1950s Cadillac Steering Wheel Center Cap on 2040-parts.com

Update: Google self-driving car is really just a transportation pod

Google will launch its own fleet of autonomous vehicle prototypes – with no steering wheels and no gas or brake pedals – as the technology giant begins a new phase of its self-driving car project. Google designed the car and plans to have about 100 test vehicles that are fully autonomous with extra safety features, company co-founder Sergey Brin said during a conference Tuesday hosted by technology blog Re/code in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. > See how Google's autonomous car navigates city streets here The New York Times reported Tuesday night that a Detroit-area manufacturer is building the cars for Google, which declined to name the manufacturer, according to the Times' story.

New Range Rover & 2014 Range Rover Sport diesel hybrid at Frankfurt 2013

But Land Rover did tell us the 4.4 litre TDV8 will be joining the range later in the year and that a diesel-electric hybrid would be on offer too. And now we know that the diesel hybrid Range Rover Sport – and a Range Rover Hybrid – will both debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Stuart Frith, LR’s head programme engineer for the new RRS, has confirmed to Car Sales in Australia that the hybrid Range Rover and Sport will arrive in September – as will the TDV8 RRS – but that the 2.0 litre EcoBoost petrol engine for the RRS is still a way off, even though Land Rover are already running it and believe it still offers all a real Range Rover Sport should.

Ford to lower fuel economy rating on C-Max hybrid

Ford Motor Co. will reduce the stated fuel-economy rating of its C-Max Hybrid car -- a rare and potentially costly move that Ford spent months feverishly working to avoid. A Ford source with knowledge of the plan confirmed the company will announce the move on Friday.