Augmented reality application streamlines home car maintenance

The basic home motor-oil swap is about to get a lot more futuristic -- at least if the augmented reality application being developed by AR-media goes anywhere. AR-media's app uses a tablet's camera to position guides and instructions over a car's engine bay in real time. It sounds complicated, but it appears to be relatively seamless in action.

Saab 9-4X (2010): first official photos

Saab has taken the wraps off the long-awaited new 9-4X crossover. And when we say long-awaited, we mean heavily delayed; this Swedish crossover has been in the pipeline for years. Based heavily on a US-spec Cadillac SUV and built in Mexico, the 9-4X betrays its old-school General Motors roots: the 296bhp 2.8-litre V6 petrol present from the Insignia is present and correct, allied to Saab’s own XWD four-wheel drive system.

AAA unveils battery-charging trucks for stranded EVs

The American Automobile Association has unveiled an example of its new roadside-assistance truck, which is capable of recharging batteries for stranded drivers of electric vehicles. AAA first announced the plan in June, and the first truck was shown on Monday at the Plug-In 2011 electric-vehicle conference in Raleigh, N.C. It uses Green Charge Networks technology and has a removable lithium-ion battery pack that allows for mobile charging.