Dei 050220 Boom Mat Spray-on on 2040-parts.com

Will this Datsun crossover concept be a new Nissan CUV?

We've heard a lot about Datsun in the past few months. The defunct-but-returning brand was part of the inspiration for the Nissan IDx concepts seen at the Detroit auto show, but Nissan has been talking about selling cars under the Datsun brand in developing markets like India, Russia and Indonesia since last July. The company released a concept sketch on Wednesday of a small people carrier, set to debut at the Delhi Auto Expo in February.

Drayson Racing and RCA launch EV racing car contest

Drayson Racing has launched a contest with the Royal College of Art's Vehicle Design program to design electric racing car concepts for the FIA's new Formula E series, which is set to start in 2014. The RCA's students are asked to present designs that explore new themes within the technical constraints as part of this course's curriculum. The previous Drayson Formula E concept was developed by Sergio Rinland who will be part of a series of workshops and lectures on aerodynamics, engineering packaging, production engineering and materials, giving students the technical knowledge to develop their designs.

Ford to introduce inflatable seatbelts

When the 2011 Ford Explorer hits showrooms, its move to a unibody platform won't be the only major change. Ford will use the next-generation Explorer to introduce inflatable seatbelts for rear passengers. According to Ford, the inflatable seatbelt will help distribute crash forces across five times more body area, compared with traditional seatbelts.