2013 Honda Civic Ex on 2040-cars

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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

Acura introduces a sleeker self-driving test car

As we creep ever closer to an autonomous-car future, one thing is for certain, most of the driverless cars we see being tested look hideous thanks to all the sensors strapped to the roof. Today Acura introduced its second generation Automated Acura RLX Development Vehicle with updated sensors and a more pleasing aesthetic. Gone is the spinning LIDAR system replaced with a more compact and robust version of the light detection and ranging technology. It's also got updated RADAR, camera, GPS and higher performance GPUs and CPUs as well as what Acura is calling "more intelligent software algorithms to support more complex testing scenarios." Acura and its parent company Honda have been testing autonomous cars at its GoMentum Station in the Bay Area since last year with a specially outfitted RLX (shown in the video above with the spinning LIDAR system). This new car will replace that vehicle. This article by Roberto Baldwin originally ran on Engadget, the definitive guide to this connected life. Green Acura Honda Transportation Alternatives Technology Emerging Technologies Autonomous Vehicles Videos Sedan transportation gear

The 2017 Honda Civic Hatchback is here: all turbo, manual optional

The car you see above may look familiar. Honda showed a mildly conceptified version of the tenth-gen Civic hatch in March, and just last week a production model was caught being loaded onto a ship. Now it's finally here and official, and we can tell you that a hatchback Civic will once again be sold in the US starting this fall. Utility lovers rejoice. This new body style joins the somewhat-hatch-looking sedan and the coupe Honda has been selling for about a year. It will be available in LX, Sport, EX, EX-L, and Sport Touring trims, with that last one being a new addition. All will get Honda's 1.5-liter turbo four offered in upper trims of the sedan and coupe, but they won't all get the same amount of power: LX, EX, and EX-L models will use a 174-hp version, while anything that says Sport on the back gets bumped up to a 180-hp tune, thanks in part to the sweet center-exit exhaust you see on the car above. Torque doesn't vary between the trims – it's 162 lb-ft on all of them. The other exciting bit of news is that the hatchback (along with other 2017 Civics) will be available with the turbo engine and a manual – in the same car. (For 2016, turbo coupes and sedans were sold exclusively with the CVT, and the manual was offered only on lower trims with a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four.) The six-speed stick will be standard on LX, Sport, and EX models, while the CVT will be available on those trim levels and standard on the others. The turbo engine is a charmer, and we have said from the start that it would be that much better with a stick, even though most people will choose the CVT anyway. But yay for freedom of choice. Equipment should pretty well mirror what's available on the same trims in the two- and four-doors, with the exception of that new Sport Touring trim. It sounds like that will be Touring equipment – including the Honda Sensing suite of safety tech (available on other trims), Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, and LED headlights – plus some more sport-like looks and the power bump. Civic hatches will be built exclusively at Honda's plant in Swindon, England. Fun fact: The last Civic hatch to be sold in the US, the oddball 2002–2005 Si, came from the same factory. Big changes come in the rear, obvs, and include a hatch with glass that's bisected (something Honda loves to do) by a spoiler spanning the taillights.