Technology

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says electric vehicles can’t tow and will “end the weekend”, while opposition leader Bill Shorten wants half of all new cars sold by 2030 to be EVs.

Citroen has revealed its new 19_19 Concept ahead of its public debut at the VivaTech technology show in Paris later this week.The fully electric vehicle has been described as a “UFO in the automotive sector”, with a futuristic design that takes inspiration from the aviation field. Earlier this year, Citroen revealed its Ami One Concept which showed the company’s take on future urban mobility.According to the French carmaker, the new 19_19 Concept instead illustrates its vision of extended mobility outside of the city – a notion bolstered by the vehicle’s claimed 800 kilometre range and autonomous driving capability.In theory, the Citroen can accelerate from zero to 100km/h in five seconds before reaching a top speed of 200km/h.A stand-out feature of the 19_19 is its living-room-style cabin, which is suspended with its own bespoke hydraulic suspension system for an ultra-smooth ride.Passengers can enter the 19_19 via a rear-hinged pillar-free door, which gives access to three unique seating options – a soft comfort seat for the driver, a reclining lounge seat for the front passenger, and a “sun-deck-inspired” sofa for rear-seat occupants.Citroen took a minimalistic approach for the dash, with a retractable steering wheel, smooth and flat surfaces, a head-up display and the brand’s Personal Assistant software to handle driver commands using voice recognition.The cabin sits above tall and narrow wheels (255/30R30) positioned squarely at the far corners of the body.Goodyear was called on to develop the wheels, which are said to give the impression of a vehicle moving forward on independent spheres thanks to a “seamless continuity” between the rim and tyre.The exterior features a transparent sculpted double bonnet that is said to channel air towards the windscreen for improved aerodynamics, and the 19_19 carries on the ‘Y’ shape LED light signature previewed on Citroen’s previous concept cars. 

BMW has revealed that its upcoming M8 Coupe and Convertible will feature a new driver mode display and control system that includes the ability to adjust braking characteristics on the fly.

Google is set to roll out a major interface overhaul in an update of its Android Auto connectivity suite later this year.

The Toyota RAV4 will be the first model from the Japanese brand to be offered with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto - but it won't be available from launch.The all-new RAV4 is on sale as of today, but customers who want the added usability of smartphone mirroring technology will have to wait until the fourth quarter of 2019 to get it. That's when all RAV4s sold here will have CarPlay and Android mirroring tech.But customers who decide to buy a RAV4 before then will be eligible for retro-fitment of the tech when it becomes available - and it will be done at no cost.And in a good move by consumers who have recently bought other Toyota products, the brand will also offer a retro-fit Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to the Corolla hatch and Camry sedan. The move brings Toyota in line with Hyundai, Kia, Volkswagen, Subaru and Mazda in offering the system in its biggest-selling models.Toyota says “Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will be rolled out progressively as a standard feature across select Toyota models from the fourth quarter of 2019 onwards”, and more information is set to be provided on the retro-fitment and standard fitment of the technology later in 2019. 

The wait for true phone mirroring is almost over, with Lexus to roll-out Apple CarPlay in its newest models before the end of the year.

Perhaps the only thing more incredible than BMW Australia charging its customers a subscription fee of up to $179 a year to use Apple CarPlay in its vehicles - a feature that comes free in everything from Hyundais to Ferraris - is that they haven't even come up with a good excuse for doing so.

It can take between an hour and a day to charge your car battery depending on the type of battery you have, and the amperage of the charger used.The different types of chargerYou may have noticed there are all sorts of battery chargers on the market and understanding their different uses is key to picking the right one for your situation.Generally, the time taken to charge a battery from flat to full is determined by the amperage of the charger used.Linear battery chargers are the simplest kind of charger and will allow you to charge a battery via a wall socket without any bells and whistles, but often operate at low amperage.The cheapest available Repco-branded battery charger, for example, runs at 2.7amp which will easily take up to 12 hours to charge a run-of-the mill 12-volt lead-acid battery (as is found in most cars) to full.Linear battery chargers simply continuously charge a battery, and do not have controllers that stop charging the battery when it is at capacity. This can cause damage to the battery’s lifespan, or even cause the battery to explode or fail in certain conditions.Multi-stage battery chargers are more expensive (ranging from $90 to $1100) but recharge the battery in bursts. This is healthier for battery cells and resists long-term damage that can be done by simply charging them continuously.Multi-stage (also known as smart or intelligent chargers) are also available at much higher amperage, up to 50A which will allow you to charge a standard car battery in less than an hour.NRMA tells us that while batteries charge faster at higher amperage, it is better in the long-term to charge at lower amperage as rapid charging can negatively impact battery life.Pricier chargers will also have gauges or indicators to let you check the voltage of the battery.Trickle chargers are the last kind of charger and operate at low amperages (between 0.8A – 4A). These are not meant for charging a battery when it goes flat but are meant to prevent the problem in the first place by being connected to the battery in times when the vehicle is not in use.If you have a more advanced battery such as an Enhanced Flooded Battery (EFB) or an Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) battery (the kind often used to support cars with stop-start systems), NRMA tells us this is a good thing as these types of batteries can be charged the same way, actually accept charge faster than their standard lead-acid counterparts, and are designed to operate properly at lower voltages.What if you jump start your car?We don’t recommend using jumper cables for starting most modern cars where you can avoid it, as there is a risk that modern electrical systems can be damaged in the process.If you were stuck in a pinch and had little choice though, how long would you have to drive or idle the car to charge the battery back up again, so you can safely turn the vehicle off and expect it to start again later?NRMA’s advice for a standard battery is “around 30 minutes.” This is because a car’s alternator operates at between 50 and 100A, thus charges a battery relatively quickly.Roadside support services like NRMA, RACQ, or RACV, or even a manufacturer roadside support service can safely jump start modern cars without risk to electrical systems through use of a spike protector, with regulated voltage via an Anderson Plug.These tools prevent damage to the battery and negate the chances of a spark occurring which can cause a battery to fail.If in doubt when it comes to what kind of battery you have or need to jump-start your vehicle, it is best to contact one of these services.

Has Tesla solved range anxiety AND built a car you can tow a caravan with?

Audi has unveiled what it calls a "mobility concept for the megacities of the future" the AI:ME concept hatchback.