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2016 Tech of the Year | Autoblog Minute

Deliberation on the winners of Autoblog's Tech of the Year Award is under way. Nominees for best car in 2016 are: the Tesla Model S, the Chevy Volt and the BMW 7 series. Nominees for best tech in 2016 are: Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, VW's MiB II with AppConnect, Ford Sync 3, Audi Virtual Cockpit, the Smart Cross Connect App, and Volvo Sensus. Autoblog's Chris McGraw reports on this edition of Autoblog Minute. Audi BMW Chevrolet Ford smart Tesla Volvo Technology of the Year Autoblog Minute Videos Original Video volt android auto ford sync 3

Tesla exec calls rival EVs 'little more than appliances'

Tesla's Vice President of Business Development Diarmuid O'Connell called the company's competition "little more than appliances" at the Center for Automotive Research's Management Briefing Seminars in Traverse City, MI yesterday. "In essence, [mainstream automakers] delivered little more than appliances," O' Connell said. "Now, appliances are useful. But they tend to be white. They tend to be unemotional." According to Automotive News, O'Connell's main critique is that vehicles like the Nissan Leaf and BMW i3 don't deliver enough performance or range to draw the attention of consumers outside of a small group. The solution, in O'Connell's mind, is more power, more range, more excitement and a lower price – that last point is particularly rich coming from an automaker whose cheapest current offering, the Model S 60, costs $66,000 – although the cheaper Model 3 is on the horizon, way out there, somewhere. But some EVs are better than none, O'Connell added. "On balance, I'm happier that [traditional automakers are] doing these cars than not," O'Connell said. "I just wish they would do them better and faster." O'Connell also used his appearance at the Management Briefing Seminars to launch a volley at the Michigan legislature, blaming its opposition to Tesla's direct-sales model for the lack of available EVs in the Wolverine State. "I think if the Michigan Legislature would allow Tesla to sell cars in Michigan, we could probably address [the lack of available electric cars]," O'Connell said. Related Video:

Guess what BMW's '30 Years M3' special edition celebrates

It's anniversaries on top of anniversaries at BMW in 2016. The company celebrated its 100th year of existence at an elaborate celebration in March, last week we got a new hommage concept to mark five decades since the iconic 2002 debuted, and now, in time for the holiday weekend, there's this limited-edition M3. Wait, that's not what this holiday is for? This celebratory sports sedan gets the not-quite-grammatical name of "30 Years M3," which is totally grammatical when translated back into German ("30 Jahre M3"), and BMW plans to build just 500 of them for the whole world. We don't yet know how many will come to the US, but seeing as ours is one of BMW's larger markets, we are at least banking on "some." What makes it neat besides rarity? It comes with pretty much everything you can get on a standard M3, including the Competition package with its 444-horsepower engine tune, Adaptive M suspension, and Active M differential. To that it adds an M exhaust with black tips, the requisite dash plaque, shouty door sills, and unique "30 Years M3" badges on the fender gills. The interior has special seats with gray or blue inserts and stitched headrests, plus seat belts with M three-stripe trim. (And yes, the cars in the photos say "30 Jahre M3," but we already explained that, right?) And then there's the paint. It will be available in Macao Blue metallic, a color that was available for special order on the E30 M3. And if there's any car that deserves some celebration, it's the original M3. Happy 30th, neat car. Related Video: