Clipper Nmea Compass Sensor on 2040-parts.com

BMW 5-series GT: Don't call this concept an MPV

BMW's desire to compete in every conceivable luxury-market niche has moved up a gear with the unveiling of the 5-series GT, a car known until now by its working title, the Progressive Activity Sedan (PAS). Although BMW will be billing the five-door liftback as a concept at its public showing at the Geneva motor show in early March, little about its bold design is expected to change before it reaches showrooms. In fact, the official photographs reveal the new car in its production-based glory.

Ford Energi drivers use all-electric mode 60 percent of the time

Ford has noticed quite a few interesting things by researching how owners use their Ford plug-in hybrids. It appears that Ford owners are driving their hybrids in electric mode nearly 60 percent of the time, using their cars' 21 miles of gas-free all-electric range. This figure contrasts quite a bit with the 41 percent of all-electric drive time earlier in the year, demonstrating that winter driving patterns differ quite a bit from summer driving.

Volvo testing new safety features

Volvo outlined three new technologies that it says will help make the Volvos of the future a good deal safer: autonomous driving, “Intersection Support” and animal detection. Volvo says it's tailoring technologies to the way people drive, by which it means poorly. The company claims that “surveys from three different research institutes in the United States reveal that modern drivers spend 25 to 30 percent of their time behind the wheel doing other things, such as focusing on mobile communication.” Volvo's new technologies are said take this into account and “provide the driver with the right support at all times.” By using a camera and radar, future Volvos will be able to follow the car in front while driving in slow traffic using an autonomous-driving function.