Craftsman 17mm 12 Point 3/8 Drive Socket. New on 2040-parts.com

Ford tests electric-vehicle sounds on Facebook

Sure, if it were up to us, every car would sound like a Lamborghini Aventador or a McLaren Formula One race car. And while those specific options aren't available (yet),Ford is using its Facebook page to let fans vote on sounds to be made by the electric Focus. Since EVs are so quiet, Ford needs to give the Focus electric some sound for safety's sake--to draw the attention of people who are blind people, those using cell phones or iPods and even for animals.

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.

Detroit Electric SP:01 (2014) nears production. The next Tesla?

By Tom Gregory Motor Industry 19 June 2014 11:26 New US based electric car maker, Detroit Electric, has been conducting final testing in Europe of its new SP:01 sports car.Described by Detriot Electric as the “world’s fastest production electric vehicle”, the rear-wheel-drive two-seat convertible is now nearing production having initially been unveiled in the USA and China last year. In a word, yes. Much like the equally electric Tesla Roadster, the SP:01 is built on the aluminium chassis of the Lotus Elise and as such, shares more than a passing resemblance with the Norfolk-built sports car.