2014 Dodge Ram 1500 Integrated Electronic Trailer Brake Controller Oem Mopar on 2040-parts.com

This Mercedes turns up the heat -- in your house

Mercedes-Benz brought some interesting and unusual examples of in-car connectivity tech to Las Vegas, partnering with some trendsetters in the electronics game -- namely, Nest Labs, Pebble, and Google. The connectivity and app technology will eventually make its way into the C-, the E- and the S-slass. Get it?

GM to double size of battery lab

General Motors says it will spend $8 million to double the size of its Global Battery Systems Lab, which the company claims is the largest and most technologically advanced automotive battery lab in the United States. GM says the expansion will speed up the development of hybrid and electric vehicles, such as the upcoming Chevrolet Volt, by improving on-site testing of battery cells and systems. When finished, the lab will be 30,000 square feet bigger than it is now, for a 63,000-square-foot total.

Lincoln MKX concept revealed ahead of Beijing auto show

Lincoln has pulled the covers off its new MKX crossover concept, which is set for a global debut at the upcoming Beijing auto show. Following on the heels of the MKZ sedan and the 2015 MKC crossover, the redesigned MKX will be the third of four vehicles Lincoln says it will introduce by 2016 (the restyled Navigator doesn't count, apparently). Larger than the compact MKC, the MKX concept wears many of its smaller sibling's styling cues -- from the new split Lincoln grille to the lightly sculpted beltline to the upturned full-width taillights.