Automobiles777 articles archived since 1845

A Tale of 2 Transit Systems: Battery-Powered Buses Enter the Mainstream

Using stimulus funds, two transit systems, in California and Washington State, pioneer a cleaner, greener and less expensive method of transportation

Aviator's Dilemma: Pilots Encounter Illusions Everywhere

Military aviators learn to second-guess their senses

Motor Vehicles from 1912: A Look Back in Scientific American's Archives

Why America's Love Affair with Cars Is No Accident

The auto industry campaigned against the relatively bloody rise of cars in the early 20th century via TV, the term "jaywalker" and school safety patrols

In Search of the Best (Energy) Ideas: A Q&A with ARPA-E's Arun Majumdar

Majumdar is stepping down after three years at the head of the U.S. Department of Energy's advanced energy research arm

50 Years Ago: The First Gamma-Ray Satellite

Innovation and discovery as chronicled in past issues of Scientific American

Obese People May Fail to Buckle Up

People of normal weight are 67 percent more likely to buckle their car seat belts than are obese people. Steve Mirsky reports

Diesel Cars Make a Comeback in the U.S.

Sooty, finicky diesel engines are a thing of the past, boosting prospects for the fuel-efficient automobiles in America

Cheap Fracked Gas Could Help Americans Keep on Truckin'

Companies and researchers are working on infrastructure and technologies to help bring the nation's growing stock of natural gas to fuel tanks, including those of long-haul vehicles

Second Wind: Air-Breathing Lithium Batteries Promise Recharge-Free Long-Range Driving--If the Bugs Can Be Worked Out

IBM-led research to create lithium-air electric vehicle batteries gets a boost from Japanese chemical companies toward the goal of 800 kilometers out of a full charge

Earth Day 2012: Strategies for a Green Planet

From recycling to energy use, new strategies are needed to ensure a more sustainable future

A New Report Sheds Light on Problems Plaguing Russia's Space Program

A recent report from Russia's space agency sheds light on a string of recent failures

Different Strokes: New Lower-Pollution Auto Rickshaw Engines Could Save Lives and Curb Climate Change [Slide Show]

The two-stroke rickshaw, although convenient in traffic-snarled cities, is a toxic nuisance--but new engines could clean up its act

Different Strokes: New Lower-Pollution Auto Rickshaw Engines Could Save Lives and Curb Climate Change [Slide Show]

The two-stroke rickshaw, although convenient in traffic-snarled cities, is a toxic nuisance--but new engines could clean up its act

Flying Car Debuts at New York City Auto Show

Terrafugia's Transition two-seat "roadable aircraft" comes to the New York International Auto Show after a maiden flight. Larry Greenemeier reports

A Timeline of Tragedy and Triumph

From the great ocean liner's construction to its sinking to its discovery on the ocean floor, the key moments in Titanic's history

The Extraordinary Story of the White Star Liner Titanic

The great steamship sank 100 years ago, but its legendary drama, heroes and villains remain as unforgettable as ever

Titanic: Resonance and Reality

A century ago a great ship struck an iceberg and sank, earning a permanent place among the stories we tell—and lessons we should learn

Compressed-Air Car Winds Way to Market

Tata Motors hopes to release its compressed-air car in India by August. Larry Greenemeier reports

Spread Reckoning: U.S. Suburbs Face Twin Perils of Climate Change and Peak Oil [Excerpt]

Sprawling metropolitan areas like Merriam, Kans., face fundamental challenges from global warming and the end of easy oil