53030837 Canister-vapor (chrysler) on 2040-parts.com

Vehicle dependability surged in 2009, J.D. Power survey finds

In the depths of the Great Recession that threatened their existence, automakers built better vehicles. A lot better. The improvement in dependability of three-year-old 2009 vehicles from the year before was one of the biggest ever measured in the J.D.

The last Volvo XC90 rolls off the production line to make way for the all new 2015 XC90

The last Volvo XC90 rolls off the production line in Sweden. When the current Volvo XC90 arrived in 2002 it staked a claim as the perfect family SUV, a role it’s managed to hang on to – more or less – even though the XC90 is now long past its sell-by date. That’s because the 2002 XC90 was so cleverly conceived in the first place, with family-friendly ease of access to the back row of seats, inflatable side curtains for all three rows of seats, an integrated adjustable booster cushion for children, safety belt tensioners for all seats, easy to drive, decent looking and almost classless.

Audi outlines seven tech innovations

Audi has revealed details of seven new innovations being explored by its designers and engineers including electromobility, ultra-lightweight construction, networked mobility and lighting technology. Lighting design The team in charge of lighting design – an area in which the company is the current leader in terms of LED daytime running lights and headlights – and next up they plan on introducing OLED technology (Organic Light Emitting Diode) to its vehicle range. Only a few nanometers thick, this paste-like material spans the space between the anode and cathode, both of which are enveloped in an electrically conductive coating.