Arias Pistons 12.5:1 Compression 82mm Bore Honda B-series on 2040-parts.com

Freeman Thomas: “it's easier to create your own rocket than create your own car”

The Industrial Designers Society of America's ‘Designing Innovation' panel discussion took place in San Francisco yesterday. The event was sponsored by Ford, with strategic design director, Freeman Thomas taking a place on the panel. Having parked a C-MAX Energi and new F-150 in the venue, Ford's influence weighed rather heavily, particularly in the early moments.

SRT Viper production halted amid slow sales

Chrysler has made the decision to suspend production of the SRT Viper for a least two months, citing slow sales. The move is expected to result in layoffs of 91 hourly workers at Chrysler's Conner Avenue Assembly plant in Detroit. Back in October of 2013, Chrysler cut Viper production by a third, citing slow sales and growing inventories.

This could be your first autonomous vehicle

While Google's autonomous fleet of robot cars prowls Silicon Valley and gets all the press, the first, or one of the first, truly autonomous vehicles you may ride in could be something like this: The humble, people-moving Navia. Developed by a French company called Induct, the Navia is ringed with laser beams (not frickin' laser beams. Ed.) that help it navigate through city streets or college campuses without the aid of a track in the ground, a rail or even GPS (GPS is not accurate enough, Induct says).