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

The safest cars of 2014 revealed by Euro NCAP

Safety in modern cars continues to move on at a relentless pace, and in 2013 the story was no different. We saw the first Chinese car ever to get a full five-star Euro NCAP rating with the Qoros 3, signalling Chinese manufacturers are really starting to think about the needs of other markets around the world – in fact, just to prove that point, Euro NCAP voted the Qoros 3 the safest car of 2013. What a result.

Multi-touch UI reduces touchscreen interaction to simple swipes [w/video]

Touchscreens have become widespread standard features in many cars over the last few years, consolidating the modern car's many functions into one interface. But despite their advantages there's the big downside of driver distraction, something user interface designer Matthaeus Krenn believes he has solved with his UI. Unlike most other touchscreens, Krenn's interface isn't organized into menus and small, hard-to-hit buttons, but instead makes use of multi-touch gestures, reducing the accuracy and attention needed to operate key functions.

One Lap of the Web: Mock the Week Edition

-- Mazda Europe designer Peter Birthwhistle talks about the future of Mazda: potential hybrid and electric powertrains for the Skyactiv-obsessed company, and how we'll all be driving Mazda-branded pods in the 22nd century. But he also mentions, rather interestingly, how certain Mazdas capture a quintessentially long-hood, RWD look -- and not just the Miata, either, which is RWD. No, it's the exhaust systems on those Skyactiv engines that force a longer, larger hood compartment, and the "long, flowing looks" not usually found on FWD engines.