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CES 2011 opens in Las Vegas

The pace of development in the world of consumer electronics – particularly touchscreens, smartphones and tablet devices – is increasingly influential on the world of automotive design. So with the world's biggest electronics trade show, the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), opening today in Las Vegas, we thought it high time for Car Design News to attend.  The 2011 show has a strong automotive flavor, more so than in any previous year. CES was the event at which Ford chose to launch its industry leading in-car connectivity feature, Sync, in 2008 and, for the third year running, Ford CEO Alan Mulally will deliver a keynote address, during which he is expected to unveil Ford's Nissan Leaf-rivaling, electric-powered Focus.

Toyota Prius Plug-In is practically perfect in London

Toyota Prius Plug-in - perfect London transport We though we ought to do Toyota the courtesy of a non-disparaging headline after the first interim results of trials of the Prius Plug-in in the hands of drivers in London have turned out to be very positive. Toyota and EDF Energy have supplied – on lease – 20 plug-in hybrids (PHEV) to London businesses and organisations (no Joe Public on this trial) to get some real-world feedback on usage, journey distance and recharging patterns. For those of you who don’t remember, the Toyota Prius Plug-in is a regular 3rd Gen Prius but with a length of flex and a set of lithium-ion batteries that allows users to grab some charge from the mains and to drive further in EV mode – up to 12.5 miles in perfect conditions.

Toyota eyes turbos, direct injection

Toyota Motor Corp. plans to introduce 11 new or redesigned hybrid vehicles by 2012, but the carmaker is hardly neglecting the humble internal combustion engine. Takeshi Uchiyamada, executive vice president in charge of r&d, also wants to increase the fleet's fuel efficiency by putting turbochargers and direct fuel injection in smaller vehicles.