — about half of Taycan owners have volunteered for a pilot that anonymously monitors the EV's air suspension for body acceleration. If the car ventures past certain thresholds, the vehicle tells the driver they may need to visit a repair shop.

The twin system would let automakers ditch fixed maintenance schedules in favor of driver-specific recommendations. Porsche also envisions the algorithms helping even when your car is running flawlessly. You'd have a digital record that could both suggest an accurate selling price for a used car as well as greater transparency for would-be buyers. Car brands could even pitch extended warranties based on the status of your car. So long as companies take privacy into account, though, this could save you more than a little stress (and moments of sheer panic) on the road.

For as long as motorcycles have existed, enthusiasts have been upgrading their rides with new components. Taking that idea to the 21st century, the new 2022 SR from Zero Motorcycles allows you to push its capabilities with software updates instead. The motorcycle will ship with the company’s Cypher III+ operating system, which includes the Cypher Store. And if you plan to get the most out of the 2022 SR, you’ll need to spend money at the marketplace. Post-purchase “DLC” is something we’ve seen the automotive industry show increasing interest in recent years.

At first, the Cypher Store will offer a mix of performance and comfort upgrades. It will later expand to sell purchases that enable features like a park mode, heated grips and faster charging. How much you’ll need to pay for those extras will depend on the model you own.

Zero Motorcycles

In the case of the 2022 SR, it comes standard with a 14.4 kWh battery. You can upgrade its capacity to 15.6 kWh and then 17.3 kWh. In 2022, Zero Motorcycles will start selling an optional tank accessory that further increases the amount of power the motorcycle’s ZF 75-10 electric motor can access. With every possible upgrade, battery capacity increases to 20.9 kWh. At that point, Zero claims you can expect approximately 227 miles of range when driving in a city and about 113 miles at a more consistent 70 miles per hour clip. For charging, the 2022 SR features a standard J1772 connection, which even Tesla sells now.

By default, the 2022 SR’s motor outputs 122 lb-ft of torque and 74 horsepower. It can hit a top speed of 104 miles per hour. As you might have guessed, you can pay extra to unlock better performance from the motor. With a $1,795 in-app purchase, power output increases to 113 horsepower, allowing the 2022 SR to go as fast as 124 miles per hour.

The 2022 SR will start at $17,995 when it debuts at dealerships in the first quarter of 2022.

GM's self-driving Cruise division has launched its fully driverless robo-taxi service in San Francisco, with co-founder and President Kyle Vogt getting the first ride. To start with, the service will be available for free to GM employees and certain members of the public, TechCrunch reported. 

"Earlier this week, I requested a ride through our Cruise app and took several back-to-back rides in San Francisco — with no one else in the vehicle," Vogt wrote in a YouTube video description. "There are lots of other Cruise employees (not just me) who are testing and refining the full customer experience as we take another major step toward the first commercial AV [ride hailing] product in a dense urban environment."

Vogt said the Cruise launched the Bolt vehicles on Monday at 11PM, and it "began to roam around the city, waiting for a ride request." He got his first ride from a Cruise Bolt EV called "Sourdough," saying the experience was "smooth." A separate video showed sections before and after the vehicle picked up passengers while it was in "ghost mode" with no one in it.

Early last month, Cruise received a California DMV permit to operate the service between the hours of 10PM and 6AM at a maximum speed of 30 MPH in mild weather conditions (no worse than light rain and fog). It's allowed to run them without drivers and charge for delivery services, but not ride-hailing. For paid robo-taxi rides, it must apply for a final permit with the California Public Utilities Commission. 

GM recently launched its "Ultra Cruise" system for passenger vehicles, promising that it will "ultimately enable hands-free driving in 95 percent of all driving scenarios." The company has spent 10 million miles testing the system, and its previous Super Cruise has generally garnered positive reviews compared to rival systems like Tesla's Autopilot.