2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz Sel on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Hyundai Genesis says in the future, even car stunts will be autonomous

We talk a lot about new technologies in the auto industry. Things that will make you more comfortable or faster or more fuel efficient are, generally, easy for us to explain. Things that make us safer, though, are often a bit tougher to get a bead on. We can report on how it's supposed to function, but few of us are brave, reckless or stupid enough to purposefully put ourselves in a situation where we'd need something like Hyundai's Auto Emergency Braking.
That's why this video is so interesting. It shows off a vehicle's active safety features in the most ridiculous, easy-to-understand way possible. We won't spoil the lengths that Hyundai goes to with this squadron of cars, but you'll want to make sure you watch the whole three-minute video to see just how extreme the safety systems are on the 2015 Genesis.
Scroll down and have a look.

Asian automakers still reluctant to use more aluminum

There's a logical progression of technology in the auto industry. We've seen it with things like carbon-ceramic brakes, which use to be the sole domain of six-figure sports cars, where they often cost as much as an entry level Toyota Corolla. Now, you can get them on a BMW M3 (they're still pricey, at $8,150). Who knows, maybe in the next four a five years, they'll be available on something like a muscle car or hot hatchback. Aluminum has had a similar progression, although it's further along, moving from the realm of Audi and Jaguar luxury sedans to Ford's most important product, the F-150. With the stuff set to arrive in such a big way on the market, we should logically expect an all-aluminum Toyota Camry or Honda Accord soon, right? Um, wrong. Reuters has a great report on what's keeping Asian manufacturers away from aluminum, and it demonstrates yet another stark philosophical difference between automakers in the east and those in the west. Of course, there's a pricing argument at play. But it's more than just the cost of aluminum sheet (shown above) versus steel. Manufacturing an aluminum car requires extensive retooling of existing factories, not to mention new relationships with suppliers and other logistical and financial nightmares. Factor that in with what Reuters calls Asian automaker's preference towards "evolutionary upgrades," and the case for an all-aluminum Accord is a difficult one. Instead, manufacturers in the east are focusing on developing even stronger steel as a means of trimming fat, although analysts question how long that practice can continue. Jeff Wang, the automotive sales director for aluminum supplier Novelis, predicts that we'll see a bump in aluminum usage from Japanese and Korean brands in the next two to three years, and that it will be driven by an influx of aluminum-based vehicles from western automakers into China. Only time will tell if he's proven right. News Source: ReutersImage Credit: Sean Gallup / Getty Images Plants/Manufacturing Honda Hyundai Mazda Nissan Toyota Technology aluminum

2015 Hyundai Sonata Eco nets 38 mpg from 1.6L turbo, 7-speed DCT

The wholly renewed 2015 Hyundai Sonata is on the verge of launching here in the United States, but it appears there's a bit more to the story first told at the New York Auto Show earlier this year. Hyundai has just revealed the first images and details of the Sonata Eco, a new entry in its midsize sedan lineup that combines a small, turbocharged engine and dual-clutch transmission to achieve an estimated 28 miles per gallon in the city and 38 mpg highway.
That new powertrain is Hyundai's 1.6-liter turbocharged inline-four, rated at 177 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. That power is sent through a new, seven-speed dual-clutch 'box - the first gearbox of its type in the segment. Hyundai points out that the Sonata Eco's 32 mpg combined rating offers a 10 percent improvement over the 2015 Sonata SE with its 2.4-liter naturally aspirated inline-four.
38 mpg highway is pretty impressive, especially considering rivals like Toyota's electrified Camry Hybrid musters up only one better, with 39 mpg on the highway (though its 43 mpg city fuel economy is, obviously, much better). And while Hyundai still has not detailed news about a next-generation Sonata Hybrid, we've heard the company is still committed to offering one.