For the final edition of 2017, Dan drives the 2018 Hyundai Accent, Sam gets in the Mazda CX-3 and Larry Vellequette from Automotive News drops by to talk about the end of car collecting. There's a growing backlash from people tired of drivers trying to bypass traffic jams with online navigation apps like Waze but will the problem only get worse when we have automated mobility services like what Uber wants to build with money from Softbank? Kenichi Yamamoto, the brilliant engineer that led Mazda ...
Dec 30, 2017•1 hr 35 min
We've got another special guest this week as the great Phil Berg visit's Sam's basement to tell some stories talk about cars of the past, present and future. In the garage, Phil is driving the Chevrolet Bolt EV, Sam disses the Toyota Prius C and Dan shifts gears in the Toyota Corolla SE. In the discussion we solve the problem of distracted driving by declaring that everyone must drive manual transmission Mazda Miata. We ponder the refreshed 2019 Jeep Cherokee and the revival of the Honda Insight...
Dec 22, 2017•1 hr 47 min
On this week's edition of the show, Dan and Sam are joined by very special guest Brianna Wu, head of development at game studio Giant Space Kat , congressional candidate and all-around car geek! Bri tells us why she is so passionate about driving and why she chose her current ride, the Porsche Cayman. Dan and Sam meanwhile have to make do with a couple of fine, but far less exciting sedans, the 2018 Hyundai Sonata and the Genesis G80 Sport. Then everyone dives into a discussion the latest produc...
Dec 16, 2017•1 hr 49 min
After a hiatus while Sam finished off a flurry of travel, the team is back for episode 48. Sam drives the 2017 Mazda CX-5 while Dan gets the Hyundai Ioniq and Mitsubishi Outlander (is it just me or does it seem like Mitsubishi has sent its entire press fleet to New England for Dan to drive?). While in Napa to drive the new Nissan Leaf, Sam talked with Jalopnik's Jason Torchinsky about what defines a station wagon and picks up the conversation with Dan. Lincolns have names again, VW is building E...
Dec 08, 2017•1 hr 32 min
The guys are back with some Thanksgiving car chatter after a week of travel for Sam. It's a full slate of hybrids in the garage. Since the last show, Sam has driven the Toyota Highlander Hybrid and the fuel-cell Toyota Mirai. Meanwhile, Dan gives his take on the Toyota Prius Prime and the new Volvo XC60 T8 Twin-Drive. From there, the conversation devolves into complaints about touchscreens in cars and the future of voice recognition. Then we take on the king of the car touchscreens with the laun...
Nov 23, 2017•1 hr 40 min
This week, Dan and Sam compare notes on the two Mercedes-Benz cars they drove, the E400 coupe and 2018 S560 4Matic sedan. Sam ponders whether partially automated systems are a good idea and whether everyone should simply take the Waymo path of highly automated driving that launching without a driver this week in Arizona. With the new Corvette ZR1 about to launch, Dan bemoans its looks and the guys ponder whether this will be the last front engine Vette. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https:...
Nov 10, 2017•1 hr 22 min
This week a special guest joins Dan and Sam. Casey Liss of the Accidental Tech Podcast and Analog(ue) stops by to share his thoughts on the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio and Volvo Sensus . Sam ponders the Cadillac CT6 Plug-in and his experience visiting Waymo's secret test track in the California desert. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https:/...
Nov 03, 2017•1 hr 29 min
This week Sam praises Volvo for continuing to build great wagons, Dan plays with a fast BMW and the guys discuss acquisitions, working overtime and more. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy...
Oct 27, 2017•1 hr 17 min
This week, Sam talks about driving the Toyota Prius Prime which if you can get past the design is a really good and fuel efficient car. Dan ponders the Mitsubishi Mirage GT instead of something slightly used and way better for the same money before he transitions to the Volkswagen Golf Alltrack. Volvo launches its first dedicated car for the Polestar brand, a 600-hp plug-in hybrid coupe, Audi rolls out a second-generation A7 and Tesla fires a whole bunch of people. Dan explains why he doesn't wa...
Oct 20, 2017•1 hr 31 min
This week, Dan hauls his family around in the Hyundai Santa Fe and Sam ponders how big a Mini can be and still be a Mini. If you have a hard time committing to just one car, subscription services like Passport by Porsche may be the answer for you. Mislabeling of metals is not a problem you can fix with an over-the-air software update and may put Kobe Steel in even more trouble than Takata. Waymo publishes a surprisingly detailed safety report about its automated driving system and the guys answe...
Oct 14, 2017•1 hr 30 min
We're back with a regular episode with Sam driving the Acura TLX A-Spec and Dan expounding upon the . Last week Sam spent a couple of days crossing the heartland in a Cadillac CT6 with his hands mostly off the steering wheel. Along the way, it seems like everyone from vacuum cleaner maven James Dyson to Ford CEO Jim Hackett was talking about building EVs with GM in the middle. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com Advertisi...
Oct 04, 2017•1 hr 48 min
Navigant Research senior analyst and Wheel Bearings co-host Sam Abuelsamid delivered a keynote presentation on the ADAS (advanced driver assist systems) and Autonomous driving landscape at the TU-Automotive ADAS to Autonomy conference in Detroit on October 2, 2017. Here's the audio of the presentation. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://re...
Oct 02, 2017•34 min
This week Dan and Sam have both recently driven the off-road specialist from Ford Performance, the F-150 Raptor. It's got visual presence and a great engine, but would your humble hosts actually want to own one? Sam has also driven the Hyundai Elantra Sport, but unlike the manual transmission version Dan drove a few weeks ago, this one had the seven-speed dual clutch transmission. Volvo has revealed the new XC40 compact crossover with a new subscription leasing program that turns out to be very ...
Sep 22, 2017•1 hr 29 min
The guys return after a week away with Dan getting his turn at the Kia Niro while Sam tours in the Lexus LC500. We review the highlights of the Frankfurt Motor Show plus the hideous BMW X7, discuss what the NTSB had to say about a fatal Tesla crash, ponder stolen VW diesels and marvel at the creativity of Mazda's engineers. We also answer some really old voice mails. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com Advertising Inquiri...
Sep 15, 2017•1 hr 42 min
Sam tells us about driving the Acura NSX for a weekend, and we also discuss hatches warm and hot. The Hyundai Elantra GT Sport is the warm one while the Honda Civic Type R is on-boil. Speaking of hot, we finish up by discussing the partnership Ford and Dominos Pizza have just announced so both companies can learn more about autonomous logistics and customer behavior. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com Advertising Inquiri...
Sep 01, 2017•1 hr 39 min
The guys are back with a regular episode wherein we drive sibling vehicles from Korea, the Hyundai Elantra Sport and Kia Niro FE. Sam was wiped out last week after a whirlwind trip to San Francisco for the City of Tomorrow symposium hosted by Ford. While there he got the chance to talk with Bryan Salesky, one of the most experienced software engineers working on automated vehicles. Fiat Chrysler is also trying to get a foothold in the automated driving space while rumors of a Chinese acquisition...
Aug 24, 2017•1 hr 23 min
Sam is recovering from a redeye flight, but we’ll be recording the next episode soon. In the meantime, we’re sharing recordings made during the New England Motor Press Association MIT Technology Conference. Held annually at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, this year’s theme was Lighter, Stronger, Faster. This week, we’ll present the first two panelists: Doctor Jody Hall, Vice President of the automotive market for the Steel Market Development Institute, and NanoSteel’s David Paratore. ...
Aug 18, 2017•55 min
This week, Sam is again driving a Mazda Miata with brilliant steering while Dan fights the steering in the Ford Edge Sport. Another Hespen Rally is in the books and Sam goes off on a tangent about what happens to engineering development vehicles. Mazda announces the first production HCCI engine for 2019 and one of Uber’s biggest investors sues former CEO Travis Kalanick and guys try to give some advice on what kind of car should replace a VW GTI. Colin Sultan of 3M explains what the inventor of ...
Aug 11, 2017•1 hr 51 min
This week Dan takes his turn in the Mazda Miata RF while Sam does a road trip to the Center for Automotive Research Management Briefing Seminars in the Mercedes-AMG E43. While at MBS Sam talked with Nvidia's director of automotive, Danny Shapiro, heard Mazda SVP Robert Davis extol the virtues of internal combustion and saw his friend Bob Gritzenger struggle with EV charging infrastructure in northern Michigan. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: ht...
Aug 06, 2017•1 hr 40 min
This week Sam is in the slightly quicker Civic, the Si sedan, Dan stays on-road in the off-road Jeep Compass and the guys delve into fixing diesel Volkswagens, regulations for automated driving and whether anyone will ever make any money on self-driving software. Also, Waze comes to Android Auto, the end of big cars and a contemplation on how to fix Lincoln. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com Advertising Inquiries: https...
Jul 28, 2017•1 hr 25 min
This week Sam has driven Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid and compares the latest Mazda Miata to the original. Dan spends the week with a very different kind of convertible, the Mustang GT. When the new Nissan Leaf arrives this fall, it will have e-pedal for strong regenerative braking and ProPilot Assist which is automated but not self-driving. Before some listener questions, the guys dive into the latest ploy by Comcast to remain the most hated company in America. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https...
Jul 21, 2017•1 hr 35 min
This week Sam and Dan discuss the merits of the Subaru Impreza vs the Mistubishi Outlander Sport, the Merccedes-AMG GLA45, the all-new 2018 Honda Accord, the Aston Martin Valkyrie and a preview of the 2017 Concours de'Elegance of America. Don't forget to join the Hespen Rally if you are in Michigan on August 6, 2017. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-...
Jul 15, 2017•1 hr 6 min
As we head into the second half of 2017, Dan and Sam have a bunch of stuff to discuss including spending time with the Chevrolet Bolt and the air conditioning capacity of the Mazda CX-9. In the news topics, Tesla responds badly to IIHS crash test results, Volvo adds electrons to its full lineup and sales of the Kia Niro and Hyundai Ioniq reflect the changing character of the automotive market as a whole. EVENT ALERT: On August 6, 2017, please come join the Hespen Rally to honor the memory of Pat...
Jul 07, 2017•1 hr 21 min
This week Sam drives a couple of big American sedans, the Buick LaCrosse and Lincoln Continental and Dan samples the Mazda CX-9. This devolves into a chat about Chris Lattner and working with/for Elon Musk and using rental car companies to service fleets of autonomous vehicles. Then Sam goes all analog with a visit to the Great Race stop in Ypsilanti, Mich. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com Advertising Inquiries: https:...
Jun 30, 2017•1 hr 18 min
This week we talk about Travis Kalanick stepping down from Uber, the JD Power Initial Quality Scores, and a bunch of your questions. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Jun 23, 2017•1 hr 18 min
This week we talk about a diesel powered Jaguar XF, a BMW 5 Series that so good it's boring, the big shuffle at Uber, whether car makers will be the tier 1 suppliers to the tech industry for automated driving and answer a whole bunch of listener questions including some background on Sam's engineering career. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: htt...
Jun 15, 2017•1 hr 35 min
This week, Dan and Sam talk about driving the BMW 530i, Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit, Ford Escape Platinum and Acura NSX. Then they dive into how a printer patent case might impact the future of automated driving, the Acura NSX racing program and insuring Teslas. Guest: Art St. Cyr, President Honda Performance Development Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove * Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & O...
Jun 09, 2017•1 hr 20 min
This week Dan and Sam discuss lots of listener comments and questions throughout the show. Dan has spent the week with the Toyota Tundra and advises a listener to look elsewhere for their hauling needs. Sam has the new Chevrolet Equinox and also discusses his new acquisition, a 1990 Mazda Miata. In the ongoing Uber saga, former Google engineer Anthony Levandoski is now also a former Uber engineer as the ride-hailing leader fires him. The guys discuss invisible Camrys, electric vehicle conversion...
Jun 01, 2017•1 hr 20 min
This week Dan and Sam discuss driving the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, hauling decking materials with the new aluminum bodied Ford F250 Super Duty and hauling ass in the Shelby GT350. In the news since the last episode, Lyft will be testing Waymo's minivans in addition to Chevy Bolts, Theresa May wants to ban internal combustion engines by 2050 and the first two salaried job losses are announced at Ford as Mark Fields and Ray Day head for the door. Last week Sam was speaking at the Connected ...
May 24, 2017•1 hr 47 min
On this week's edition, Dan and Sam discuss whether Fiat might have a better Miata than Mazda with the 124 Spider and whether midsized pickups like the GMC Canyon Denali might be too compromised to be truly useful. Volkswagen has some interesting new ads aimed at attracting buyers to the new Atlas SUV and the brand in general as it tries to recover from the diesel emissions scandal. Sam expounds on why stand-alone ride-hailing services are probably doomed and then the team ponders why Delphi is ...
May 10, 2017•1 hr 35 min
