Enlarge / This image shows the Uni Wheel concept in three different stages of articulation. (credit: Hyundai)

We like weird new engineering ideas here at Ars, and today we have a particularly interesting one in the realm of electric cars. It's called the Uni Wheel, and it has been designed by Hyundai and Kia as a way to revolutionize the layout of an EV powertrain to more efficiently use space. In fact, the automakers say it's not just for cars—the new drive system works with wheel sizes as small as four inches to as large as 25 inches.

For EV enthusiasts of a certain bent, there's something a little inefficient about the way virtually every EV powertrain is laid out.

Not the battery in the middle, though—while it's bulky and raises the overall height of EVs, it makes sense for weight distribution, although people working on structural carbon-fiber batteries have some different ideas about that. The problem is the EV drive unit, a bulky thing that contains the electric motor, some gearing, and usually some power electronics. These take up room between the axles and have to be packaged around.

Enlarge / Your car's maker can collect data on you from many different sources. (credit: Getty Images)

Today, the Mozilla Foundation published its analysis of how well automakers handle the privacy of data collected by their connected cars, and the results will be unlikely to surprise any regular reader of Ars Technica. The researchers were horrified by their findings , stating that "cars are the worst product category we have ever reviewed for privacy."

Mozilla looked at 25 car brands and found that all of them collected too much personal data, and from multiple sources—monitoring not just which buttons you push or what you do in any of the infotainment system's apps but also data from other sources like satellite radio or third-party maps. Or even when you connect your phone—remember that prompt asking you if you wanted to share all your contacts and notes with your car when you connected it via Bluetooth?

While some gathered data seems innocuous or even helpful—feedback to improve cabin ergonomics and UIs, for example—some data is decidedly not.

Enlarge (credit: Karol Serewis/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Good news, electric road-trippers: DC fast chargers are about to become a lot more common. On Wednesday, a group of seven major automakers announced a plan to create a new charging network of more than 30,000 chargers across North America starting next year.

BMW, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, and Stellantis are creating a joint venture to significantly expand the number of fast charging sites in the US and Canada. The sites will use the new National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure guidelines , which means, among other things, 97 percent uptime for each charging port. The sites will support both CCS1 and NACS plugs , and the chargers will also support the plug-and-charge protocol.

"North America is one of the world’s most important car markets—with the potential to be a leader in electromobility. Accessibility to high-speed charging is one of the key enablers to accelerate this transition. Therefore, seven automakers are forming this joint venture with the goal of creating a positive charging experience for EV consumers. The BMW Group is proud to be among the founders," said BMW Group CEO Oliver Zipse.

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It's apt that a brand named Genesis looks at each step forward as a new beginning. The young brand has been the new kid on the luxury automaker block, contending with the challenge of competing with 100-year-old legacy manufacturers who have long set the bar for extravagance while trying to distinguish itself as something unique.

Regarding the latter, Genesis bets on its core principles of being audacious, progressive, and distinctly Korean to give its offering enough pop in contrast to the traditionally stuffy European fare. The GV70 Electrified is the latest move to that end, delivering a battery-electric vehicle version of its bold-styled crossover vehicle that's no mere drivetrain swap. The EV stands out on its own with unique styling and driving character while also having the distinction of being the first US-made Genesis vehicle ever.

Despite its name alluding to a hybrid system, the GV70 Electrified is the full battery-electric iteration of Genesis' luxury crossover. There are a handful of notable differences between the two versions, not the least of which is their points of origin. As mentioned, the GV70 Electrified is the first Genesis brand vehicle to roll off the assembly line at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama or HMMA, the parent company's plant located in Montgomery, Alabama. Importantly, this means the GV70 Electrified is eligible for the full $7,500 IRS clean vehicle tax credit , at least until the implementation of the domestic battery content requirements.

Enlarge / In 2023, Motional will begin operating Hyundai Ioniq 5 robotaxis. (credit: Motional)

In 2023, you'll be able to take Lyft rides in autonomous Hyundai Ioniq 5s with self-driving systems provided by Motional—as long as you live in the right city. This week, we got our first look at the sensor-bedazzled battery-electric vehicles, which add lidar, radar, and cameras to one of the best-looking new vehicles we've seen in some time .

Motional was created in 2020 by Hyundai Motor Group and automotive supplier Aptiv, which had been testing its level 4 autonomous vehicles in Las Vegas for years. When I rode in an autonomous Aptiv vehicle during CES in 2018 , it was with a safety driver behind the wheel. But in February of this year, Motional began fully driverless testing in Las Vegas. The company said it completed over 100,000 passenger rides without incident between beginning operations and removing the safety drivers.

Motional has worked with Hyundai to integrate the sensor suite and other hardware into the Ioniq 5, and Motional President and CEO Karl Iagnemma told TechCrunch that the robotaxis will roll off the line in South Korea, just like normal Ioniq 5s. "This is not a scenario where we’ll take a base vehicle, move it to a different line, take the components off, and then reintegrate or retrofit it," he said. The cars will still have steering wheels, and passengers will not be allowed to ride in that seat.

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Présenté au CES en début d’année , le concept Elevate Ultimate Mobility avait étonné : Hyundai présentait en effet un véhicule dont les roues montées sur des jambes articulées pouvait affronter n’importe quel terrain difficile. Les articulations de l’Elevate permettent de maintenir la cabine parfaitement à l’horizontale pour protéger les passagers.

Un véhicule tout terrain

Parmi les usages possibles de cette « voiture robot » : une ambulance, le transport de secouristes, l’aide aux personnes atteints d’un handicap… Le concept a tellement intéressé que Hyundai a décidé de se lancer sérieusement dans son développement ! L’entreprise a créé le studio New Horizons, une nouvelle division chargée de mettre au point un tel véhicule.

« Nous avons pour objectif de créer le premier véhicule Transformer au monde », explique John Suh à la tête du studio. L’Elevate sera le premier projet en développement de la division, qui cherche à pousser dans ses retranchements la conception de voiture en combinant la technologie automobile avec la robotique.

Avant que l’Elevate ne devienne réalité, il reste beaucoup de travail à accomplir et rien ne dit qu’à l’épreuve de la réalité physique et technologique, ce concept finira réellement dans nos garages. Mais les innovations qui auront été mises au point pour ce véhicule pourra servir à d’autres.

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