Contest: LA Design Challenge 2007

Audi Virtuea Quattro Designed at the Volkswagen/Audi Design Center California by Heather Shaw, Jae Min, Mattijs Van Tuijl, Karl Strahlendorf and Christian Schoen; the Virtuea Quattro is a single-seat autonomous driving machine. It functions as a solid unit at its core, while providing a myriad of possible holographic exteriors stored in a library and accessible through the vehicle's 'interactive holographic interface'.  Powered by hydrogen, the vehicle combines artificial intelligence with avenues of self-expression. The Virtuea's holographic exterior provides a variety of possibilities, allowing the driver to select from the most innovative designs from one minute to the next.

Architects design extravagant portable EVs solar-charging pavilion

Architects Synthetic Design + Architecture has designed a portable, solar-charging pavilion for electric vehicles using integrated photovoltaic cells. A beautiful, flowing form made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) mesh fabric incorporating the photovoltaic panels, allowing the pavilion to act as a charger. Designed to combine structure, form and performance, carbon rods are twisted into curves by the digitally-designed mesh contours.

Retailers urged to cut fuel prices

FUEL RETAILERS have been urged to "immediately" ease pressure at the pumps by passing on a drop in wholesale prices to motorists. The RAC said a litre of unleaded petrol sold wholesale for 6p less since the end of August, while diesel was down by 2p a litre, giving petrol stations the power to lower prices on the forecourt. The car services company explained lower prices were due to a drop in oil prices since Syria agreed to sign an international treaty banning chemical weapons and the pound reaching a seven-month high against the dollar.