2023 Volvo Xc90 Recharge Ultimate Bright Theme on 2040-cars

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2023 Volvo XC40 and XC40 Recharge Review: Gas or electric? You can’t go wrong

Pros: Cute and functional design; efficient powertrains; a good overall value Cons: Recycled materials can feel cheap; Recharge has average EV range; doesn’t qualify for federal EV tax credit The 2023 Volvo XC40 is arguably the most visually attractive subcompact luxury SUV out there. ItÂ’s boxy, proportioned well and features the trademark Swedish design we love. Volvo prodded this yearÂ’s XC40 with a number of updates, and now the previously ho-hum powertrains are a little nicer to live with (if hardly zesty in their performance). Of course, you can bypass them altogether with the all-electric XC40 Recharge that shares its design, interior features and utility with the gas model, but really amps up the fun with sprightly acceleration and better handling. Oh, and of course, doesnÂ’t require stops at the gas station or emit CO2. While the XC40 isnÂ’t the biggest in the segment, itÂ’s not the smallest either. This, plus its utilitarian proportions make it more useful than it may look on the outside. Fans of Google tech will enjoy the Google-based infotainment system, but you can still use Apple CarPlay for streaming apps from the Apple ecosystem. All told, the XC40 is one of our favorite subcompact luxury SUVs, and indeed, one of the few we recommend. It has the size, style and quality that justifies its higher price over various non-luxury entries. Plus, the gasoline versions, particularly the upgraded B5, provide stronger value than its various competitors. Even the electric Recharge, which carries a steep price increase, at least provides a strong performance upgrade for the money.   Interior & Technology   |   Passenger & Cargo Space   |   Performance & Fuel Economy What it's like to drive   |   Pricing & Trim Levels   |   Crash Ratings & Safety Features What's new for 2023? The XC40 lineup, including the XC40 Recharge, get a mild refresh for 2023. Small styling changes include a new front bumper, frameless grille and “pixel” LED headlight technology. New colors and wheels come into the fold, too. Both of the gasoline-powered XC40s gain 48-volt mild-hybrid systems to aid efficiency. Inside, Volvo adds non-leather upholstery to the Recharge, and all models adopt the Google-based infotainment system that was previously a Recharge exclusive. What are the XC40Â’s interior and in-car technology like?

When Android Automotive goes in the dash, Google wins — and automakers lose data

You've gotta hand it to Google for the way the Silicon Valley tech giant has made indelible inroads into the car on multiple fronts. The most obvious is with its pioneering self-driving car technology that's caused car companies to get their act together on autonomous vehicles — and also collaborate with Google. Google has more directly extended its influence and data-mining capabilities into the car with its Android Auto smartphone-projection platform that most major automakers have adopted along with Apple's CarPlay. And now it's preparing to dig even deeper into dashboards by deploying its open-source operating system, Android Automotive, beginning with Audi and Volvo. Volvo recently announced that its next-generation Sensus infotainment system will run Android Automotive as an OS and include Google's Play Store for cloud-based content, Maps for navigation and Google Assistant for voice recognition, which can even command a car's climate control. By embedding Google in the dash, Volvo says owners will get an improved connected experience. "Bringing Google services into Volvo cars will accelerate innovation in connectivity and boost our development in applications and connected services," Volvo senior vice president of R&D Henrik Green said in a statement. "Soon, Volvo drivers will have direct access to thousands of in-car apps that make daily life easier and the connected in-car experience more enjoyable." Having Android Automotive onboard could benefit drivers — and provide a big win for Google, since it opens a deep and lucrative new data-mining vein for the company. But it's a wave of a white flag for car companies when it comes to delivering their own cloud-based content and services. It also represents a massive data giveaway and, for Audi, a reversal of earlier reservations about letting Google get too much access to car data. Not long after Android Auto and Apple CarPlay were introduced in 2014 and most automakers eagerly embraced the technologies, several German automakers second-guessed their decision when they realized what was at stake: data. At a conference in Berlin in 2015, Audi CEO Rupert Stadler said car owners "want to be in control of their data, and not subject to monitoring." A few months earlier, Stadler stated that "the data that we collect is our data and not Google's.

Uber releases fleet of self-driving vehicles to select few in Pittsburgh

Starting today, a select group of Uber users in Pittsburgh, PA will have the ability to request a self-driving vehicle. If a self-driving vehicle is in the area, Uber will send it, as well as a safety driver, to drive loyal customers to their destination. The announcement to give customers the opportunity to get a ride in one of Uber's self-driving vehicles comes roughly a year and a half after the company set up its Advanced Technologies Center in the city. On Tuesday, the company offered a few members of the press the opportunity to ride in one of the company's self-driving cars. The fleet, despite Uber's collaboration with Volvo, was comprised of 14 Ford Fusions equipped with a host of self-driving technology, reports TechCrunch. Uber is giving away free rides as a way to obtain real-world testing, which is crucial for self-driving technology. Recently, nuTonomoy beat Uber to the punch by launching the world's first autonomous taxis in Singapore. While the choice to release its self-driving cars in Pittsburgh mainly comes down to the fact that its ATC is located there, the city faces four seasons and its difficult streets that are comprised of bridges, railroad lines, and an irregular grid layout will prove to be a challenge for the autonomous cars. Since the self-driving vehicles are still being tested, the cars will come with two full-time Uber employees. One employee will loosely grasp the car's steering wheel, ready to take over if something goes awry, while the other will monitor the computer's software. As TechCrunch points out, Uber's autonomous vehicles drove in a similar manner to a regular driver. It obeyed traffic laws, mimicked a driver by coming to stops gently and at other times abruptly, as well as driving slightly into another lane to dodge a poorly-parked vehicle, reports TechCrunch. There's no word on whether regular Uber customers will get a ride in one of the company's Fusions or one of the Volvo's that its working on. Automakers and companies alike have been in a race to put autonomous vehicles on the road. Tesla recently updated its Autopilot system, Apple laid off dozens of employees to reboot its self-driving car project, and Google is working giving its autonomous vehicle the ability to detect emergency vehicles. While this is a large step for Uber, vehicles with autonomous capabilities still have a long way to go.