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Tomorrow's world: the touchscreen steering wheel

You might think the steering wheel has done a pretty good job of directing cars for the past century. But now a team of researchers from the University of Stuttgart is attempting to reinvent the wheel. The scientists have come up with a touchscreen steering wheel, which they reckon could replace the humble wheel with stereo and cruise controls.

Toyota to launch its own version of OnStar

Toyota Motor Sales said today that it is launching a telematics system similar to General Motors' OnStar that will be available on some Lexus and Toyota vehicles in late summer. At the Consumer Electrics Show today in Las Vegas, Toyota detailed its plans for the system, which has different features for each brand. On Toyota vehicles, the system will be called Safety Connect; on Lexus models it will be called Enform.

A classic covey gathers at The Quail for Monterey weekend

For seven years now every August, the fairway in front of the Quail Lodge has been transformed into a racing paddock. Great sports, race and super cars of all eras sprawl out on the grass like a tremendous, wheeled museum of speed. This year, in addition to the usual categories of "pre-war sports and racing," "post-war sports," etc., there were classes for BMW M1s, a celebration of 50 years of racing at Daytona and even a class of eight Devins.