Automobiles
GM 'Unallocated' Its Lordstown, Ohio, Plant. What's Next for the Village?
Donald Trump blamed David Green, the local UAW president, for the plant's shutdown. Green is now fighting for his union members' futures.
What Would a 'Hard Brexit' Mean for the United States?
If the British fail to negotiate a soft exit from the E.U. American car manufacturers, drugmakers, and banks could all suffer.
Does the First Amendment Protect Vanity License Plates and Bumper Stickers?
Dave Assman's attempt to get his last name on a Canadian plate has thrust the question back into the United States spotlight.
How Rising Rates of Auto Debt Point to Increasing Economic Inequality
When more households fail to make payments on their vehicle, it shows too few people are sharing the benefits of an ostensibly healthy economy.
Stories You Might Have Missed Last Week
Americans are behind on car payments, coastal-access advocates get good news, and NASA says goodbye to an old friend.
Prescription Opioids Are Contributing to More Fatal Auto Accidents
New research finds use of painkillers more than doubles the risk that a driver will set into motion a fatal two-car crash.
California Could Lose Its Fuel Efficiency Waiver. What Would That Mean for the Country?
Some state legislators seem to agree that California's standards are what's in the United States' best interest.
The Trump Administration Releases Its Plan to Roll Back Fuel Efficiency Standards
The plan would end efforts to make cars and trucks average more than 50 miles per gallon by 2025.
The Trump Administration Is Expected to Weaken Fuel Emission Standards Next Week
This move will bring up questions about the waiver that currently allows California to set its own, stricter emissions standards.
What Cheating Emissions Standards Tells Us About Ourselves
To understand the outrage over the Volkswagen scandal and recall, consider the meat industry.
How to Make Our Cars Less Deadly
As folks gear up for end-of-summer road trips, Levi Tillemann makes the case for a synthetic market for automotive safety.
The Future of Work: Machines Pulling Ahead, Quickly
The latest entry in a special project in which business and labor leaders, social scientists, technology visionaries, activists, and journalists weigh in on the most consequential changes in the workplace.
Trade In? Maybe Don't
Economists find that trading in a used car bumps up the price of the new one you take home—by a lot.
Why We Rage on the Roads—and How to Stop
A perfect combination of fear and overconfidence produces dangerous escalations of tiny incidents. The best course of action is to allow the guy flipping you the bird to drive right past.
Grading Cash for Clunkers: Give It an E for Effort
Now that Uncle Sam is no longer a back-seat driver for the auto business, this is a good time to pull over and remember one of his signal acts while in the car.
Distracted Driving Laws Are Expanding, But Many Still Miss the Point
(The point is the limits of mental multitasking.)
Detroit Bikes: Manufacturing Commuter Bikes for Detroit
Zak Pashak's company is trying to bring the manufacturing tradition to Detroit, but instead of cars, they're making commuter bikes.
Adding a Horse to the Horseless Carriage of Yore
Nostalgic for the nostalgia of yesterday? Popular Science had a thriving enterprise in the 1930s that looked back at wacky inventions from earlier years.
Steam-Powered Cars: California's 1970s Smog Solution
Steam-powered cars may sound like a shout-out to the early 1900s, but in 1970s California the idea was building up a real head of, umm, steam.
Driving a Dead Horse: Making Cars Less Frightening in 1904
The traffic safety department is trying to get the nation used to today's silent cars. Something similar happened at the beginning of the 20th century.
When Santa Traded His Sleigh for an Automobile
The American Santa of the end of the 19th century was a lot fatter and in a car—much like the average American a century later.
Is Driving One of the Tiniest Cars in the World In Your Future?
A minuscule car that folds up to just 60 inches, made by MIT's media lab, will be deployed in cities around the world for neighborly sharing.
The Problem of the Too-Quiet Car
In spite of a government demand for automakers to fix the problem, there is still no consensus on how to warn pedestrians of noiseless vehicles.