Toyota Sienna Head Lamps on 2040-parts.com

Pioneer App Radio officially unveiled

Pioneer has officially unveiled the App Radio that AutoWeek told you about earlier this month. Now that it's willing to talk, Pioneer claims that the radio and audio system is "the first in-vehicle product designed to utilize the processing power, storage capacity, network connectivity and apps of the iPhone and iPod Touch as the primary source for its information and entertainment capabilities." That does sound a lot like what Mini Connected and, in a more platform-agnostic sense, Ford Sync are doing. Pioneer said it couldn't speak to the similarity of those systems, but Ted Cardenas, director of marketing for Pioneer's car-electronics division, briefed us on installation of the device and what Pioneer is doing to minimize driver distraction.

British team aim for electric world record

A BRITISH team headed by Lord Drayson is seeking to set a new World Land Speed Record with its electric racing car. The Drayson B12 electric Le Mans racing car is heading to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, USA in a bid to raise the current record for electric cars weighing less than 1000kg. Recently, the team set a new British record of 204.185mph with the same car.

Embattled Wagoner forced to quit as GM boss

By Ben Pulman Motor Industry 30 March 2009 11:34 Rick Wagoner has been forced to step down as General Motors chairman and CEO by US President Barack Obama, as a condition of the beleaguered automaker continuing to receive state aid. Wagoner was meeting with US government officials on Friday when the request was made for him to ‘step aside’. Wagoner had been GM president and CEO since 2000, and chairman since 2003 – his resignation ends a 31-year career with a company.