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Chris Bangle begins work with Changan Automobile on its design strategy and methodology

Chris Bangle is to consult with Changan Automobile to help develop its design strategy and processes in his first official automotive project since leaving BMW in 2009. Bangle – through his company Chris Bangle Associates (CBA) – will work with Changan's team in its European design center in Turin, Italy, reporting to design director Chen Zheng. And while his role will be linked to the brand's Chinese products, his focus will be on the design team's methodologies and philosophy; its management and its process of critique, rather than the hands-on design of its products.

Volvo’s ‘Drive Me’ is the world’s first large-scale autonomous driving pilot project

Yes, you’ll be able to chat on the phone when the Volvo does the driving for you Like it or not, we’re rapidly moving to the point where autonomous cars will be the norm, with the driver only being involved in the act of driving by choice. Volvo – unsurprisingly with their stated goal of making sure no one dies in a Volvo in future – is at the forefront of the move to autonomous driving, and have teamed up with the Swedish Transportation Administration, the Swedish Transport Agency, Lindholmen Science Park and the City of Gothenburg in a project called ‘Drive Me - Self-driving cars for sustainable mobility’. The project kicks off next year with customer research and the development of the necessary technology and Volvo aims to have 100 autonomous cars on the roads of Gothenburg by 2017, where they’ll be driving round approximately 50 kms of selected roads, including commuter roads, motorways and regular queues.

Mazda6 (2010 / 2011) Facelift

Mazda has revealed the Mazda6 facelift for 2010 which will debut at Geneva in March Yesterday Mazda revealed the 2010 version of the Mazda6 in Japan, and we were just about to report on that when we had an email drop in to our inbox with details of the European version of the Mazda6 which will debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March. Maybe the Japanese car companies are finally working out that the Interweb reports Japanese launches when they happen so there’s no point procrastinating on details for the rest of the world? But whatever the reason we have official details of what the Mazda6 has in store for the UK this year. But don’t get too excited; it’s much more a facelift than a new car.