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MIT develops self-transforming materials that behave 'like robots without robots'

A cross-disciplinary research lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has developed a suite of programmable materials, including carbon fiber, printed wood grain, textile composites, rubbers and plastics, that self-transform when exposed to an external stimulus. Director of the Self-Assembly Lab, Skylar Tibbits, presented a TED talk on 4D printing in 2013, where he demonstrated how a flat sheet of material could effectively build itself when exposed to water, like a robot without a robot. Following positive feedback from industries including aviation, automotive and manufacturing, his lab has been working on developing materials that change according to different activation sources, including heat, light, and air pressure, in addition to water – all of which have automotive relevance.

Union calls on Nissan to recognise workers

Nissan must surely be on the crest of a wave right now, celebrating its success at the 2014 What Car? awards, where it picked up the reader’s choice prize for the next generation X-Trail, and saw the all-new Qashqai take both the small SUV and the overall Car of the Year trophy. It’s also just announced that its Sunderland plant – where the old and now the new Qashqai are assembled – has built over a million vehicles in the last two years.

Audi launches showrooms without cars in London

Audi has opened its first digital showroom in London – Audi City – a fully digital showroom for Audi’s entire range near Piccadilly Circus. It’s something of a dilemma for car makers; how to sell their cars in a world that now revolves around the internet and digital access? Traditional car showrooms seem very last century, but choosing a car from a screen at home is still something many are reluctant to do.