2013 Kia Soul 5dr Molten Color on 2040-cars

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U.S. Senate panel wants Hyundai, Kia to testify about engine fires

WASHINGTON — The Senate Commerce Committee's Republican chairman and ranking Democrat said on Wednesday they had asked top U.S. executives at Hyundai and Kia to testify at a Nov. 14 hearing on reports of engine fires involving vehicles from the Korean automakers. The call to testify comes after safety advocates raised concerns about fires in vehicles not involved in collisions. The nonprofit consumer advocacy group Center for Auto Safety said last week that 103 fire complaints had been filed with U.S. safety regulators since June 12 and urged an immediate recall of nearly 3 million vehicles. Hyundai said in a statement it had received the request to appear "and is currently reviewing it." The company added it "actively monitors and evaluates potential safety concerns, including non-collision fires, with all of its vehicles and acts swiftly to recall any vehicles with safety-related defects." Kia did not comment. Shares of Hyundai Motor fell as much as 3.8 percent in Seoul trading on Thursday. Kia Motors stock also slid 3.7 percent, while the wider market was down 0.6 percent as of 0232 GMT. In May 2017, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation, opened a formal investigation into the recall of nearly 1.7 million Hyundai and Kia vehicles over engine defects. A South Korean whistleblower in 2016 reported concerns to NHTSA, which has been probing the timeliness of three recalls carried out in the United States and whether they covered enough vehicles. Sen. Bill Nelson, the top Democrat on the Commerce Committee, said a non-collision fire death had been reported last year in a 2014 Kia Soul. "We've got to get to the bottom of what's causing these fires," Nelson said in a statement Wednesday. "Car owners need to know if their vehicles are safe." The letter to the automakers, also signed by Sen. John Thune, who chairs the committee, said the hearing will also "examine efforts to mitigate vehicle fires and promptly identify and respond to defects that may pose a fire risk" and invites the chief executives of Hyundai and Kia's U.S. units to testify or their designee. In 2015, Hyundai recalled 470,000 U.S. Sonata sedans, saying engine failure would result in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash. At that time, affiliate Kia did not recall its vehicles, which share the same "Theta II" engines. In March 2017, Hyundai expanded its original U.S.

Kia Futuron autonomous, electric concept has scales and UFO design

Although the Kia Futuron Concept is styled and literally named to suggest a prospective automobile, it checks all the market trend boxes of right now. It's styled like a crossover coupe. It has all-wheel drive. It's electric. And it is said to have Level 4 autonomy. Oh yes, and it lights up, too.  Unveiled at the 2019 China International Import Expo (CIIE), the Futuron's name is technically two words put together, according to Kia: future and on. "On" is apparently meant to hint at "switched on," as in an electrical switch. Or just consider it Megatron's cousin. The Futuron is about 191 inches long, 61 inches tall, and has a 118-inch wheelbase. For reference, a Kia Stinger is 190 inches long, 55 inches tall, and has a wheelbase of 114.4 inches. Kia says it used a 360-degree design that is inspired by UFOs and flying saucers. A central eye-drawing crease starts at the new interpretation of the "Tiger Nose," disappears in the front wheel arches, and picks up again at the door, where it continues along the body and circles around the rear. The glass canopy roof is diamond-shaped and offers a unique airy design that extends beyond the dashboard. Kia says it wants its future designs to be "confident, sporty and modern, yet also elegant."  One of the key features of the Futuron is the evolutionary "Tiger Face." The headlights and front fascia of the car blend together, thanks to "Star Cloud" lighting. Kia says it pulls from the nebulae in space to create the geometric Matrix lighting. It also uses a "Dragon Skin" surface that mimics scaled armor on mythic Chinese dragons. A kinetic surface allows the car's scales to open and close to reveal daytime running lights or headlights, depending on the time of day. Hypothetically, the Futuron is powered by four in-wheel electric motors, which are fed by a battery beneath the floor of the cabin. Four motors means electric all-wheel drive, which will deliver "lightning-fast responses to driver inputs." Furthermore, sensors, radar, lidar, and cameras make the Futuron capable of Level 4 autonomous driving, which allows the driver to be completely free of road attention or guidance, for the most part. The steering wheel even retracts. Inside, the autonomous capabilities allow for a more flexible design. The Futuron has seats that can be switched between driving or zero-gravity reclining.

NACTOY announces top nine finalists for Car, Truck and Utility of the Year

Finalists for the 2024 North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year (NACTOY) Awards were announced at this year’s L.A. Auto Show. This whittles the field down to nine vehicles in total, with the winners scheduled to be announced on January 4, 2024. The finalists in their respective categories: Car category: Honda Accord, Hyundai Ioniq 6, Toyota Prius Truck category: Chevrolet Colorado, Chevrolet Silverado EV, Ford Super Duty Utility category: Genesis Electrified GV70, Kia EV9, Volvo EX30 These nine cars were chosen from a list of 25, which was previously narrowed down from a list of 52 eligible vehicles. Notable misses include the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray, Toyota GR Corolla, GMC Canyon, Ford Ranger, Chevrolet Blazer EV, Chevrolet Equinox EV, Mazda CX-90 and Toyota Grand Highlander, among others. Jurors will now evaluate the final nine through the end of the year to determine the four winners. Autoblog Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is among the jurors. Green LA Auto Show Chevrolet Ford Genesis GM Honda Hyundai Kia Toyota Volvo Truck Crossover Hatchback SUV Electric Hybrid Luxury Off-Road Vehicles Performance Sedan