The Ford Super Duty has always been a capable towing machine, but for the 2017 model year, the pickup benefits from an influx of technology that brings the process into the modern age. The highlight of the all-new truck is its Trailer Reverse Guidance system, which uses three out the vehicle’s seven digital cameras to help the driver safely monitor the surrounding area.
A rear-facing camera mounted on the tailgate is the backbone of the system, as it can detect trailer angle most accurately and provide real-time coaching via the truck’s display screen. There are two more cameras mounted on the side mirrors, which help the driver keep tabs on the trailer as its orientation changes. Each feed is routed to a color-coded bird’s eye diagram on the center console.
“Super Duty customers are very proficient when it comes to towing and backing up a trailer; they do it every day,” said Jennifer Shaw, Driver Assistance Supervisor at Ford. “So this system is designed to give them a little bit more — some extended vision. It’s really helpful to have some additional views. ”
Walk around the truck and you’ll find more cameras mounted on the front grille, above the rear-center stop lamp, and near the rear-view mirror inside the cabin. As a factory option, customers can place an additional wired camera to the rear of the trailer for increased visibility.
The 2017 Super Duty goes on sale later this year and will ride on an all-new, full boxed frame made from more the 95-percent high-strength steel. Like the F-150 we tested in Texas, the Super Duty uses a lightweight aluminum body, which cuts up to 350 pounds off its predecessor. Engine choices will be a 6.7-liter diesel V8, a 6.2-liter gasoline V8, and a hulking 6.8-liter gasoline V10.
Volkswagen’s newest EVs in China are making its American and European models look unusually conservative.
With Xpeng’s help, VW has introduced 800-volt charging and advanced urban driving assistance. The new VEGA technology package brings its locally developed vehicle platforms and CEA electronic architecture under one umbrella. Bloomberg reports that Volkswagen intends to update VEGA every three months. Western buyers can find pieces of that package, but not the whole thing in a Volkswagen.
BYD has launched the third-generation Qin Plus DM-i in China, and the first thing that caught my eye is its price. According to CarNewsChina, the plug-in hybrid sedan starts at 79,900 yuan, which is about $11,980. That’s an incredibly low price for a brand-new car, especially by US standards.
What’s even more impressive is the range. The Qin Plus DM-i can drive up to 137 miles on electricity alone, which should cover most people’s daily commutes without using a drop of gas. Once the battery runs out, the 1.5-liter engine takes over. Thanks to its 17-gallon tank and roughly 91 mpg with a drained battery, the combined range reaches up to 1,423 miles.
Apple won the PC market’s worst quarter, but that’s not the entire story. It won the race by stumbling less than everyone else.
PC makers shipped just 57 million computers worldwide in Q3, which might look good, but it’s a 21% year-over-year plunge (via Counterpoint Research). And despite Apple’s Mac shipments falling by 11%, to 5.6 million, its market share rose from 8.7% to 9.8%. How did that happen?